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Another Hair Question/adrenal Fatigue

Nan2N

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Nan2N Explorer
Nan2N
Posted

Hi All

Everyone on here is so informative, I thought I'd ask another question. My doctors tell me I don't have malabsorption because of my bloodwork. And I don't have any other autoimmune stuff going on. So I was just wondering if anyone knows of any other reason for the hair loss with celiac. A lot has been going on with me being sick so I was wondering if the only thing left is stress. Or maybe there's some other part of my body that may be causing this. I'm pretty sure I'm suffering from adrenal fatigue now too but don't know what to do about that either. My endo says my cortisol is fine. I just feel awful.

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Ursa Major Collaborator
Ursa Major
Posted

How would your doctors know if you don't have malabsorption? With some of those numbers (like calcium) your body will just get it wherever it can, like taking it out of the bones, so it looks fine in the blood, but really isn't. And also, their 'normal' ranges are crap for the most part.

They claimed that having a ferritin count of 20 was fine, when I was really anemic (it had gone up from 4 at that time, which was an improvement). But in reality, anything under 40 is too low, and 100 to 120 is optimal.

I saw their definitions on ferritin. It says, under 20 definitely anemic, 20 to 40 probably anemic, 40 to 100 possibly anemic, and over 100 definitely not anemic.

Hair loss seems fairly common with celiac disease. As is adrenal fatigue. Do you know what your cortisol number is? I was told that mine was fine, too, because it was still in the 'normal' range. If you test in the lower part of the normal range, they still tell you that you are just fine.

But the so-called normal range is just a pretty arbitrary number for low and high normal. What doctors should really look for is the 'optimal' range. These days doctors only look at numbers, and couldn't care less if you feel dreadful. They don't listen to you, they don't want to know your symptoms. If a number says you are fine, then it must just be in your head. It is terribly frustrating.

And of course, since no two people are exactly alike, what is truly normal for one person who is feeling great, can be a problem for somebody else. To expect everybody to have the same numbers is nonsense and creates only suffering for the people who don't fit their norm.

I advise you to get a copy of ALL your bloodwork, and post the numbers here. Then we can tell you if you have problems. And give you more specific advice.

Nan2N Explorer
Nan2N
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for the info. I will be getting a copy of the results in the mail. He did say my cortisol was 11 in a 5-25 range. I had the blood draw in the morning so he said that was good. I want to do the spit test but can't afford it right now. What could I do in the meantime to boost the levels? I want to go back and see my integrative medicine doctor but it's out of pocket and I'm too short on cash for now. Is there anything I can do on my own? 3 doctors so far have told me I don't have malabsorption. I think he said my B12 was around 600 but I can't remember exactly. I don't know what the range for that is though. I will post them as soon as I get them.

Thanks

Lizz7711 Apprentice
Lizz7711
Posted

Hypothyroid and also low iron/ferritin, can cause hair loss. To check thyroid, ask for TSH, free T4, and freeT3 to be tested, and then have it interpreted by a holistic MD preferably. Anything over 2.0 TSH WITH hypothyroid symptoms can be hypothyroid and can be treated, prefereably with Armour which is dessicated pig thyroid and will give balanced T3 and T4, while synthetic thyroid meds only give T4.

Liz

Thanks for the info. I will be getting a copy of the results in the mail. He did say my cortisol was 11 in a 5-25 range. I had the blood draw in the morning so he said that was good. I want to do the spit test but can't afford it right now. What could I do in the meantime to boost the levels? I want to go back and see my integrative medicine doctor but it's out of pocket and I'm too short on cash for now. Is there anything I can do on my own? 3 doctors so far have told me I don't have malabsorption. I think he said my B12 was around 600 but I can't remember exactly. I don't know what the range for that is though. I will post them as soon as I get them.

Thanks

mommida Enthusiast
mommida
Posted

I have been using Biotin vitamin supplement (part of the vitamin B complex) and it has been helping with hair and finger nail growth.

Since auto-immune thyroid diseases go hand in hand with Celiac, you may need additional tests for you thyroid. Thyroid function/uptake and an ultrasound of the thyroid along with the blood tests mentioned above. The test results need to be considered together to determine the diagnoses.

TardyTurtle Newbie
TardyTurtle
Posted

Anything over 2.0 TSH WITH hypothyroid symptoms can be hypothyroid and can be treated, prefereably with Armour which is dessicated pig thyroid and will give balanced T3 and T4, while synthetic thyroid meds only give T4.

Liz

Nan2N Explorer
Nan2N
Posted
  • Author

Thanks everyone!

I've had my thyroid tested for auto immune, etc. and everything came back normal. I'm still waiting on vitamin results. So far everything has come within normal range. Hope I can trust the results.

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