Losing hair trichologist

[Whitby1234]

Hi for the last 18 months I have been losing my hair on one side.
After heavy periods my ferritin level was 3.
After 18 months I have actually seen a doctor today , finally face to face and she said she would refer me to the hair loss clinic.
However, she said they will look at me but on the nhs there is really nothing they do.
One of her past patients saw a private trichologist, she mentioned Manchester. I am in the north west. Has anyone got any recommendations please. And how do they deal with it .

Anyone?

Won’t treating the anaemia correct it? I wasn’t anaemic but my periods are heavy so I take 220mg ferrous fumarate & three months later my crown areas much fuller.

I’ve been on iron for 12 months.
Ferrous funerary 210. My iron has come up but my ferritin is still only 13.

Sorry iron fumerate .

Have you had any treatment for the heavy periods? Otherwise the iron tablets are basically fighting a losing battle every month and it will take years for your ferritin to correct.

It takes a long time to replenish your iron stores and yours were basically down to nothing.

You need your ferritin to be over 30 at least to see any improvement in your hair.

Actually google suggests some doctors think ferritin needs to be up to 70 to be getting hair regrowth.

I'd suggest concentrating on an iron rich diet and control of your heavy periods rather than the trichologist.

A trichologist is likely to do blood tests and, given you have been diagnosed with very low ferritin levels, tell you what you already know and prescribe iron tablets. In all honesty, you are best to take the ferrous fumerate tablets at the GP prescribed dose for a few months and see how it goes. The GP may also be able to prescribe trans anaemic acid for help with the heavy periods. Good multi vitamins and a healthy diet will help too.

I’ve been there and, a year later with religiously taking iron tablets etc, my hair has stopped falling out in clumps and is much better and slowly thickening. I’ll never look like a shampoo advert, but neither is it shamefully thin and worryingly shedding.

I can’t have the trans acid as I have had a stroke.
Iv got large fibroids so was due to have an hysterectomy in the next couple of weeks. But when I left the consultants office, with all the side effects of the surgery, I feel that’s just opening another can of worms regarding side effects.

My thoughts were no more periods , no anemia. Hair will grow.

I'm going through hair loss at the moment & my ferritin is low... i'm going to have an iron infusion at a clinic in London. I see there's a similar anemia clinic in Manchester.

I'm seeing a dermatologist for the hair loss, again privately, as the GP wasn't able to help.

I wonder what the dermatologist will do . Iv had a lot of health issue which I have dealt with but the losing my hair I am devasted.
I’m even starting thinking how much are wigs 😢

@Whitby1234

I can’t have the trans acid as I have had a stroke. Iv got large fibroids so was due to have an hysterectomy in the next couple of weeks. But when I left the consultants office, with all the side effects of the surgery, I feel that’s just opening another can of worms regarding side effects.

Don't delay such an op due to side effects. Fibroids can grow to be a huge size and require emergency treatment. Ask to be put on HRT if you are losing your ovaries.

Completely understand how you're feeling about this.
You may be aware but in case not, trichologists don't have medical qualifications. Given your other medical issues you may be better off seeing a doctor/dermatologist.

I don’t know which it is
A trichopgist or a dermatologist. The gp just said she will refer me to the hair loss clinic.

Feel like I’m going off track a bit here. The gp said even if I see someone at the hair loss clinic they will look for the reasons but there’s nothing they really do. So I was really asking is it worth paying for something private.

My hair thinning unexpectedly improved after I had a hysterectomy - perhaps due to hormonal changes/no more heavy periods. I was on the point of chopping it off in the weeks before, but couldn't bring myself to do it. Then, a few weeks after the op I became aware it wasn't shedding half as much and when I saw my sister two months later, she commented on how much better it was looking.

It's still not as thick as it used to be 20 years ago, but it's stabilised at an acceptable level.

You have your reason, the fibroids. Don't delay the hysterectomy, the fibroids are sapping your energy and your hair.

@AnnaMagnani

You have your reason, the fibroids. Don't delay the hysterectomy, the fibroids are sapping your energy and your hair.

Yes, exactly this - fibroids were amongst the many things growing inside me that shouldn't have been!

My thinking is
At the menopause the fibroids will shrink. I haven’t even googled what problems they can cause. Flipping heck it’s just one think after another.

You don't need a trichologist. As others have said you need the fibroids/heavy periods sorted and your ferritin level above 50, 70 even better.

Id be pushing for treatment for that and for an iron infusion while you are waiting.

@Whitby1234

My thinking is At the menopause the fibroids will shrink. I haven’t even googled what problems they can cause. Flipping heck it’s just one think after another.

They might shrink at menopause but it'll be a long, slow process. If the doctors have recommended a hysterectomy you really should go for it - mine was 5 years ago - it changed my life, best decision I ever made.

Claris
How old were you

I was 42.

Gosh that’s quite young. Thank you for everyone’s replies. I have a lot to think about .

Was ablation considered? It stops the bleeding caused by the fibroids but leaves all the organs in situ.