hair loss, constipation, formication...and so much more

[protectingmysanity]

Since January this year my hair began falling out and increasing to about 400 -500 per day.  Not is patches, but all over.  

At the same time I began to get constipated and have been ever since.

I also have the skin crawling sensation that has been increasing from just my legs and head to all over my body.  Include severe fatigue and weakness and worsening short term memory loss.  My vision has also really declined, mostly in my right eye.  I don't know how to tell what is normal aging v. abnormal vision loss.  I've had perfect eyesight until about 8 months to a year ago.

I began have twitching in my legs and arms about a month ago as well as sometimes I'll get sores in my mouth and tongue, but it isn't consistent.  One morning my tongue was so red and smooth, it looked like I just drank red kool-aid, but it was gone by afternoon.

And finally, about the middle of May, while standing or sitting with my feet down for any length of time, my feet will turn purple and when I squeeze my hands for more than 30 seconds, I can make my finger tips turn purple- this is new.  Occasionally, I'll have a finger or toe go numb and look at it and will be white.

I am 45 yoa; female with a history of a traumatic brain injury in 2005.  Recently been to a Nephrologist and he cleared anything wrong with my kidneys and just had a colonoscopy and all was fine. Most recent blood tests show my RBC and WBC slightly below normal.  MCH and MCV are slightly elevated.  Creatinine is 1.1 and GFR is 57 that goes up and down between those numbers and nomal.  RDW, Lymphocites and neutrophils are all slightly low.  TSH is normal.  B12 is normal, but folic acid is high.

All I get from my PC is a shoulder shrug and increase my antidepressant and then tells me not to worry about my hair loss.  I have an appointment soon and I'd like to go armed with information and good questions.  

I also had been taking nexium for many years.  I stopped taking it, but he wanted me to start again.  Obediently I did, but I stopped again in May.  I am open for any suggestions.

[pidgelet]

Did anyone ever give u a dat scan. It sounds like parkinsons.

[brandycolwell]

have you had your Mg levels checked? calcium, thyroid?

[Red_Star]

Vitamin B12 deficiency is a certainty. Forget the B12 "normal" serum levels. Vitamin B12 symptoms occur in "normal" levels. This is well documented in scientific literature.  For this reason, Japan has risen the lowest level of B12 to 550pg/mL. Nexium causes vitamin B12 deficiency (and plenty of other deficiency states) as it lowers stomach acid essential to release instrinsic factor needed to bind to vitamin B12 for absorption in the gut.

A more accurate test for vitamin B12 deficiency is a urinary methylmalonic acid test. (UMMA). Methylmalonic acid rises just 10 days after a vitamin B12 deficiency starts.  Sublingual (under the tongue) B12 is very effective to boost B12 levels. As for acid reflux, digestive enzyme supplements are excellent. If needed, add betaine HCI with pepsin to improve stomach acid production.  Most cases of non obstructive acid reflux is due to not enough stomach acid.

[blingblingbubbaa]

I am surprised your b12 came back normal..I was experiencing almost all of those symptoms when i finally got diagnosed with a b12 deficiency. Do you know what your level of b12 is? I've heard that some labs don't flag it until it gets very low.
If i was in your shoes, i would try making an appointment with a hematologist. Since you are having low RBC, WBC, RDW, lymphocites and neutrophils; and a high MCH and MCV. These are tests on the CBC that usually are markers for different kinds of anemia's. I have heard that a high folic acid can mask a b12 deficiency (but i am not 100% sure about this). But i did find this quote on wikipedia:
"The National Institutes of Health has found that "Large amounts of folic acid can mask the damaging effects of vitamin B12 deficiency by correcting the megaloblastic anemia caused by vitamin B12 deficiency without correcting the neurological damage that also occurs", there are also indications that "high serum folate levels might not only mask vitamin B12 deficiency, but could also exacerbate the anemia and worsen the cognitive symptoms associated with vitamin B12 deficiency"."

Please keep me updated! :)

[protectingmysanity]

I do have high stress, but work hard to maintain healthy nutrition.  I've had my TSH and other hormone tests done and they all come back normal.  My iron is a bit high and I have high serum ferratin (sp?), but normal B-12.  I have an appt. w/ a Dermatologist on 9/7.  I just hope I have hair left.  The rate at which my hair is falling out is alarming and frustrating.  I've thought about that I may research too much and stress myself out that way, so I have cut way back.  I'm  just tired of shoulder shrugging and blank stares.  I'm ready to just give up- not living- but  trying to find out what's wrong.  I keep hoping to find an answer so I can feel better...but I can't find anyone who has any.  They just keep wanting to give me medication.  I'll take the antidepressant, I see the need for that, but the others are getting to be too much.    Thank you for your answer.

[Dr Santos]

Hi,
How are you? Hair loss may be attributed to a variety of conditions including stress, nutritional changes,  hormonal changes such as menopause, underlying medical conditions such as thyroid disease and iron deficiency anemia. For proper evaluation, additional diagnostic tests may need to be done. Blood tests including thyroid function tests and complete blood count may help. A referral to an internist, gynecologist f and dermatologist will help rule out the other differentials mentioned above. Drink plenty of fluids and eat a high fiber diet to prevent constipation. Take care and do keep us posted.