My hair loss has reminded me of the importance of vitamins

Note: This column describes the author’s own experiences with various vitamin supplements. Not everyone will have the same response to treatment. Consult your doctor before starting or stopping a therapy.

My hair has been falling out. It’s most obvious in the shower, when I’m rinsing away shampoo and conditioner and whole locks of my hair end up in my palms. And while it’s normal to have some shedding, particularly in the winter, the amount of hair I’ve had come out in each shower is way more than the up-to-100-strands-a-day average.

It started when I had influenza A back in December, and at first, I assumed my hair falling out was a side effect of the antibiotics I was taking. Ciprofloxacin, like all members of the fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics, carries a black box warning for all sorts of nasty, and sometimes irreversible, side effects. Hair loss, according to the internet, is rare. But with my history, which includes having cystic fibrosis (CF), I know better than to assume I’m exempt from rare side effects.

But a couple weeks ago, the nutritionist on my CF team reached out with concern about my new lab results, which showed my vitamin levels in the tank. Normal vitamin A levels, for example, should range from 20 to 60 mcg/dL. Mine were 0.12. I didn’t even know vitamin levels could be as low as the zero range.

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The most hair loss in one shower so far. (Photo by Kristin Entler)

It’s not uncommon for people with CF to need supplemental vitamins; since our bodies don’t digest fat, we in turn struggle to absorb fat-soluble vitamins, namely A, D, E, and K. But since my preferred brand of specialty vitamins was discontinued, I’ve struggled to find a vitamin I can take consistently. The chewable tablets are too chalky for me. The capsules are too big. I end up feeling like Goldilocks and shame-spiraling myself out of the whole thing altogether.

A possible solution

Enter the gummy vitamin. Though I wouldn’t say the “mango flavor” of the CF-formulated vitamin is vibrant, and though there’s still a lingering zinclike aftertaste, the gummy vitamins, being reminiscent of childhood snacks, are more whimsical. Having a lifelong sentence to the chronic illness life is hard; the constant regimens and mental math of day-to-day care are draining. So anything that makes medication adherence easier and lowers the treatment burden is a win.

At first, my hair loss wasn’t noticeable in the mirror. But the longer it’s gone on, the more I can see where the layers I used to have are missing. When I put my hair up now, almost three months since I got sick and started noticing the excess shedding, I can feel how much less volume it has. And though I can see a mass of small baby hairs growing in frizzy at the crown of my head, seeing the handfuls of hair I’m losing has made it hard to persuade myself to take a shower because I know it’ll make me sad to watch the hair loss I can’t seem to prevent.

I expect the recovery to be slow, but having the symptoms be so acute makes it hard to be patient. At my next CF appointment, I’ll ask about when we should check my labs anew to make sure we’re headed in the right direction. Until then, I’ll take the regrowth as a good sign that the supplements are doing their job to restore my vitamin levels back to where they should be.

Note: Cystic Fibrosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Cystic Fibrosis News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to cystic fibrosis.