To those who have consulted a doctor for their hairloss...

I didn't see a dermatologist, I saw a shrink ;-) Seriously. I take lithium, which is can hamper your thyroid. After feeling lousy (I had all the symptoms of hypothyroidism too....hair falling out, sensitivity to cold weather that normall would not bother me, sluggishness), I started reading about hypothyroidism on the web.

I read that some patients are disturbed when their levels are even borderline low, a level that traditionally would not be treated with meds...and the article recommended that you insist on going over the specific results with your doctor.


My levels came back borderline low, which my shrink said could likely have been from the lithium. After consulting with an endocrinologist, she agreed to start me on thyroid meds. After about a month on thyroid meds I was feeling way way way better overall. My hair loss had stopped...but the weak lifeless mane was still there. I supplemented my thyroid meds with Viviscal and had my "regular" hair back in about 4 months.

I don't like to tell other people what to do with their body...but it may be advisable to have your primary care/internist doctor run some basic blood screens to make sure you don't have any medical reasons for your hair to be problematic.

Hi bluebee,

Reading your post was like reding my own bio. I too have PCOS along with being insulin resistance.

Did your endo put you in glucaphage? This has helped me tremediously. My hair is a little thicker but better yet the all the other places that were having to be waxed has slowed down. My testosterone also was high which causes the hair loss on the head and excess elswhere.

I have found that regular excercise has helped me alot also.

Hang in there my PCOS sister!!!

Hi,

One thing that has really helped is the Insulin resistant Diet. It is a book you can find on amazon.com. It makes me feel alot better.

I too, can no longer have children either,or as my son says "My mom can't have anymore babies because she had her basket takin out"

I had to have this surgery because of the side effects of PCOS. But I did not know I had it untill after the surgery

But now I feel great!!

Hi Sophie,

It's short for Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome.

Severity of symptoms aren't the same for everyone. But some of them are thinning hair, thick waist, too much hair on other parts of the body...moustache etc. Acne, lack of periods, heavy painful periods because of cysts, insulin resistance.
Dark areas on skin like embedded dirt, around neck or waist. Difficulty conceiving...my kids are 10 yrs apart. Difficullty losing weight.

I hope I explained it OK...You can do a search for PCOS and it will tell you lots more. Lots of women have it, many probably don't know it (I didn't til a few years ago)

Thanks Lisa