Anyone Stop BCP With Positive Results?

[totaldispHAIR]

Hi, so, I'm at a cross-roads as my estrogen/progesterone levels are on the low side due to my lo-Estrin birth control pills. I spoke to my gyno. who said either I can go off the pills entirely and let my body go back to it's natural hormone levels or go up to a higher dose of Estrogen birth control.

Anyone have success with going off the pill? I know that it can cause more hair loss so I'm totally afraid it'll make things worse, but I'd also really like to get all the synthetic hormones out of my system.

Any advise is greatly appreciated.

 

[Rozzy252]

BCP and hair loss

I think I'm in a similiar state as you.....I went on the BCP 2 years ago because I have PCOD. About 3months after starting the pill...my hair started to shred so I started on a higher dose of pill.... The past few months I noticed that I was shedding again...dispite the pill so I stopped it two weeks ago. I'm doing the waiting game to see if I will continue to shed or see if it will even out......keep me posted on your decision as well...I'm interested to find out what happens

 

[totaldispHAIR]

Hi Rozzy252, I did decide to go off the BCP, I figured in the end it would be better since we want to try to get pregnant at the end of this year/beginning of next year and I didn't want my body to get used to another level of hormones and then shock it again by going off the pill.

It's been a little over a week since I stopped, I noticed less shedding at first and now more shedding. Sigh. Hoping it's temporary. On the good side, my breasts are getting sore and tender which I think is a direct result of my estrogen levels going up. I've got an appointment with an endocrinologist tomorrow, and I was able to get in to see Vera Price at UCSF...2.5 months from now!

Check out this book: What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About PreMenopause -- Balance Your Hormones and Your Life from Thirty to Fifty. By John Lee. It is really really good and has given me so much understanding about how my low estrogen/progesterone levels may be causing my hair loss, not to mention other things that I didn't realize were due to it before.

 

[Rozzy252]

Hi there. Hang in there with quitting the BCP...you will probably shed a bit at first. I'm hoping to get pregnant this summer too. Everyone at work keeps telling me my hair will grow like a weed when I'm pregnant but it will shed again when I'm post partum. I spoke with my dermatologist today and he told me to continue with the Rogaine and not to worry...I won't go bald. I have to ask you though...who is Vera Price??? And what did your endocrinolist have to tell you at your appt?????

keep me posted
Rozzy :lol:

 

[totaldispHAIR]

I am shedding a lot. And being off the pill...I've been crying my eyes out every day. I just keep reminding myself it's the hormones readjusting. I've started to get a bald spot right in front at the hairline (hairline was thinning and recceding before but now it's like a frickin' goose egg is forming), my part on top has widened and the top back is really thinning.

Endo visit was today...and it was TOTALLY WORTHLESS! The guy couldn't commit to anything! I asked him if my estro/progest. were abnormal because of my gyno's eval. He said, "well, it's possible that they are low, but we can't really tell from these types of tests." I told him I read that low progesterone can't counteract the androgens and thus causes male patterned hair loss and he told me "well, we really don't know a lot about what causes hair loss". I walked to my car and cried in the parking lot for a good 10 minutes. I thought an endocrinologist would be the last answer I had to telling me what was going on, because, and he kept reminding me "my expertise is only in hormones, not hairloss". Bullcrap, he sucks in hormones too.

Vera Price is a leading specialist in women's hairloss. She's located at Univ. Calif in San Francisco.

I'm at the desperation point and am almost ready to try Rogaine, in spite of the horror stories I've read on all these chat boards.

OH! I did find out that my zinc levels are *super* low. From what I've read, zinc deficiencies can lead to hair loss too. So, I'm taking 50mg supplements every day in the hopes that it will help.

So, based on your experience so far, if you had to do it all over again, would you use the Rogaine?

 

[totaldispHAIR]

Oh! I forgot to add, when asked about spironolactone as a potential option, endo said in a dismissive tone "sprio? that will never help you. It doesn't help people regrow hair".

Jackass.

HA!

 

[Rozzy252]

Hi Totaldisphair....Sounds like your endocrinologist is a real J*** . I can't believe he said that. He specialized in hormones....he must have slept through the androgen class. It also sounds like he doesnt' know much about Spironaltone either. He probably is thinking that it is just a diuretic. Its fantastic that you are going to see Vera Price. You will have to keep me posted on what she says. About a year and a half ago, I went to see an endocrinologist about my first shed. She couldn't do much about testing my hormones because I was on the pill at that time. I started shedding again a few months ago. I immediatly asked for a referral for a dermatologist. One thing my dermatologist told me that made me feel better....he said that it might be female pattern baldness ( that part didn't make me feel better....made me want to jump the window). BUT, with rapid shedding it is more than likely Telogen Effluvium. Unfortunatly for me....both my parents are bald or balding (my mother hit menopause)...so the genetics are not in my favour. So right now.....it is Telogen Effluvium without a certainty on whether my hair will grow back. My prescription is Rogaine 2 times a day....and Palefer ( Ferrous Furinate) 3 times a day. My iron stores came back low with the bloodwork...and that can cause Telogen Effluvium.

You are going to hear horror storries about Rogaine. But I haven't had any problems with it so far. Yes its an antihypertensive but trust me....with a blood pressure on 90/60 as my norm....nothing has happened. I'm using Rogaine 2% though. There is a Rogaine 5% available as well...( I can't get that strength here in Canada) and I think that one is associated with more side effects. My only issue with the Rogaine is that I shed quite bit the first month....but if you read on the website and talk to my doctor....Its normal.....it would have been hair that would have fallen out anyways.....
I'm more nervous about going on spironolactone. I left a post somewhere on this site asking about pregnancy and spironolactone....so far no response....That medication will be my last resort. I might wait until I'm done having babies if this Rogaine doesnt' work. (by the way...my derm and family md said I could use Rogaine while prego). I work as a nurse and spironolactone is a diuretic that I do hand out often....so I worry about the side effects (ie electrolyte depletion). Not to say though ....if I had a choice of a bald life.....or side effects from spironolactone....I'd choose the spironolactone. Have you had your ferritin level checked?? If you haven't you might be interested in this article that I found that is helping me calm my nerves....bear with me...its a long site address http://hairsite2.com/library/article194.htm
Anyways....hang in there......you are not alone in this, forget about what that Endo guy said and look forward to seeing Vera....try not to focus on your scalp either....it can be devestating....when you are already upset about it.....
take care Rozzy...... :lol:

 

[totaldispHAIR]

Hi Rozzy,

No one can seem to tell me if it's Telogen Effluvium or Androgenetic Alopecia; I started off with diffuse shedding all over, and now it seems as though almost all my hair loss is off the top of my head and my front hairline (which is getting higher). I was told it could be both...Gee, thanks derma, nice work!

I'm going to see another endo today, a female one. I hope she's better. I did talk to my friend's fertility doctor who at least told me when to take my blood tests and where my levels should be -- Estrogen taken on day 2 or 3 of your cycle should be around 50; Progesterone taken 1 week after ovulation (typically day 21-23 of your cycle) should be around 15-22. She also told me even though my thyroid's been tested to check antithyroglobulin and antiTPO which may show issues that regular thyroid tests don't reveal.

Well, it's good to know that your blood pressure is low and you've been okay. That's been one of my concerns because I'm pretty active and workout hard to stave off depression. I think I may start it up. Can't decide if I should do it now or wait. So far, the 3 possible things that could cause my hairloss are: 1. low estro/progest. (fixing by going off the pill); 2. major zinc deficiency (fixing by adding in zinc supplements); 3. high levels of mercury in my system (fixing in 3-4 weeks by doing this procedure called DMPS). Part of me wants to wait to see if after doing these 3 things the shedding stops and maybe I get hair growth. Then, if not, Rogaine would be my next step. Ferritin levels are normal.

thanks for the link and your words of encouragement. Don't you have a wedding coming up soon?

t.d.

 

[mariejoe]

Hi, guys,

thanks for the insight into endos. I was almost ready to plunk down the BIG bucks to see one, figuring they would have the answer. :roll: See how we are conditioned to think doctors know a lot and can always help us?

I'll ready What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Menopause first.

 

[totaldispHAIR]

Hi MarieJoe,

Please don't take my one bad experience as a sign that going to an endo won't help you. Obviously, I got a really bad apple out of the lot. You may want to just speak with one over the phone regarding your situation before you decide to pay the $$ to go in and see him/her. Usually, they'll do a quick 5 minute call with you to discuss your situation and determine if they think it would be good to be seen. Have your other doctors (primary care, gyno, derma) suggested you see an endo?

t.d.

 

[mariejoe]

Hi, t.d.,

Thanks for the feedback. I really haven't met many extemely competent doctors. Maybe I expect too much, but I wonder. They seem qualified in a small area of expertise, but ask them anything a little unusual, and they don't know and they don't know who does. Usually.
My gyn recommended I see an endo, who is a woman, but I keep putting it off. Mostly, because of the $$, but also you have to wait 3-4 months for an appt, and that is not with an HMO.
I don't know what to expect, but I don't want to be taking more stuff with side effects that are worse than thinning hair.
Maybe after I read the book you spouted. It's on the way. I found out the new edition woun't be out until next year. It would have been nice to see the updated version, but a bird in the hand... I'm kinda excited to see this book and learn what this MD has to say.
Keep me posted, and I'll do likewise.

mariejoe

P.S. I may be wrong, but I think hair growth with Rogaine only lasts as long as you use it. It would be worth researching before spending months of time.

 

[Guest]

Hi!

I am 20 years old girl and have had hair loss 6 months now and it's probably because of bcp. I was taking them about 7 months, so my hair loss started about on 2 months while on bcp. I also went to see my family Doctor who runned some tests and they were fine. Then I went to two dermatologist who didn't tell me anything... then gyn... who told me that i am pretty stupid if i am going to stopp bcp and that hair loss is cosmetical problem and i should go to the salong and do some masks... thank you very much, what was she thinking i was doing the 3 months??
Then I stopped bcp my own... and my own gyn came back from vacation... before i could even say that i had visited 5 doctors before him... i said that i have hair loss... and pretty strong one for 4 months.. she told me that :" girl you are not going to take these pills anymore" This was the sentence that i wanted to hear from someone...i thought i will go and hug her

Now i have been off them 1,5 months. At first when i stopped taking them my shedding slowed to normal (max20) then 2 weeks later shedding has increased... (100-200 a day) i am depressed but as i can understand then that's normal, my body must correct himself ...

I am really hoping that 3 months and then it's going to back to normal... if i then have any hair left....