Very Itchy Skin all Over and Hair Falling out

[Kittykatkris]

HEY EVERYONE!! I havent posted in awhile but I have been lurking and reading lol.
I do not know if I am just not researching correctly or what.
But lately, I would say about 3 weeks I have been EXTREMELY itchy. I am constantly scratching my arms, legs, scalp, every where.
WARNING TMI
Also I was very itchy in my under carriage, I did go to gyno and she said I had over growth of bad bacteria, not yeast infection. So I went on generic, I believe it was flagyl, the one where you cant drink and 2 a day for 7 days, anyway she gave me a yeast infection pill too to take after the course of antibiotics.

All that has been taken and done with, but I still have ITCHY skin every where. Also when I brush my hair or even touch it I have gobs of it in my brush or hands.

I also have occasionally been breaking out in small rashes on my chest.

I told my surgeon and he told me to up my zinc. Which I have been doing but no help.

All my labs were good, only ones off was
Vit D on lower side but not yet red flagged
Vit K low
Copper HIGH
B12 HIGH
Ferratin High

Those were the only issues with the blood work.

Oh and another thing, wounds take FOREVER to heal. I have bad acne and the scars stay for a very long time, also I hurt my foot big old scrap and scab about 2 months ago and it is still there, healing.

So I call upon the forums knowledge! If anyone may know what the heck is going on please let me know!!

Also unrelated, but I have had EXTREME loose skin issues on my upper arms. And developing stretch marks which I never had on my arms. But the issue is they are bad I could fly away with the extra skin. And although I have not been doing weights or exercising I do not think that would even help much. I know the muscles tightening up would show a difference the skin itself has nothing to do with the muscle. I was just wondering if anyone has any tips. I did read a few posts of people getting surgery and such, I just wanted to know if Medicaid would cover it? If anyone knows and also the results.

Ok I appreciate it everyone and hope everyone is doing well!

 

[DSRIGGS]

HEY EVERYONE!! I havent posted in awhile but I have been lurking and reading lol.
I do not know if I am just not researching correctly or what.
But lately, I would say about 3 weeks I have been EXTREMELY itchy. I am constantly scratching my arms, legs, scalp, every where.
WARNING TMI
Also I was very itchy in my under carriage, I did go to gyno and she said I had over growth of bad bacteria, not yeast infection. So I went on generic, I believe it was flagyl, the one where you cant drink and 2 a day for 7 days, anyway she gave me a yeast infection pill too to take after the course of antibiotics.

All that has been taken and done with, but I still have ITCHY skin every where. Also when I brush my hair or even touch it I have gobs of it in my brush or hands.

I also have occasionally been breaking out in small rashes on my chest.

I told my surgeon and he told me to up my zinc. Which I have been doing but no help.

All my labs were good, only ones off was
Vit D on lower side but not yet red flagged
Vit K low
Copper HIGH
B12 HIGH
Ferratin High

Those were the only issues with the blood work.

Oh and another thing, wounds take FOREVER to heal. I have bad acne and the scars stay for a very long time, also I hurt my foot big old scrap and scab about 2 months ago and it is still there, healing.

So I call upon the forums knowledge! If anyone may know what the heck is going on please let me know!!

Also unrelated, but I have had EXTREME loose skin issues on my upper arms. And developing stretch marks which I never had on my arms. But the issue is they are bad I could fly away with the extra skin. And although I have not been doing weights or exercising I do not think that would even help much. I know the muscles tightening up would show a difference the skin itself has nothing to do with the muscle. I was just wondering if anyone has any tips. I did read a few posts of people getting surgery and such, I just wanted to know if Medicaid would cover it? If anyone knows and also the results.

Ok I appreciate it everyone and hope everyone is doing well!

Please post actual lab values. If your D is lower side then it needs to come up. Low d can cause lots of issues.

What ate your albumin and total protein numbers. Low protein can lead to hair loss and other things.

Not sure about the itching. How is your E?

 

[Larra]

Hair - happens to many people with rapid weight loss, with or without bariatric surgery. It will come back, but probably not for a few months.
Itchy - maybe dry skin? But I'm sure you must have thought of that. I like Neutrogena products, esp their hand cream.
Labs - don't sweat the high B12, that happens to many of us (including me) and I have no idea why. Work on the D and if you are taking copper, stop. The elevated copper may be causing low zinc even though you are taking zinc, too.
Slow healing - how is your protein level? You need protein to heal. Vitamin C is also essential for healing, but you should be able to absorb C normally.

Loose arm skin - get ready for more loose skin elsewhere. I very much doubt Medicaid will pay for removal of excess skin as it's not usually a medical problem, and with it being a government funded program, they try to keep costs down. Even with non-government insurance, many people with excess skin from weight loss have to self-pay for plastics, and many more would do it if they could afford it.

 

[Kittykatkris]

Ask and you shall receive lol

Total Protein
7.5 g/dL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
6.4 g/dL - 8.3 g/dL


Albumin
4.4 g/dL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
3.5 g/dL - 4.8 g/dL

Zinc
84

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT

Vitamin D, 25-hydroxy
31 ng/mL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
30 ng/mL - 80 ng/mL


Calcium
9.4 mg/dL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
8.6 mg/dL - 10.2 mg/dL


Imm Granulocytes # auto
0.01 K/uL

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT


Immature Granulocytes % auto
0.1 %

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
< 1.0 %

N-RBCs auto
0.0 /100WBC

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT

C-Reactive Protein
0.2 mg/dL

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
0.0 mg/dL - 0.5 mg/dL


ESR
21 mm/hr (High)

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
0 mm/hr - 20 mm/hr

MPV
9.7 fL

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
8.0 fL - 12.0 fL

PLT Count
386 K/uL (High)

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
150 K/uL - 350 K/uL

RDW
13.2 %

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
11.2 % - 14.8 %

MCHC
33.2 g/dL

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
33.0 g/dL - 37.0 g/dL

MCH
28.3 pg

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
27.0 pg - 31.0 pg

MCV
85.3 fL

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
80.0 fL - 97.0 fL

Hematocrit
38.3 %

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
37.0 % - 47.0 %

Hemoglobin
12.7 g/dL

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
12.0 g/dL - 16.0 g/dL

RBC Count
4.49 M/uL

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
4.20 M/uL - 5.40 M/uL

WBC Count
7.74 K/uL

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
4.80 K/uL - 10.80 K/uL

Ferritin
197.9 ng/mL (High)

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
15.0 ng/mL - 150.0 ng/mL

Neutrophil % auto
50.9 %

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT

Neutrophil # auto
3.94 K/uL

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
2.4 K/uL - 7.6 K/uL

Monocyte % auto
8.0 %

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
4.00 % - 10.00 %

Monocyte # auto
0.62 K/uL

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT

Lymphocyte % auto
39.7 %

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT

Lymphocyte # auto
3.07 K/uL

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
0.90 K/uL - 4.80 K/uL

Eos % auto
0.4 %

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
0.00 % - 3.00 %

Eos # auto
0.03 K/uL

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT

Basophil % auto
0.9 %

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
0.00 % - 1.00 %


Basophil # auto
0.07 K/uL

Date:
May 17, 2016 03:37 p.m. EDT


Vitamin B1, WB
97

Date:
May 03, 2016 12:00 p.m. EDT


RPR Qualitative
NON REAC

Date:
May 03, 2016 12:00 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
NR

Anion Gap
17 mmol/L

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
9 mmol/L - 18 mmol/L

GFR, African American
> 120

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
> 60

GFR, non African American
117

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
> 60
N-RBCs auto
0.0 /100WBC

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT


Vitamin K1
0.18 (Low)

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT

aPTT, Comment
TYPICAL THERAPEUTIC RANGE OF APTT WHEN HEPARIN IS USED TO TREAT DVT/PE IS 65-101 SECONDS (APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO 0.3 TO 0.7 U/ML ANTI-Xa ACTIVITY).

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT

Prothrombin Time, Comment
TYPICAL THERAPEUTIC RANGE OF INR WHEN WARFARIN IS USED TO TREAT UNCOMPLICATED DVT/PE OR NON-VALVULAR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION IS 2.0-3.0. OTHER PATIENTS (E.G. MECHANICAL HEART VALVE, RECURRENT DVT/PE) MAY REQUIRE A HIGHER THERAPEUTIC INR, REFER TO LITERATURE.

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT


Copper Level
168 (High)

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT


Vitamin E, Gamma-Tocopherol
0.8

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT

Vitamin E, Alpha-Tocopherol
9.3

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT

Vitamin A, Retinyl Palmitate mg/L
0.02

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT

Vitamin A, Retinol mg/L
0.31

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT

Vit A Interpretation
Normal

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT

Selenium, Serum Level
95

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT

Transferrin
230 mg/dL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
180 mg/dL - 372 mg/dL

PTH, Intact
27.2 pg/mL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
15.0 pg/mL - 65.0 pg/mL

aPTT
29.6 sec

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
26.5 sec - 40.7 sec



Prothrombin Time, INR
1.1

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
0.8 - 1.2

Prothrombin Time
12.4 sec

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
9.5 sec - 12.4 sec

MPV
10.4 fL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
8.0 fL - 12.0 fL

PLT Count
383 K/uL (High)

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
150 K/uL - 350 K/uL

RDW
14.4 %

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
11.2 % - 14.8 %

MCHC
31.6 g/dL (Low)

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
33.0 g/dL - 37.0 g/dL

MCH
28.0 pg

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
27.0 pg - 31.0 pg

MCV
88.6 fL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
80.0 fL - 97.0 fL

Hematocrit
44.9 %

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
37.0 % - 47.0 %

Hemoglobin
14.2 g/dL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
12.0 g/dL - 16.0 g/dL

RBC Count
5.07 M/uL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
4.20 M/uL - 5.40 M/uL

WBC Count
6.30 K/uL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
4.80 K/uL - 10.80 K/uL

Hgb A1C
5.0 %

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
4.8 % - 5.6 %

Ferritin
140.4 ng/mL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
15.0 ng/mL - 150.0 ng/mL

Folate
9.4 ng/mL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
7.3 ng/mL - 26.1 ng/mL

Vitamin B12
2640 pg/mL (High)

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
211 pg/mL - 946 pg/mL

VLDL-cholesterol
17 mg/dL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
< 30 mg/dL

LDL-cholesterol
90 mg/dL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
< 130 mg/dL

HDL-cholesterol
54 mg/dL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT

Cholesterol, total
161 mg/dL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
< 200 mg/dL

Triglyceride
87 mg/dL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
< 150 mg/dL


Calculated TIBC
288 ug/dL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
225 ug/dL - 465 ug/dL


Iron
63 ug/dL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
30 ug/dL - 160 ug/dL


Alk Phos
58 IU/L

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
39 IU/L - 117 IU/L


AST (SGOT)
22 IU/L

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
0 IU/L - 32 IU/L

ALT (SGPT)
14 IU/L

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
10 IU/L - 35 IU/L


Bilirubin, Total
0.3 mg/dL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
0.0 mg/dL - 1.2 mg/dL


Creatinine
0.65 mg/dL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
0.50 mg/dL - 1.20 mg/dL


BUN
11 mg/dL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
5 mg/dL - 20 mg/dL

Learn more
Glucose Level
86 mg/dL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
70 mg/dL - 99 mg/dL


Bicarbonate
22 mmol/L

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
21 mmol/L - 31 mmol/L


Chloride
99 mmol/L

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
96 mmol/L - 107 mmol/L


Potassium
4.1 mmol/L

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
3.5 mmol/L - 5.1 mmol/L


Sodium
137 mmol/L

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
135 mmol/L - 146 mmol/L

 

[Kittykatkris]

Hair - happens to many people with rapid weight loss, with or without bariatric surgery. It will come back, but probably not for a few months.
Itchy - maybe dry skin? But I'm sure you must have thought of that. I like Neutrogena products, esp their hand cream.
Labs - don't sweat the high B12, that happens to many of us (including me) and I have no idea why. Work on the D and if you are taking copper, stop. The elevated copper may be causing low zinc even though you are taking zinc, too.
Slow healing - how is your protein level? You need protein to heal. Vitamin C is also essential for healing, but you should be able to absorb C normally.

Loose arm skin - get ready for more loose skin elsewhere. I very much doubt Medicaid will pay for removal of excess skin as it's not usually a medical problem, and with it being a government funded program, they try to keep costs down. Even with non-government insurance, many people with excess skin from weight loss have to self-pay for plastics, and many more would do it if they could afford it.

Hey Larra Yes I knew that the hair thing was due to rapid weight loss, but its the itchy skin that drives me bonkers!
The hair is not noticeable visually, but it sure does come out in clumps
The medicaid thing yea I definitely figured, its just I had heard of issues were if it causes pain gets in the way badly or the excess skin cause rashes you can possibly have them cover it. I definitely going to have to start pinching my pennies, because the girls are swinging low and the arms are just about flyable wings. And those two things make me just as self conscious if not more then being over weight.

 

[aaa]

I suffered from horribly itchy skin. It was horrendous. It began about 10 months out. For me it was zinc. I see your zinc result but what is the range of normal for your labs? Also, what was your pre-op zinc? With me, my post op number was normal but quite a bit lower than my preop. Once I brought it back up, the itching stopped. The same question for Vit. A. Too low is known to cause itching.

BTW, I also had wound healing issues & I was catching colds too easily. The zinc changed that as well. Do you have bumps anywhere where the itching is?

In the meantime, here's what I did till we figured it out. I took Doxepin . It was the only thing that made things bearable.

Regarding the extra skin, I have some. I do lift weights, though. While it won't get rid of the skin, it does give me some muscle tone which we often lose along w/the weight. In addition, as you age (along with the DS) osteo. issues may come into play. Weight lifting might help with that.

 

[Clematis]

I am CLAWING at my skin. It's not dry, not flaky, no rash just intense itch. Some nights I have trouble falling asleep because I keep scratching. The looser the skin, the itchier it is. (I do not have vulva itching.)

And you betcha my skin is as crepey and wrinkly as an elephant's bottom. My breasts are like pancakes. (BTW you get stretch marks from GAINING weight, not losing. You are only seeing them now because they are not stretched taut.)

My hair started falling out in fistfuls on "schedule" 3.5 months post-op, however it almost immediately started growing back (new hair pushed out the old) so I have wispy, inch or so long hairs all over, especially around hairline. It looks like I used a razor to cut stubby bangs.

I'm waiting for the results of my 6 month labs but I doubt anything is out of whack.

Sorry you;re going through this too. Let me know if you figure out a cure for the itch.

 

[southernlady]

Vitamin D, 25-hydroxy
31 ng/mL

Date:
Mar 25, 2016 12:05 p.m. EDT
Reference Range:
30 ng/mL - 80 ng/mL

1) you lab range is out of date. 30-100 is what it is now.
2) 31 is just barely normal even with their out of date range
3) your D is in the toilet. You need it as close to 100 as possible.

What are you taking for D? Brand, and amount please.

 

[Kittykatkris]

@aaa
well im glad to hear others went thru it!
My zinc is technically within range I gotta check again but I think low is 60. I could always up it tho which I have been for about 2 weeks.
I will look into doxepin

@Clematis

Ok so I am not alone!
at night I itch so bad I wake up with blood on my sheets from itching to hard!
That makes sense with the stretch marks I got up to 260 something and my arms held alot of it.
I get my labs done next month so we will see if there is something going on. I only have my previous labs to go by

@southernlady
1 tender vitamin d3 50,000 iu
and then one to two of my doctors prescriped calcium with vit d (however I tried to pull off a sticker that they put right over the specs and cant see how much is in it)

Ok so I am in trouble with the Vitamin D and need to up it.
How much is your suggestion

 

[southernlady]

@aaa
well im glad to hear others went thru it!
My zinc is technically within range I gotta check again but I think low is 60. I could always up it tho which I have been for about 2 weeks.
I will look into doxepin

@Clematis

Ok so I am not alone!
at night I itch so bad I wake up with blood on my sheets from itching to hard!
That makes sense with the stretch marks I got up to 260 something and my arms held alot of it.
I get my labs done next month so we will see if there is something going on. I only have my previous labs to go by

@southernlady
1 tender vitamin d3 50,000 iu
and then one to two of my doctors prescriped calcium with vit d (however I tried to pull off a sticker that they put right over the specs and cant see how much is in it)

Ok so I am in trouble with the Vitamin D and need to up it.
How much is your suggestion

I never count what is in my calcium or multi.

If it were me, I would go to 2 a day til your next labs.

 

[KathrynK]

I have had this itching periodically and I used a cortisone cream to get through the night, until I can get labs. Zinc has always been the issue leading to this, but when I increased the dose, the iron plummeted. Ingesting extra zinc competes with iron absorption, according to my hematologist. She advised concentrating the zinc doses to 3 days of the week, and that has helped with the iron/ferritin/etc levels. Same dose of zinc, almost, in the week but not taken every day. I use a pill sorter so it's not hard to put 2 zinc capsules Friday- Sunday, instead of one daily. Zinc levels have stayed steady with her plan and there are longer intervals between iron infusions. The itching was confined to my lower calves, so I initially blamed my cats for bringing in fleas to the carpet. They were innocent and apologies in the form of catnip were issued As for hair loss, I got the good advice of joining the "no-poo" club. I wash my hair once every other week instead of daily. Hair is slightly thicker, much less dry, fewer split ends, and less flyaway, but not greasy. I was skeptical at first, but it is working.

 

[aaa]

@aaa
well im glad to hear others went thru it!
My zinc is technically within range I gotta check again but I think low is 60. I could always up it tho which I have been for about 2 weeks.
I will look into doxepin.

Mine was around 60 and that's when I was nutty with itching. I got it up to my preop which was over 100 and I was fine. I was told it was b/c we're pooping out so much more zinc than we ever did. If it's that (and I hope it is as it's easy to fix) you'll have to carefully monitor your ceruloplasmin and copper as zinc and copper fight each other regarding absorption. Also, make sure you wait at least 1 hour between taking zinc and copper or you can do zinc one day and copper the next.

How much are you taking of each per day now?