Women Hair Loss Forums - i just wish my life would be normal again...

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subemama

25.10.2007, 20:55

i just wish my life would be normal again... (Rogaine, Minoxidil)
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Hi, how is everyone? I'm new to the forum. I've been reading the posts for a month or so now, and I find the posts very helpful. It's also reassuring to know that other women feel the same way I do. My friends don't get it; my family doesn't understand; some people make mean jokes, regarding my hair loss. The past few months have been horrible.

I started shedding my hair big time in July. I went from some silver-dollar-sized thinning in on top of my head, to a massive bald spot in about 3 months. I've seen 3 doctors. The latest, and most trustworthy, says I've got TE and some signs of AGA underneath it all. I've had some tests done, and so far everything is normal.

What I'm so disheartened about is the Rogaine. I started it about a month ago, and everything was fine. I was shedding a lot (but normal for me). And then I had 1 glorious week of no shedding! Just two or three hairs here and there! I even saw new growth, which must have been from the pre-Rogaine time.

But now, I'm approaching week four, and I'm shedding again big time. Every time I look at myself, I'm covered in hair. There's hair on my desk at work.

What is this? Is this the Dred Shed I've read about here and elsewhere? And also, should I even be using the Rogaine, if my hair loss is from stress? My Derm told me to use it for a few months just to "jump-start" the hair regrowth? Does that even make sense?

I just don't trust the doctors. They just throw Rogaine and move right along. I don't know what to do. I've lost so much hair in so little time. I don't even look like myself. I'm not even the same person I was. And I just think I'll never be pretty again.

Thanks for listening...
sm

subemama is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO

V

26.10.2007, 06:49

@ subemama
i just wish my life would be normal again...
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Do you have a comple bald spot? If so that sounds like alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease. Neither AGA or Te usually resulst in any bald spots. It is ususally diffuse thining.

V is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO

Susan1122

26.10.2007, 08:22

@ V
i just wish my life would be normal again...
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I agree with V, from everything that I have read a complete bald spot points to Alopecia Areata.

If what I have read is correct, it takes Rogaine a while to work, at least 4 months I believe, but I could be wrong about that. I am not certain that it would be effective on AA if that is in fact what it is.

Maybe go to the AA thread and explain your symptoms there, they may be able to assist you better. Best wishes to you!

Susan

Susan1122 is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO

Chris

26.10.2007, 08:24

@ V
i just wish my life would be normal again...
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Hi and welcome. I agree with v. It sounds like alopecia areata but I'm surprised your derms wouldn't think this.
I think your increased shedding is the dread shed from the Rogaine. I would try to see your derm again and ask about it being AA. If it is, Rogaine will not help. I heard of getting cortisone shots for those balding areas and sometimes that helps.
Good luck to you and keep us posted.

Chris is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO

ginawat

26.10.2007, 09:00

@ Chris
i just wish my life would be normal again...
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� Hi and welcome. I agree with v. It sounds like alopecia areata but I'm
� surprised your derms wouldn't think this.
� I think your increased shedding is the dread shed from the Rogaine. I
� would try to see your derm again and ask about it being AA. If it is,
� Rogaine will not help. I heard of getting cortisone shots for those
� balding areas and sometimes that helps.
� Good luck to you and keep us posted.

I can't speak for Subemama but I think what she meant (or at least what I have) are balding spots due to the extreme thinning. I have mostly dark hair (with gray!) and in the areas where my hair is the thinnest (top of my head ...part area that goes all the way to back) These are not typical AA bald spots but because my hiar is so sparse and my scalp exposed it is LIKE bald spots. Right?

ginawat is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO

subemama

26.10.2007, 15:10

@ ginawat
i just wish my life would be normal again...
Post reply

� I can't speak for Subemama but I think what she meant (or at least what I
� have) are balding spots due to the extreme thinning. I have mostly dark
� hair (with gray!) and in the areas where my hair is the thinnest (top of
� my head ...part area that goes all the way to back) These are not typical
� AA bald spots but because my hiar is so sparse and my scalp exposed it is
� LIKE bald spots. Right?

Hi Ladies,
Thank you so much for responding so quickly. It's nice to be talking with people who can at least relate to what is happening to me.

Yes, it is like Ginawat wrote. Not a complete bald spot like AA, but just a terribly thin spot that is practically bald right at the top of my head. I guess what I'm most concerned with now is the amount of hair I'm losing. I was losing so much in July - September, and then it tapered off a bit. And now I'm on Rogaine and I'm losing more!

I guess my real question is if I should be using Rogaine at all. Are any of you using it to "jump-start" hairloss from TE? Have you heard of this?

Going to see my Derm again on Tues.

Thanks again for listening and writing,
sm

subemama is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO

subemama 25.10.2007, 20:55	i just wish my life would be normal again... (Rogaine, Minoxidil) Post reply
	Hi, how is everyone? I'm new to the forum. I've been reading the posts for a month or so now, and I find the posts very helpful. It's also reassuring to know that other women feel the same way I do. My friends don't get it; my family doesn't understand; some people make mean jokes, regarding my hair loss. The past few months have been horrible. I started shedding my hair big time in July. I went from some silver-dollar-sized thinning in on top of my head, to a massive bald spot in about 3 months. I've seen 3 doctors. The latest, and most trustworthy, says I've got TE and some signs of AGA underneath it all. I've had some tests done, and so far everything is normal. What I'm so disheartened about is the Rogaine. I started it about a month ago, and everything was fine. I was shedding a lot (but normal for me). And then I had 1 glorious week of no shedding! Just two or three hairs here and there! I even saw new growth, which must have been from the pre-Rogaine time. But now, I'm approaching week four, and I'm shedding again big time. Every time I look at myself, I'm covered in hair. There's hair on my desk at work. What is this? Is this the Dred Shed I've read about here and elsewhere? And also, should I even be using the Rogaine, if my hair loss is from stress? My Derm told me to use it for a few months just to "jump-start" the hair regrowth? Does that even make sense? I just don't trust the doctors. They just throw Rogaine and move right along. I don't know what to do. I've lost so much hair in so little time. I don't even look like myself. I'm not even the same person I was. And I just think I'll never be pretty again. Thanks for listening... sm subemama is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO
V 26.10.2007, 06:49 @ subemama	i just wish my life would be normal again... Post reply
	Do you have a comple bald spot? If so that sounds like alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease. Neither AGA or Te usually resulst in any bald spots. It is ususally diffuse thining. V is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO
Susan1122 26.10.2007, 08:22 @ V	i just wish my life would be normal again... Post reply
	I agree with V, from everything that I have read a complete bald spot points to Alopecia Areata. If what I have read is correct, it takes Rogaine a while to work, at least 4 months I believe, but I could be wrong about that. I am not certain that it would be effective on AA if that is in fact what it is. Maybe go to the AA thread and explain your symptoms there, they may be able to assist you better. Best wishes to you! Susan Susan1122 is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO
Chris 26.10.2007, 08:24 @ V	i just wish my life would be normal again... Post reply
	Hi and welcome. I agree with v. It sounds like alopecia areata but I'm surprised your derms wouldn't think this. I think your increased shedding is the dread shed from the Rogaine. I would try to see your derm again and ask about it being AA. If it is, Rogaine will not help. I heard of getting cortisone shots for those balding areas and sometimes that helps. Good luck to you and keep us posted. Chris is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO
ginawat 26.10.2007, 09:00 @ Chris	i just wish my life would be normal again... Post reply
	� Hi and welcome. I agree with v. It sounds like alopecia areata but I'm � surprised your derms wouldn't think this. � I think your increased shedding is the dread shed from the Rogaine. I � would try to see your derm again and ask about it being AA. If it is, � Rogaine will not help. I heard of getting cortisone shots for those � balding areas and sometimes that helps. � Good luck to you and keep us posted. I can't speak for Subemama but I think what she meant (or at least what I have) are balding spots due to the extreme thinning. I have mostly dark hair (with gray!) and in the areas where my hair is the thinnest (top of my head ...part area that goes all the way to back) These are not typical AA bald spots but because my hiar is so sparse and my scalp exposed it is LIKE bald spots. Right? ginawat is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO
subemama 26.10.2007, 15:10 @ ginawat	i just wish my life would be normal again... Post reply
	� I can't speak for Subemama but I think what she meant (or at least what I � have) are balding spots due to the extreme thinning. I have mostly dark � hair (with gray!) and in the areas where my hair is the thinnest (top of � my head ...part area that goes all the way to back) These are not typical � AA bald spots but because my hiar is so sparse and my scalp exposed it is � LIKE bald spots. Right? Hi Ladies, Thank you so much for responding so quickly. It's nice to be talking with people who can at least relate to what is happening to me. Yes, it is like Ginawat wrote. Not a complete bald spot like AA, but just a terribly thin spot that is practically bald right at the top of my head. I guess what I'm most concerned with now is the amount of hair I'm losing. I was losing so much in July - September, and then it tapered off a bit. And now I'm on Rogaine and I'm losing more! I guess my real question is if I should be using Rogaine at all. Are any of you using it to "jump-start" hairloss from TE? Have you heard of this? Going to see my Derm again on Tues. Thanks again for listening and writing, sm subemama is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO