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hair falling out and crappy skin

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I'm not sure if this is a style and appearance or health and wellbeing thing, so move if needed!

I have fibromyalgia (if you didn't know already because I hark on about it like no tomorrow and i wish i could shut up about it). I take loads of painkillers and I take stuff to counteract the side effects too. I generally feel shite most of the time. It affects pretty much all of me, probably including my skin but I don't know for a fact.

But up until a month or 2 ago I was managing to at least look ok. But now, everytime I run my fingers through my hair a load comes out (not quite clumps but a fair bit). Its permenantly itchy, scaley, covered in little scabs and very dry. I've tried dandruff treatments and gotten no where. Putting argan oil on it and having it massaged in every couple of nights helps, but its bloody expencive to do. I get my hair washed once or twice a week with a very gentle no-nasties shampoo.

My skin - I have bad eczema around my eyes which doesn't really respond well with steriod cream, and only thing I can use which works is a face oil (again bloody expencive). My skin looks ashy, I have lots of blemishish (dark patches, blackheads, stuff like that) around my chin and mouth, but otherwise its very dry. Again the only stuff i have found which seems to work are expencive natural no-nasties products which would cost me around £60 every couple of months.

What do can i do? I'm taking a fair amount of suppliments already, and I don't know if I just bite the bullet and pay out for stuff that works. Would an exfoliating shampoo be a good idea? I'm just sick of being covered in flakes from my face or head and hair which consistantly falls out. Any ideas what might be wrong with my scalp?

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Have u been back to ur GP.

    Have a look at this might help u
    http://www.thesite.org/healthandwellbeing/appearance/haircare
    Keep us posted
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Do you have a balanced diet? My hair fell out because I wasn't getting enough vitamins and minerals, Sometimes suppliments can also cancel out each other..Maybe a trip to your doctors to see if you're taking the right ones could help?. I know when I started taking Supliments mine stopped falling out as much.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    My GP no longer gives a shit about me, but my ma is a nutritionist so i know I'm eating ok and the supliments are ok. I'm just getting to the end of my tether with it. I've lost my independence, I've lost my mobility, I've lost my health and now if feel like I'm losing whats left of my looks after putting on so much weight as well (about a stone in a year).
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sounds like stress to me, I know stress can cause hair to fall out (I'm no doctor, don't quote me). and what you've listed sounds very stresfull, You say you've lost your independance, do you have time to be you? or time for a friend to come round, say put some pamper masks on and have a girly night?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I have so little time to be me I've kind of forgotten what its like. I've lost most of my friends, I can never get people to come over. Plus I live in what currently resembles a building site, so not really happy to have friends round when its like this.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I forked out for the expensive moisturiser and cleanser and I've been advised that olive oil is the best way to go. And someone else said salt. And someone else said this stuff from boots and someone else said hot oil.

    So I'm trying it all! And borage oil on my eyes (TFF wholefoods market and their advice! Something I have at home which will cost me very little)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hi Miss Riot :wave:

    Wow it sounds like you have got a lot of options there to try out :)

    Let us know how you get on with it and if none them work come back to us and we can try and find out what you can use.

    I have noticed that you said in a previous post about your G.P, how would you feel about seeing another G.P?

    purple_rain :heart:
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hi, I know you have fibromyalgia but out of interest have you had your thyroid levels checked? (because from my understanding the two conditions can quite often coincide).
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I have had my thyroid levels checked but my local PCT will not do a full thyroid check and nationally the levels have been changed to well below what the thyroid association recommends. So when I go see a GP again I'll ask to see what they were and if they're actually borderline or low just not according to the NHS.

    Purple rain - the only GP in the practice I go to that has an accessible room is the one I have been seeing. I'm thinking about changing surgeries, but I need to ring around and find a GP that understands and believes in Fibro and who doesn't think it's untreatable.

    The expensive shampoo worked, both the hot oil and the inexpensive scalp treatment hurt my head. Haven't tried the borage oil yet, but I'll report back when I do.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I don't know how useful this is, but it might be all one problem. A lot of hair problems are actually to do with the skin on your scalp (when my granny had alopecia she saw a dermatologist) so maybe a referral to a dermatologist would be useful? If the thyroid thing is a red herring, that is.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'd definitely advise a full thyroid check; however if you're borderline your GP is unlikely treat it/refer you on but at least if you know there are some supplements you can take to support your thyroid function. Do you take any supplements at the moment? Because another big possibility is vitamin D deficiency; certainly with fibromyalgia if you don't supplement this already then I'd recommend you start to anyway.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've tried getting a dermatology referral for years and even with different doctors they won't. They just seem to think I'm moaning!
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Maybe with new developments they will? Worth asking at least. Sucks, though. :(
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I can really understand why people pay for private health insurance!

    I'll see but I'm not holding out for much.
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