From Totally Bald to Hair Regrowth in One Month! (UPDATE: Six Month Regrowth Pictures)

I first noticed my hair falling out in the spring of 2009.Being a black woman who had been wearing braids off and on for many years, I thought braiding my hair too tight was the problem. I took out the braids but my hair continued falling out. I was diagnosed with Alopecia Areata a year later & given 5 weeks of Prednisone. Needless to say, that didn't help at all. As I continued losing hair I researched the different types of alopecia on the internet. When I started losing my eyebrows & eyelashes I knew I had Alopecia Universalis. I tried to decrease the stress in my life & kept praying that one day my hair would spontaneously grow back on its own. While on vacation last year I met a man with the same autoimmune disease who told me about Xeljanz. Finally! A cure!!! But the drug costs over $3000 a month and my insurance would not cover it. My cousin was familiar with the fact that there are discounts available for many expensive medications. I called Pfizer and found out they have a hardship program (Xelsource)for low income patients which allows you to receive Xeljanz ABSOLUTELY FREE!!! They will mail you two forms for you and your doctor to fill out and once it it is verified that your income is low enough and your insurance denies coverage they will Fed Ex Xeljanz directly to your home for FREE! They send you a 30 day supply (two small pills a day) each month. What has really inspired me are the photos of another AU sufferer whose hair started growing back after a month on Xeljanz. She has been on it 6 months now and recently had her first haircut in 4 years. She is sporting a cute, short hairdo. Check her out at Pikore.com the alopeciaexperience instagram. I just started Xeljanz 3 weeks ago on July 28th and hope to be posting pictures of my hair regrowth soon to share with all of you! UPDATE: Saw light blonde, spiky hairs on September 1st after one month on drug! Went to doctor this week and now have dark terminal hairs, mixed with blonde, on my scalp and eyebrow and eyelash regrowth. UPDATE: 3 months, hair getting darker and longer, eyebrows growing in on both sides, a few eyelashes on my left upper lid. See pictures below. UPDATE: 4 months, started taking Biotin and upped doseage to 3 Xeljanz a day. Tons of new growth in resistant bald patches and scalp hair is longer and darker. Eyelashes emerging from both sides. I bought my first mascara in 6 years. Waiting for a few more lashes on right side to use it. Have lots of eyebrows on both sides. Go see my doctors this week on Thursday. They will be TOTALLY shocked and amazed at my progress since last appointment in September. Keep the faith everyone. Xeljanz works!!! UPDATE: Third Doctors' Visit: My doctor's are at the Dermatoligy Clinic at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Boy were my they EXCITED about all my hair growth during the last 3 months! The last time they saw me I had tiny white spiky peach fuzz, with a few dark terminal hairs mixed in. This time I have long dark patches of hair almost an inch long, with regrowth of about 80 percent of my scalp! In between the dark patches, I have short spiky blonde regrowth in my former bald spots. That regrowth is barely visible on camera right now but the doctors saw it and ran their fingers over my entire scalp. Two sets of doctors, nurses and residents came into the room at separate times because everyone could not fit into the examining room at once. Plus I brought a friend with AU and his parents with me to meet the doctor's. Everyone was laughing, happy and amazed at my growth. Each set of doctors took pictures of my complete scalp, eyebrows and eyelashes. The doctors want the pictures for a future Grand Rounds or Dermatology Conference so they can present my case to other doctors and medical students at the University. I'm so happy that my regrowth on Xeljanz will be used to give hope to others! More details below about my friend with AU who came with me to see the Clinic and meet the doctors.

Views: 13368

Attachments:

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Just call again and ask for the forms to sign up for hardship program. Don't worry about what she said. You probably won't get her again There are a lot of different people that answer the phones.
Xeljanz can be distributed by phizer for alopecia. J am currently in the process of trying to get approved. You do have to make less than 75k for a single person household in order to be eligible for the hardship card. And I believe this card is a one time use. You can also get a copay card for 8k which ANYONE can get you just have to print it out from online.
How can I go about it then bc they told me no
I would just call again and speak with someone differently. Do you have a prescribing doctor also? You will need a doctor to fill out the paperwork
Can you email me jcortez005@gmail.com
Sure
Thanks Katiegirl for helping to spread the word about Pfizer's hardship program and the co-pay card discounts. I actually started a new discussion this morning called: Xeljanz INCOME CONCERNS? Call Xelsource. Could you please post on that discussion as well to verify that Pfizer does enroll individuals that have Alopecia thru Xelsource? Thanks SO MUCH! Valeri

'' While on vacation last year I met a man with the same autoimmune disease who told me about Xeljanz.''

This man you're talking about was he an alopecian patient as well? Was he on the drugs at that time?

The man said he had lost all of his hair 15 years ago. No, he was not on Xeljanz. Said that he didn't want to risk the side effects.
Update: Seeing first terminal (darkly pigmented) hairs on left side of my scalp! I had previously seen a few on my left eyebrow last week. Going to first doctor's appointment on Thursday since starting medicine on July 28, and know he will be so excited!
Yesterday was my first doctor's visit since I started Xeljanz on July 28th. The doctor's were thrilled to see my hair regrowth of little blonde spiky hairs mixed in with some dark terminal hairs. They took pictures of my scalp and my eyebrows. They said that I was their FIRST CASE OF REGROWTH USING XELJANZ, and that they might want me to attend an Alopecia Conference to educate other students and doctor's about Xeljanz and AU. Today I saw dark eyebrow hairs above both eyes and my first regrown eyelash! I'm so happy and excited to be a part of the Xeljanz miracle!
Ten weeks on Xeljanz: Lots of growth on scalp, especially left side; eyebrows coming in on both sides, blondish hair turning dark (terminal). Have about 4 dark eyelashes on left eye when I lift lid up.
Attachments:

RSS

Disclaimer

Any mention of products and services on Alopecia World is for informational purposes only; it does not imply a recommendation or endorsement by Alopecia World. Nor should any statement or representation on this site be construed as professional, medical or expert advice, or as pre-screened or endorsed by Alopecia World. Alopecia World is not responsible or liable for any of the views, opinions or conduct, online or offline, of any user or member of Alopecia World.

© 2024   Created by Alopecia World.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service