Waxing Away - Poetically That Is - Well Sort Of

Hi All,I have been silently lurking on all the boards lately (this is my favorite :-) and wanted to share some things (mainly for me) about what is currently happening to my hair.About 1 year ago I started getting these odd physical symptoms like getting tired on my normal 4 hours of sleep (I have been on 4 hours since I was 2 years old). I would actually sleep 8-10 hours which was NOT normal for me. I also started getting really cold hands and feet and other odd things as well as my hair started acting a little funny.The good news is that I was recently diagnosed with hypo-thyroidism and required to take thyroid medication. The bad news is that my hair is changing and becoming extremely dry and thinner. I have never had hair as thick as Noreen's but definitely pretty full.Now it seems very fragile to me. My stylist Shelley has been watching it with me and agrees that it is definitely changing in texture. She has been coming up with all sort of suggestions on how to work with my hair.Now here is the dilemna. Do I continue to take the thyroid medication and risk the future of my hair (which is a few inches below my waist) or do I stop? Do I take the meds and if the worst happens...cut it off? Or at least cut it to the appropriate level to contain any damage?Yes I am doing EVERYTHING possible that I can think of. I am doing Aveda Beautifying Oil treatments, Basil oil massages (which helped the last time my hair acted up) and I am having the ends faithfully trimmed to prevent splitting. I am taking EFAs and primrose oil and VitE and doing daily scalp massages. I am also taking H37 hair vitamins which (maybe it is in my head) seems to help a little bit????The doctor claims that my hair will stop acting weird and settle down soon. Or maybe not. He doesn't seem quite sure although he is sure that I must continue the meds.My accupuncturist is working on my scalp every week and thinks this may be temporary. Or maybe not. UGH. He agrees that I need the meds too.At any rate, Jeff thinks that maybe I am going through this latest hair trauma because I can again pioneer the experience. :-) Trust me, I would rather not.So if anyone has any suggestions or comments, I would love to hear them. I want to thank you all for your wonderful posts. I love reading this board. It is so thought provoking and insightful.It is so good to see so many of my friends here that I miss from Frank's list that I had to unsubscribe from due to other time constraints.Thanks for letting me wax about this. I love my long hair and have spent the last 10 years growing it. It is very sad and scary to watch it go through these changes. Maybe everything will be OK and it will recover just fine. Maybe not.I guess only time and patience will tell.Hugs to everyone here.Karen

Oh gosh Karen.. I have felt your silence.. I just thought you were busy. I hope you stay on your meds and take care of your inner self first.. let's hope your hair returns to it's normal pattern. I know how much it means to you.. I have been there, done that with losing length out of my control.. I am hoping your situation works out, as well. My warmest regards.. Cher~> I have been silently lurking on all the boards lately> (this is my favorite :-) and wanted to share some> things (mainly for me) about what is currently> happening to my hair.> About 1 year ago I started getting these odd physical> symptoms like getting tired on my normal 4 hours of> sleep (I have been on 4 hours since I was 2 years> old). I would actually sleep 8-10 hours which was NOT> normal for me. I also started getting really cold> hands and feet and other odd things as well as my hair> started acting a little funny.> The good news is that I was recently diagnosed with> hypo-thyroidism and required to take thyroid> medication. The bad news is that my hair is changing> and becoming extremely dry and thinner. I have never> had hair as thick as Noreen's but definitely pretty> full.> Now it seems very fragile to me. My stylist Shelley> has been watching it with me and agrees that it is> definitely changing in texture. She has been coming up> with all sort of suggestions on how to work with my> hair.> Now here is the dilemna. Do I continue to take the> thyroid medication and risk the future of my hair> (which is a few inches below my waist) or do I stop?> Do I take the meds and if the worst happens...cut it> off? Or at least cut it to the appropriate level to> contain any damage?> Yes I am doing EVERYTHING possible that I can think> of. I am doing Aveda Beautifying Oil treatments, Basil> oil massages (which helped the last time my hair acted> up) and I am having the ends faithfully trimmed to> prevent splitting. I am taking EFAs and primrose oil> and VitE and doing daily scalp massages. I am also> taking H37 hair vitamins which (maybe it is in my> head) seems to help a little bit????> The doctor claims that my hair will stop acting weird> and settle down soon. Or maybe not. He doesn't seem> quite sure although he is sure that I must continue> the meds.> My accupuncturist is working on my scalp every week> and thinks this may be temporary. Or maybe not. UGH.> He agrees that I need the meds too.> At any rate, Jeff thinks that maybe I am going through> this latest hair trauma because I can again pioneer> the experience. :-) Trust me, I would rather not.> So if anyone has any suggestions or comments, I would> love to hear them. I want to thank you all for your> wonderful posts. I love reading this board. It is so> thought provoking and insightful.> It is so good to see so many of my friends here that I> miss from Frank's list that I had to unsubscribe from> due to other time constraints.> Thanks for letting me wax about this. I love my long> hair and have spent the last 10 years growing it. It> is very sad and scary to watch it go through these> changes. Maybe everything will be OK and it will> recover just fine. Maybe not.> I guess only time and patience will tell.> Hugs to everyone here.> Karen

Hi Karen!You should DEFINITELY take your medication. Your health is worth FAR more than your hair. If people really care about you, they will do so whether or not your hair is long or short and regardless of its condition. I think that we "hair fans" need to keep things in perspective and remember that it is the person INSIDE that matters. Hair is temporary -- sooner or later, no matter how beautiful someone's hair is, age or disease or *something* will take its toll.You'll be in my prayers, Karen. Please don't let this get to you -- there are plenty of people out there in the world who care about you regardless of the state of you hair. Real beauty comes from within!DawnRelated Link:Dawn's Secret Garden

> Now here is the dilemna. Do I continue to take the> thyroid medication and risk the future of my hair> (which is a few inches below my waist) or do I stop?Oh dear....are you honestly willing to risk your *health* over your hair? I have to be brutally honest here -- this, to me, says that you are severely obsessed with your hair. I can absolutely see trying everything that you know to preserve the health of your hair. But when the health of your hair takes precedence over the health of your body, well, that simply isn't mentally healthy. I'm not terribly familiar with thyroid conditions and don't know if they're life-threatening, but if your thyroid condition worsens and your health deteriorites drastically, you'll probably be too ill to even care about your hair.> The doctor claims that my hair will stop acting weird> and settle down soon. Or maybe not. He doesn't seem> quite sure although he is sure that I must continue> the meds.I would encourage you to get second and third medical opinions. Perhaps another doctor has a different medication which wouldn't negatively affect your hair so much.> Thanks for letting me wax about this. I love my long> hair and have spent the last 10 years growing it. It> is very sad and scary to watch it go through these> changes.I can honestly understand this, but we're not talking about caving into any aesthetic pressure here, we're talking about your *health*. If you lose your health, you've lost everything, no matter how much money you have or how much hair you have. Life is precious! We all need to get our priorities in order sometimes.My best to you. :-)

> .....Besides, have you ever seen what can> happen to someone with hyperthyroidism? It can> physically change your body in ways that are not at> all appealing. It can cause excess bone growth that> can give a person a kind of freakish appearance> (hypertrophism). Besides, it can really screw up your> body's hormone balance, even can affect your ability> to conceive and have children.Uhhh, after I posted this I thought that it was kind of rude and insensitive...What I meant was that these are the kinds of consequences that CAN occur if you DON'T TAKE your medications, so by all means, don't ignore your doctor's advice! If you follow his advice, chances are very good that you will be fine and all will be OK.Z.> Is this worth a few inches of hair????> Absolutely get a second or third opinion.> Absolutley.> Zorak

Hi,Thank you to you and your husband for a very helpful post.I have been taking H37 and am noticing that it seems to be helping.Contrary to my waxing poetically, I am still taking the meds and hanging in there to see the results. I will agree that my hair does seems to be a little better at the roots although the bottom is still very dry.Yesterday I did a longggggg treatment with ARTec's Moisture Pak and today my hair seems a little better.I have been reading a bunch of Oriental health books and found a few great pieces on helping dry hair.As your husband says, it goes back to the idea that the hair is the definition of the body.Thanks again. I am definitely going to hang in there.Best wishes,Karen> Hi Karen,> I was so sorry to hear about the trouble you have been> having! I have a few ideas having survived multiple> dastardly deeds in the '80's, but my husband had some> even better ideas (he is a Ph.D. Chemist). He says:> Ones hair is a chemical record of everything that is> happening in its body. This is why hair can be used> for drug tests: it shows when and what a person has> used.> You report having these symptoms for a year. For a> year, the problems of this chemical imbalance has been> showing up in your hair. The good news is, if you are> on the right meds, the imbalance will be corrected (a> blood test can determine this), and your hair will> return to its previous strength. The bad news is, this> only affects the new hair growing out. However, please> stay on the meds to keep the problem from getting> worse!> Amino acids can be a good counterbalance to the> existing damage, because they help your follicles> produce the proteins that construct your hair, as well> as the proteins and oils that lubricate it. To get the> best mileage, take the supplements on an empty> stomach. This will help them get absorbed in the> intestines where they will do the most good, instead> of getting mixed with food and getting broken down in> the stomach.> OK, thats the scientist-speak. I can only personally> report what has worked for me, and I realize that what> worked for me may not work for everyone.> I can report prior successes with Nexxus' Emergencee> as a reconstructive conditioner. I used it every other> day when my hair was reeeeally damaged, and it helped> quite a bit.> I also decided to try Viviscal. I have been taking it> for two weeks. I think my hair has started to grow a> wee bit faster, but the biggest change I have noticed> has been with its texture. My hair, skin, and nails> are MUCH healthier than they were two weeks ago. My> hair is naturally curly, so it has never looked smooth> (as you mentioned in a recent article) but it has> gotten softer than it ever has been.> My husband and I wish you the best of luck. Hang in> there, and please ask if my brainy guy can answer any> chemistry-related questions for you.> Carol

Hi Cher,Thanks for the kind words. Yesterday I spent most of the day with ARTec's Moisture Pak on it and it did help. I have been doing head & scalp massages and using Aveda's Beautifying...and taking vitamins....and trying all sorts of things to help my hair get through this challenging time.I am still taking my meds and the hair seems a little better.Yes...you are my inspiration with what you suffered through with the well water incident. I figured since you had the courage to share your hair problems that I should do the same. :-)So you are one that keeps me feeling like there is a light at the end of the tunnel.Thanks for your support.Big hug,Karen> Oh gosh Karen.. I have felt your silence.. I just> thought you were busy. I hope you stay on your meds> and take care of your inner self first.. let's hope> your hair returns to it's normal pattern. I know how> much it means to you.. I have been there, done that> with losing length out of my control.. I am hoping> your situation works out, as well. My warmest> regards.. Cher~

Hi Lynn,Thank you for the encouraging words. I feel better already. :-)Karen> Hi Karen,> I am in no means an expert, and by now means know> anything medical or chemical happening within our> bodies. It was just that when reading your post, I> thought of my girlfriend, and my hubby's aunt. Both of> these parties have been diagnosed with the same. They> have both been on their medication for years now. In> the beginning when they started with their tyroid> pills, they had alot of changes in their bodies and> general overall health. Weight change, sleeping> patterns, skin, hair, etc. Both of them experienced> their weight levelling off, their sleep patterns, and> tiredness levelling off, and their skin and hair> returning to normal conditions. As stated though, it> seemed to be with the new growth rather than the> existing hair. It has been five years for my> girlfriend and three for my hubby's aunt, and both> have beautiful hair, nails, skin, and their weight and> sleep is great.> I wish you all the best!!!> Take good care,> Lynn

Hi Jena,Thanks for your kind words. I am still taking my meds and will hang in there.Best wishes,Karen> Oh dear....are you honestly willing to risk your> *health* over your hair? I have to be brutally honest> here -- this, to me, says that you are severely> obsessed with your hair. I can absolutely see trying> everything that you know to preserve the health of> your hair. But when the health of your hair takes> precedence over the health of your body, well, that> simply isn't mentally healthy. I'm not terribly> familiar with thyroid conditions and don't know if> they're life-threatening, but if your thyroid> condition worsens and your health deteriorites> drastically, you'll probably be too ill to even care> about your hair.> I would encourage you to get second and third medical> opinions. Perhaps another doctor has a different> medication which wouldn't negatively affect your hair> so much.> I can honestly understand this, but we're not talking> about caving into any aesthetic pressure here, we're> talking about your *health*. If you lose your health,> you've lost everything, no matter how much money you> have or how much hair you have. Life is precious! We> all need to get our priorities in order sometimes.> My best to you. :-)

Hi Z.,I certainly don't mean to be rude myself either, but thought I needed to clarify something.I think Karen said hypothyroidism and not hyperthyroidism. Both conditions are serious, but are different in how they effect the body.Sincerely,Valentine :o)