Anyone else experiencing hair loss? Did you go completely bald? Does it grow back?

[Dynomite]

I'm a 50 year old woman almost 4 months post bacterial meningitis and my hair is falling out at an alarming rate. I now have less than half as much hair as I used to.

[Canada3]

Yes, my hair fell out at an alarming rate.. I felt I was forever clearing the plughole!! That is of course whenever I was able to put my head down for long enough! However, I am delighted to say my hair is strong and thick again and no more than normal amount falls out in the wash these days.... be patient I am sure it will be OK again, takes much more time than you think for your immune system to recover.

[Dynomite in reply to Canada3]

Hi Canada,

Thank you for the reply, I'm so glad to know your hair grew back. I too had long think hair and am having a hard time getting used to this "new" me, and I'm not just talking about the hair. I totally know what you mean about putting your head down. I feel like I'm always having a head rush and when I bend over and put my head down I feel like I could faint, thank God I haven't.

[menacingpickle in reply to Canada3]

how long did it take? I had beautiful thick waist length hair. Now I can gather all my hair into one tiny barrette.

[corps1]

I had pneumococcal meningitis 3 years ago and like you I thought would go bald. Having had long thick hair I was really worried. It was coming out in fistfuls. A hair dresser suggested that I keep it fairly short [I hated it] until it started to thicken and then let it grow. It still isn't as long as it was but I feel so much more me! Good luck and keep seeing the hairdresser for 'maintenance'.

J

[ignoreit]

Because I was basically paralyzed for the first 2 months in ICU (only able to move my head an inch in either direction), all my hair had gone into a big tangled mess in the back of my head. The nurses couldn't untangle it. Before I left the hospital, a nurse cut 'the lump of matted hair' off so she could wash my hair. The extreme pain in my feet was so intense that 'pretty hair' was the least of my worries. By the time I went back to work (9 months after being admitted to the hospital), I simply wore a wig. It's amazing how this horrible illness can change our thinking. Reducing pain becomes the priority above all else.

[Dene]

my Mrs hair fell out the first year after meningitis it grew back pretty soon after with treatment from the dermatologist. she got psoriasis in her scalp too. they said hair loss its common after someone has been seriously ill.

[netty7]

Hi I had bacterial meningitis in a coma for 4 days March 21st this year and mine is falling out it looks very thin i have always had long hair. I have now been diagnosed with lung cancer i have to have half my lung removed don't know yet if i have to have chemo so really hoping i do not lose it all .

[Dynomite in reply to netty7]

Hi Netti, Oh my goodness, I'm sorry to hear of the lung cancer, and the Bacterial meningitis. God Bless you.

[bansale]

I am currently going through treatment for fungal meningitis and I experienced hair loss. I was losing clumps of it every time I washed my hair, my eye brows disappeared and the hair on my arms fell out. I spoke to my infectious disease doctor and she recommended an over the counter supplement called Biotin. What a miracle this has been. After only a week of taking it, my hair stopped falling out and my eye brows began to grow back. I ordered mine online (Biotin Gold 5,000 mcg) and I take two capsules daily. Hope this helps.

[Dynomite]

Just a quick update, my hair IS growing back! I've got about 1/2 inch of new growth around the hairline! It's still coming out but not as much, what hair I have left is super thin, but I'm really encouraged by the new growth.

[menacingpickle]

me too, dying to know how soon until I have hair. This is so depressing

[Canada3]

great news Dynomite. mine did grow back within about 18,onths but then I was diangosed with RA and had to start on these awful Methotrexate drugs which cause hair loss again.... so here we go, at least you know what to expect I guess. I wear it short now and use a shampoo called Nioxin which sees to thicken it a bit!