Medication and Hair Loss

I've been taking prescription medication on a daily basis for two years now. In the beginning, I noticed my hair falling out in the shower, but then after a few months it got better. This past April, I tried weening off of Pentasa, and after a few months of being on a lower dosage, my stomach symptoms weren't doing so well. In June, my doctor decided to put me back on the full dosage of Pentasa. It was then that my hair started coming out by the handful in the shower.

Over the past few months, my hair has gradually become thinner. Thankfully, I have always had thick hair, so my head can handle it - for now.

A few weeks ago, Isaac and I took a vacation to San Francisco. (We had so much fun!) When we were at the Painted Ladies homes, Isaac pointed our that the sides of my hairline looked to be receding a bit. He asked if it had always looked like that. You wouldn't notice it unless I had my hair pulled back in a pony tail. This got me worried.

I noticed that, yes, my hair did look to be receding on the sides fairly noticeably. Now, I'm not sure if this is solely medication or something else. I read online that this can happen from not brushing your hair on a regular basis (which embarrassingly I don't do, because I curl hair). It can also happen especially on the side where you part your hair ( I do notice it more on that side of my head).

My hair stylist suggested that I try this product called Nioxin for thinning hair. I did my research, and it seems to produce good results pretty quickly. I read that it works best if you use the shampoo, conditioner and scalp therapy serum all together. I paid 33 dollars for the package of all three products at Ulta, which seem like a good deal to me.

So, we will see how it works! I am hopeful as I have been taking a hair, skin and nails vitamin as well.

Although my stomach/Crohn's symptoms have been doing pretty well lately, these types of symptoms for a 26 year old are very difficult to endure as well. I would like to try to ween off Pentasa again before the end of the year. I am determined to be on as little prescription drugs as possible.

I chose the Nioxin system kit #6, which is for medium to coarse chemically treated hair that is noticeably thinning to you. I hope this gives me my thick, full hair back soon and makes it stop coming out in the shower!

You Can't Manipulate God

"You can't manipulate God. Don't ever think it. You can't pray in hopes of getting what you want. It's God's will that prevails."

~Mark of the Lion series Book II, Francine Rivers

This quote from a novel I am reading stuck with me this evening.

When people pray, most pray for what they want God to do for them. Honestly, why wouldn't we? We are taught to pray this way from an early age. We pray for things that will make us happy. More money, good looks, a lover, good health, success, etc.

And then we thank God for those things that make us happy.

I believe the purpose of life to not do what makes me happy but to please the Lord and follow His will. However, I never thought of praying for my will as manipulation - or even wrong.

The online dictionary definition of manipulation is "to adapt or change to suit one's purpose or advantage."

What this quote says is that by requesting God in the form of a holy prayer what we want in order to benefit ourselves and fulfill our own desires is a form of manipulation. It is wrong. God's will is always best. He knows what he is doing and has a purpose for every living thing. He is omnipotent. He is ruler of all.

So to dare to pray for our will and not the all-knowing, all-powerful, forgiving and gracious Prince of Peace's will be done, we are fools.

We may not understand why God allows for things to happen in life that may not make us happy or may be very difficult. Sometimes we do not see the bigger picture. Why do some make more money when I do not? Why is that woman blessed with all "the right" curves on her body and not me? Why did my home get hit by a tornado and my neighbors did not? 

Why did God allow me to get Crohn's disease? Why do I have to deal with health issues as such a young age? 

Why? I do not know. All I know and have to trust in is that for now I have Crohn's disease, because it is God's will. He is and will continue to use this disease that comes from a sinful world for good. If he can use my pain to bring others to Him, then please bring on the pain.

What's funny to me is that when Satan intends to hurt us, bring us down or weaken us, God can always use the bad and turn it around for good. You may not see it at first, but He will if you let Him.

My new prayer is:

God, I allow you to work in my life whatever way you choose. If you need to use Crohn's disease or some other ailment in my life to bless others, then please do so. I pray that you will give me the strength to be used by you and to wake up each morning praising you for what you are doing in my life - whether is makes me feel happy or not. I also ask that you will help me to recognize when I am praying for what I want solely for my own benefit. Your will be done, not mine.

Amen