Alopecia World
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Saying Goodbye (for now) to my Dermatologist
I had an appointment with my Derm today. She's a sweet girl (Ack, they do make doctors young these days, don't they?) and she actually had tears in her eyes when she suggested that we stop the cortisone shots.
I had walked in there planning to tell her that I thought today would be the last visit.
Great minds think alike.
The difference between my response to the injections 12 years ago and now is like night and day. Twelve years ago, I had hair growing back within 2 weeks of the first treatment. Sure, I lost it in other spots, but eventually the growth caught up and overtook the fallout.
This time, I've been undergoing treatment since May. Other than a couple of those little white fuzzies that people talk about, I've had nothing. Plus everything else is gone, too.
I'm okay with it. Sure, it's worth the pain if I would have had regrowth - and I'm not completely without hope... I mean, it can still come back, but it's not worth my time and my insurance money to continue on the road to nowhere-right-now.
So, on we go. She's putting my name on the list for the University of Michigan Derm. Research in case they do another study anytime soon (I live in Ann Arbor...U of M is my backyard). She also said she'd be glad to write a letter to any employer who had any questions about Alopecia when I start interviewing for a new job soon. (Of course, I won't ask her for that until AFTER I have the job - there're still people who see a bald woman and assume Cancer...)
Anyway, I knew I'd find some sympathetic ears here. It's that acceptance phase that people talk about, right? Turn off the treatment and hope for the best.
Now, though, I'm going to go pour a glass of wine or three. ;-)
I had walked in there planning to tell her that I thought today would be the last visit.
Great minds think alike.
The difference between my response to the injections 12 years ago and now is like night and day. Twelve years ago, I had hair growing back within 2 weeks of the first treatment. Sure, I lost it in other spots, but eventually the growth caught up and overtook the fallout.
This time, I've been undergoing treatment since May. Other than a couple of those little white fuzzies that people talk about, I've had nothing. Plus everything else is gone, too.
I'm okay with it. Sure, it's worth the pain if I would have had regrowth - and I'm not completely without hope... I mean, it can still come back, but it's not worth my time and my insurance money to continue on the road to nowhere-right-now.
So, on we go. She's putting my name on the list for the University of Michigan Derm. Research in case they do another study anytime soon (I live in Ann Arbor...U of M is my backyard). She also said she'd be glad to write a letter to any employer who had any questions about Alopecia when I start interviewing for a new job soon. (Of course, I won't ask her for that until AFTER I have the job - there're still people who see a bald woman and assume Cancer...)
Anyway, I knew I'd find some sympathetic ears here. It's that acceptance phase that people talk about, right? Turn off the treatment and hope for the best.
Now, though, I'm going to go pour a glass of wine or three. ;-)
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Comment by Diane on September 8, 2008 at 5:39pm -
Good for you! I've stopped treatment a few years ago too.... I think that when the evolution of this disease is too fast, nothing can work.
Cheers!
Diane
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Comment by Rose Marie' on September 8, 2008 at 10:21pm -
Hi
It's never easy that's for sure. I have many ladies I look after over 50 years old and there have been some regrowth stories. So, no throwing in the towel completely. I am of the mind though that we live now and deal with what we have to on this day. So, finding solutions that help today is what I'm about.
Enjoy your glass of wine and move onwards and upwards.
Rosy
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Comment by kastababy on September 9, 2008 at 6:55pm -
I stopped treatments years ago as a young girl -- now I'm on the highway to hell known as middle age and I still don't have any hair (and still recovering from the trauma of losing my eyebrows and growing back). But I have learned to live with it. I know that I will have to start interviewing for a new job soon, and with that comes the necessary evil of wearing wigs, but you live each day as it comes -- and adapt as necessary. In the end, do what you feel is the best thing to do -- and we will all be here to love you and support you along the way! *Hugs*
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Comment by Cat on September 9, 2008 at 8:59pm -
Ha ha! After 20 years of nothing, I just started cortisone treatments, but only to prove a point! I've never had a diagnosis of AA, but my doc said that if my hair grew back after cortisone injections, that he would feel comfortable calling it AA. That's all I want. A NAME FOR IT. I have no intentions of continuing the injections. It seems silly. Good luck to you! I'm doing things backwards. Acceptance is definitely important.
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Comment by Ree Hotfessional on September 12, 2008 at 8:09am -
Thank you all once again for your comments and support. It's wonderful to know that there's a close circle of friends out here that truly understand what I'm saying.
XXOO to you all.
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Comment by Lorena on September 25, 2008 at 1:22pm -
Oh my! shots in your head? yikes! I am so glad you stopped! I find that when I tell people I am an alopecian , and they say what is that?...I smile with a devilish grin and reply "I have no hair ,... nowhere." I find men always smile , hmm wonder why?...For the freedom of my divorce I have a pretty blue butterfly tattoo perched on my ummm....Smile...hee hee It's good to be different..
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