I am new to this group.  A little info about me.  When I was 15 yrs. old I lost lots of hair on the nape of my neck.  This was 35 years ago and my mother just took me to our family doctor.  He didn't know what it was and I was devastated.  This was before internet, etc.  I had to cut my hair very short.  It all grew back on its own. At the age of 26 shortly after having my 2nd child I was diagnosed with RA.  It progressed and after several prescriptions I had to start on a biologic.  Enbrel had just come out on the market.  Throughout my 20's and 30's my hairdresser would occasionally tell me I had a bald spot on my head, but it was small and not noticeable and I didn't  think anything of it.  After Enbrel stopped working I advanced to Humira.  I had been on that until 2 years ago when I started Orencia.  Shortly after Orencia I noticed a large bald patch on the back of my head.  My hair dresser told me it looks like alopecia areata.  I had no idea what that was and then I looked it up on the internet.  I suddenly had an aha moment....this is what I had when I was 15.  

I was worried, so I talked to my rheumatologist who insisted it was Alopecia Areata and it was NOT caused from the Orencia.  I decided to see a dermatologist.  At this point I only had 1 spot.  She began to give me steriod injections and then I saw another spot.  I was so nervice that I then decided to get off the Orencia.  My hair had been thinning, but not that bad.  Meanwhile my RA was almost unbearable....so about a year later after talking with the Rheumatologist again, I decided to go back on the Orencia.  My hair slowly kept coming out and it was so subtle that I couldn't notice how much until it was very thin.  I then decided to get off the Orencia for good and I have been taking numerous supplements for both my hair and my arthritis.  My dermatologist pretty much told me there is nothing more she can do (after giving me several steroid shots and steroid cream).  I am devastated because my hair is so thin now and I still have at least 6 spots.  

Has anyone else been on Orencia and had AA happen to them?  I made an appointment to see a dermatologist and rheumatologist at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota.  I am wondering if they will put me on Xeljanz.

Also, has anyone gotten AA as a teenager and then develop another autoimmune disease as an adult?

Has anyone heard of Dr. David Clark?  He had a utube video explaining a study that was done on Alopecia Areata and if you had it as a child, what other autoimmune disease you will develop throughout your life.  As for my story, it was right on...the study showed if you have AA from 10 yrs. to 19 yrs. then you will most likely develop RA and that was true for me.