Hair loss

[athene59]

Hi,

Firstly I am new here, so hello to all of you

I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was 17 as I started to lose my hair around that time and had irregular and VERY heavy periods. I am 32 now and not a huge amount has changed!

I managed to lose 3 stone in the last few years, and with regards to hair loss, I pretty much did nothing about it as I learned how to style my hair up so people wouldn't notice.

I have been taking pics of my hair loss once a year for a good 7 years now and its stayed at the same level, until this year.

I know how devastating stress can be for me and my symptoms, and this year we were trying to buy a house at the same time as trying for a baby. That coupled with general work stress has now meant that my hair loss has worsened quite rapidly. I have to unplug the bath almost daily now and I decided I couldn't deal with it anymore. Also we don't have a baby or a house!

I felt like seeing the hair loss is a constant physical reminder that something isn't right, and I know how important positive thinking is.

I started to wear a topper about a month ago and feel soooo much better for it. I have the ponytail I have been craving since I was 17! For anyone interested I got a human hair topper from Enchantop. Its such lovely quality and not too heavy (got the medium one). A few people at work know but those who don't just think I dyed/ cut my hair. People are really really unobservant thankfully!

I am also planning on wearing wide hair bands (non tight gentle ones) when I get back from work as you should'nt really wear toppers 24/7. I just don't want to see it anymore!

I guess my question is, for those people who have experienced hair loss with PCOS. I know its progressive, but has anyone else had it get suddenly worse after a long time of it seeming to stay the same?

Thanks,

Cassie

PS - I haven't done a signature yet, but my info is:
PCOS diagnosed 17
TTC 8 months
On mefanamic acid for a few days a month due to extremely painful periods
Very heavy periods (tried tranaxemic acid but didn't like it)
Not on the pill and haven't been for about 5 years
Caffeine free
Gluten intolerant (read recently there may be a link between this and PCOS)
Now "normal" weight according to BMI

[ZM]

Yes mine has accelerated this time off the pill. Normally I come off the pill and 50% of my hair goes, this time it has been more like 75% (37 this time rather than 27). I am taking Spirinolactone and spearmint as antiandrogens and it is growing back but micronised and some still falling out before reaching longer than a few inches. It seemed quite stable at that point and until a couple of months ago and now it is falling out more again. Just been scanned due to abdominal pain and bleeding and they found a 4cm Ovarian Cyst. They say that it's normal and has nothing to do with it - TBH I don't believe them at all. The sonographer said it was not 'normal' for a PCOS cyst to be this size, despite ovarian cysts of this size being a normal occurance for some women, anyhow she thinks combined with the multiple cysts it could account for a worsening of symptoms. But she stopped short of saying the hair loss acceleration. Just wondering if you have had a recent scan or experienced any symptoms that could point to a cyst?

[girlintrouble]

Im 49 mine has gotten worse just now hence my coming here!