Andrea
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Andrea's Discussions

Rheumatologist or Dermatologist?

Started this discussion. Last reply by Andrea Oct 29, 2009. 2 Replies

My hairloss is medically related. I am not going to call it "alopecia" at this stage as I have not officially been diagnosed but I chose "Other form of alopecia" on my profile because there was no…Continue

Tags: issues, medical, dermatologist, rheumatologist

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Profile Information

Relationship Status:
Single
About Me:
I started noticing my hairloss in mid September of 2009, after a trip to the Emergency Room for a severe pain and have been consistently losing it since in patches as well as general thinning. We are still in the discovery stage of what is wrong with me medically, though I have been treated for Lyme disease, we know it is on the rheumotological spectrum. I have displayed symptoms off and on for over 5 years, but the hair loss is new.

I have not been diagnosed with alopecia but I chose "Other type of alopecia" because "Unknown hairloss" is not an option.
Do you have alopecia?
Other type of alopecia
Are you age 18 or older?
Yes - I am 18 or older

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Andrea's Blog

New Growth!

Posted on January 11, 2010 at 4:02pm 4 Comments

Okay, my hairloss was about 80-90% due to my Lupus. I have now been on Plaquinel since Nov 23 and a Biotin/Fish Oil regimen since Nov 1. The first picture shows the peak of my loss before I noticed that I didn't seem to be losing and the second picture is today. Just Friday I thought I saw 1/2" hairs among the 2-3" hairs. My mother looked and sure enough she saw a lot. So I got the rest of my hair shorn to 1" to even it out. I tried to duplicate the exact lighting so it shows the same but you… Continue

Back to the Rheumatologist

Posted on December 29, 2009 at 11:12am 3 Comments

Well, I went back and got my official diagnosis after extensive testing. I mean extensive! I had 15 vials of blood drawn. Because he was confident what he would see, he started me on treatment a month ago. I am on Plaquinel (a quinine based anti-malarial) and Neurontin (an anti-seizure) to treat the symptoms of Lupus. It's not an exact science...there's a lot of trial involved in regulating medications.



I've been dealing with Pleurisy, an inflammation in the Lungs which can… Continue

Abuses in the Indian Human Hair Trade

Posted on December 28, 2009 at 3:17pm 0 Comments

Below is an excerpt from the film "Good Hair" by Chris Rock showing the inner-workings of the "human hair" weave trade. Featured is a religious ceremony called "tonsure", practiced in India. Also featured is hair stylist Elgin Charles Williams. I haven't purchased a human hair wig yet (one 50/50, unsure of origin) but when/if I do I will make sure it is not Indian hair. I thought these women were being paid for their hair, they are… Continue

Merry Christmas

Posted on December 24, 2009 at 2:42pm 1 Comment

I rarely make my YouTube videos embeddable, but I wanted to share this with you all! Be… Continue

Comment Wall (23 comments)

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At 11:23am on September 28, 2012, Bettina M Baker said…

Thank you and God's presence and blessings be on you and with you as well!

At 2:46pm on February 24, 2011, Devin said…
Hi Andrea, I just came across your page and I can totally relate to your story, I was reading your posts between you and Christine and I am struggling with my rheumatologist between Psoriatic arthritis or Lupus disease. You should join my group I started called M.A.D. for people with multiple autoimmune diseases. I’ve noticed that a lot of people on AW seem to have two or more autoimmune diseases. Well besides all of these problems I hope everything else is going great for you. Take Care!
At 11:17pm on January 22, 2011, Cheryl, Co-founder said…
Thanks Andrea!
At 12:07am on January 22, 2011, Christine said…
Hi Andrea, yes I'm very much praising the Lord this day! I had read something about the fish oil too, so I had a few up in the cupboard and started taking one a day, I am out but will go buy some more, I know that fish oil is so good for us in so many other ways, I'm glad to start something I should have been taking anyways...this just gives me more incentive. My eyes are better, but can't cry still, and seemed to get a bit worse, think I was slacking on the artificial tears, as long as I can see, to work and do what I need to. I'm ok with where I'm at right now, I know that
God is in control, and it is in his loving hands...God bless you again Andrea!
At 3:05am on January 19, 2011, Christine said…
Hi Andrea, thank you so much for the prayer, you and others have been so faithful, My test came back negative for Sjogrens and I am so relieved, they do not have and answer for the eyes, but right now I don't care, I made a deal with God, that I would strive to not always think the worse, every time something weird happens to me, I always think its some horrid auto-immune disease, Ive been in fear of them for so long, I'm so crazy about it, when the soles of my feet became supper itchy, and still are, I found a awful disease called primary biliary cirrhosis, and was just sure I had that, (you basically die from liver failure) when I got a bad pneumonia that took 4 months to clear and left me with Asthma, a pulmonologist told me she believed I had Sarcoidosis, (an auto immune that causes your lungs to fail) now every time something rears it's ugly head I'm sure it's because of that. Talk about a spiritual attack. Its almost turned me into a hypochondriac, I'm going to do my best to move on past this, I just keep praying that these crazy symptoms I keep having will quit doing a number on me, and sending me into a tailspin. The niece that I told you about talked to me today and said, the test will probably come back negative, mine always do too, she struggles with fear too. Again thank you Andrea, I will pray for you again tonight.
At 1:54am on January 18, 2011, Christine said…
Thank you so much Andrea, so sorry to hear about the Lupus, My niece was told she had lupus a few years back, her ANA levels were unbelievable, she was sent to a specialist who gave her the diagnosis, low and behold she has been told you don't have lupus now, and her blood levels are normal, so as you can imagine Lupus was in the back of my mind, I have read that Lupus and Sjogren's run hand in hand a lot of time, funny my niece has alot of symptoms of Sjogren's too, her eyes get dry at times, not quite like mine (tearless) but her salivary glands keep swelling?? They took a bunch of blood from me on Friday, and I'm expecting to hear this week sometime of the results, honestly I hope I don't have Sjogrens, and my eyes are doing much better, although cant cry still :-( I feel like alot of the things that go wrong with me are weird, I bet you feel the same, sometimes, everyone I've told about my eyes are so shocked, oh my gosh they say "I've never heard of such a thing" just what they all say about my Alopecia...frankly I've never heard of anyone whose eyes were so dry they couldn't cry tears either, lol oh by the way I saw the film that Chris Rock did too about Good hair, my goodness it sickened me that these women were "sacrificing" their hair literally at the temple, and the guy would go gather it all up and cash in on it, I think they use Indian hair primarily to make wigs? I didn't see the whole film, but got me thinking too. Thank you again for the response to my dilemma, have an awesome day, I hope you are doing well, thank you for the prayer, I'm sending up one for you, that God will heal you!
At 2:28pm on November 5, 2010, alletsallets said…
Hey Andrea! How have you been? Haven't seen you around AW in quite a while. I hope you are doing well. How's your regrowth coming along?

Keep looking up! :)
At 11:45am on July 30, 2010, josh said…
hi Andrea, thanks for the add, its nice to meet people who understand this.
At 5:37pm on May 27, 2010, Veronique said…
Thanks a lot Andrea for sharing your story with me. It is true the guy will love me for who I am and not for what I look like, and if not, then he is not worth it. I am sure the problem is not him, but me, being so uncomfortable with my situation, like being ashamed. Some other time, I'm just like whatever, nobody cares about that, my parents my friends they love me and they don't care, so it should just be the same for him...if not then: next one ;-) I love this website because it helps to share how you feel with other and to hear other people stories! Thanks again!
At 11:51am on April 11, 2010, Heather L gave Andrea a gift
 
 
 

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