Monday, September 24, 2012

I should be getting my NAC in the mail soon and I'll start taking it on October 1st.  It's going to be a little tricky to gauge if I pull less simply cause there are a lot of times where I'm not aware that I'm even pulling.  And there are just random days were you do just pull less (who knows why).  So looking in the mirror will probably be the easiest way to tell if the NAC is working.  So I'll be taking before and after  (at the end of November) pictures.  And on top of taking NAC, I really am going to try not to pull... cause honestly most of the time I don't try at all.  Hopefully I'll have a full set of lashes, filled in brows, and no thinning spots in the near future!   

Friday, September 21, 2012

GNC NAC 600 - GNC - GNCI just ordered NAC today from gnc.com.   It happened to be on sale today for only $5... so I got two bottles.  In an article by Jon E. Grant, Md, JD, MPH, he recommends 1200mg/day.  So with the two bottles... it'll give me two months to try this stuff out.  I'll let you know when I start the supplements and how it goes.
 
Last night I got my hair trimmed and highlighted... for the last time by my hairstylist.  And although I don't have a new stylist lined up yet... I think I'm going to be okay about finding a new one.  I'm not going to stress out too much or get too anxious about it (not saying I won't a little).  I used to dread getting my hair done, but I'm a little more comfortable with who I am now.  Plus I've come to realize that hairstylists have seen it all, they are there to help you look you're best, and it fact... some main have even heard of trich (seems like something they'd cover in cosmetology school).  So even if I end up going to a few different people (til I find my next stylist), I'm planning on just being open about from the very beginning.  "Hey, I have trichotillomania.  Not sure if you've heard of it or not... Here's my problem areas where my hair's a little thinner."  Simple as that.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Hate when eyelashes just hurt... and they hurt until you pull them out.  I have a section today that is irritating me.  I pulled a few and it felt a little better, but I felt like I still didn't get the one that really hurt.  Then I finally did.  I pulled one that hurt more than the previous ones.  And now that that lash is gone, this section isn't bothering me so much.  And I'm glad it's not bothering me now, but I don't really know how many lashes I lost in order that get to this point.   

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Today's my birthday... another year of new beginnings.  A new year, a new day to start again! 

Sunday, September 9, 2012

I've been feeling a little down lately... and I don't really know why.  I feel like I could easily burst into tears... just waiting for the straw to break the camels back.  I need to keep reminding myself to choose joy.
Image via SharpGraphicArt

Saturday, September 1, 2012

N-Acetylcysteine, anyone?!?

In college I took Effexor, made me feel nauseated. Then I took Prozac, no bad side effects, but despite having my dosage increased and increased... I never saw a change in my pulling. So one day I just quick taking it. I quit seeing the doctor that prescribed the medication too... I'm sorry but taking deep breathes and pretending I'm on a beach just doesn't do it for me.

However, I do think that medication can help people. I'd kinda like to try again, maybe there's something else I could take. But the only doctor in my area that specializes in trichotillomania is... well, the same doctor I saw before. So I decided to see if there was anything OTC that I could take. And that's when I came across N-Acetylcysteine on the Internet. Dr. Jon E. Grant, M.D.,J.D.,MPH studied the effectiveness of N-Acetylcysteine on people suffering from trichotillomania- the study and research information can be found here. You can also check out a video of Dr. Grant talking about the research here.  WebMD says that it is "possibly effective for reducing symptoms of hair pulling." That "possibly" is enough for me... enough for me to give it a try.

So what is N-Acetylcysteine? Well, I'm not entirely sure. I hadn't heard of it before. So here's more of what I found on WebMD. "N-acetyl cysteine comes from the amino acid L-cysteine. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. N-acetyl cysteine has many uses as medicine. TLC shared an article from InTouch, Issue #55, "N-acetylcysteine is an amino acid which can be found at nutrition and health food stores. This supplement affects levels of glutamate in a specific area of the brain, making it easier for patients to decrease unwanted behavior."

So I think it's worth a shot... I'll let you know when I end up giving it a try. 

 And a little disclaimer here: I'm not saying you should go take N-Acetylcysteine if you have trichotillomania. Like all drugs and supplements, check with your doctor first.