Megwyn - Yes ! After my first and only Acute attack due to gall bladder/stones, my hair fell out by the handful also. It was a tough time. I kept losing weight and looking terrible and to shower and then see your hair all over the tub, in your hands, on the floor, yes it was very disturbing. But after about 7 months it stopped. I think it came back curlier. How are you doing now?

Thanks for the reassuring words tannersmom. I am actually doing pretty well as far as the pancreatitis goes. Still have residual pain under my ribs when I breathe but no nausea or vomiting in a long time. I am well enough now that the next step is having the gall bladder removed. There is a large stone just waiting to cause another attack. I actually put off the surgery because I lost my husband to a long term illness a few weeks ago. But I have it scheduled for the end of this week. Bad enough to have this disease. Bad enough to become a widow. But it just added insult to injury to be losing my hair!

Megwyn, I'm so so sorry about the loss of your husband. That must have been so difficult. I hope the gall bladder surgery goes well for you and perhaps that will help you fell a lot better also. Take Care .

My hair has grown back. I was in the hospital four months without food. I now have short hair, but that's okay.

As the folks have already indicated it isn't unusual at all to lose your hair from the big severe acute attacks, I think we all lose it and I'm still waiting for mine to grow back course I was almost bald on top before it happened but since everyone is getting theirs back I figured hey when is mine coming in, still waiting 5 years later, hee hee hee...Yours will grow back just give it time and try to keep your nutritional intake as good as your able to stand.

I think its a really normal event associated with pancreatitis. I lost most of mine, and the hair that did remain was darker and wirey, not at all my normal texture. In retrospect I would have bought a wig to go through the process of regrowth. It took about a year to get a normal'ish look to my hair back. Its been 8 years since I had the initial biliary induced pancreatitis and my hair is back to 90% normal.

Yes, on hair loss - two years ago I had celiac plexius block in nerve to pancreas to stop the pain. Threw me into acute pancreatitis. After I came home my hair started falling out. I'm not sure from what. I thought maybe the anesthesia. (Spelled wrong, probably!) A few months later it started coming back. So don't think it's a permanent condition. I'm sure the nutrition has much to do with it. I'm on a supplement regimen as well as ionic minerals to replace the ones I lose thru pancreatitis. Just wish there was a cure for this disease.

Megwyn, I too lost my husband. It's been six months now. He was very ill. That's a lot of stress to contend with when you also have pancreatitis.
I live one day at a time and try to enjoy the moments. It's all we have.
Hope you are feeling better soon.

wow ladies, i always have my hair fall out, and have been sick for so long, i thought maybe mine was bc of hypothyroidism,. but now that i know ive had chronic pancreatitis for years, i bet it is from that!

My wife went through the same thing and actually gets some type of treatment when she has her hair done to add the nutrients back into it . Shed gets pancreatis about every 6 to 8 weeks .

Folks,
I want to tell you I feel so sorry for everyone dealing with pancreatitis. I had acute pancreatitis in '13 Thanksgiving night. Until then I was a heavy drinker and they found some gallstones. I also had gallstones blockages the same time I was dealing with diverticulitis a few years earlier. I take a med for hypothyroidism too.
While in the hospital for the pancreatitis as NPO, I demanded they remove my gall bladder.. That took place right after New Year. I also had a very high count of amylase. I lost hair, but (for me ) I was happy to be out of pain after 4 months.
I have not had any more bouts of pancreatitis, but being an alcoholic, I do get the urge to drink (in today's posts of I'd environment). After reading that many of you still deal with chronic pancreatitis, I don't know how you deal with it? When I was released from the hospital, I went home with the gall stones bothering me + pneumonia ( a mistake at the hospital)... I haven't had a drink - stopped cold turkey after that, but I hope all of you can overcome your problem(s)!!!

Ive actually developed hair.loss too. Just in the last year. I did recently have gallbladder out and developed acute pancreatitis. I wondered if it had anything to do with hair loss...hopefully now I am on mend and it will stop falling out. I am sorry about your loss and praying for you.