Strange symptoms and hair loss

[thepurselady]

Dear Dr,

First off let me thank you greatly for your time to respond to my question. I am sure your a busy person and it would mean to much to me to get your thoughts.

I am a 37 year old female.  Over all in good health weight 135, hight 5ft7 and a mother of three children. No health problems I am aware of as to date.

I'll try and make it short.  With each child I had hair shedding that went as far as two years after each birth  It would be a good amount however I never noticed thinning on the scalp.  So I did not think much of it.

I have a two year old baby.  Around December of 2004 I started to get an odd swelling in my lip, same place every time same size and would go away in about 6 hours.  Never got worse but started to get more frequent.


Went to an allergist who did a thyroid panel, ANA and the sedimentation rate test for things like lupus arthritis etc.  All came back nomral this was about6 months ago.  I went back recently to see him as the lip was worsening and my hair was now becoming noticibly thin on top and actually all around.  Quite thin.(I am on NO medications at all)

I recently obtained some blood results. I want to add I was very sick with some viral or bacterial throat infection.  Things that came back abnormal were my C3 blood work at 57.3mg. (high)  My doctor did not expand on this but sent me back in for a C1 esterase inhibitor level DX Edema.  

Can you tell me as a specialist in the field what he is looking for and what the abnormal level might mean?  My Neutrophils were high also at 89.  I was ill when the blood was drawn could this have changed the c3?

I can't get answers and my doctor is not much help.  I am very desparate.  No history of baldness in my mother, father or both grandmothers.  This seems to have come on quickly noticing the thinning.  As i said I had shedding but the thinning seemed to just pop up.  At that time my scalp started to burn, ache if i would move hairs around on the top of my head.  I now am having some night sweating and tender breast or tingle even if its not near my period.

I have no clue what C3 is and why it would be high.

Thank you so much for listening and im so sorry for the lengthly letter.

Gina

[sadjen01]

I just started seeing hairloss last winter. I am 32 and have not had children. At first I thought it was stress..but now I have eliminated all sources of stress from my life..including a job. I cannot see a difference. They say it is normal to shed about 50-100 hairs a day..I usually get a poofy hand full after a shower. I cannot brush my hair when it is dry because it is very curly. I only comb it wet. I can see my scalp more and more, where it used to be hidden with hair.
It is scary to me because I am only 32 and do not want to be bald at 38.
There is not a family history of it or related illnesses.
I was wanting to ask if environmental allergies play a role. I am allergic to some trees and mold that are constant all year where I live.
Or..can constant pain cause hair loss.
I have a ruptured muscle in my side that healed wrong. I am in pain everyday from it and doctors have told me there is no cure. My back aches constantly and it hurts so much some times I feel sick, like am about to throw up. Any advice is welcomed.. Is Rogaine for women harmful? Should you consult a doctor first?

[sadjen01]

I just started seeing hairloss last winter. I am 32 and have not had children. At first I thought it was stress..but now I have eliminated all sources of stress from my life..including a job. I cannot see a difference. They say it is normal to shed about 50-100 hairs a day..I usually get a poofy hand full after a shower. I cannot brush my hair when it is dry because it is very curly. I only comb it wet. I can see my scalp more and more, where it used to be hidden with hair.
It is scary to me because I am only 32 and do not want to be bald at 38.
There is not a family history of it or related illnesses.
I was wanting to ask if environmental allergies play a role. I am allergic to some trees and mold that are constant all year where I live.
Or..can constant pain cause hair loss.
I have a ruptured muscle in my side that healed wrong. I am in pain everyday from it and doctors have told me there is no cure. My back aches constantly and it hurts so much some times I feel sick, like am about to throw up. Any advice is welcomed.. Is Rogaine for women harmful? Should you consult a doctor first?

[feeling stupid]

oh yea get the Rogain for Women if you get it. They have it for men and women now. It does work. Hope this helps you. Remember they say the more you think about it the more it will come out. (if it's just stress) if it's hereditary I guess it will come out anyway. Good luck,.

[feeling stupid]

I had the same hair styliest sense I was 14. He died about 4 years ago so he was there to see my hair start thinning out throughout most of my 20's. It started about age 23.
At first I thought it was nerves and depression, I had it so bad.  Anyway. I am 38 now.  I still lose so much hair in the shower and when I brush it. I put it on the wall so it doesnt go down the drain. I dont let anyone see me do this. I throw it away after each shower.
  It's just thinning. My grandfather was bald, my brother would be bald by now if he was alive.  He was almost bald at 31. It's in my genes. Probably yours too.
  I used Rogain for a while.  It works just like they say.  Baby hair started growing like crazy, as soon as I stopped the new hair did too.
I just try to fix my hair to cover the spot the best I can.  It's right on the very top of my head and the sides got really thin too. I cant wear bangs anymore put it that way.  I feel like my scalp shows too much.  I fix it to the side a little so that extra hair is pulled over the very top front of my head.  It works o.k. Sux, I used to have such thick hair.
I am happy to have what I have though. So I dont want to complain too much. I still hear that I look kick *** so I dont freak too much. ha ha no, really.  
  Good luck to ya. I'm sure you look great too. Dont worry about it.  They say that makes it fall out when you think about it too much.

[thepurselady]

Yes extremely frustrating. I also feel it wrong.

Dr, do women in their mid to late 30's start female patern baldness?  I see thinning really all over and when my hair falls out it comes from all over the head, I Just noticed it more in the bangs and front I guess because that is where I am looking the most, but examining the entire scalp I have lost many hairs.

I do have 3 children, a job and my sleep is down to maybe 4-5 hours per night due to insomnia and stress.  I have all three boys and extremely active two year old.  I did have a bad virus of some sort back in March - I have noticed lots of hair shedding - I know that the total alopecia is not to common so im not afraid I will go totally bald - Im afraid though to wash and comb my hair. I have been counting hairs and get from 50-100 per day that includes most of the stuff that comes out in washing also (some does go down the drain)  

Does it sound like telogen effluvium to you?  Is it common to have scalp itch or burn with that?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Yes, the recent hair loss at least does sound like telogen effluvium, which occurs a few months after a fever (so a Marco virus would work.)  This is reversible, and the hair grows back.  It is possible to have hereditary baldness in women start in the 30's.  A dermatologist can help you sort this out.

Dr. Rockoff

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

Not telling people about their tests when they ask is, in my view, unacceptable.  Someone who isn't "people-friendly" should perhaps not be taking care of people.  Call back.  If the doctor won't talk to you, ask the nurse to have him talk to her.

As to the hair loss, I suggest that while you wait for the appointment, collect the hairs that come out when you brush or comb for 3 days, then count the total.  That will be useful information for the dermatologist.

Dr. Rockoff

[thepurselady]

Thank you so much Dr.  My doc is not very people friendly and when I asked the nurse about C3 she said I knew your ask and I don't know what that is.  ARGHHHHH!

As for the hair, as this is my crown and glory I worry about going instantly bald - I read about that condition of overall thinning after stress etc.  I would call it overall thinning not bald patches.  I could care less about my lip but the hair is my worry.

I started a multiple vitamin and biotin to see if it helps but my scalp still tingles and now is itchy.  I know you probably hear of this all the time im just so concerned Im loosing sleep I don't want to go bald :o(

I see a derm in a few weeks - I wonder if he will be in the dark about things as the allergist is?

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

I can't thunk of any connection between the lip swelling, the lab tests, and your hair thinning.  As to the blood test, I don;t know that it has any significance at all.  Rather than worry about it, you should call the doctor and ask what, if anything, it means.  Everyone has some abnormalities if a battery of tests is done, which don't necessarily mean anything.  As to the hair loss itself, I can't do more than guess.  You'll need to ask a skin doctor to look you over and evaluate the problem.  Again, however, I see no need for you to put everything that's happened together and cause yourself undue anxiety.  Start by asking about the C3. since that's worrying you so much.

Take care.

Dr. Rockoff