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Topic F350: Aldactone or Spironolactone for female women hair loss

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To EMMA!!!!!!  Don't give up! (long post)

From: Beta
Date: 2/15/2004
Time: 12:41:35 AM
Remote Name: 64.162.10.128

Comments

Hi Emma.

Your situation is still on my mind. You asked me before how you know if you have androgen sensitivity. You can have a test done and get a diagnosis. But even after that, it becomes a matter of putting the puzzle together, ruling out or correcting everything else, looking at your hair loss history, researching your family's history (which may or may not be conclusive), and testing your response to meds. THAT IS THE METHOD!! What a pain!! Why haven't you been able to get a "firm" diagnosis? At this point, you really need one. Otherwise, you are just lost. Even though I have this "sensitivity", I never did have a low estrogen problem, and androgens were normal. So if you have sensitivity plus low estrogen, that is a disaster.

Your low estro is definitely a factor either way. It is decreasing the growing phase of your hair, so you get those short hairs falling out all the time. You are right...the pill was suppressing your estro, but only while you were on it. That is how it works...by replacing your own hormones with it's own. It also shuts off the androgen supply from the ovaries by shutting them down. (This factor is one of the benefits they provide for AGA.) But your ovaries should have kicked back in long ago. Did you have your estro checked "before" you went on the pill? Maybe it was already low. Maybe your body just isn't and never was making enough.

Your low iron could be a factor, as can thyroid and all those other things. However, not everyone's hair is always affected by those things. But EVERYONE'S hair is ALWAYS affected by the androgen sensitivity thing. POOH!!!!!! I hate it. Sometimes prolonged loss (continually or periodically for several years)is a good indicator of AGA.

I know how bad you are feeling right now. I understand all too well, because actually Emma, my hair "has" ruined my life. All my hopes and dreams went up in smoke because of it. I could not function. If it weren't for the meds, I would still be locked in a dark room, rotting away. So, you see, I am no stronger than you when it comes to the hair. I have learned to cope only because I "gave in" to the meds and they help my hair. They were a way out of the dark tunnel and back into life. The knowledge that I can fall back on them, as I am doing now, gives me piece of mind. But the whole ordeal changed the course of my life forever. I mourn for what my life could have been, but now never will be. But the difficulties also developed qualities within me that I would never trade and I am very grateful for that. I have a depth and understanding about life that many people will never have. And I have developed a tremendous amount of courage in areas where other people are fearful. So I am extremely strong in many ways...stronger than I ever could have been without this experience.

Like you, I once had an extraordinary head of hair. I have always taken superb care of myself and been in excellent health. For my hair, I tried everything "natural", from supplements, to herbs, to soy(made it worse), etc. I studied the subject for years. But none of this did anything, and I have learned that some of it may have been very harmful to me. I recently went off saw palmetto (one of my guinea pig experiments) because it doesn't do anything for my hair, and since I don't have a prostate problem (ha,ha) it is useless. In fact, even though it is a DHT blocker, it is also an anti-estrogen...not good! I now take only "low" doses of Vit. B complex, C, and E, flax oil, beta-carotene, and sometimes calcium/magnesium. NO MEGA DOSES!!!! I use as low a dose as I can find, and eat nutrient dense foods...no junk food. But none of this is for my hair. It is just for my health. It will never alleviate the hair condition.

Supposedly, it is possible for alcohol to raise estrogen levels, but I don't recommend this method! Nothing could be worse than a bald alcoholic women! (Come to think of it, I remember an alcoholic women with terriblle hair loss, so scratch that idea!) Maybe an occasional glass of wine? All of us who are losing our hair could probably use a little relaxation!! I wish I had a magic wand for you. I know you don't want to take any meds. I didn't either. It was my only life-saving option left. I am doing well. My hair is starting to grow back after a year of being back on the pill, and it's actually getting somewhat thick around the scalp. My loss is at normal levels, and I have lots of new hairs everywhere which are not falling out. The meds were a choice I had to make, and for me, it was the right one. Please see if you can get some kind of diagnosis Emma. What is your family history? I think I might have read something about it already, but can't remember at the moment.

I hope I've answered all your questions. Please, please, please get back to me and let me know how you are holding up. We'll keep working on finding a solution for you....Beta

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