new to forum-my story

[amyinnyc]

I am a 24 yr old female who's been losing hair since age 20. It started when I began taking b/c pills. I was prescribed a highly androgenic pill (at the time I didn't even know what the term meant) and the hair loss began within weeks. Also, I began to have many other health issues: I lost weight, stopped menstruating, had dizziness, hypoglycemia, low blood pressure. I asked the dr. if it could be related to the pill, but she said no, keep taking it, which I did. I went to several doctors who kept telling me there was nothing wrong. I felt awful all the time, and my hair kept coming out. Finally, I started doing my own research and learned that the pil I was on was very androgenic. I asked the dr. to switch me to another pill which was antiandrogenic. She did so, and for a while, my hair stopped falling out and I could see new growth. However, that was short lived, and the shed began again. And, I still had all the other health issues. Doctors kept telling me there was nothing wrong, and it was stress, or implied that I was a hypochondriac. Finally, I decided to go off b/c pills entirely and let my body heal itself, as I was convinced then (and still am) that the b/c pills were the cause of all my symptoms. But, my body didn't heal, I was off them for a year, and I still felt unwell and the shed continued. Because my hair used to be very thick, I don't think doctors believed me when I told them I was losing it, it looked fine to them. By now, I've probably lost 1/2 my hair, and although there are no bald spots. its getting thin, although to look at me, you wouldn't think it looks bad. I know if it keeps up like this though, soon I will be able to notice my scalp. Finally, I begged a doctor to test my estrogen levels, as I hadn't menstruated in almost a year. I felt that perhaps I had low estrogen levels. The dr. told me that was unlikely (although she couldn't explain why I didn't menstruate) but she did test for estrogen. The tests confirmed it: my estrogen was at the level of a women who has gone through menopause. Her solution was to put me back on the pill. So, I went on another pill, which hasn't helped. To me, prescribing another pill is just a "band aid" approach to treatment. I want to find out the underlying cause and treat that. I should mention that I was found to be borderline hypothyroid, which they don't want to treat I know thyroid problems can cause hair loss. I am convinced that the first pill I was on started all the problems I've had. I learned that this pill is usually prescribed to menopausal women, rarely to young women. In fact, another dr. I went to told me that in his opinion, this pill was the worst pill ever marketed and should never be given to young women at all. I don't think the dr.who prescribed it to me had a clue. I think it somehow stopped my body from making its own estrogen, and now my body cannot produce it on its own. I've been to so many doctors, but finding one who understands the complicated hormonal issues with hair loss is hard. I have had to ask for every single lab test I've been given. All I know is, before I started the pill, I felt fine, had no health issues and a full head of thick hair. Sorry for the length of this post. I would welcome any suggestions or input.