hair loss before diagnosis

[wondering1719]

hi,

have any of you with bc experienced hair loss prior to diagnosis?  i am in the process of being evaluated for bc--any wait is too long, as you know--and i have been losing my hair for almost a year now.  i keep wondering if there could be a connection.  what do you think?

wondering1719

[bluebutterfly2222]

There are many causes for hair loss, as well of different types of hair loss (overall thinning, bare spots within an otherwise normal hair pattern, and familial pattern thinning/balding, to mention a few).

Some of the more common causes are stress, thyroid poblems, severe diet/weight loss/nutritional deficiencies,  various medications, and hormone imbalance.

I haven't heard about it being a sign of breast cancer (other than indirectly, as related to the above causes), but maybe some of the other community members will be able to tell you more about that.

Regards....

[fleas1]

I had hair loss for 10 months before my breast cancer diagnosis.  It was due to a low  'Serum Ferritin' level.  This is the iron store in the body and is not the normal iron associated with anemia.  I was diagosed with Telogen Effluvium (hair shedding) and all because my Serum Ferritin level was 19, well below the 70 needed for hair regrowth.  I did have heavy periods and I was put on iron tablets to bring the level up to 70 but will never know if this sorted it out or not as I was diagnosed with BC and lost all my hair due to chemo anyway.  My hair came back very thick after chemo ... & curly.. but a year later it started to fall out again.  It's now been shedding for nearly 11 months and the docs still have no idea why as my iron levels are ok, however, I do have a low white cell count so I am going for yet more tests  :O(

I am of course very worried that my cancer has returned somewhere.  I wish someone could tell me why I am not absorbing iron (I've had my B12 checked) or if there is a connection between hair loss and a later cancer diagnosis.  I feel if someone else out there has had hair loss too then maybe there is a link ?????

[lursa]

I to had hiar loss prior to my diagnosis.  I was about 6 or 7 months.  I actually went to a dermatoligist and he did all the blood work and everything came back normal.  As he started asking about family history  I found out my mom hair was thinning for years and she finally just cut it.  Talking to a one of my sisters she has the same thing I have.  The female pattern balding.  So for me I found out it's just heriditary.  And so far nothing is working but either weave braids or a sporty new wig! :-)  Funny though but on the back and sides of my head my head is growing like weeds!  Go figure.