Hair loss with no chemo?

HopefulFuture

Has anyone had stress-related hair loss from their diagnosis, not related to chemo? I was diagnosed with DCIS 3 months ago and was also going through a tough time with work/personal issues before that. I noticed major hair loss about 2 months ago and it hasn't stopped. I had a double mastectomy last month, and am still recuperating.



I keep losing a ton of hair every day, but I just noticed a bald spot on my head about 1.5 inches across!! I know I sound pathetic compared to people going through total hair loss with chemo, but I'm freaking out!!



Wondering if anyone has any tips or advice.

lago

Talk to your doctor but you can get hair loss with just surgery too. It usually resolves itself. Are you on any kind of hormone suppression therapy. That can cause hair thinning as well.

karen333

Hypothyroidism can also cause hair loss, a simple blood test can rule this out, again see your PCP.  Stress can also cause hair loss, severe stress.

sweetbean

Oh, hair loss is upsetting, no matter what the reason.  Lago is right - some of the hormone therapies can cause hair loss.  talk to your onc - maybe you can try a new one.  Also, stress is huge.  HUGE!  Is there anything that you can do to alleviate your stress?  Even meditating 15 minutes a day may help.

hrf

Hair loss is a big deal and you are allowed to be upset with this. Hopefully, the situation will resolve

wobyon

I've been losing hair by the handful ever since surgery in January.  I don't have any bald spots, but my hair is noticably thinner.  It's probably not hypothyroid for me - I'm having trouble keeping weight on right now.  I read that anesthesia can cause hair loss for a period of weeks or months, and I think that might be my problem, because the hair loss ramped up again after I had my stage II surgery two weeks ago.  I keep praying it will stop, or else I'm going to end up having to cut my hair.  I also feel dumb about being upset about it, because, dang, so many lose all their hair to chemo.  

lago

My hair started to recede back in 2004. I was very very upset by it. I had really nice silky straight full hair. It's very normal for women to be upset about hair loss. Men are also upset by hair loss yet hair loss with men is more excepted.

Eventually it slowed but I did use women's Minoxidil. Help to slow it down and grow some back. I eventually came to terms with it. I thought at the time there are worse things… and so I found out 6 years later what the worse thing was.

But after chemo most of what I lost grew back. I just hope it stays.         

JAT

I had hair loss almost 2 years after my surgery. The first year out I had several colds and bronchitis and other ailments I normally never got-- my body was overwhelmed by stress and the impact of 3 surgeries do linger for several months, as my dr. pointed out.   I saw my dermatologist who recommended testing the thyroid as well as for lupus. Hair loss is often an anutoimmune reponse triggered by stress. No lupus but I do have some autoimmune issues. It took several months to grow back, but losing hair only adds to our stress level!  My hair dresser showed me how to style it to hide the bald areas. --Julie

HopefulFuture

Thanks everyone. I am not taking any hormone meds, so this might just be (extreme) stress-related. I had a dermotologist appointment this morning and they are running an alopecia blood work panel. They will check for thyroid, iron levels and autoimmune issues. I don't know whether to hope for one of these issues or hope that it's just stress. Glad to hear I'm not alone with this issue!

shannonW

I had long strands hair loss about 3-5 months post op BMX. It seems to be tapering off some but my hair is still fragile. Kinda stinks on top of everything else, but my friend had a QVC Ken Paves Style-A-Do for $19 on this weekend and it looked so real I think I"m gonna buy one! Never wore "spare hair" before but think I"m gonna try it!

agada

My hair started to thin as well.  My hairdresser said stress can do it and of all things a thyroid problem.  He was right about the thyroid problem!  I had it checked and it was way out of wack. Spare hair?  Sounds good to me :-)

Agada

HopefulFuture

Well, it turns out my thyroid is fine... All I have is low red blood cell counts due to the blood loss during surgery. My surgeon thinks that the blood loss (which was rather high) and the shock to my body is resulting in hair loss. I am taking a ton of supplements, special shampoo/conditioner and even went to acupuncture once so far. I'll let everyone know if it works.