Hair Loss or Trichotillomania?

[T_Anna]

DS15 has been doing a tiny bit better (still far from functional), in the past month (month and a half) he has been twisting and pulling out hair, Trichotillomania, he now has a huge bald spot (like a balding male adult) on the top of his head. Is this a result of the meds? Plain anxiety (do they pick out SO MUCH hair?)? Nutrition? He just sits there and picks out hair, it's driving me crazy. As many strides as we've made forward this is really pushing my buttons.

 

We added propranolol about a month+ ago for thyroid. I just saw that it can cause hair loss (rare side effect), doctor said half the dose and see if it helps.

 

I know that trichotillomania is an axiety/OCD things, but why is it so easy for him to pull them out or is this unrelated?

 

TIA,
T.Anna

 

 

[susie]

Hi Anna,

 

My daughter had significant hair loss from fluconazole. Not sure if your son is even on it, just wanted to mention it in case.

 

I had a friend in high school who picked out all of her eyelashes. It seems like if he's pulling constantly, then that could be the cause (but I don't know anything about trich.)

[T_Anna]

Thanks Susie, he is also on Diflucan (fluconazole), but he has been on that much longer. It really could just be from the pulling, but DH observed that it seems really easy for the hairs to come out.

 

T.Anna

[lfran]

Thyroid issues are known to cause easy hair loss

[T_Anna]

Irfan have you ever used a product like a Gaia Thyroid Support?

 

T.anna

[momcap]

My DS picked a spot completely bald on the back of his head. It was about 1.5 inches in diameter, and it took about a year to grow back in. I don't recall noticing anything different about his hair, like it coming out easier.

[T_Anna]

I'm thinking it might be a combination. I definitely see him pull, but it also started after we added beta blockers for his thyroid issues. I took it down by half so we'll see if that has an impact.

 

Having another HD IVIG tomorrow.

 

Thanks all!!

 

T.Anna

[lfran]

Good luck tomorrow!

 

Is he going to be on propanolol long term, or is that a short-term treatment?

[qannie47]

I agree, I bet its a combo....Good Luck Tomorrow!!!

[T_Anna]

<<Is he going to be on propanolol long term, or is that a short-term treatment?>>

 

We'll see, we haven't re-run the TSH numbers in a while, so cannot see if it's helping. Overall,somethings seem to be helping since we returned from the hospital and PEX. Since the PEX itself didn't seem to be a rest for us, maybe it just cleared things up so that these treatments are working (IVIG, Steroid, abx, anti-virals, propranolol, etc). By working I mean seeing more of our son and better attitude, everything else is still ruled by severe OCD.

 

Today, the school's psychologist is coming to visit, haven't told DS, but between a nurse, nurse supervisor and IVIG I didn't think it would be noticed that much today.

 

T.Anna

Edited October 23, 2013 by T.Anna

[susie]

With my daughter, it took a while on the fluconazole before her hair began to fall out. Not only did it come out easily, but the hair itself (the new growth near the scalp) seemed very, very weak. Check out this reference talking about long term use of fluconazole and alopecia.

 

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7625624

[T_Anna]

Thanks Susie, his dose in only 200mg a day on Diflucan and I think the link was saying it was 400mg a day. Do you remember your daughter's dose?

 

Since I lowered the propranolol he has been pulling and twisting his hair a lot less. So maybe that was the culprit.

 

I will look at the Diflucan link, just wondering if I'd see him actually pulling or if it would just fall out on its own.

 

How did the hair fall out with your daughter? What areas came out first? He has a growing baldish spot in the top of his head (like a balding man).

 

Thanks again!!

 

T.anna

[lfran]

I don't know if atenolol would work as well as propanolol for thyroid issues, but I know it has been around a long time and is used by tons of people. You could ask about alternatives to propanolol.

[T_Anna]

Good idea Ifran.

 

Thanks.

T.Anna