Hairloss due to Orthotricylen

[Guest]

I was diaganosed with Telogen Effluvium almost 2 months ago. It was the first time I have ever had any kind of hair loss. After ruling out thyroid, iron, routine blood test; I narrowed it down to the Ortho tri cylclen I started in august of this year. By September my hair was lifeless, and dull, and by Oct and on- full blown out major shed. I went to my GYN who said it was the ortho because he's seen and heard it before.

My question is : why would I shed on a supposedly hair friendly, low androgen pill like Ortho Tri-cyclen when I had NEVER had any problem with other BCP before(either starting or stopping) I have taken Levilite which is higher in androgens with no problem. And I took Yasmin. Could the Ortho just have lowered my estrogen or screwed up my hormones? SInce I stopped it a month ago, and I was only on ortho for a few months- I should be able to recover right? My docs seem to think so- but I'd like to see what the general census is.

 

[Miloh]

Hi Ceanne,

I have read that the tri-phasal (sp?) BCP's can cause or contribute to hairloss, because of the weekly hormone change. Stopping BCP's can also cause a shed as your body readjusts to producing its own hormones. According to my GYN, this condition will correct itself. I don't how long that is supposed to take, because I decided to go back on BCP's, but this time on Yasmin.

Why did you switch to Ortho? Were you having problems with the othr types of pills?

Cheers, miloh

 

[Guest]

TO Miloh--- re: Ortho

No- I never had a problem with any other birth control pill except for Yasmin. I was on it for a year- but it gave me monthly vaginal infections/yeast infections. I mean constintly. Other than that, it was great. Levilite was good and it has a appetite supresent in it which is why my GYN gave it me. I had no problem on it or after it and it's on the high androgency list. I have never shed being on any other pill, stopping the pill or starting. I started Ortho because I usually break out right before my period- nothing major- just a few annoying zits. So I figured I try the ortho. I started in August of last year (after being off BCP entirely for 3 months with no problems). It also made me moody, depressed, gave MAJOR blood clots during my period and I lost more during my cycle on it than before it. I lost half my hair density in 2 months. I went to my GYN and he said the same thing you did. I just get parinoid sometimes with the constant references to Telogen Effluvium inducing Androgenetic Alopecia. No one in my entire family(aunts, uncles, cousins, even my grandmothers had their hair well into their 90s on both sides) has hair loss before the age of 60- and then it's just the ususal age thing;nothing major. Thanks for the reassurance,though. I do have an endo appt. in two weeks just to make sure. But I do feel better. Thanks.