Multiple Sclerosis :: Experiencing A Lot Of Hair Loss
Apr 16, 2016
I am experiencing a lot of hair loss. I always have the beautician thin my hair out since it is very thick and she said are you losing hair because of your medication? My hair was very long and I could not go to get a haircut and just assumed it was because of this. Now I got a haircut and notice I am losing hair all over the house. I am using copaxone and have been on it for over 20 years. I have recently been to my neurologist and they have said only a few individuals experience hair loss and did not recommend anything. What can I do?
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Is anyone taking Nortriptyline (antidepressant, but I take it for chronic daily headaches) and experiencing hair thinning or hair loss. I've been on 20mg for the past month and a half and have noticed my hair has significantly thinned out to the point it's becoming very staticky and limp. If so and you have stopped taking this medication, has your hair grown back to it's original volume?
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Has anyone ever had the feeling that a string or hair was touching your leg when walking? I have MS and this just started.
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About a year ago or so I started to notice a change in my Peripheral vision. I found myself having to completely look to my right while driving because of a blind spot and I also noticed when I shaved my underarms I could no longer see them (very blurry) if that makes any sense. I didn't have and insurance so I had to wait. Fast forward to last month. I saw an Ophthalmologist thinking it was vision problems of some sort. Well, I miserably failed the test that checks for peripheral vision. He then looked at the optic nerve and didn't see anything that would suggest normal vision loss. He said I have lost almost all Peripheral vision in my right eye and a good amount on my left. He referred me to a neurologist that I will see this Monday. I was glad because I had also been having some issues with what seems like pinched nerves in the neck and shoulders, I thought it could be related to some nerve issues. So my other issue which I didn't correlate as being possibly related until today is that I have been having some major digestive problems that have flared up on and off since February. I am having a lot of indigestion, gas and constipation.. The constipation is pretty bad, sometimes I can't go and I resort to taking laxatives for relief. And I have this really annoying muscle twitching in my lower abdomen! It feels like a vibration, I have been having that for a couple of weeks now. I have been so miserable that I made an appt for next week to see a gastro doctor. But then tonight I Googled the vibrating issue and was noticing that there were many people on MS boards with similar problems. And then it hit me that there seems to be a lot of coincidences between my issues and MS. Now I am worried. Did any of you experience similarities before a diagnosis? And how are people diagnosed?
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I haven't been diagnosed with MS, but I posted here awhile back about an abnormal result of an MRI after seeing a neuro for loss of field vision. When the results came back the MRI stated that I had "Small focal white matter lesions scattered throughout the supratentorial region". From what I understand, unless I am 70+ years old (i'm 39) a migraine suffer (have never had one) or other brain injury, I should not have these. When I followed up with the neuro he brushed it off as "there is nothing wrong with you" and sent me on my way. I had planned to get a second opinion anyway but now I think I need to do it faster. Monday morning I woke up with the worst pain in the right side of my next. Paracetamol did NOTHING. I thought I slept wrong but the pain didn't subside and actually moved later in the day into the base of my skull, behind my eyes and on the right side of my head. When I tilt my head back it shoots a pain into my shoulder blade and up into my right eye. This has been going on since Monday. I had hoped it would subside to no avail, only to now feel pain in my extreme lower back when I sit, bend or sneeze! I get minimal relief from Naproxen and tonight before bed I have resorted to taking a muscle relaxer to get some relief. Can this be related to MS?
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I began seeing bald patches on my head: one rather large one and 2 smaller ones. I also am losing a ton of hair each day. I have been diagnosed with a ferritin level of 8 and an iron level of 28. I am taking 325 mg of iron 3 times a day along with other vitamins. Approximately how long before I see an improvement in hair fallout and regrowth. I am also seeing a dermatologist for corticosteriod injections to help with regrowth in the completely bald spots. I am strongly considering shaving my whole head?
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I am a 25 year old female and I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Disease probably around 2012 or so. I take 75MCG every morning and I do blood tests about once or twice a year to make sure my levels are stable. What I need help with are symptoms. My boyfriend has been very supportive, he was the reason I went to get the initial blood test because he said my symptoms reminded him of Graves Disease and it worried him. Well, I went to the doctor and got the tests done and he told me I had Hashimotos. Since then, my boyfriend has told me that he hasn't seen any improvement in my symptoms, in fact he thinks they've gotten worse. I have looked at a lot of different lists of symptoms that people with Hashimoto's Disease can experience and I experience a lot of them. I'll list the ones I experience the most and a little bit of a description to each so maybe someone can help me with what I need to do to feel better because honestly it makes me miserable.
-Hair Loss - Every time I brush or wash my hair there is always tons of hair in the brush or tub. It's everywhere all the time, I shed like the cats.
- Depression - I don't know if it is actually depression, but a lot of the time I feel like I'm just not good enough to be around anyone. I'll find myself crying at ridiculous moments with absolutely no reason for it. I also find myself thinking that people I know (and can acknowledge even when I'm feeling this way) love and care for me, and yet I still think they don't care about me and will abandon me at the drop of the hat, which breaks me down mentally.
- Stress - This is probably one of my worst symptoms. I am always stressed out about something, even ridiculous things that shouldn't be stressing me out. One of the biggest things I stress about is what I mentioned with the depression. I feel like my friends and loved ones are going to abandon me at any minute, which scares me and results in me lashing out at them in ways that if I can't control it soon enough may result in them actually leaving, which terrifies me and just puts me into a never ending loop of stress and depression.
- Anger - I can't seem to rationalize other people's behaviors. Completely normal behaviors that don't normally bother me result in me lashing out and screaming at people and saying things that I don't mean to say.
- Memory Loss - This is a really bad symptom. I forget things very quickly. If I don't actively keep it in my mind, I won't remember it. A perfect example, when I was still in college I was walking through town with some people and when we were going back to the dorms I made a comment about a truck I saw. I used to see it all the time and hadn't seen it in a while so I made the comment. The people I was with looked at me really confused and just flatly stated "You said the exact same thing when we walked by it on the way out" and I honestly don't remember seeing it at any point that day. In fact I didn't remember seeing it for around 5 months, and yet they claimed that I made the exact same comment I just had, earlier that day. It really messes with my head when people tell me that I did or said something and I can't remember doing it to save my life.
- Weight - Before I started taking synthroid I weighed 110 lbs, after I started taking it I gained like 30 lbs and I can't lose it. I'm stuck between 135 and 140 (I'm about 5'6" tall)
- Headaches - I get headaches on a daily basis. Sometimes they're really bad but generally they're just a slight discomfort in my frontal lobe area.
- Sleep - It takes me forever to fall asleep and even when I do I can't stay asleep and then I feel exhausted all day when I wake up, as if I never slept at all.
Another thing I've noticed and that is that sometimes I feel like I can't swallow properly, I always feel like I have to yawn to get a lung full of oxygen, and my nails curl downward along the curve of the tip of my fingers on like 3/5 fingers.
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I suffer from the problem of hair loss before marriage at the age of 19, where he was my hair loss, which is a dense tuft and continues to now (24 years old) so my hair has become very small and too short
Use Pantene Shampoo
To know what to make .....
I want advice and guidance and your directions even know the main reason
What are the required medical tests ....
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For the past year, I've been losing my eyebrows in patches. Patches will grow back, but then fall out weeks/moths later. I'm a 38-year-old female, healthy and fit. Recent blood work all normal. Thyroids normal. I'm not losing hair anywhere else, and my skin has no redness or dryness. It is just my eyebrows that keep falling out. The only thing I could think of was my birth control--I was on the Mirena IUD. But I removed it and ceased all birth control several months ago and the problem persists. All doctors I've visited have been stumped, thus my online question.
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It all started with the feeling of hot water being poured on my right foot. Started out slowly, then became very frequent and has slowly gotten better - now I only feel a sensation of "heat" pressing on my right foot occasionally. The worst of it lasted nearly 8 months. During that time I also had a worsening of many other symptoms such as: fatigue, horrible tremors, dizziness, nausea (from the dizziness), brain fog, chronic headaches/migraines, weakness in my entire right side, thighs that twitch and "pop" when I get warm, severe muscle cramping, vision changes also when I am warm, and urinary frequency problems. I say worsening because I have had some of these symptoms for years and just blew them off. In fact, I had a period of time about 20 years ago when I believe I was having something like the "ms hug" (really sever and unexplained pain in my ribs), as well as a hot feeling on half of my face, and my neurologist at that time said "you probably have some autoimmune disease that will show up later in life". I've had chronic daily headache and migraines for more than 20 years, and an essential tremor for about 10 years that has worsened lately. I also have an unrelated autoimmune disease, which I have been told makes it more likely that I have another (but which one?!). MS was suspected so...
I've been seeing a neurologist (and a PCP and a rheumatologist) for these symptoms for a while now and feel like I've had every test under the sun. I've had a normal cbc, sed rate, hemoglobin, basic metabolic panel, tsh, b12, all kinds of vitamin and mineral levels, folate, lyme test, MRI of brain and lumbar spine, MRI of brain, and an EMG. I have not had a c-spine MRI and wondering if there is a reason it was not included in these tests. So far the only thing that has come back was a positive ANA (which I believe is from my other autoimmune thing) and a low vitamin D (23), which fell from a level of 58 in under a year. I've been supplementing for more than 4 months. My neuro did not think that ALL of my symptoms could be from the D. Some, perhaps, but not all. Why does he think this, I don't know!
I recently finished a taper of prednisone and feel like the "fog" has lifted, like my brain is working again - hooray. My main symptoms now seem to be fatigue (it's insane), urinary problems, and some newer problems with my left foot (not the foot I was originally having problems with) - where it will cramp up for days and days (two and a half weeks one time), just like a never ending cramp. When it's not cramping I get feelings of heat, or sometimes just a vibrating feeling. The cramping can be very painful, the "hot" feelings are just strange. I've also now started having problems with jumping/twitching muscles in my left hand and arm (different than my normal tremor). I continue to have some right-side weakness.
So I'm wondering, do these symptoms sound as though they could all be because of the vitamin d? I've got a month until I see the doctor again, and he has been trying to push some meds on me, but I wouldn't want to start something if it's all because of the D. Since supplementing, I have had some improvements in my cognitive symptoms, but not much else.
Lastly, my neuro said he may send me to an MS specialist for a second opinion if I am still having problems next month... but if my MRIs are all clean, then there surely must be a more likely explanation, right? I just don't know why he is so sure that the low d couldn't be causing everything. He said that it was very unlikely because my levels had previously been ok and the severity of my symptoms would more match someone who had been very deficient for a much longer time. Does that sound logical? Would an MS specialist be able to tell me anything new?
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Hello everyone,
Back in March of this year I ended up heading to the emergency room for this strange numbness feeling that began in my hands and feet and then travelled throughout the rest of my body; it lasted about five or six days and then went away completely. I was in the hospital for four days and while I was there I had a CT, lumbar puncture, and an MRI of my brain, all of which were normal. I ended up with a diagnosis of 'post-viral acroparasthesia' and was told that I would be fine.
However, this numbness came back again a couple weeks later. I went back to the emergency room and they said that it wasn't that out of the ordinary for this happen again but gave me a referral to a neurologist who then ordered three more tests: 1) peripheral nerves, 2) evoked potentials, and 3) an MRI of my spine. I've done the peripheral nerve test and that was normal and I have to wait a bit to go to the other tests. I've also had my blood tested for pretty much everything and it's all been normal.
But throughout all the months that I've been waiting to follow-up with the neuro, the numbness as well as some other strange symptoms keep coming out of nowhere (seemingly) and going away. I get really bad tension headaches, lightheadedness, numbness and tingling, fatigue, frequently urinating (sometimes I wake up four times throughout the night), feel a massive brain fog, and more generally I just feel a great deal of malaise. I usually feel like this for four-five days in a row every couple of weeks and then feel completely fine.
These symptoms are pretty ambiguous but MS is something that I'm pretty worried about. My dad has it and is in the latter stages so the doctor's are considering it a possibility. I've seen quite a few doctors now and they haven't been able really figure this out. The most insightful thing that I have been told is that I could have some type of virus, which sometimes may last for a long period of time, and this might explain why I'm getting sick so frequently. I have just been told that I'm going to have to wait to see the neurologist and have anything neurological ruled out.
Whatever is wrong with me is very frustrating. I'm 22 years old working on my university degree and being sick so frequently has taken a huge tole on my academic performance. Also, financially I'm not doing so great and have been cycling through jobs...I mostly end up quitting or getting fired due to the fact that it's been very hard to work like this; it's really causing me a lot of stress.
Prior to all of this I have been quite healthy. I'm very athletic and go out of my way to eat healthy. I don't drink any alcohol, don't do any drugs, and quit smoking cigarettes back in January.
Anything to suggest? Whatever is happening to me is really messing up my life. I can't afford to be so sick all the time and I feel so desperate to know what's wrong.
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I have noticed some symptoms that I have developed in recent years that I believe to be symptoms of MS. I am 62, female and concerned that I may have the disease. It's affecting my arm, hand and head and I didn't put it together until I went to a yoga class and it just came to me to check out the symptoms. I have been having tremors, spasms, sometimes painful, in my arm for a few years and it's gotten progressively worse. Last year I noticed my head would shake if my arm was in a certain position. I went to an orthopedist and he said it was due to an old cervical fracture so I let it go. I am going to see my primary doctor and ask for their opinion. But I would like to know if I'm too old to develop MS.
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I am mid process during the diagnosis (I've had the MRI with and without contrast and get results Monday. I'm currently refusing LP and have the evoked potentials scheduled). If I were to be diagnosed (still hoping not) I have read a lot about being gluten free and that helping with symptoms. As a matter of fact, I may try it regardless of diagnosis to see if it helps. But, has anyone with MS tried it? Did it help?
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I was recently referred to a new neurologist. I saw him this past Friday and really liked him. I have had a lot of test run at this point. Including brain MRI which shows what my doctor called one "MS" lesion and one "ischemic" lesion. I am so confused when it comes to lesions. My new neurologist is scheduling a lumbar puncture and will do a MS panel. He also ordered a copper level. Anyone know the reason behind this? I was curious...I don't think I have ever had a copper level done.
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Just about every time I bend my neck forward I have pain that extends upward to the base of my skull and tingling up my head to envelope mostly the upper left side of my head. I am guessing I am having a relapse. I was unable to see my neurologist as its impossible to get in to see him for months. So a local clinic doctor gave me prednisone. So far it's the only thing helping. I have already been diagnosed with Ms but the only thing I have found is people speaking of Lhermitte's that run down the spine. Do I need a new MRI?
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The neuro scrapped the bottom of my foot and could not get it to jump like it used to. he kept trying but nothing happened. I thought this was important but nothing was said and when I asked my physician, he said this was normal. what's it mean if the foot doesn't react?
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Anyone else here experience extremely cold feet? Last night I was up till 3am because they felt so cold. When I feel them with my hands after repeatedly trying to warm them, they don't feel cold to the touch anymore but still feel cold... It got to the point last night where they were painful. They feel cold all day too though I'm able to ignore it somewhat when I'm walking around and doing other things. At night, it's not something I can ignore and it's keeping me awake. What do you do if you experience this? I should mention I've had numbness in my legs below the knee and feet for sometime now.
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I was diagnosed with RRMS in 2000 in the middle of flare which caused numbness in my face and just a weird feeling when I walked. I have been fortunate not to have experienced too many problems aside from a couple of minor flares and the usual fatigue that goes along with MS.
Last week I was on my computer and all of a sudden I felt like I was not quite sure what was real...thoughts racing from one thing to another. I kept thinking of things and would immediately wonder if it happened. I finally decided to go the the ER. Doc did a neuro exam and said it was OK. I also thought I had a UTI but urine came back clear. He told me to go home and rest. The next morning when I talked to my daughter she said I sounded weird and it was taking me a long me to explain things. The MS nurse also said my speech seemed a little off and slow. Neurologist was out of town but when he came back he told her to call me to set up an EEG because it could have been a seizure. Since then my hand tremor has been more pronounced and weird little symptoms like twitches and sort of an internal tremor in my legs when I walk. I have the EEG next week and then will see my neuro.
I was just wondering else has had something similar. It was distressing to me because I can't really remember things I am usually right on top of; I couldn't remember my meds (I have a list at least). I felt like I lost time and was not sure how much.
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Since doctors don't seem to want to help me figure out what's wrong, I'm trying to investigate my various symptoms to find potential diseases to rule out.
For the past two and a half years, I've had a problem with frequent urination. No incontinence of any kind, but I tend to pee on average 12-20 times a day. Sometimes I'll be up one or two times at night, sometimes more and sometimes not at all. I DO drink quite a bit of fluid. I tend to average 50-100+ ounces of fluid a day. Usually once a day I'll have a cup of tea, but I don't drink a ton of coffee or any soda at all. I am always thirsty, feel dehydrated all the time, mouth is dry, lips are chapped, light headed and dizzy often, even on the days I'm drinking 100+ ounces of water. I work in an office and don't do anything strenuous that results in sweating. When I do pee, sometimes it's only ten or fifteen minutes before I have to go again. Most of the time, I'm producing a full volume of pee, almost never is it just a few drops or a little bit. My urinalysis and cultures come back normal.
Went to the gynecologist today, he said my bladder is working fine and that when I pee, I am emptying my bladder all the way. His suggestion was to drink less. I'm thinking a 31 year old woman who does not have diabetes or a UTI that's lasted for 2.5 years shouldn't not only have this constant need to pee, but also this constant need to drink and feeling of dehydration. I went to a neuroendocrinologist because I truly believe with my other symptoms, I have some kind of pituitary problem going on (Cushings and/or GHD) but he laughed and blew me off because Hey, it's rare, therefore you don't have it.
Should I ask my PCP about looking into MS? In addition to the frequent urination, I have a great deal of cognitive issues (memory loss / retention problems, concentration problems, shortened attention span, sometimes can't speak properly), depression and anxiety, eye issues (wicked light sensitive, blurry vision, hurts to look up or to the sides), stiff and painful joints and muscles, muscle weakness, occasional tingling in hands or feet, INCREDIBLY fatigued, dizziness and lightheadedness, vertigo, occasional balance issues, and trembling / vibrations in body.
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First off my name's Katherine and my mother has Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis. and I'm here on her behalf. She's in a wheelchair and in a nursing home. She's of sound mind but here lately she seems to be getting a cold and fever every month or so. I know those with MS has very week immune systems and have a hard time fighting off simple colds . My question is what are some good vitamins to help her keep from getting sick as much?
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I am sitting at work, like always, when all of a sudden.... inside my head (in the top, middle, and behind my forehead) I began to feel what seemed to be a muscle spasm. What? Rationalizing, I think... Our brains are muscles. Right? So it could be a muscle spasm. Whoa... I feel dizzy and lightheaded for a little bit. Now, I feel like my head is full (stuffed full) of cotton or something. It isn't in my ears. It wasn't my eyes. It was "in my head". WOW.
I experienced this sensation of by brain shaking that was followed by dizziness. The "brain shake" felt like a jolt and then vibration/spasm that lasted about 5 seconds. I feel like the room is spinning and tilting and I was about to fall over (even though I was sitting down). The dizziness lasted about 2 minutes or so. The weird feeling of fullness in my head is still there.
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