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This is long, but I desperately need insight and help.
In my junior year of high school, I began to notice extreme thinning of my hair. It would fall out all day without reason for about 3 months until the point where it became noticeable to others. I went to the dermatologist for answers. He sent me to get blood work done. My iron levels were extremely low at 9 (normal is 26-170). He determined this to be the cause of my hair loss and put me on an iron supplement. At first, the treatment worked. For about 6 months my hair stopped falling out and began to grow longer and thicker again. However, in January of 2017 my hair began to fall out again. This was very disheartening for me as I thought I had solved my problem. I went to my doctor's office, got more blood work done, and learned that my iron levels were still at 9. This was strange as I had been taking a supplement for about 9 months. She increased my dosage dramatically, and I was receiving over double the daily requirement of iron.
I was optimistic and told myself things were getting better. They weren't. My hair kept falling out, and despite my insane influx of iron, my levels dropped to 5. The doctor referred me to a hematologist. Being the end of senior year (a very busy time) and starting a new job, appointments kept on being canceled. When I finally went in June of 2017 they ordered me to receive iron transfusions called Injectafer. I thought this would solve my problem. it made it exponentially worse. After 2 transfusions, my hair now falls out in clumps every time I shower. My bathroom floor and bedroom floor are covered in hair. I am getting bald spots. The hematologist thinks that my body went into a stressed state after a major treatment, and it is reacting by shedding hair.
This is traumatic for me. I am an 18 year old girl who doesn't even want to leave the house because I am so embarrassed. I dread showering and brushing my hair. I cry all the time. I am devastated and feel like I am out of options. I need help and insight since I cannot get a real answer or treatment from any doctors.
In my junior year of high school, I began to notice extreme thinning of my hair. It would fall out all day without reason for about 3 months until the point where it became noticeable to others. I went to the dermatologist for answers. He sent me to get blood work done. My iron levels were extremely low at 9 (normal is 26-170). He determined this to be the cause of my hair loss and put me on an iron supplement. At first, the treatment worked. For about 6 months my hair stopped falling out and began to grow longer and thicker again. However, in January of 2017 my hair began to fall out again. This was very disheartening for me as I thought I had solved my problem. I went to my doctor's office, got more blood work done, and learned that my iron levels were still at 9. This was strange as I had been taking a supplement for about 9 months. She increased my dosage dramatically, and I was receiving over double the daily requirement of iron.
I was optimistic and told myself things were getting better. They weren't. My hair kept falling out, and despite my insane influx of iron, my levels dropped to 5. The doctor referred me to a hematologist. Being the end of senior year (a very busy time) and starting a new job, appointments kept on being canceled. When I finally went in June of 2017 they ordered me to receive iron transfusions called Injectafer. I thought this would solve my problem. it made it exponentially worse. After 2 transfusions, my hair now falls out in clumps every time I shower. My bathroom floor and bedroom floor are covered in hair. I am getting bald spots. The hematologist thinks that my body went into a stressed state after a major treatment, and it is reacting by shedding hair.
This is traumatic for me. I am an 18 year old girl who doesn't even want to leave the house because I am so embarrassed. I dread showering and brushing my hair. I cry all the time. I am devastated and feel like I am out of options. I need help and insight since I cannot get a real answer or treatment from any doctors.