Hair loss from Lialda

There are many possible explanations for hairloss with UC. Hairloss can happen as a delayed reaction to a flare of ulcerative colitis with or without medications. All classes of UC medications list hairloss as possible yet all have very different active and inactive ingredients and mechanisms of action from anti-inflammatory lialda, to immunomodulators like imuran, to biologics like remicade. Anemia (low iron in blood) can cause hairloss. Malnutrition from uc flares can cause hairloss.

Often the thinning hair or hairloss sliws and does reverse in time. You should get a blood test to check for anemia (it's a lot more common with UC), for low vitamins B, b12, and d. If they're very low and out of range then you might beed to supplement your diet or get an iron infusion if it's very low.

Quincy and iPoop, thank you both for your responses. You are right, the increased hair loss could be due to a lot of other reasons.

It's been quite a year for me. I had a baby 12 months ago and also started taking a steroid inhaler for sudden increased asthma symptoms (which came on during pregnancy) in December. Then battled oral thrush from the inhaler use in both January and February before being diagnosed with UC at the end of March. I'm sure it's all connected and probably had an impact on my poor hair. I won't blame the Lialda for now and will ride it out, and see if things normalize.

Hi. This is my first post here and I hope I can help someone. I was diagnosed with Pan UC 2 months ago. I recently finished a month on Prednisone and am now taking Lialda. Overall, I feel it is very helpful, but am suspicious of a couple possible side effects, chest pain and hair loss.

I have had occasional chest pain after being on Tramadol 2 years ago after back surgery. That drug put me through hell. My doctor said the pain lingering was not unusual, even though I am off that drug. I am having it again with Lialda. Side effects list it, so I am pretty certain it is the cause.

I have have been losing hair on and off since 1999. My hair is very thick and I was fortunate that only those who knew me well would notice because I still had an average amount left. It fell out everywhere, not in patches. I've been tested and my hair is healthy. As suddenly as I began losing it, it would stop falling out. I was ecstatic, until I started losing it again. This has been my life for 18 years. I have spoken to every kind of doctor and no one knows why, so I spent hours and hours online and came to the conclusion that it had to be caused by a medication, but didn't know which one. At the time I was taking Topamax and I stopped it. Hair loss began slowing down a few weeks later, then as before, just as I got my hopes up, it started again. Huge clumps from the shower, hair falling onto my body and clothes and all over the floor. I was devastated, especially since my hair has always been my best feature.

I had been taking Biotin 1,000 on and off for a couple of years and could not see any improvement. One day while reaching for a bottle of it at Walmart, I noticed a stronger strength I had never seen before. I had been taking 1,000, so I figured I'd give the stronger dose, 10,000, a try. Within a couple of months, my hair had stopped falling out, almost completely! I have literally had many days when I do not lose one single hair in the shower or while combing it out. Loose hairs are gone. On a *bad day*, I might lose 15-20 hairs. Total. (I was so thrilled, but my hair dresser was not as enthused because it took longer to do =my hair.)

Since starting Lialda and Prednisone, I am losing hair again, but it may just be part of my shedding cycle. I hope that's all it is.

If you are losing hair, check with your doctor to see if it's okay to take Biotin 10,000. There is also 5,000, but I'm staying on 10,000. I bought a cheap brand at Walmart, Spring Valley, but there are others that cost more. I know for certain Spring Valley brand works. (I am not affiliated with Walmart or Spring Valley in any way.) I just want to help others regain their hair, though this may not work for everyone.

I had seen 3 dermatologists in different states and none of them recommended Biotin at all. The same for every other doctor I've seen for nearly 20 years. Even my various hair dressers were clueless, though after seeing my results in the past few months, mine is now taking Biotin 10,000 too.

Eekseel.... how long ago since quitting lialda?

q

Just to let you know that the facts of hairloss and growth and fullness, etc wouldnt be affected by stopping the lialda just 6 weeks ago. The hair dormant stage, (shedding) loss, growth, happens very slowly.
Fullness is much affected by products and weather.

Good to hear its growing back tho.
q