Hair Loss?

[munchkinette]

A little background: I did my first triathlon in mid-September, so I was training hard for most of the summer. At the beginning of August my training peaked: instead of getting better, I just got slower. My hair started falling out. By the time the race happened, I was pretty sure that I was experiencing symptoms of overtraining. At the same time, school has been INSANE, and my stress levels have gone through the roof.

It's the beginning of December, and I'm still losing hair. I've lost maybe 40% since August. I'm still unable to exercise hard like I used to, so I'm only walking (instead of running) and occasionally riding my bike at an easy pace. If it had just been overtraining, I would have recovered by now. I think the combined stress from school and the triathlon may have triggered something else. Stress from school triggered problems that led me to go gluten free 6 years ago, so I think something may be happening again. I feel like my insulin response was a little out of whack too after the race, but it seems better since I've gone to a low carb diet. I was eating dairy for a while too, but I decided to stop.

Any thoughts on the hair loss and fatigue? My doctor ordered some basic vitamin deficiency and thyroid tests but I"m wondering if I should ask for anything more specific. I'm pretty sure it's something hormonal, but I wouldn't rule out the beginning of something autoimmune.

[eborzecki]

I am so sorry to hear about you problems, but congrats on the exercise. I was determined to loose weight in June, I lost 50lbs in 13 weeks, and starting feeling horrible out of nowhere. I had no energy, I could barely get out of bed. I lost about 60% of my hair from July till now.

I have to tell you that everyone was telling me its because of the exercise and the stress and the weight loss, and in fact it was but not completely. My family doctor ordered some tests which showed that my TTG and IGA antibodies were positive, I saw a Gastroenterologist and he confirmed without a biopsy because my sister has celiac and I had symptoms and the positive blood tests which I heard is really hard to get that I have Celiac.

I have been off gluten for about 2 weeks and my TTG went from 113 to 68 so I am getting there.

My hair is still falling out but I know that will take time, I never thought I would have it but I do, and your story really hits close to home, I would find a gastroenterologist and try with him, as I can tell you my family doctor was anything but helpful or knowledgeable. Plus your blood may be negative for Celiac but a biopsy might show something different especially since you have family history.

Good luck to you

[munchkinette]

I am so sorry to hear about you problems, but congrats on the exercise. I was determined to loose weight in June, I lost 50lbs in 13 weeks, and starting feeling horrible out of nowhere. I had no energy, I could barely get out of bed. I lost about 60% of my hair from July till now.

I have to tell you that everyone was telling me its because of the exercise and the stress and the weight loss, and in fact it was but not completely. My family doctor ordered some tests which showed that my TTG and IGA antibodies were positive, I saw a Gastroenterologist and he confirmed without a biopsy because my sister has celiac and I had symptoms and the positive blood tests which I heard is really hard to get that I have Celiac.

I have been off gluten for about 2 weeks and my TTG went from 113 to 68 so I am getting there.

My hair is still falling out but I know that will take time, I never thought I would have it but I do, and your story really hits close to home, I would find a gastroenterologist and try with him, as I can tell you my family doctor was anything but helpful or knowledgeable. Plus your blood may be negative for Celiac but a biopsy might show something different especially since you have family history.

Good luck to you

I've had some blood tests for Celiac, but I can't get the biopsy. I was a mess after getting glutened right before Thanksgiving. I've only been feeling better for about 3 days now. I can't handle eating enough for the biopsy.

I do have several other autoimmune diseases in my family, that's why I'm not ruling it out. But some of the symptoms I've been having (except hair loss) are similar to what I felt before going gluten free. Have you tried an endocrinologist? That was actually something I was considering.

[eborzecki]

I've had some blood tests for Celiac, but I can't get the biopsy. I was a mess after getting glutened right before Thanksgiving. I've only been feeling better for about 3 days now. I can't handle eating enough for the biopsy.

I do have several other autoimmune diseases in my family, that's why I'm not ruling it out. But some of the symptoms I've been having (except hair loss) are similar to what I felt before going gluten free. Have you tried an endocrinologist? That was actually something I was considering.

I haven't because they told me that there is nothing anyone can do for me until I get my TTG to normal levels, but oh men is it hard loosing all that hair I would think that this is definitely Celiac like, and if you feel better not eating gluten than I would use that as a diagnosis, and I wouldn't want to gluten myself either especially if I was feeling better off gluten.

[AVR1962]

I would request a vit test from your doc to make sure where your vit levels are. I was having problems with hair loss and found zinc and BioSil drops worked for me. I know someone who used Evening Primrose oil tabs that worked. It is possible you have more than just a need for these as far as nutrients though.

[munchkinette]

I would request a vit test from your doc to make sure where your vit levels are. I was having problems with hair loss and found zinc and BioSil drops worked for me. I know someone who used Evening Primrose oil tabs that worked. It is possible you have more than just a need for these as far as nutrients though.

That's what the doctor has ordered to begin with. Plus some kind of thyroid test. I'll find out when I get there since I set up the first round of testing over email. I already take a multivitamin with iron, plus 5000 IU of vitamin d3 every day, and probiotics. I shouldn't have deficiencies, but who knows. Last time I wasn't absorbing anything even though I was taking vitamins.

[AVR1962]

I was in the same position as far as not absorbing and then when I did I found myself taking too much D....I was also taking 5000IU daily. Was feeling a little kidney pain but not uncommon for me as I do have issues with my kidneys. I was urinating more frequently and thought I might have a bladder infection but it really didn't feel like an infection. Then I became emotional, overwhelmed with emotions that I wasn't able to control, and that's when I knew I had to get tested again and sure enough my D was over. So do keep that monitored. When the body starts taking the nutrients again you might find you have to adjust.

[Skylark]

Poor exercise tolerance and hair loss are classic hypothyroid symptoms. It's possible you were hypothyroid before you went gluten-free and the diet helped for a time. Make sure your Dr. reads your TSH on the new reference range. It should be between 0.5-2.5.

[munchkinette]

Poor exercise tolerance and hair loss are classic hypothyroid symptoms. It's possible you were hypothyroid before you went gluten-free and the diet helped for a time. Make sure your Dr. reads your TSH on the new reference range. It should be between 0.5-2.5.

I've had my thyroid tested over the years, but it's always been pretty normal. I think it was 1.4 last time. Still, something new is happening. I have read that the new range should be 2.5 or 3.0 though, so if he doesn't get it right I'll go see an endocrinologist. I probably should anyway.