Sudden Hair loss Condition

by Jayne Rainbnow
(London, UK)

I haven't been diagnosed with TE, but think I have it? Let's go back to the last of week of May. I had a good head of hair, fine, but thick. There is no history hair loss in my family. I decided to take some diet pills (Alli), after 3-4 days I started noticing my mood changing, I became anxious and had a racing heart which usually happened with my commute to London, which I absolutely hate.

My stress levels became unbearable and I could feel the stress pulsating in my head! Then my hair started to fall out, on the pillow, lots on my brush, in the shower, on my towels. Just everywhere. I stopped taking Alli after 3 weeks and a week later my stress stopped just a sudden as it started. However, the hair loss continued, June & July felt like the worse months of my life.

Most of my hair shed from the back (I had shoulder length hair) and the front looks thin, although no bald patches. At the beginning of August I noticed the amount of hair falling out significantly stopped. Since then my hair has got a little thinner, but I can see lots of hair sticking up, which I don't know if it's new hair or broken hair - I hope it's new. However, it's very thin (like baby's hair).

I do find myself examining every hair that falls out and it has the white bulb at the end. To make things complicated (?) during this time I have fallen pregnant :) and my doctor says he will not investigate further until after the birth. However, I did have all the usual blood tests done before falling pregnant and everything was normal so my doctor put it down to stress. I'm hoping my pregnancy will make my hair grow... I guess I don't have a happy ending to share with you (at the moment) as I still have to deal with this scraggy hair that I have been left with it. People that know me do notice it. I do get very down about it all... Any comments would be helpful of what you might think?


Editor’s Comments,

Thank you for sharing your hair loss issue with us. I am not sure about the pills but maybe it could be some side effects from the pills? I’ve heard some people mentioning about depression when using Alli? Orlistat, which is the main ingredient for Alli might cause fatigue and maybe depression according to this post here.

If it’s true that this pill causes these side effects, then there is a chance it’s causing stress related hair loss. At the present moment since you are pregnant (congrats) it’s best you do nothing until the after your pregnancy. We also do hope a surge in estrogen during pregnancy can help boost your hair quality. Good luck.