labellavita1985
Established Member
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.Hey everyone. I'm posting with some questions again because many of you have been so kind and helpful in the past, and I don't know where else to turn, really. So many of you are also very knowledgeable about hair loss, and this is very much appreciated by me.
So I had been consistently shedding 30-40 hairs for the last 6 weeks or so. I have been on Spironolactone and the oral contraceptive Yaz for two and a half months.
In the last year, I also had significant vitamin/mineral deficiency issues (I'm in recovery from an eating disorder,) so not sure if those were primary factors, but I'm sure they weren't helping. Those have now been addressed, although I think my vitamin D levels are still deficient or insufficient, as it takes many months to increase vitamin D. Initially, vitamin D was significantly deficient, even by Midwest standards.
I should add that I don't know if I have Androgenetic Alopecia. Over the last year, I have lost what is seemingly a significant amount of hair. Most of my doctors (I have seen a lot) don't think that I have Androgenetic Alopecia, and that I more likely had/have Telogen Effluvium, as the loss was more characteristic of Telogen Effluvium, being sudden, and there being identifiable triggers, borderline anemia being one of them.
My doctors suspect PCOS due to an elevated total testosterone level, so I was given Spironolactone and an oral contraceptive.
Ten days ago I increased my spironolactone dose to 100 mg. I am now shedding much, much more, today I had lost over 100 hairs by the afternoon.
My question is, is the spironolactone causing this shed? I have read somewhere that initially, spironolactone and the hormones contained in oral contraceptives can sometimes be interpreted by the body as androgens, or that they initially cause the body to produce more androgens, not sure which one. This seems plausible to me as I have also noted an increase in acne breakouts, even though I am on 5 different medications that are supposed to effectively treat acne - birth control pills, spironolactone, Keflex (oral antibiotic,) Clindamycin (topical antibiotic,) and Retin-A. My acne is mild to moderate, but evidently, very persistent. I do have other signs of androgen reduction, though, like reduced oil production on face and scalp, improvement in my SD, less body hair, etc.
I am so confused and scared. I had begun feeling so positive about my hair in the last couple of months because my shed was down to normal levels, and now I feel hopeless and discouraged again.
I started using stemoxydine a few days ago, so not sure if that could be causing the shed, but it's not supposed to cause an initial shed like Rogaine as far as I know. I'm going to stop using it just in case.
Yaz contains drospinenone, which is supposed to essentially be almost exactly the same as Spironolactone, and ethinyl estradiol. Not sure if the Yaz could play a role in this.
I would appreciate any and all feedback, soo much!
I also take the following supplements - fish oil, vitamin C, vitamin D3, ferrous sulfate (not everyday anymore,) Lysine, gelatin, garlic, MSM, Viviscal, choline & inositol, probiotic, and just in the last week have added laminaria and cistanche.
I am a 30 year old female. Thanks in advance.
So I had been consistently shedding 30-40 hairs for the last 6 weeks or so. I have been on Spironolactone and the oral contraceptive Yaz for two and a half months.
In the last year, I also had significant vitamin/mineral deficiency issues (I'm in recovery from an eating disorder,) so not sure if those were primary factors, but I'm sure they weren't helping. Those have now been addressed, although I think my vitamin D levels are still deficient or insufficient, as it takes many months to increase vitamin D. Initially, vitamin D was significantly deficient, even by Midwest standards.
I should add that I don't know if I have Androgenetic Alopecia. Over the last year, I have lost what is seemingly a significant amount of hair. Most of my doctors (I have seen a lot) don't think that I have Androgenetic Alopecia, and that I more likely had/have Telogen Effluvium, as the loss was more characteristic of Telogen Effluvium, being sudden, and there being identifiable triggers, borderline anemia being one of them.
My doctors suspect PCOS due to an elevated total testosterone level, so I was given Spironolactone and an oral contraceptive.
Ten days ago I increased my spironolactone dose to 100 mg. I am now shedding much, much more, today I had lost over 100 hairs by the afternoon.
My question is, is the spironolactone causing this shed? I have read somewhere that initially, spironolactone and the hormones contained in oral contraceptives can sometimes be interpreted by the body as androgens, or that they initially cause the body to produce more androgens, not sure which one. This seems plausible to me as I have also noted an increase in acne breakouts, even though I am on 5 different medications that are supposed to effectively treat acne - birth control pills, spironolactone, Keflex (oral antibiotic,) Clindamycin (topical antibiotic,) and Retin-A. My acne is mild to moderate, but evidently, very persistent. I do have other signs of androgen reduction, though, like reduced oil production on face and scalp, improvement in my SD, less body hair, etc.
I am so confused and scared. I had begun feeling so positive about my hair in the last couple of months because my shed was down to normal levels, and now I feel hopeless and discouraged again.
I started using stemoxydine a few days ago, so not sure if that could be causing the shed, but it's not supposed to cause an initial shed like Rogaine as far as I know. I'm going to stop using it just in case.
Yaz contains drospinenone, which is supposed to essentially be almost exactly the same as Spironolactone, and ethinyl estradiol. Not sure if the Yaz could play a role in this.
I would appreciate any and all feedback, soo much!
I also take the following supplements - fish oil, vitamin C, vitamin D3, ferrous sulfate (not everyday anymore,) Lysine, gelatin, garlic, MSM, Viviscal, choline & inositol, probiotic, and just in the last week have added laminaria and cistanche.
I am a 30 year old female. Thanks in advance.