hair loss

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Nene

Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2007
Messages
16
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
10/2007
Country
AUS
State
queensland
City
cairns
Hi all,
has anyone else experienced their hair falling out. Is it a common sympton?
 
i do not recall ever hearing of hair-loss being related to any motor neuron disease.
 
Stress causes hair loss called allopcia.
 
stress & anxiety caused symptoms. ellusive diagnosis

Stress causes hair loss called allopcia.

indeed! and anxiety can cause difficulty swallowing. who, diagnosed'ed with ALS or living with the question, does not feel anxiety and stress? I sometimes wonder which of my symptoms are just natural aging...

last february researchers at sanai identified three csf proteins that seem to be 95% accurate in identifying ALS. I just had a csf test, but i don't believe they checked for those--just lyme and creatine kinase, iirc.
 
That would be a tremendous diagnostic tool if they could find a simple blood test with that level of accuracy for ALS. It would help to complement the clinical assessment of neurologists.
 
http://www.neurology.org/cgi/content/abstract/66/8/1218

Identification of potential CSF biomarkers in ALS

...In initial proteomic discovery studies, three protein species (4.8-, 6.7-, and 13.4-kDa) that were significantly lower in concentration in the CSF from patients with ALS (n = 36) than in normal controls (n = 21) were identified. A combination of three protein species (the "three-protein" model) correctly identified patients with ALS with 95% accuracy, 91% sensitivity, and 97% specificity from the controls. Independent validation studies using separate cohorts of ALS (n = 13), healthy control (n = 25), and PN (n = 7) subjects confirmed the ability of the three CSF protein species to separate patients with ALS from other diseases...
 
Not a simple blood test; CSF is cerebral spinal fluid.
 
Mine is falling out from old age and the added stress of 16 grandchildren. :-D

I don't think I can blame ALS for this one.

God Bless
Capt AL
 
Not a simple blood test; CSF is cerebral spinal fluid.

Not a real big deal. I had a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) around Thanksgiving. They give you a shot to deaden the area, then guide a needle with a fluoroscope (x-ray), draw about a teaspoon of fluid (drip by drip) then pull the needle out, send you home and advise you to remain lying down, drink lots of water and caffeine for the rest of the day. It's essentially the same procedure many women go through in getting an epidural before childbirth. You can get a real bad headache, but most don't if they remain lying down and hydrated.
 
Actually, I think I have MORE hair than I had before ALS. Maybe has something to do with lower levels of testosterone.
 
nene,

Are you taking anything for anxiety....ativan, xananx, etc.
if so it could be thatit is one of the side effects.
I am undiagnosed but I have alot of breakage in the front. I take ativan (lorazipam).
Or like they said stress or a vitiam defencincy can cause hair loss.
 
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