Friday, June 30, 2006

Gotta Keep Moving Forward

I talked to the clinic about my blood test results and I was basically told that everything is normal, no need to follow up. Hmm- the blood tests were supposed to only rule out particular potential causes of my hair loss, not just dismiss my case altogether! I was very annoyed, because he didn't have any suggestions for follow-up care. Finally he suggested I see a dermatologist, because he obviously couldn't come up with anything else. I made the appointment, but I'm not seeing how this will help me, since the doctor already determined there is no infection.


Even though the tests show things as normal, I made an appointment with the nutritionist - only to find out she is a dietician, which is not the same thing at all. A dietician is actually a better option because they are clinically trained, while anyone can call him/herself a nutritionist. That means that this person should be able to take a closer look at my labs and talk to me about the connection between my diet and those results. I don't know how she feels about the raw diet, but my test results would seem to support my being able to continue eating mostly raw.

So now I have to consider more seriously the other possible reasons for my hair loss. Is it stress? I've certainly been very stressed out since moving to a new state and starting a doctoral program. It's been a very challenging experience and I struggled mightily in some areas as I got through my first year. Trying to lose weight at the same time adds stress. Also, losing a lot of weight that first month might have been the culprit, or a contributing factor. It could also be genetic. Regardless of what the source of the problem is, the hardest part is the thought that it might continue falling out and/or might not ever grow back.

I've been a bit depressed and stressed out about things (not just the hair, although it only makes things worse) so I stopped caring so much about the scale- if I gain, I gain. Who cares? This week I noticed the scale creeping down again. Sometimes that attitude works, sometimes it doesn't. Hope it works for me until I get down to my goal!

2 comments:

chubbiegirl said...

hey,

i'm curious, did they check your thyroid and your iron? and if they did check your thyroid, what tests did they do? they should have checked your t3, t4, thyroid stimulating hormone, and both anti-thyroid antibodies. if they didn't, then your tests are not complete enough to rule out hypothyroidism.

anemia, or even just iron deficiency and some other vitamin deficiencies, can also cause hair loss. i hope you sort this out soon.

cg

Allison said...

Thanks for the advice, chubbiegirl. they did say they checked my thyroid, and I believe iron was part of the test. I'm gonna print out your messsage and take it with me so I don't forget what to look for when I read my lab results!

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