“This is the longest time I’ve went without pulling in 16 years!”

I have had trichotillomania since I was 8 years old (I’m 24 now) and I really wanted to try and find a way to decrease my urges to pull out my hair. I also have some anxiety and migraine headaches and wanted to see if I could get rid of them as well.

I read Dr. Oler’s free online report on trichotillomania and thought it made sense for me to attempt this. After reading other people’s thoughts and hearing about their results, I knew that it was something I needed to try.

Since I was 8 years old I’ve always had the urge to pull out my hair. The urge varies day to day, but it is always there. Sometimes it is something I can control; most the time I can’t. I started just pulling my eyelashes. As I got older I started pulling my eyebrows as well. When I was about 16 years old is started pulling on the top and sides of my head to the point where I had bald spots, but I could usually cover them up.

In addition to trich, I also have anxiety that varies from day to day but that is always there. I also have migraine headaches about twice a month.

I started seeing results within the first week of using the amino acids as Dr. Oler had recommended. The urge to pull was substantially less, so I was optimistic (I have had periods in the past when the urge was not as strong, but it this time it seemed to coincide with taking the amino acids – I guess time will tell). In addition, I didn’t have any migraines and my anxiety was much lower.

Dr. Oler made some adjustments and within another week I had almost no urge to pull, although there was a slight urge sometimes. However, I could easily resist it and had not pulled at all. My anxiety was pretty good, but I did get a headache when I got my period, although I took some Advil and it was gone. I was doing quite well, but wanted to see if I could feel better.

Dr. Oler made a couple more adjustments to my amino acid therapy. I’ve now been on the amino acid therapy Dr. Oler recommended for 4 months and I have not pulled since I started. I do occasionally have a little urge to pull, but I can easy ignore it. I haven’t had any headaches over the past 2 months and my anxiety is gone!

This is the longest time I have gone without pulling in 16 years! I am so grateful to Dr. Oler for helping me. My hair, eyelashes and eyebrows are all growing back in nicely and the bald spots are gone! I missed a few doses of my supplements when I had the flu, but the urge to pull did not come back (Dr. Oler told me that it might). This was amazing to me and I am so happy to be almost completely free of the urge to pull! Thank you Dr. Oler!!

We have shared many times throughout this blog that we us a combination of nutrients, including 5-HTP, tyrosine, L-dopa, cysteine, vitamin C, calcium, vitamin B6 and folate, individually tailored to each person’s specific needs in order to achieve a successful resolution of symptoms. However, proper use of these simple ingredients is not simple.

As I explained this to Mary, she began to see that what she had done was take a few pills in a haphazard way with no real clinical direction in the hopes of hitting a home run. While this is certainly understandable – she was desperate for results and was grasping at anything that even remotely promised some resolution – it had very little chance of success.

Mary then asked, “Why should I take the products you recommend when I can just go to the health food store and buy all the needed ingredients and take them myself?” I said she could certainly try this approach, but it had an incredibly low chance of success. I explained, “Going into a health food store and purchasing the ingredients would be like going into an art store and buying a bunch of paints then going home and expecting to paint like a master artist even though you have no previous painting experience. While it is possible for this to happen, it is incredibly improbable. These nutrients have tremendous potential when used in the right combination by someone trained in their proper use. However, just like with an artist, experience and practice is required to realize their full value.”

There was a pause and I could almost see the light go on in Mary’s mind – she got it. Her next question was a bit easier, “When can I get started?!” to which I replied, “Right now.”

Many people, in there desperate search for a solution to their (often) insatiable urges to pull try a whole host of different remedies and treatments to eliminate trich. This will many times involve the use of one or more supplements, including various amino acids. However, the utility of these compounds is only realized when administered under the care of a health care professional trained in their proper usage. When used properly, these nutrients can produce astounding results that are nothing short of miraculous in many cases.

“I started following my program and I’m pulling MORE – what’s going on?!”

The urge to pull that is so prevalent in trichotillomania is caused (in most people) by an imbalance in neurotransmitter function. To correct this imbalance, we have found a combination of amino acid supplements that provide the body the exact nutrients it needs to be remarkably effective. In fact, we have been able to help over 86% of the people that come to us with trich completely eliminate the urge to pull.

For most people, the positive changes happen relatively quickly. They go from having the urge to pull their hair out to having absolutely no urge to pull at all in a relatively short time frame.  However, this doesn’t mean that it is always a smooth road to becoming trich-free. In a very small number of people, symptoms actually increase when we start or adjust daily amino acid dosing. (We see this most often in dealing with people with depression or increased appetite, but we have seen it in a handful of cases of people with trich as well.)

Most of the time, this happens in the first week or two of using amino acids. This is often described as a “gets worse before it gets better” type of reaction. What’s happening here is that as a person approaches the dose needed for them to experience a relief of symptoms their neurotransmitter levels go through a phase that makes them more aware of the urge to pull, thus increasing the overall “need” to pull. In order to get this person urge-free as quickly as possible, we need to increase the daily amino acid dose, which is completely counter-intuitive, especially for someone that wants to pull more. When amino acid dosing is properly increased however, the increase in symptoms will often resolve completely within 1-2 days.

Obviously, it can be very difficult from a client’s perspective to increase the dose of something they think is making them worse. However, from a clinical perspective, having this type of reaction is a sure-sign that the person will become completely symptom free if they can hold on and make the recommended changes. Luckily, it only takes 1-2 days to prove that this is the proper approach once the amino acid dosing is increased.

If you begin taking amino acids as directed and you experience any increase in symptoms, contact us immediately so we can get you through this phase as quickly as possible. Take heart that every single client that we have had that experienced this type of reaction had a complete elimination of the urge to pull within a week of increasing their amino acid dosing as directed – every single one.

Most people would never suspect food as a culprit with trich, but there is some good evidence pointing to the possibility that what you eat can dramatically alter your neurotransmitter balance, particularly serotonin levels. Serotonin is an important neurotransmitter that affects sleep, mood, cravings (especially for carbohydrates), migraines and a host of other functions, including the urge to pull. It has been estimated that about 95% percent of the serotonin in your body is stored in your gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, gastrointestinal function is very important in maintaining proper neurotransmitter balance.

A great many studies support the fact that intestinal permeability and enzyme deficiencies  are often found in folks suffering from depression (which is caused by imbalances of serotonin with dopamine); this is underscored by reports that depression is a very common symptom of celiac disease (which is  a condition of severe gluten intolerance). (1-8)

Here at the clinic, it is almost universal that long standing gastrointestinal imbalances, including food allergies almost always lead to or exacerbate depression as well as other conditions related to neurotransmitter imbalances, including the urge to pull, migraines, anxiety, obsessive compulsive tendencies and sleep disturbances.

Therefore, as we are working to help people correct their underlying neurotransmitter imbalances, we will often begin to investigate the many possible reasons why these imbalances are there in the first place. Looking at what someone is eating can provide major insights into eliminating the urge to pull.

We have found the most accurate food hypersensitivity test to be the Lymphocyte Response Assay from Elisa/Act Technologies. Using this test, one can run any number of foods, additives, colors, drugs, supplements, and environmental contaminants to determine which, if any, of them are causing an immune reaction with subsequent neurotransmitter disruption. Once the offending agents are determined, we then work with clients to help eliminate them so their bodies can heal while reestablishing optimal neurotransmitter levels. In doing so, many people can reduce or eliminate the need for ongoing supplementation and remain symptom free for the rest of their lives.

NOTE: If you cannot find a practitioner in your area that can run the LRA test, contact us to arrange for an in-home blood draw.

References

1. Corvaglia L, et al. Depression in adult untreated celiac subjects: diagnosis by the pediatrician. Am J Gastroenterol. 1999 Mar;94(3):839-43.
2. Ciacci C, et al. Depressive symptoms in adult coeliac disease. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1998 Mar;33(3):247-50.
3. Addolorato G, et al. Anxiety and depression in adult untreated celiac subjects and in patients affected by inflammatory bowel disease: a personality “trait” or a reactive illness? Hepatogastroenterology. 1996 Nov-Dec;43(12):1513-7.
4. Pellegrino M, et al. Untreated coeliac disease and attempted suicide. Lancet. 1995 Sep 30;346(8979):915.
5. Cheliout W. [A misleading depression]. Encephale. 1994 Sep-Oct;20(5):531-4. French.
6. Hernanz A, et al. Plasma precursor amino acids of central nervous system monoamines in children with coeliac disease. Gut. 1991 Dec;32(12):1478-81.
7. van Praag HM. Affective disorders and aggression disorders: evidence for a common biological mechanism. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 1986 Summer;16(2):103-32. Review.
8. Hallert C, et al. Psychic disturbances in adult coeliac disease. I. Clinical observations. Scand J Gastroenterol. 1982 Jan;17(1):17-9.

A quick look at the literature shows exactly that; an example:  there is a strong association between sleep disturbances and mood disorders, including depression. (1, 2) In fact, insomnia is reported by more than 90% of depressed patients. (3) This is all well and good, but how do we know that this correlation is due to neurotransmitter levels?

Research shows that in people suffering from insomnia, balancing the brain’s neurotransmitter levels can improve sleep. (4) This has led many researchers to believe that complete relief of insomnia may improve the symptoms of depression. (3) But what does this have to do with trich and the urge to pull?

Well, as we have talked about in previous articles, the urge to pull is often due to or intensified by imbalances in neurotransmitters, including serotonin and dopamine. Decreased sleep can cause, as well as be caused by, imbalances in these same neurotransmitters. This means that if a person has insomnia or purposefully does not get enough sleep over time (i.e., goes to bed late, has odd sleep habits, etc.), neurotransmitter imbalances can result. These imbalances will then lead to increased urges to pull. Incidentally, they also usually lead to increased cravings for carbohydrate or sugar-laden foods, particularly in the afternoon or evening, along with the need for stimulants of one kind or another to keep focused and alert (think coffee, soda, ‘energy’ drinks and chocolate). Unfortunately, in addition to keeping you a little more alert in the short term, these stimulants can also cause further neurotransmitter imbalances that keep you awake – and pulling.

Here are some simple things that you can do to begin lessening the effect of too little sleep on your urge to pull:

1. Get as much sleep before midnight as possible; set a time and go to bed, say at 9-10 PM. Even if you can’t go to sleep right away, do some deep breathing and/or meditation and don’t worry about it. Your body is resting and eventually sleep will come.
2. Set an alarm and get up at the same time daily, even if you don’t fall asleep well the night before. You may be in for a few rough days, but eventually, most people will begin to get into a more normal sleep cycle.
3. Make your bedroom peaceful – turn off the lights, TV, radio and anything else that may distract you or keep you engaged. Sometimes, peaceful music or sounds can help, as can ‘white-noise’ such as a fan. Earplugs often help.
4. Stop drinking liquids 2-3 hours before bed to limit the number of times you need to get up to use the bathroom
5. Keep a notebook by your bed and write down everything that is churning through your mind and make a ‘to-do’ list for the next day. If new things come to you during the night, write them down and forget about them – they’ll be waiting for you in the morning.
6. In the morning, so some exercise or yoga to help you wake up and minimize the need for stimulants. If you still need something, try green tea (Earl Grey Green Tea is a bit heavier for those die-hard coffee drinkers.)

If you have insomnia or long-standing sleep issues, these simple steps are unlikely to be of much help. In this case, a more thorough workup is often necessary and additional therapies may be needed. Luckily, we have found (as have numerous other researchers) that re-establishing optimal neurotransmitter balance can safely and effectively improve sleep over time. This, combined with giving yourself the opportunity to get enough sleep will not only have you sleeping better, it will help you eliminate your urge to pull. Small things really can make a big difference over time and sleep is KING when it comes to maintaining neurotransmitter balance.

References

1. Ohayon MM, roth T. Place of chronic insomnia in the course of depressive and anxiety disorders. J Psychiatr Res. 2003 Jan-Feb;37:9-15.
2. Germain A, Kupfer DJ. Circadian rhythm disturbances in depression. Hum Psychopharmacol. 2008 Oc;23(7):571-85.

1. Thase ME. Antidepressant treatment of the depressed patient with insomnia. J Clin Psychiatry. 1999;60 (Suppl. 17):28-31.
2. Irwin MR, Wang M, Ribeiro D. et al. Sleep loss activates cellular inflammatory signaling. Biol Psychiatry. 2008 Sep15;64(6):538-40.

In particular, we have been seeing a lot of people suffering from trichotillomania that also have insatiable cravings for sweets and/or simple carbohydrates, including breads, cookies, candy, chips, pastries and similar foods. Most people that have this combination of sugar cravings and trichotillomania don’t realize they are connected, and they often feel helpless on both accounts. However, I am here to tell you that not only are they related, they can both be resolved using the same techniques.

Balanced Amino Acid Therapy

Both the urge to pull and cravings for sugar and sweets are regulated by your brain chemistry. The chemical messengers responsible for this regulation are called neurotransmitters, which include serotonin and dopamine. Imbalances in your neurotransmitter function will cause miscommunication, which often leads to symptoms including the urge to pull, cravings and any number of the conditions listed above. However, restoring proper neurotransmitter balance will improve communication and alleviate these conditions.

One of the keys to establishing proper neurotransmitter function is the employment of balanced amino acid therapy. This means that a health care professional trained in the proper use of amino acids will help you determine exactly the right mix of amino acids and cofactors you need in order to establish optimal neurotransmitter function. Once this occurs, not only will your urge to pull disappear, your cravings will also be substantially reduced or eliminated altogether. This occurs because you are addressing the root cause of your problems, and by digging down to the root, you can manage a whole host of symptoms due to neurotransmitter imbalance.

Jenna came to us after her mom had been searching the internet for three years trying to find a solution for her daughter. Jenna had started pulling the hair out of her sheep-skin blanket before progressing to pulling out her eyebrows and then from her head. By the time we spoke with Jenna’s mom, the right side of her head was bald and she didn’t have any eyelashes or eyebrows.

In addition, Jenna had been diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), with the onset of symptoms occurring when she was just six years old. Her mother stated that she had a period of several years when she did exhibit any OCD symptoms, but that about three years ago, she started constantly washing her hands (to the point that her hands cracked and bled), “straightening things”, developing extensive bedtime rituals and became very worried about contamination and germs. Jenna had been on Prozac for about a year when we first spoke. Both she and her mom were desperate.

We began by attempting to balance out Jenna’s neurotransmitter levels as we always do. However, it became obvious quite quickly that this was not working, so we ran some testing to help guide her care. Jenna’s body was requiring incredibly high levels of amino acids to show any kind of change and the testing was extremely valuable to help make sure we were on the right track.

It took 12 tests and 10 months until she got the result she was looking for. The dedication and support exhibited by Jenna and her parents was incredible over this time period, especially considering that Jenna did not experience any relief of symptoms for the first 10 months we worked together. However, her diligence, and her parents dedication paid off. Like flipping a switch, everything changed.

I spoke with Jenna recently and she told me it was suddenly “easy to control my trich and OCD” and that she “didn’t need reassurance as much”. She was sleeping well, eating normally and doing well in school. Her mom was ecstatic. She said both she and Jenna were realizing most of the repetitive actions were now only habits versus being due to OCD or anxiety and that Ana was now able to differentiate between them and stop when she wanted to. This was a HUGE improvement according to her mom; “We have a life again, and we have our daughter back!” said mom. Now, Jenna’s work is awareness; becoming aware of when she is doing something mindlessly and asking herself if she wants to continue. Now she has control.

Everybody wants instant gratification – and why wouldn’t we? Getting something for less or little effort is always preferable, especially when we are talking about ending what could be a debilitating condition such as trich or OCD. However, when things don’t happen right away and our resolve is tested, then we find out how badly we want a solution. In this instance, desperation was the key to sticking with the program until we achieved the desired result. This means preparing for the long-haul knowing that a resolution will come when we determine exactly what your body needs to achieve balance. We will help you reach your goals, but it is your resolve and dedication that will matter most if and when the going gets tough or the journey grows long.

“I don’t even think about hair pulling.”

We started Denise on amino acid therapy, but she didn’t feel great right off the bat; in fact, she said, “I felt ‘foggy’ at first, but that cleared up. I always felt a little off after taking the amino acids, so I spread them out more throughout the day.” Her hair pulling had improved at this point, but was not eliminated so we adjusted her dosing.

Denise said she “instantly felt so much better – like somebody flipped a switch. I’m more motivated and have a lot more energy. I haven’t felt this good in decades!” She wanted to try and eliminate the Zoloft at this time, so we consulted with her prescribing physician and they came up with a tapering plan.

As Denise continued to taper off the Zoloft, she experienced waves of nausea and occasional depression. We checked her vitamin D levels and found them to be extremely low; once we added in the appropriate amount of vitamin D, the depression disappeared. She also noted that she would occasionally pull her hair out of habit, but that the urges were gone. Denise said, “I don’t pull if I don’t want to.” We recommended she seek out behavior therapy assistance to help her establish new habits instead of pulling.

Once she completed the taper off the Zoloft, the nausea subsided and she said, “I feel darn good – I have forgotten about pulling my hair! I don’t even think about hair pulling!” She continued to have a lot of energy and felt very focused. She also noticed that her appetite had decreased and that her sleep was improving. Most important to Denise, her hair was now growing back and she had absolutely no desire to pull it out, even when she was under stress.

Denise’s story exhibits many facets associated with amino acid therapy. It often takes some individualized tweaking to help restore proper neurotransmitter status; this could mean adjusting the dosing schedule or the amounts of certain amino acids. It usually means adapting the dosing schedule to accommodate each person’s needs.

In addition, as we continued to work with Denise, we also uncovered some other imbalances that we then needed to correct; this too is common. It is a rare occurrence that a single deficiency or imbalance is responsible for the totality of a person’s symptoms. However, by addressing each imbalance as it surfaces, we can continue to peel away the proverbial onion until we’ve gotten to and addressed the appropriate issues. At that time, just like with Denise, many aspects of one’s health will improve; and they will stop pulling their hair.

Then she met Dr. Chad Oler, and everything changed. Listen to her story, and find out how she learned to stop pulling hair out.

Lacy’s Podcast

When Lacey found Dr. Chad, she discovered a way to stop pulling hair out that’s surprisingly easy, has produced dramatic results, and is ready for you to start IMMEDIATELY.

We started Tina on a very low level of amino acids, as she was a very small girl. However, as the weeks went by we continually ratcheted up her dosing, as the urge to pull was not changing. After about two months, Tina said, “I’m still pulling the hair on my legs and occasionally my eyebrows, but my eyelashes have almost completely grown back in. However, a whole lot of other things have changed. My anxiety is much better and I am not ‘tensing’ as much anymore.”

A couple weeks later, Tina’s parents were ecstatic. Tina’s mom said, “Tina is doing really well! Her eyebrows and eyelashes are mostly grown in and she’s (Tina’s) really proud they are. She will still occasionally pull when she gets really angry, but later she’ll tell us that she just did it because she was mad, not because she felt the urge to pull. In addition, she is not pulling from the dog anymore and all the dog’s bald spots are filling back in. Her anxiety is much better.”

Her dad continued, “A lot of other things have markedly improved. In softball, Tina used to be so scared of the pitch that she would continually jump away from the plate with every pitch. Now, she’s not afraid to stand in there and swing the bat. She even got hit by a pitch last week, and she got right up and got a hit the very next pitch! She also complains a lot less than she used to and is hanging out with her friends a lot more. She also seems to have a better relationship with her friends.”

“I’m 100 times better!”

I just spoke with Tina and her parents and she is continuing to do well as we work with her physician to decrease and eliminate the Zoloft. She’s already cut the dose in half with no negative changes. Tina told me, “I feel 100 times better than I did before. My eyebrows and eyelashes have completely grown back in and I’m not afraid anymore. I have gone swimming a few times with my friends and it feels great.”

Tina came to us when she was still young and hadn’t been pulling for very long. Luckily, her parents took a very active role in her care and didn’t shame or blame Tina for pulling her hair out. Tina’s case was somewhat unique in that she required much higher doses of amino acids than was originally expected. However, with patience, persistence and testing, we were able to determine the correct dosing to get Tina symptom free so she can enjoy being a kid.