40 years old, hair thinning, nails breaking, itchy, spotty skin - is it hormonal/menopause?

[StayAtHomeMummy]

Just that really. My hair really looks thin around my forehead, I'm having to part it in a different direction to cover up what's tantamount to a bald patch. My nails break incredibly easily, and I'm coming out with itchy, spotty skin, not eczema, but just irritated. Couldn't wear my favourite wooly today, had to get into cotton.

The hair thing's been going on for months, the nails are getting worse, the skin's a sudden flare-up today, coinciding with my period. I'm wondering, does this sound like the start of the change? Is there anything I can do to help it - vitamins, supplements? I'm pretty healthy, size 10ish, fairly healthy balanced diet.

Thanks all - any ideas?

Oh, and feeling flippin freezing, but sweaty...

It's old age!

Thyroid problems can cause some of those symptoms. Check with GP if you are worried.

Hey I'm the same stayathomemummy, 'cept I'm 33 getting onto 34... I thought it was the water in the shower [they put alot of chlorine in it where I live]. I'm going to check my You are what you eat book, and see what Gillian recommends. Will get back to you.

There's no chance you're pg is there? That's what happened to me when I was...

How many weeks pregnant were you? and when it started happening did you know you were pregnant at the time?

Its really starting to worry me actually, when I put my hair back into a ponytail its starting to become really thin, I hope I don't end up looking like that bloke from Status Quo!

lol @ Status Quo.

I had icky skin and hair right from first few weeks until mid 2nd trimester, iirc. I didn't know I was pg until I was about 9 weeks and it had been going on for a while.

So much for that healthy glow you're meant to get!

Didn't mean to worry you. Can you do a quick test just to check?

Then maybe check with the gp for other hormone issues.

Very interesting, very interesting in deed!! I wonder if this has anything to do with that hair dyeing incident back in December when my boyfriend jumped on me! I am late, but this has happened before, and I was sooo disappointed when I came on my period. But I am so pleased you mentioned the hair loss happened when you did not know you were pregnant. Perhaps it is a sign, oh I do hope so. Will keep you updated.

To the OP - could this be possible for you too?

Thyroid?

Well now I know its not pregnancy, think I will check out the thyroid advice. How about you stayathomemummy?

Well, if it is thyroid that could be what is causing your coception problems. Once you get it sorted you may get your bfp

conception, even

If it's the menopause you're a bit young - average age for onset is, I think 52 - 53?

If it's pregnancy, then it's obviously hormonal!

Otherwise, it does sound like some kind of dietary deficiency.

Things that are good for your skin are evening primrose oil and vitamin E. Zinc is good for your fingernails. If you have a good health shop near you I would go and have a chat with them. Don't just buy a multivitamin but get something with higher dosages.

Also, for immediate relief from the itchy skin, I can highly recommend a long bath, soaking in Bath E45. And make sure you're using dermatologically kind washing powder/fabric conditioner - Surcare is a good brand. Avoid biological stuff like the plague!

Drink lots of water too - very good for the skin.

Hope things are better soon!

Hello all - interesting to hear your comments. Feeling a bit crappy about turning into an old lady overnight!!! Thought I was getting away with it, with only a small smattering of grey so far. Oh well...

Definitely not pg here anyway!

A friend recommended some vitamins, so have been in to town today and bought the ones she uses, Magnesium OK, which were £10 for 3 months, not as bad as some of the really premium hair/skin products, but have B vitamins and zinc which she seems to think have helped her, so am going to give that a go. Will report back on that.

Will be interested to see what Dr Gillian recommends, MuckyAndrea.

Right, off to drink some water! Thanks all.

Anthea, even

I had similar symptoms and had blood tests. It turned out I was a bit low on iron so I would reccomend you go get it checked.

I have same syptoms i have had bloods done and they all came back normal. So back to the drawing board i guess

So glad I have seen this post..I am 40 in a few weeks time and have exactly the same probs.. hair loss, feeling cold all the time, and teenager skin !!!!!!!!!!etc etc etc...had the thyroid test ..came back at 2.46..apparantly this is normal but I have thyroid antibodies..which apparantly signify I will probably develop thyroid probs in future.....am low in ferritin but not Iron...any suggestions would be gratefully accepted..thanks. Am at my wits end and think I will go bald...my youngest btw is 18 months so hardly post pregnany hairloss

Eat more meat. Drink more milk. I take vitamins (I'm 45) things like cod liver oil, evening primrose oil with starfish oil and multibionta vitamins which help keep colds at bay. I think as you get towards 50 it's a good idea to try to eat a kind of menopause ready diet (not that I manage this usually) with three regular healthy meals and cut out the rubbish and exercise.

Thanks for that advice Xenia, do take Fish oils, vitamin b tablet and calcium tablet...but could poss eat more regularly!!!..thanks for the reply.

Could be iron...try SPATONE from Boots. Drink with orange juice. Thisis a natural iron (from water) & doesn't make you constipated or your poo black !

I'd get an appointment for a blood test though to be on the safe side.

Aveeno is very good on dry skin - I used it on my legs when I was pregnant. It was the only thing that stopped me scratching.

I take a hair supplement too from the health food shop but I just wonder whether any of all that little lot, which are quite expensive, really do any good at all.

Sounds a lot like thyroid tbh, esp the feeling cold.

Do you feel tired?

Definitely get it checked out by Dr, & full blood count as well.

Thonk I'm going to get myself off to the GP next week and see what she says. Good to talk to you all about it, but a bit of a worry all the same.

Hi stayathomemummy
Ok, as promised here are Dr Gillians advice for a Thyroid self check test:

• Is this you?

• Cold Hands, and/or feet
• Constant headaches
• Constipation
• Exhaustion, even after sleeping for hours
• Feeling cold all the time, taking ages to warm up
• Inability to sweat
• Infertility
• Lethargy in the mornings, while feeling energetic at night
• Loss of outer third of eyebrow hair
• No desire for sex
• Permanent heel cracks
• PMT
• Swollen eyelids, ankles or hands
• Very dry skin and hair
• Yellow tint to the skin

If you answer yes to three or more of the above questions, you may have an underactive thyroid. Ask your GP for a blood test to check it out. Be aware, however, that sometimes if you have a very mild form of thyroid malfunction, it will go undetected in a blood test.*

Solutions for a thyroid problem:

Kelp supplements can help an underactive thyroid, so can green superfoods. Seaweeds which are high in iodine can bolster metabolism too.
Eat tyrosine-filled food, such as pumpkin seeds, avocados and almonds, to feed your metabolism.

oooh bloody hell, can answer yes to half of those...

rang the Gp yesterday, got an appointment for tomorrow, so will keep you posted. thanks for looking that up for me. off to shops now to take my mind off it.