Another 'hair' question

[Martee]

My hair was falling out a lot. This was unfortunate since I have baby fine hair to begin with.
Around week 30 it stopped falling out. Now and then I lose one or two hairs.
Believe me, I'm very happy that it stopped falling out, however,I am sooooo curious if anyone else has experienced this.
I'm a lb, female 49, undetected <50 at 7 weeks, 24 weeks. My next pcr is end of March which is my 9th month. I was on Procrit for about 2 months and then taken off when my blood levels normalized.

[mikesimon]

I experienced the same thing. At first I had a good bit of hair loss but then it stopped. The texture remained the same though. My hair was formerly quite curly and now it's poker straight. I think it may return to curly after tx but there are no guarantees so I understand. Mike

[Martee]

Thanks Mike,

Yep, the texture is still the same also. Very straight and no body. Well, at least it stopped falling out...hopefully, it'll stay that way, and grow back after treatment.

[dee40]

To anyone does anyone knoe where to get milk thistle? I was reading a forum about it and how good it is for your liver.DEE40

[MajNeni]

Try a typical drug store, near the vitamins.  Or a health store.  I don't know how you tell which brand is better, what dose to use, or whatever.

[Martee]

I buy mine at the local supermarket, or at the Vitamin Shoppe.
I use Sundown.

[Ambush]

My hair started coming out around week 12 or so ~ also had very fine hair ~ and just about stopped around week 30.  Very weird ~ but I'm so happy bacause I was running out of hair!
ambush :)

[meandhepc]

I too had alot of hair lose during first 3 mos of tx, then again around 8 mos. I have been off tx since Sept 03 and its coming back. I had real thick hair to begin with. The 'babybird look" is gone and its still on the thin side but its growing back, actually I like it better thinner :)

[audreywald]

I am pretty new to tx, but I found a link here to another site that recommended using hair products called "Nioxin" and so I ordered them on line. So far, my hair is ok, seems a bit shinier and fuller looking on these products. Like most everyone, I dread losing my hair and am trying to minimize it!

[ral]

I had real thick hair to begin with also. I had to cut it short as of late but hey it's only hair

Bob

[Martee]

Audrey, I hope it works for you. I hate to say it but they didn't do anything for me.
Minimize your hair washing and be very gentle to it. Avoid dye, and a lot of blow drying. If you must blow dry, set in on low heat. Try a shampoo that adds volume.

Baby bird hair look......LOL
That's exactly what I look like.

[DownThisRoad]

Hi Martee - this is the million $ question on these treatment meds. "Will I loose my hair due to the medications or will I not loose my hair".

My hair started to thin alot but not until I was on or around treatment week 20.  From week 20 till now, going on week 37, my hair fell out by the hand fulls.  It is amazing that I even have any hair left.  I would clean my brush daily, and wow, what a glob of hair.

I don't know if it is my imagination, but the hair loss seems to be slowing down now but I'm not sure.  I just know that my hair is terribly thin and in extremely bad condition.

This is a very small price to pay for my treatment and clearing the virus. I've also heard that after the treatment meds leave your system, then the hair comes back nicely.

I'll just have to wait and see.  I have about 11 more weeks to go and then I may have to do an extension after my 48 weeks.

Hang in there.!! When you think that your hair can't fall or thin out anymore, it does.

[harley dude]

I'm male 47, started noticing my hair falling out appx. week 22, now at week 31 I'm pretty sure it stopped comming out and actually getting a little thicker, really didn't notice till I saw your post and headed for the bathroom and started pulling (not hard) and gee golly gee- no hair in the sink- cool man, cool. See Ya -- HD

[audreywald]

What if I just don't comb it anymore this year?

(joke)

[layla]

That's what I do. I rarely comb it now. I went and got it cut real short and wear it kind of spiky. I dye it myself so no one is rubbing on it very hard. It's funny people often say what a cute fun haircut. Yeah, thanks. haha I was also a size 10 and now a size 6 is loose on me. I think I rather look like a rocker. Maybe an old rocker but hey look at the stones! Think I will buy a guitar and learn. LL

[GwithHepC]

dee:

This is the milk thistle I ordered (it seems to be really very good but a bit pricey), it is called <A href="http://www.liversupport.com/info1.htm">Maximum Milk Thistle</a>.

G

[eyehavegr8life]

I read that Milk Thistle should be taken as 360mg...usually equals 2 capsules. My best to you, Annette

[audreywald]

Good idea, I really do NOT want my hair to fall out if I can help it or minimize it. You go, girl, look like a rocker. Better yet, be one!

I keep telling my husband that if I have to be a bald woman, I want to be a skinny bald women; like Demi Moore?

I too am a bit older, but what the heck, it's worth striving for, right? My appetite is NOT what is used to be. Heavy foods make me sick, as do large portions.

[layla]

But then I would need a good padded bra!
My appetite is the same as yours now but I have to say I do eat good healthy foods. LL

[cindyazure]

I bought one of those hairy scrunchies at the mall and pull a little hair down around my face after putting whats left of my hair in a high pony tail.  The lady at the drug store told me I look elegant and my buddy at the lab told me I look sexy and " did I finish my tx?" She thought I looked that good. Wow it was nice to get some compliments.  Don't knock a good hairpiece!  Something wierd is going on w/ my eyebrows & lashs too.  I think they are getting straighter and so they look longer.  Take care and good luck to all.  Cindy

[jevs2]

I have 3 weeks to go on tx and my hair has reduced by at least half. It is also poker straight now and seems to get very oily.
Has anyone out there recovered all their hair post tx and the condition.
Best wishes
Joanna (now known as baldy)

[girlwithcurl]

I lost a ton of hair when I first started.  It just came out in huge clumps everytime I washed or combed it.  The loss tapered off and I was left with some hair, but what was left was lifeless.  It felt and looked a lot better when I cut it short.  Now, 6 months later, my hair is growing in really fast and is healthier than it has ever been.  Don't let your hair loss get you down, it will grow back.  In the meantime, enjoy not having to spend a lot of time styling, etc. because the less stress on your hair, the better it will be.  

About the milk thistle, I know this is very popular among hcv, but there is a risk of renal disease.  Especially is you are already renally impaired or you take it in high doses.  One of my teachers is a clinical p'cist on a renal unit and she sees quite a bit of renal toxicity with milk thistle.  I will try to find some internet info on this and will post it.

[Galen]

I don't know anything about renal toxicity but there is a study that shows that milk thistle can have a negative impact on the absorbtion of many other medications.  These include anti-depressents and sleeping aids, which many on tx use.
From http://www.hivandhepatitis.com/recent/toxicities/080601c.html



A Warning About Milk Thistle and Drug Interactions

The seeds of the milk thistle plant are commonly used by some individuals in the hope of protecting the liver from damage caused by hepatitis viruses as well as alcohol and other substances. Compounds found in milk thistle -sylibin, sylimarin - act as antioxidants and also stimulate the repair of the liver. But now it appears that these and possibly other compounds in milk thistle can have other, potentially harmful effects.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh have suspected that milk thistle can slow down or reduce the activity of enzymes in the liver. Enzymes in the liver break down many of the substances that we eat and drink, including medications. If the activity of these enzymes are reduced, then drugs remain in the blood longer than they otherwise might. This could lead to having higher-than-expected levels of drugs in the body, causing side effects or intensifying already-existing side effects. Indeed, in recent experiments using milk thistle and human liver cells, the researchers found that relatively small concentrations of milk thistle did significantly slow down the activity of the liver enzyme CYP3A4 by 50% to 100%.

Many medications taken by people with HIV/AIDS, such as protease inhibitors and non-nucleosides - are processed by this liver enzyme. If milk thistle is taken by someone using these medications, it has the potential to raise levels of these drugs, causing unpleasant or even dangerous side effects. Below is a short list of some other medications that are processed through the CYP3A4 enzyme. Levels of these medications may increase if taken by people who are also using milk thistle. The following list is not exhaustive:

methadone
heart drugs - Tambocor (flecainide), Rythmol (propafenone)
antibiotics - erythromycin, rifampin
anti-seizure drugs - carbamazepine (Tegretol)
antidepressants - St. John's wort, Zyban/Wellbutrin
(bupropion), Paxil (paroxetine), Prozac (fluoxetine), Luvox
(fluvoxetine) Serzone (nefazodone), Zoloft (sertraline),
Effexor (venlafaxine)
antihistamines - Hismanal (astemizole), Seldane
(terfenadine)
antifungals - itraconazole (Sporanox), Ketoconazole
(Nizoral)
gastrointestinal motility agents - Prepulsid (Cisapride)
ergot drugs - Ergonovine, Ergomar (ergotamine)
anti-psychotics - Clozaril (clozapine), Orap (pimozide)
sedatives/sleeping pills - Ambien (zolpidem), Halcion
(triazolam), Versed (midazolam)
lipid-lowering drugs (statins) - Lescol (fluvastatin), Mevacor
(lovastatin), Pravachol (pravastatin) and Zocor (simvastatin),
Baycol (cerivastatin)
transplant drugs - cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune),
ProGraf (tacrolimus)

Milk thistle also has the potential to lower levels of the following drugs:

anti-parasite drugs - Mepron (atovaquone)
sedatives/sleeping pills - Ativan (lorazepam)
hormones - estrogen

The research results offered by the scientists in Pittsburgh should emphasize to readers that simply because a product is "natural" it does not mean it is safe when taken with other substances. This research also shows the need to conduct further research on herb-drug interactions on liver cells as well as in people. Such studies may find combinations of herbs and drugs that can be safely used together.

The Pittsburgh researchers noted "patients and health care professionals must be encouraged to discuss the use of herbs and be educated about the potential interactions between herbs and drugs."

[cindyazure]

Thank you for all that info re: milk thistle.  I was always "on the fence" about whether to take it or not.  I wondered if it would effect my tx and figured I'd take it when I was done w/ tx to help heal my fibrosis.  Thanks for reassuring me that I was making the right decision.  No one (that I deal w/) seems to know enough about this disease, tx or anything especially how other drugs, herbs fit into the already complicated & confusing mix.

[cuteus]

whichever brand you take, make sure it is standardized, it means that you will get a more consistent dose in the caps/tabs.

[DownThisRoad]

You are not suppose to take anything, anything while on the hepC treatment meds unless your doctor of GI approves of it.  The milk thistle article that Galen posted is absolutely true, not for only taking the hepC meds but for other meds that need to absorb into your system.

Check it out with your doctor(s).

[susiken]

Hi guys!  I too lost alot of hair on tx.  I began using a hair shampoo/treatment called "Nioxin". It is available at most beauty supplies like "Beauty Secret" & "Ulta", or on the Internet.  If used properly, IT WORKS!  I know of 7 or 8 others that have tried it with success.  It helps strengthen & build hair follicles.  I now actually have more hair than I did prior to tx.  Good luck to all & God Bless!
Susi