Re: Methotrexate and hair thinning/loss

[Guest guest]

was losing her hair for quite a while. I had it cut short which seems

to have helped. She has been on MTX for almost a year now, but it seems to

have slowed down also.

When she was on cyclosporine, she was growing hair all over her little body!

That has stopped too since she is off that.

Pat

[Guest guest]

Janet , I too was on voltaren but not at the same time as metho. I lost scads of

hair and I got high blood pressure. Both corrected themselves after

discontinuing the voltaren. Tree:):)

Methotrexate and hair thinning/loss

My daughter is 15 and has systemic JRA. She's been on methotrexate for about

a year now (along with prednisone, voltaren, folic acid, prilosec). The

first few months she was on the methotrexate her hair thinned out quite a

bit. I know it's a low dose of chemo, but the her rhemy doctor said it was

unusual for that to happen. It's been a year and her hair loss has

stabilized, however, it is quite a bit thinner than it used to be. I know if

and when she ever stops the methotrexate it will probably grow back to its

normal thickness, but I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced

this problem.

Thanks,

Janet

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[Guest guest]

Hi Janet:

Yes, Mickey has very thin hair as well. One of the drugs, Prednisone, I

think, causes hair growth where it shouldn't - down the back of her neck,

her back & shoulders, etc, but the hair on her head did thin quite a bit

after we started the methotrexate. She has very fine hair, so that makes it

seem even thinner. Her best friend's ponytails are about 5 times what Mickey

has, volume wise. Probably its a lot more distressing for a 15 year old than

a 7 year old, though. Have you tried some of the " volumizing " shampoos? That

might make what she does have seem fuller. I use Pantene Pro V for volume,

and it really does work. When I was at my mom's for a week earlier this

summer, I wondered why my hair seemed so much flatter and lifeless - then

realized the shampoo REALLY did what they advertised! Surprise!

Lynn

From: js35475@...

Reply-

Date: Sun, 26 Aug 2001 12:40:16 EDT

Subject: Methotrexate and hair thinning/loss

My daughter is 15 and has systemic JRA. She's been on methotrexate for

about

a year now (along with prednisone, voltaren, folic acid, prilosec). The

first few months she was on the methotrexate her hair thinned out quite a

bit. I know it's a low dose of chemo, but the her rhemy doctor said it was

unusual for that to happen. It's been a year and her hair loss has

stabilized, however, it is quite a bit thinner than it used to be. I know

if

and when she ever stops the methotrexate it will probably grow back to its

normal thickness, but I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced

this problem.

Thanks,

Janet

[Guest guest]

Hi Janet,

Even though the amounts of MTX used in treating JRA are normally 100 to

3000 times less than the amounts used to treat childhood cancers, some

people are definitely more sensitive than others and will experience

these kinds of unpleasant but not 'necessarily dangerous enough to stop

the med' side effects. These can include not just hair thinning and hair

loss but also mouth and nose sores and sores on the scalp. A lot of

times, the folic acid supplement will help to minimize or prevent this

but another all-natural substance reported to help many people with

arthritis specifically for the problem of hair thinning or loss, as a

side effect of prescribed meds, is grapeseed extract. It's available at

all health food stores or thru online venders. I've heard that as little

as 30mgs a day can be effective to stop excess hair loss, while others

say they take 200mgs a day. We've never tried it though, as Josh has

only ever had the opposite problem. Hirsutism, I think it's called. The

extra hair growth that people have been talking about. Fortunately, that

hasn't been a problem lately but it was awful when it was happening.

Hope this helps some,

Georgina

js35475@... wrote:

>

> My daughter is 15 and has systemic JRA. She's been on methotrexate for about

> a year now (along with prednisone, voltaren, folic acid, prilosec). The

> first few months she was on the methotrexate her hair thinned out quite a

> bit. I know it's a low dose of chemo, but the her rhemy doctor said it was

> unusual for that to happen. It's been a year and her hair loss has

> stabilized, however, it is quite a bit thinner than it used to be. I know if

> and when she ever stops the methotrexate it will probably grow back to its

> normal thickness, but I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced

> this problem.

> Thanks,

> Janet

[Guest guest]

I was just reading an article last night that suggested adding unflavored

gelatin to shampoo to improve volume - I'll look for it when I get home if

anyone is interested in the amt.

[Guest guest]

Janet,

Yes, I also have the problem with hair thinning. I have a lot of hair though

so most people don't notice. It's hard to deal with though. I mean most people

relate losing hair to old people and people with Cancer. I didn't think that I

would ever have that problem. I am a freshman in college now and I have been on

Methotrexate for about 5 months or so (At this interval, I've been on it a lot

before too) but the point I am tryinh to make is that, sometimes I get scared

because at times I could lose handful of hair.

It's odd being 18 and starting to lose my hair. I dunno what else to tell

you. I'm glad her hair loss has subsided. I wish mine did! Best of Luck for you

and your daughter! God Bless!

[Guest guest]

Wow. That sounds like it just might work. If anyone tries this, please

let us know what the results were like.

Thanks,

Georgina

carneyval@... wrote:

>

> I was just reading an article last night that suggested adding unflavored

gelatin to shampoo to improve volume - I'll look for it when I get home if

anyone is interested in the amt.

[Guest guest]

-

Thanks for sharing your experience with thinning hair due to the

methotrexate. Georgina mentioned in her e-mail that grape seed extract

seems to help. Well, it just so happens that I had started my daughter on

the grape seed antioxidant about a month ago and it seems to be helping her.

I know it could be a coincident, but whatever... anything to raise her

spirits (and mine!) She's been taking 180 mg. a day. Someone else had

mentioned it and that's how I had gotten her started.

My prayers are with you that you're feeling better soon and your hair

improves.

Janet