Sudden massive hair thinning
First picture is April 26, 2026 when I ran my fingers through my hair after taking it out of a ponytail. First red flag that something was going on.
Second picture is from the next wash day probably April 28ish, 2026 (I usually wash 2-3 times a week unless my hair gets sweaty or something).
Third pic is from 5/20/26 with a shocking to-date amount lost. I'm not even a full month into this and have been losing a ton twice a week.
For background: I have never experienced hair loss like this, and especially not so sudden. I started tirzepatide late December 2025/early January 2026. Never went over 5mg/dose and lost about 30 lbs Jan-May. There definitely were periods in the beginning where I absolutely wasn't eating enough. Feb 2026 I got insanely sick coughing up brown mucus, night sweats, 104 fever and urgent care threw steroids and an inhaler at me. Lots of stress between work, kids, marriage etc throughout these months as well. I took 2.5mg tirz 2 weeks ago and that was my last dose in hopes to just be fat instead of bald. I also found a ton of mold down in the gasket of my hydrojug that I have drank gallons of water from since I got it for Christmas, if that matters.
I have always had incredibly thick hair, and I usually can only wrap my ponytail holder around twice- 3x is a struggle and gives me a headache. I can now wrap it 4x and still feels loose. Also to be fair for the volume of loss in the pics- my hair is long (past my bra strap) and these photos are only what was lost after brushing post-wash. I have hairballs in my car, next to the bed, clogging the shower drain etc. My hair is noticeably thinner overall.
I made a PCP appt to get labwork next week. But I am absolutely devastated and having to have my husband brush my hair on wash days so I don't have to see the loss. I have bawled my eyes out over this and every search on social media aside from Reddit results in a different product that will "fix" it. My nightstand looks like a pharmacy with vit D + k2, fish oil, pumpkin seed oil + saw palmetto, iron gummies & a random hair supplement I definitely paid too much money for.
Anyway just rambling at this point but so glad to find a sub dedicated to this and hopefully in a few months I can post that the shedding has stopped.