Hello everyone! Im new to this site....Ive been diagnosed with RA since feb.it hit me pretty hard as I was in n out of the ER every night for a week in severe pain...I was on methotrexate for a few months then I started noticing a change in my body as far as hair was real dry and my skin also..so I stopped the meds..in april. Since then I have hairloss everyday! my Dr. says its the RA..has anyone else experienced this? This is all new to me and I would like to know how other people with RA r coping with this disease..its really got me down.

i was losing some hair when I was on prednisone....I could brush it and lots of strands would come out from the roots. I am on methotrexate now and haven't experienced hair loss. I really hope you can get back on it or a DMARD....to prevent deformities. Even though you might be feeling ok your RA can be doing damage. Do you have anemia? some ppl with RA have anemia and that can cause hair thinning. Have you been checked for thyroid disease? that too can cause dry skin and hair loss. Also, diabetes. You have been off methotrexate for six months so I wouldn't think it would be that but I could be wrong. please keep us posted. Best of luck to you!

Take 800 mgs of Folic acid should help some.

Ive had anemia in the past when I didnt have RA..Dr. checked my thyroid is in the low range but still in norm. range. So the Dr. put me on thyroid meds but a low dose 5mgs. I thought it was helping hairloss seemed to slow down slightly..but still loosing like a sandwich baggy full a week..Now my Dr. said she thinks its the RA causing it..Im scared to go back on those meds..chemo meds are harsh! I want to know if its gonna leave me bald! And the deformity thing freaks me out..how long if your not on meds until it deforms you? 5-10 yrs? or at anytime? Have you tried plaquinel? I know I have to get back on meds soon before I end up in ER again...this disease is awful..Im so sad..I hate this..How long have u been living with RA? Do you still live a normal life? Mine has changed so much..Im trying to deal with this but its been hard..any advise is appreciated....thank u so much for responding

thank you for responding..my Dr. has me on 1mg...a day..I wonder why such a low dose then..I didnt know you can take that many mgs a day 800? well I see my reumy on the 27th so Im gonna ask her to up the dosage..How long have u been living with RA? Did u completely loose your appetite? I feel like my stomach is dead! along with my hair..any advise is appriciated...Ive read about this desease on the internet..but I think its best to talk to people actually living with this..cause the internet doesnt say anything about RA and hairloss..only the meds have said may cause hairloss..but I was off meds for a few months before that..well thanks for responding..Trishell

800 mg would be wayyy too much......at least I hope that is what she meant! deformities can happen differently with different people depending on how severe your RA is. And then you have to worry about joint replacement surgeries and such. My doctor told me not to be scared of the methotrexate. He said my immune system was in worse shape before I started taking it. He said most of the literature out there on methotrexate is for high doses in chemo patients. For RA you are on such a low dose that most of those side effects dont even apply to it.

But, some people react different to different meds. It may be what is causing your hair loss or it may just be the RA in general which means you may need to consider getting back on mtx or trying a DMARD. It could be a combination of things ....thyroid, anemia, and RA together. I really feel for you as none of us want to lose our hair!

I hope things will improve for you soon!

yes thank is what i meant to say. darned flare is missing with my head =)

Thanks for your advise...yeah I guess Im going to ask the ruemy to try another med..Ive been without meds for 5mos now and I feel it slowly coming on again...in my knees n shoulders..I appreciate your responses..take care