Sarah Howard
Sarah Howard has worked in the diabetes research field ever since she was diagnosed with T1D while in college in May 2013. Since then, she has worked for various diabetes organizations, focusing on research, advocacy, and community-building efforts for people with T1D and their loved ones. Sarah is currently the Senior Marketing Manager at T1D Exchange.
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Before you were diagnosed with T1D, do you remember noticing hair loss as a symptom? Cancel reply
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Not before diagnosis, but I have experienced hair loss since. Fortunately I have a lot of thick hair, so it’s not noticeable to others
I was 14 at diagnosis. I’m sure I would have noticed if I lost hair then.
Not before but lots right after.
I’m the same as you, Deborah. My symptoms were unexplained weight loss, unquenchable thirst, and constant unrination. It was after I started on insulin that my hair came out. My hairdresser noticed it too, but only after I was diagnosed, not before. It stopped after a few months and wasn’t a big deal because I happen to have a lot of hair. But it was unnerving! I’m relieved to hear that others mightr have experienced it as well.
I was too young and don’t recall, but my mother has since said that she noticed I was suffering from hair loss, in addition to lots of other symptoms
I was older when I received my T1D diagnosis and, like other men, already was experiencing male pattern baldness, so it’s hard to say if either the diabetes itself or the insulin caused any further hair loss.
I have not experienced any hair loss attributable to my T1D.
No, hair loss was not a symptom. Two weeks before I was diagnosed I had just gotten new contact lenses. And two weeks later when the new lenses weren’t working for me anymore I went to my optometrist who suggested I see my physician for a diagnosis because he thought I might have diabetes.
diagnosed as a very young child, now after 65+ a few yrs hair loss has not been noted even with typical male normal balding areas. Fortunate indeed.
I was too young. Barely 4. But I know I was skin and bones, would pee all the time from ketones, and had sleep walking/running. I think my mom mentioned hair loss too. But, not 100% sure on that.
I was dx. at 8, don’t know if that was something my mother mentioned to the pediatrician.
I was 8 years old at diagnosis. I do not recall hair loss before being diagnosed. In my youth I had lightweight long hair with a natural waviness – not thick, not thin.
Since I was going through menopause when diagnosed with LADA, I was going through a lot of body changes. Yes, hair loss has been an issue in my senior years with no hormone replacement.
Diagnosed at 17. Bad keto like others. After starting beef/pork insulin, My hairline receded a bit.. thought I’d be bald by 25. I am 54 now hairline is still in the same place. Never knew about diabetic hair loss. If it is the insulin why doesn’t it continue? Maybe it was the KETO.
It is possible, but not definite. My hair is fine and scar tissue had built up from intracranial monitorings.
I was dx’d as an adult. I don’t remember noticing hair loss as there were so many other more pressing issues at the time. I have had significant thinning since, however, so I keep hair very short.
Absolutely! My daughter was diagnosed at 11. She had beautiful, thick, curly hair to her waist. About 6 months prior to dx I noticed increasing amounts of hair in her brush after the nightly brushing. I actually mentioned it to her PCP during a checkup 4 months prior to dx. By the time she was dxd, she no longer had thick hair & it was horribly brittle. 3 weeks after dx we cut it to her shoulders to get rid of the dead ends.
My hair lightened from very dark brown to nearly blond in 12 months. It also lost all it’s waves and thickness of the hair shaft. No loss of hair, just a change in the characteristics of my hair.
I did notice hair loss before my DX, but I was also diagnosed with Hashimoto’s which has the same symptom. The hair loss got pretty bad until a few months after starting treatment. My hair is now growing back.
I was 8 and ended up in a DKA coma. When I came out of it I remember one of the nurses crying as she brushed my hair. I asked her if she was okay and she said she was thinking about something sad. In my adult years, my mom told me the nurse apologized to her for crying. It was because my hair was falling out in clumps. I remember my hair growing back, but it didn’t seem to affect me for some reason other than I would joke that my shadow looked like Alfalfa’s from the Little Rascals since my hair stood straight up. I thought it was hilarious.