My son's hair is falling out!

[Blondie]

He told me about it about a week ago, and I just thought he was making it sound worse than it was, being a 14 y.o. and all.

Anyway, I noticed that after he takes a shower and combs his hair, it's all over his bathroom sink. And he told me he can run his fingers through his hair and it comes out. He showed me, and he's right!

I looked up the side affects in the Physician's Desk Reference at work lastnight, and low and behold, Alopecia is a side affect of the Prevacid he's been taking for the last 3 months for his Acid Reflux!

Poor kid, he'd rather keep his hair and deal with the heartburn!

I'll have to call his Dr. on Monday to see if there's anything else he can take!

I think 14 is a little young to start looking like Vin Diesel!

 

[Beastlover]

aw....poor guy....I definately think a call to the dr. is in order. Teens have so much on their minds, the last thing they need is more...
PD for your son!!

 

[Dan Murphy]

A bummer, Blondie. Sure hope another med works, since, as said above, that is last thing he needs. My best, let us know how he does.

 

[Blondie]

He's having an upper Endoscopy in two weeks to see what's going on down there, poor kid shouldn't be having so many stomach problems at the ripe young age of 14!

Never a dull moment in our house!

 

[chager]

Wow. My 9 yr old took that for a while but it never helped. I take Aciphex for my GERD. Nick has also tried Axid but it didn't help him. Only made him worse. Nick also went through several tests but nothing was found. We finally settled on anxiety issues. Most were school related. It was also possibly a chemical allergy to the cleaning solutions they used at the school. He always was sick after the cleaning cart went by. (It was a private school)
I pray they find the solution quickly!

 

[Blondie]

His Gastro said he might have H.Pylori, something that is easily treated with a combination of antibiotics. They'll see it during the Endoscopy if he has it.

 

[Serena]

I hope they get him well soon Blondie.

 

[Snowysmom]

I hope the doctor can give him something else for the reflux. My DS has been on prilosec for 2 and a half years for severe reflux. Luckily, he has not had any side effects. Reflux does need to be treated because of the damage it can cause but hopefully another medication will work just as well. My son began with stomach problems at 14.

 

[SandraM]

Blondie,
My DH had an ulcer caused by Helicobacter Pylori quite some years ago and it was cured in such a short time with a combination of a strong antibiotic and a couple of other things.
I hate to think of a 14 year old taking medicines for longer than a few weeks, so I really hope your DS gets sorted quickly.
Best of luck.

 

[Blondie]

The weird thing is, his Gastro said that if he has H.Pylori, I might as well (I also have stomach problems.) They'd give me a simple blood test to find out if he tests positive.

We'll see. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he does have it.

 

[minniecarousel]

Ugh - an endo at such an early age - tell him to "hang in there". I hope they find something for him quick!
My 21 year-old has alopecia - due to stress. He was carrying 20 college units, working, just broke up with his GF of 2 years - yeah, no wonder - he's stressed! He's dealing with it now though.

 

[peg2001]

Time for a buzz cut. Maybe it won't be so noticable then.

Peggy

 

[RUSHBURY]

Hi

My DS who is now 8 has suffered from Alopecia since he was 18 months old - stress related - 18 months old and stressed I couldn't believe it! - now 6 and 1/2 years later and he is still suffering - he has 15 bald patches and has to wear a baseball cap in class.

I have had Helicobactor Pylori 3 times and have had medication to eradicate it 3 times and then been put on a prescription drug 1 a day for life but when my stomach starts to get worse then I have to have a blood test and a new course of the antibiotics to clear the Helicobactor Pylori.

I hope your son gets treatment soon.

All the best from Scotland.

 

[loisg1]

DD15 was diagnosed with alopecia areata when she was 18 months old. The docs had never seen it in a child so young and thought she'd need a wig. They couldn't imagine a child that young being under stress to the point that it would cause the alopecia. Luckily, it just started growing although her hair is very fragile and from time to time she still has problems with it thinning. She had her gall bladder removed last year and takes aciphex for reflux. She also was diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome late last year due to severe pain in her side. Cutting back on dairy and taking Citricel seems to be controlling that pretty well.

You just never know what will come along at what age!! Hope your doc will find something else that will work for your DS.