heparain substitute / hair loss?

[swramsay]

I have lost about 1/2 the volume of my hair in the past couple of months. I have read that heparin can cause hair loss sometimes several months after using it. I began dialysis about 8 months ago with a few months not using heparin due to low platelets. It fits that heparin is causing my hair loss. This is frustrating since I lost all my hair from chemo in 2006. Finally I had a full head again and now this.

Is there a substitute for heparin that people use during dialysis? I only use 500 units of heparin at the beginning of each run.

[marie]

I had no idea that could make you lose your hair. Ive been on Dialysis for 8 months now and my hair has been falling out for months too. If you find out anything pls let me know.

[rose1999]

Dad used to have lovely thick hair but I've noticed how thin it has gone lately, I thought it was maybe his age but as it stayed thick so long it seems strange it has gone so thin so quickly -  perhaps it is the heparin.  I wonder if any studies have been done?

[Zach]

Low iron levels can also cause hair loss.

There are some other IHD threads on this subject you might want to read.

 

[Sugarlump]

Hi i had the same problem with extensive hair loss after about 6 months of dialysis.
The doc changed me to FRAGMIN which is a heparin substitute which was much better.
Worth a try

[swramsay]

Thank you, Sugarlump. I'll talk to my neph about it next week.

[TiffanyJean]

richie had started to lose his hair a few months into HD; once he switched to PD it had stopped. it started again when he had a PICC line in his arm for his calcium issues. our neph said that it was probably the heparin. he no longer has the PICC line so we will see if his hair starts to go back. as for subs - maybe saline i know that towrads the end of hemo they started using saline instead of heparin becuase they couldnt pull the heparin out it would only push.

tj