new here....link between h pylori and hair loss?
Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2014 11:37 am
Hi,
I took a blood test at the beginning of June, which showed that I was at some point "exposed" to H Pylori. A stool test confirmed that I was infected with it. I just finished 2 weeks of medications.
Little background:
I have been suffering from hair loss for about 8 years now. It's cyclical, where I lose more/less at different times. My iron levels (ferratin) have been tested many times. My ferratin levels recently dropped to 27. For optimal hair growth, that number needs to be between 40-80. I've been taking iron supplements for a long time now and have not been able to bring the ferratin number up.
I have been bloated, on and off, for as long as I can remember....years and years. I've been meaning to see a GI doctor for a long time, but didn't get around to doing that until early June. I told him about the bloating, my hair loss and about my low iron levels. That's when I had the test done, which showed I have H Pylori. He said there is a link between the infection and low iron since it can lead to iron deficiency anemia.
For all of you out there that know a lot about this infection...is it possible that I've had it all these years? I know that many have it but are not symptomatic. My hair specialist always talks about inflammation, but never thought to test me for this. My ferratin level was in the 40's years ago, but it's been in the 20's for a long time now. You would think that the iron supplements would have helped. The hair specialist believes that this may make my hair better. My GI doctor is supposed to be a great doctor, but not easy to talk to.
I have recently tried to get some information on this and I keep coming across stories where people suffer from acid reflux, diarrhea, food sensitivities, allergies, etc. I really don't have any of that. For me, it's just bloating. I've also been burping a lot ever since my son was born 3 years ago. I NEVER burped before he was born.
Has anyone experienced this before?......hair loss due to iron deficiency anemia because of the H Pylori infection? I know that I will never know for sure, but it would be so nice to know whether this has been the reason why I've been struggling with hair loss for all these years!!! Mentally, I have suffered greatly because of the hair loss. It's ruined my self-esteem and self-confidence completely. I would love to feel hopeful that my hair will come back once this infection is eradicated. It would also be great to know how long it takes to see such improvement.
Thanks in advance for your comments
I took a blood test at the beginning of June, which showed that I was at some point "exposed" to H Pylori. A stool test confirmed that I was infected with it. I just finished 2 weeks of medications.
Little background:
I have been suffering from hair loss for about 8 years now. It's cyclical, where I lose more/less at different times. My iron levels (ferratin) have been tested many times. My ferratin levels recently dropped to 27. For optimal hair growth, that number needs to be between 40-80. I've been taking iron supplements for a long time now and have not been able to bring the ferratin number up.
I have been bloated, on and off, for as long as I can remember....years and years. I've been meaning to see a GI doctor for a long time, but didn't get around to doing that until early June. I told him about the bloating, my hair loss and about my low iron levels. That's when I had the test done, which showed I have H Pylori. He said there is a link between the infection and low iron since it can lead to iron deficiency anemia.
For all of you out there that know a lot about this infection...is it possible that I've had it all these years? I know that many have it but are not symptomatic. My hair specialist always talks about inflammation, but never thought to test me for this. My ferratin level was in the 40's years ago, but it's been in the 20's for a long time now. You would think that the iron supplements would have helped. The hair specialist believes that this may make my hair better. My GI doctor is supposed to be a great doctor, but not easy to talk to.
I have recently tried to get some information on this and I keep coming across stories where people suffer from acid reflux, diarrhea, food sensitivities, allergies, etc. I really don't have any of that. For me, it's just bloating. I've also been burping a lot ever since my son was born 3 years ago. I NEVER burped before he was born.
Has anyone experienced this before?......hair loss due to iron deficiency anemia because of the H Pylori infection? I know that I will never know for sure, but it would be so nice to know whether this has been the reason why I've been struggling with hair loss for all these years!!! Mentally, I have suffered greatly because of the hair loss. It's ruined my self-esteem and self-confidence completely. I would love to feel hopeful that my hair will come back once this infection is eradicated. It would also be great to know how long it takes to see such improvement.
Thanks in advance for your comments