Women Hair Loss Forums - How to find a doctor

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77nation

09.01.2007, 07:47

How to find a doctor (Doctors & Dermatologists)
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Hi all - first post and so happy I found you.

I'm in MA, the Boston area, so you'd think there would be a ton of specialists here but I haven't been successful finding someone who specializes in hair loss.
I saw one derm who did what I felt was a cursory exam and basically said, "Yup, you have hair loss!" Ahem, thanks so much. She suggested low ferritin (turns out it is very low normal). I have so much going on that could contribute to this - on medication, tons of stress, perimenopausal, the above mentioned iron issue - I really need a doc who knows what s/he is talking about and am tired of struggling with this on my own.

Any suggestions about how to find someone?

Thanks

77nation is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO

t

09.01.2007, 08:11

@ 77nation
How to find a doctor
Post reply

what was your ferritin and describe your hair loss

t is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: YES

nomoresheds

11.01.2007, 14:27

@ t
How to find a doctor
Post reply

There don't appear to be many hair loss experts in the USA. My derm was supposedly listed as specializing in hair loss (among other things) but he didn't even ask me my ferritin level. The first derm I saw didn't ask me either, I had to ask for the testing.

There are a few doctors who might have more expertise in NYC. Michael Reed and Ted Daly. There is Cotsarelis in PA and U Penn with a one year wait to get in. Very depressing.

nomoresheds is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: YES

77nation

12.01.2007, 08:10

@ t
How to find a doctor
Post reply

� what was your ferritin and describe your hair loss

Sorry took so long to respond- I find my denial/terror keeps me out of here until I get desperate again!

My ferritin when last checked was 19 (normal but obviously nowhere near the magic 70 I keep hearing about).

My hair loss seems to be pretty global. It may have started a while ago - I find it difficult to really know because it was pretty subtle at first. Most recently I've noticed significant receding hairline, worse on one side than the other. Sometimes I shed a lot, other times barely at all. I have (had) very thick hair and it was never unusual for me to shed and lose a good amount of hair in the shower.

I actually really noticed hair loss/thinning after starting Wellbutrin. I had no idea this drug could be associated with hair loss and only found out because I started hunting for a reason for my symptoms. I know that there isn't a high incidence of reported hair loss with this med however from what I've read this has occurred for a number of people. I went off the Wellbutrin and imagined/thought - (hard to say which) I saw an improvement, however I went back on the med due to severe depression symptoms and numerous other drug failures. After going back on there was an marked increase in hair loss, so I'm off again.

Thanks for asking - let me know what you think

77nation is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO

nicole m

12.01.2007, 11:52

@ 77nation
How to find a doctor
Post reply

Your best bet is to find a good endocrinologist and have all your hormones checked
if you aren't happy with the dermatologist you had, find a new one and have that one check you out.
a second opinion is never a bad idea if you aren't happy with or are ever skeptical with one dr's diagnosis (or lack of).
None of the dr's i've seen are "hair loss specialists" but they've been sympathetic and aggressive in trying to find out what could be causing my problem with what knowledge they have. And so far they've been really great at finding the causes.
Also you'd be well served in reading up and researching everything in your list causes (the ones you believe to be causes) as much as you can, finding possible solutions and discussing those with your doctors to get their opinions.
that way they know you know what you are talking about even a little, they are more likely to take your problem more seriously. There are some great natural sources to help regrow hair such as vitamins and herbal supplements that have helped me. But I never would have known about any of that had I not constantly read this board and researched everything everyone suggested for my problems, to find what was best for me, after discussing it with my dr's.
good luck!

� � what was your ferritin and describe your hair loss
�
� Sorry took so long to respond- I find my denial/terror keeps me out of
� here until I get desperate again!
�
� My ferritin when last checked was 19 (normal but obviously nowhere near
� the magic 70 I keep hearing about).
�
� My hair loss seems to be pretty global. It may have started a while ago -
� I find it difficult to really know because it was pretty subtle at first.
� Most recently I've noticed significant receding hairline, worse on one
� side than the other. Sometimes I shed a lot, other times barely at all. I
� have (had) very thick hair and it was never unusual for me to shed and
� lose a good amount of hair in the shower.
�
� I actually really noticed hair loss/thinning after starting Wellbutrin. I
� had no idea this drug could be associated with hair loss and only found
� out because I started hunting for a reason for my symptoms. I know that
� there isn't a high incidence of reported hair loss with this med however
� from what I've read this has occurred for a number of people. I went off
� the Wellbutrin and imagined/thought - (hard to say which) I saw an
� improvement, however I went back on the med due to severe depression
� symptoms and numerous other drug failures. After going back on there was
� an marked increase in hair loss, so I'm off again.
�
� Thanks for asking - let me know what you think

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

77 nation

24.01.2007, 07:34

@ nicole m
How to find a doctor
Post reply

Thanks for the response and sorry for the delay. I bet we all could start a "bad doctor experience" support group. My derm, as I mentioned, was pretty useless. When I insisted on talking with my PCP (and I had to insist) she was horrible. When I (as nicely as possible) suggested that the exam the dermatologist did was pretty quick my PCP said that was because "hair loss isn't life threatening".

Time for a new PCP???

I do continue to read forums and would love to know about any herbal remedies out there and wish like heck I could afford a homeopathic doctor. Great to know there are actually sympathetic doc out there.

77 nation is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: YES

kiminnc

North Carolina,
16.07.2007, 18:47

@ 77 nation
How to find a doctor
Post reply

Is there a website for finding specialists in the US? I have been to an endo and there is nothing wrong with the thyroid. I know there is a number range for those results. My numbers have always been on the lower end of normal. Does that mean anything? Thanks for your help.

kiminnc is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: YES

77nation 09.01.2007, 07:47	How to find a doctor (Doctors & Dermatologists) Post reply
	Hi all - first post and so happy I found you. I'm in MA, the Boston area, so you'd think there would be a ton of specialists here but I haven't been successful finding someone who specializes in hair loss. I saw one derm who did what I felt was a cursory exam and basically said, "Yup, you have hair loss!" Ahem, thanks so much. She suggested low ferritin (turns out it is very low normal). I have so much going on that could contribute to this - on medication, tons of stress, perimenopausal, the above mentioned iron issue - I really need a doc who knows what s/he is talking about and am tired of struggling with this on my own. Any suggestions about how to find someone? Thanks 77nation is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO
t 09.01.2007, 08:11 @ 77nation	How to find a doctor Post reply
	what was your ferritin and describe your hair loss t is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: YES
nomoresheds 11.01.2007, 14:27 @ t	How to find a doctor Post reply
	There don't appear to be many hair loss experts in the USA. My derm was supposedly listed as specializing in hair loss (among other things) but he didn't even ask me my ferritin level. The first derm I saw didn't ask me either, I had to ask for the testing. There are a few doctors who might have more expertise in NYC. Michael Reed and Ted Daly. There is Cotsarelis in PA and U Penn with a one year wait to get in. Very depressing. nomoresheds is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: YES
77nation 12.01.2007, 08:10 @ t	How to find a doctor Post reply
	� what was your ferritin and describe your hair loss Sorry took so long to respond- I find my denial/terror keeps me out of here until I get desperate again! My ferritin when last checked was 19 (normal but obviously nowhere near the magic 70 I keep hearing about). My hair loss seems to be pretty global. It may have started a while ago - I find it difficult to really know because it was pretty subtle at first. Most recently I've noticed significant receding hairline, worse on one side than the other. Sometimes I shed a lot, other times barely at all. I have (had) very thick hair and it was never unusual for me to shed and lose a good amount of hair in the shower. I actually really noticed hair loss/thinning after starting Wellbutrin. I had no idea this drug could be associated with hair loss and only found out because I started hunting for a reason for my symptoms. I know that there isn't a high incidence of reported hair loss with this med however from what I've read this has occurred for a number of people. I went off the Wellbutrin and imagined/thought - (hard to say which) I saw an improvement, however I went back on the med due to severe depression symptoms and numerous other drug failures. After going back on there was an marked increase in hair loss, so I'm off again. Thanks for asking - let me know what you think 77nation is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO
nicole m 12.01.2007, 11:52 @ 77nation	How to find a doctor Post reply
	Your best bet is to find a good endocrinologist and have all your hormones checked if you aren't happy with the dermatologist you had, find a new one and have that one check you out. a second opinion is never a bad idea if you aren't happy with or are ever skeptical with one dr's diagnosis (or lack of). None of the dr's i've seen are "hair loss specialists" but they've been sympathetic and aggressive in trying to find out what could be causing my problem with what knowledge they have. And so far they've been really great at finding the causes. Also you'd be well served in reading up and researching everything in your list causes (the ones you believe to be causes) as much as you can, finding possible solutions and discussing those with your doctors to get their opinions. that way they know you know what you are talking about even a little, they are more likely to take your problem more seriously. There are some great natural sources to help regrow hair such as vitamins and herbal supplements that have helped me. But I never would have known about any of that had I not constantly read this board and researched everything everyone suggested for my problems, to find what was best for me, after discussing it with my dr's. good luck! � � what was your ferritin and describe your hair loss � � Sorry took so long to respond- I find my denial/terror keeps me out of � here until I get desperate again! � � My ferritin when last checked was 19 (normal but obviously nowhere near � the magic 70 I keep hearing about). � � My hair loss seems to be pretty global. It may have started a while ago - � I find it difficult to really know because it was pretty subtle at first. � Most recently I've noticed significant receding hairline, worse on one � side than the other. Sometimes I shed a lot, other times barely at all. I � have (had) very thick hair and it was never unusual for me to shed and � lose a good amount of hair in the shower. � � I actually really noticed hair loss/thinning after starting Wellbutrin. I � had no idea this drug could be associated with hair loss and only found � out because I started hunting for a reason for my symptoms. I know that � there isn't a high incidence of reported hair loss with this med however � from what I've read this has occurred for a number of people. I went off � the Wellbutrin and imagined/thought - (hard to say which) I saw an � improvement, however I went back on the med due to severe depression � symptoms and numerous other drug failures. After going back on there was � an marked increase in hair loss, so I'm off again. � � Thanks for asking - let me know what you think nicole m is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO
77 nation 24.01.2007, 07:34 @ nicole m	How to find a doctor Post reply
	Thanks for the response and sorry for the delay. I bet we all could start a "bad doctor experience" support group. My derm, as I mentioned, was pretty useless. When I insisted on talking with my PCP (and I had to insist) she was horrible. When I (as nicely as possible) suggested that the exam the dermatologist did was pretty quick my PCP said that was because "hair loss isn't life threatening". Time for a new PCP??? I do continue to read forums and would love to know about any herbal remedies out there and wish like heck I could afford a homeopathic doctor. Great to know there are actually sympathetic doc out there. 77 nation is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: YES
kiminnc North Carolina, 16.07.2007, 18:47 @ 77 nation	How to find a doctor Post reply
	Is there a website for finding specialists in the US? I have been to an endo and there is nothing wrong with the thyroid. I know there is a number range for those results. My numbers have always been on the lower end of normal. Does that mean anything? Thanks for your help. kiminnc is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: YES