hair loss?

[liza]

Has anyone else experienced significant hair loss after surgery? I was warned by someone on here that my hair wouldn't be very beautiful as my body healed, and that is true. However, I seem to be losing huge amounts of hair throughout the day. I especially notice it after my shower in the mornings...I seem to have about 3 times as much hair in the drain. Now, it's not huge clumps of hair or anything, but just enough that I'm really noticing it a lot. It's starting to concern me a little, as I have very thin hair to begin with. I don't like losing so much! Is it just me or has this happened to anyone else?l I appreciate your input. Thanks!

Liza

[Cris N]

Hi,

I Googled Hair Loss & heart surgery & found that the increased hair loss you're experiencing is not unheard of. It should resolved itself fairly soon, but if your concerned, you might want to try Rogaine for Women (check w/doctor first for any drug interactions - even though it's a topical application).

[hensylee]

we automatically lose a certain number of hairs every day, naturally. If it's more than a few, as you describe, it may be because of the meds, stress to mind and body, surgery itself, and body changes that are taking place with you just now.

If it does not go away, see your doctor, maybe get a thyroid check, see what he/she says about it.

[Nancy]

My husband has gone through many, many extremely stressful and serious medical situations. I have noticed that when his body is terribly stressed and either going through medical difficulties, or in healing mode from something serious, he experiences hair loss. He normally has a full head of hair. Once he starts to improve, his hair comes back in.

[Gemma]

Hi Liza,

I believe it's normal to lose 100-150 hairs a day (I know, it sounds like a lot). I actually noticed more of my own hair seems to be coming out when I wash and dry it than used to say a few months ago, and I haven't had surgery. I wonder if maybe it's something to do with the time of year? Haven't noticed any bald patches yet :D so decided it's probably no more than the norm.

However stress can also trigger hair loss. Of course worrying about it probably makes it worse :rolleyes: . If you're concerned it may be worth bringing up with your doctor, but other than that I'd say try not to worry as it sounds like a normal thing, and maybe spend more time relaxing and avoid stress! (I know, easier said than done!).

Hope this helps a bit.

Gemma.

[Curtsmum]

My son had bald patches in his head months after he had OHS, the doctor put it down to the stress of his operation and he was only very young. He said that it would go on its own, it did and he hasn't had any problems since.

[savysmommy]

Yes, I recently noticed my hair has been falling out too! It definitely seems more than normal amounts, the bathroom sink and floor will have hair all over it ater I get ready in the morning. I can also tell just by running my fingers through my hair, its noticeably thinner to me.

Hopefully it will stop soon.

[Georgia]

Not only hair loss, but hair doesn't grow well for about 5 - 6 mos. either. It was very frustrating (except that I sure didn't need to touch up the hair color very often!). I know it's much more noticeable if your hair's long, so you might want to get it cut and let it grow out when you're recovered.

And of course those of us with thin, fine hair seem to get hit the hardest with this.

I don't think Rogaine would do much good, since it's a systemic reaction and not hormone-related.

[perkicar]

I'm so glad to see you post about this, Liza. I've noticed the same th iing and have been getting kind of paranoid about it, trying to figure out why I seemed to be losing alot more hair than usual. It makes sense but I'll be glad when it stops and my hair comes back full force. I don't have that much to start with so I really don't want to get any finer and fly away.
:(

[jeffp]

It's not just a "girl thing". I went from a full head of hair to almost baldy on top within about 4 months after surgery. I blame it on the coumadin, but I really think its because of the physical and mental stress of the whole recovery process. Still hoping it will grow back, but if not, oh well...

[queness]

I noticed qite a bit of hair loss at first after my surgeries, it seems to be less now 4 weeks later. Its an endocrine issue. You've been under a lot of stress, which affects the adrenal gland. the adrenal gland affects the thyroid gland which can cause hair loss. As your body heals, the stress reduces and your endocrine system comed back into balance. voila! hair loss stops.

[eckw]

Do hair loss occured after major surgery (not just open heart ) or it is coumadin causing hair loss. i soon having AVR and wants to know.

[liza]

Thanks for all the replies everyone! It's nice to know I'm not alone! I am currently 5 months post-op from the OHS and 3 months post-op from my other surgery. My hair loss has just increased in the past month or two. It's kinda longer than usual right now, so maybe that's why it's more noticeble. I'm thinking of chopping it off so it doesn't bother me as much. :) I'm not on coumadin, so it must just be a reaction from the surgery/anesthetic drugs/stress/whatever. I'm hoping it stops soon, I don't want to go bald! ;)

Liza

[JohnnyV_46]

My hair must have known in advance that I was going to have major heart surgery, because it left early, before I ever dreamed of having surgery.... :eek:

[LLJ]

No significant hair loss,but,mine went from salt and pepper to just about all salt!! (now it's a lovely shade of golden brown thanks to my hairdresser) I swore I would never color my hair,(I started to go gray at 20) but all white was just too much too soon!!!!.
Laura

[samiam]

Greetings from Florida...

I'm not on coumadin. But I also noticed a lot more hair in the shower drain for the first two months or so after surgery. Now, after 3 months, it seems to be back to a normal, pre-op amount.

[Susan BAV]

Hi Liza -

I have a fairly thick head of hair and I was absolutely :eek: SHOCKED :eek: at how much hair I lost in the first few months following the surgery! I have had surgeries before where I lost a bit of hair, even heart surgery, and I lost a bit of hair following the births of my two sons, but nothing like what I lost after the valve replacement! I was getting pretty upset about losing all of that hair! I think that if my hair had been short, it might have been easier to deal with it or, at least, it might have been less noticeable.

I'm still not sure what caused it all but I think it could have been one or more of the following: the surgery experience with the anesthesia and stress; the Coumadin I was on for three months afterward; or the Sotalol I was on for three months afterward. I take Synthroid for a sluggish thyroid so I wondered if the Coumadin or the Sotalol interfered with it and a sluggish thyroid can contribute to hair loss. In fact, I'm pretty sure that I read that heavy beta blockers can contribute to hair loss and can interfere with Synthroid.

The hair loss finally stopped and my hair has filled back out. And it's less straight and more curly now than it was too. Figure that!

[catwoman]

I lost some hair after my MVR, but nothing like what I lost I was 17. At that time, I had a reconstruction of the lower jaw, which took about 5 hours since it was also being videotaped for teaching purposes at Baylor Dental College.
I had very long hair. Six to 8 weeks post-op, I noticed a bald spot near my side part, about the size of a nickle to a quarter. Talk about freaking out!!!!!!!!!!
When it started growing back in, it was quite curly, amid my normally straight-to-wavy hair. Gradually, the texture corrected itself and it blended in with the rest of my hair.

I have had hair loss after each of the 4 major surgeries I've gone through, but none like that after my jaw surgery.

[Kahunaz]

I too had a very thick head of hair.. then I really started noticing the hair loss on my nice white pillow cases and in the shower. It really thinned out a lot for a good couple of months, then as quickly as it started, it stopped.

I now have a thick head of hair once again!

Kahunaz

[BAV Pt's daughter]

How long does it usually take for you guys and gals with this problem before you start growing hair back in fuller again? (Or doesn't it usually happen?)

[Georgia]

It was just 6 mos. before mine really started growing. And after that it was normal (maybe grew a little faster the next few months).

[Christian]

Mine's falling out and it's my wife who's having the surgery... Totally unfair.

[BAV Pt's daughter]

Mine's falling out and it's my wife who's having the surgery... Totally unfair.
I'm with you on that one. I dont know who will lose the hair, me or mom....