Alopecia – Hypothyroidism = The Long and Winding Road
Just the facts – alopecia is when your body has been shocked into an auto immune deficient state and you lose your hair. You can lose a little or a lot or all (as I have). What may accompany alopecia is a thyroid issue – whether it is the thyroid that goes first or after or contingent no one can really say, but in general it does go hand and hand. Hypothyroidism is when your thyroid quits doing what it is supposed to do. Simply put, your thyroid gland controls how quickly the body uses energy, makes proteins, and controls how sensitive the body is to other hormones.
I had spent the last year looking at my face in the mirror and feeling as if I didn’t recognize myself. I saw photos of myself and felt I didn’t recognize myself. I would be at the gym and watch people working out and marvel at their energy. I would not want to dance when everyone else was getting down – which for me is (ahem) unusual. Then my hair fell out.
It was not enough that I noticed my face was bloated, that I was acutely aware that I was fat as a tick no matter what I did, that my hair was lifeless, that I didn’t have enough energy to make it through the day – the hair falling out was the HELLO moment.
Two doctors who were over on Saturday night convinced me that I need to see an endocrinologist. I first went to a dermatologist because it was hair loss – that produced a blood test because I asked for one (read: educate yourself and take charge of your own health) – which led me back to my primary who prescribed the lowest dosage of Synthroid. I take the Synthroid in the morning and feel nauseous and like a chicken for a couple of hours and then I crash and stay in this funk the rest of the day. The doctor friends told me that most doctors will treat the numbers (read: my thyroid levels), but you need an endocrinologist to treat the whole person.
My dear friend is an endocrinologist – possibly the busiest one on the planet – but he said he would make room for me. Yay! Now I feel as if I am swimming downstream, before it was all up up up or more like swimming through jello.
I’ve learned how much that butterfly gland actually means to me, without it I’m overwhelmed by noise, people, tasks, activities, and most everything.
As for getting my hair to grow back – first I need to get my thyroid levels straightened and get myself in alignment then the rest will follow.
May 31st, 2012 at 1:39 pm
When you’re emotionally/mentally ready to start *playing* with your blank canvas of a head, I suggest letting Tin draw on it and posting the result(s) here on your blog.
Or having a contest for family and friends to see who comes up with the best design… and posting each one’s masterpiece here on your blog.
Or experimenting with different ways of applying paint by yourself:
— rolling your head in a selection of paint blotches
— using stencils
— the carved-potato-dipped-in-paint technique (different coloured polkadots would be cute)
etc. etc. etc. (and, of course, posting pics here on your blog)
Though I understand and truly empathize with your *challenge*, I firmly believe that the more you accept, let go, have fun and enjoy the ride… the more you’ll attract positive outcomes and, eventually, yes, even HAIR.
GO FOR IT!
P.S.: Wish I could be close to you and have a shot at participating in the contest!
May 31st, 2012 at 4:47 pm
Mudd – I loved your design and have been thinking about that a lot as I am going out bald more than scarves these days. My friend visiting says it makes a bold fashion statement and to wear it as one. And honestly when I tell other women that I’ve lost ALL my hair they are frankly a little jealous – no shaving, no bikini waxing, no nada – hello beach! – I was thinking of some sort of temporary tattoos and was going to try one and see if it worked and if so then getting a selection – obviously Tin WOULD LOVE TO DRAW ON MY HEAD – no doubt, but I’m not sure I want the deranged psychopath design he would put on there. I want a little more style. I wish you were closer because I’d have you do for me what you did for you.
Anyway, the long and short is this – I’m warming up to my bald head – I don’t worry about rain, I don’t worry about hair appointments, nada. Though I do miss my eyebrows even those are not all that important any more.
June 3rd, 2012 at 3:05 pm
Oh yeah — the “no-hair-anywhere” definitely comes in handy.
Must admit that reading about your bald head is making me want to shave mine again — remembering how easy life was when “bad hair days” weren’t an issue. And with summer right around the corner, I can’t help but think back to how I wore a cold wet washcloth on my head when the heat became unbearable.
Will see if the urge gets stronger.
To be continued… 🙂
June 3rd, 2012 at 4:39 pm
Definitely more advantages to not having hair than having. I love the flexibility of wigs – short, long – never needs to be blow dried in the amazing hot as Africa heat of New Orleans.