new side effect.... hair loss

[sunshine008]

hi

so yes i've had some hair loss, been on med for about 4 weeks now and already my hair has thinned out quite a bit..

anyone else had this experience?? it's not listed as a side effect, yet it is what it is

[Don2480]

hi Sunshine. I have not experienced this and it is not a kisted side effect. With that said I have seen one other post asking this question on another forum. I do not remember what site as I was all over the place when I was deciding if I was going to go with Tec.

If you google your question you may yield results. You may also want to call Biogen of you specialty pharmacy to see what they say. My guess is they will say it is not a listed side effect but I may be wrong.

[AlaskaAnn]

I don't know how hair loss cannot be expected to some degree. Anytime you mess with the food source of the human body it will began to survive. And the first to go is hair as it is the least thing needed. And this medicine definitely messes with the gastronical part of our bodies during the transition period. My thought/hope is once our bodies get back into an "it's ok routine" the attack on the hair, nails, etc. will reverse. I know I am drinking as much carrot juice as possible just to help my body with the hair issue during this time.

Look at body builders. When they all start training they have gorgeous hair, but when they get real serious and into competing their hair looks like straw so it gets cuts short. (I use to be a Fitness Trainer). This happens because they screw with the food source of their body.

I think what is missing from the s/e of this medication and all medications that have to be "accepted" is the verbiage "your body has to accept this medication and your body may put up one hell of a fight...or it may not ... like all the lucky common people we choice for the trials." Then they should have to list all the s/e's and not just the common ones.

[Toomnyhats]

yes

My understanding is yes, it is a s/e.

It's one of the s/e that you have to dig to find. (It'll be listed under "rare" or "extremely uncommon" and in the legal small print on the manufactures website.)

Hair loss is also a s/e of B/interferons - have to dig to find that one too!

[Dreams008]

YES! I experienced hair loss. Lots piling up in the shower drain. My hair stylist said these drugs can cause havoc on your hair, changing texture, color, thickness, thinness. My hair has little curls in a now and I have straight hair since birth. I've been on the Tec since May '13 and notice that my hair has stopped thinning. Hang in there.

[DanielleS]

YES!! Oh my goodness! I'm so relieved to finally hear someone else say they're experiencing this too! I've asked my specialist every time I've seen him, and he reports no other cases, nor is it a side affect of Tec (I actually noticed thinning while I was on Copax--and it has continued w the Tec). I've been on Tec. since May'13. I've not only lost a significant amount of hair, but I've also lost my natural curls Bummer. But I guess I can't complain, I'm well otherwise )

[sunshine008]

one plus is i dont' even have to brush my hair on the days i don't wash it..... i just run my fingers through it

it's not listed as a side effect yet it def. is!

[MichelleHarper]

hair loss!

I started tecfidera a few months ago and have lost a about half my hair since then!

[tmarq23]

Hair Breakage

Hello,
I had a lot of hair breakage when I first started. And according to my hair stylist, any type of chemical you put in your body can damage your hair. Her suggestion is to not use shampoo daily (I condition mine but do not wash it daily, so wet it down and put a ton of conditioner). I also use a heavy duty leave in conditioner. This is my normal practice in general, but I have noticed that the breakage did stop after the first few months.

[sunshine008]

i'm in week 5 now of 240mg and hair loss has slowed down a bit, yet it's gotten so thin i have to get it cut because it's stringy looking.

fun, fun, fun,!! not!! lol

my better half said hey it's ok, we'll both be bald....sooo different for a man to be bald than a woman

[trevvian]

it seems to get better

I call it my self-layering haircut...it got thin & a lot of breakage around the hairline, but it seems to improve over time. Now I have chin length face-framing layer & I haven't had it cut in 6 months.

[ndm0795j]

Wow! I had just posted no side effects from Tecfidera now after almost 6 months but I have noticed hair loss too! Didn't even associate it with Tec. Also, my nails have been bad.

Anybody know if Biotin would help?

[litlbit71]

Wow! I had just posted no side effects from Tecfidera now after almost 6 months but I have noticed hair loss too! Didn't even associate it with Tec. Also, my nails have been bad.

Anybody know if Biotin would help?

I just started back on Biotin today because of the hair loss!!! I hope it helps, my hair is extremely thin and baby fine already, I can't afford to lose what little I have!

[MichelleHarper]

I have hair loss too!! I knew it was from the tecfidera! They told me when I called them about it, that it was not a side effect.

[hsmaldo]

me too

I've experience hair loss as well...and my hair is fine, so it's hard for me to face losing it.

My nails also got more brittle so my wonderful hubby went and bought the hair, skin and nails vitamins for me to take because he knew how upsetting the hair loss was for me.

I can't say that I notice a huge difference in anything except my nails. They don't seem to be as brittle as they used to be.

But yeah, the hair loss stinks.