Hi, New from Iowa

SashaMcGuire · 06-30-2008, 11:59 PM

I can't believe I have found this sight. Have felt very alone since my teens when I knew I was different but couldn't find the strength to do anything about it - too embarrased. When I finally did the first dr. I saw gave me something and I went from having very heavy periods that lasted forever with huge clots to no periods at all. I had already had stomach hair, bikini area hair, thigh hair and then in my twenties began having facial hair as well. Spent my entire teen years hiding my body. Finally went to a dr. who diagnosed PCOS and put me on birth control pills. Having my periods regulated was great but still had the hair issues. Found a great electrologist and success with the stomach hair which has been gone ever since (about 18 years). The facial hair has been more tricky as it grew back - I think due to going off BCP to have a child. Am currently having laser. At about age 32 (am now 46) I went to a dr. who did some blood tests and told me there was no evidence of PCOS. He said my hair growth was probably because of my Eastern European ancestry. Yeah right!! And now I find it very ironic that after struggling with abnormal hair growth all these years that my biggest problem now is the hair on my head falling out. I cry myself to sleep at night and feel very, very anxious. I wish I had pursued the root cause of all of this more aggresively when I was younger as I think my hair has been thinning gradually for about 10 years. I know this sounds odd but it never seemed so bad until the last year or so and now I think its too late. I was referred to a dermatologist who put me on Spironolactone. Too soon to know if its working. Bottom line - thank you all for sharing your stories. This is a dreadful syndrome that has altered my life in many ways. Your posts have encouraged me to seek further treatment and if I can't get my hair back I'll at least know I'm not alone.