I set out this morning to do some internet research on women's ha...

I set out this morning to do some internet research on women's hair loss and I am SO glad that I ended up here. My hair has been thinning slowly but surely - most noticeably right at my hairline and I'm pretty distraught. I have no history of baldness on either side of my family and I know this isn't a genetic issue. Anyway, I ended up on the American Hair Loss Association website which lists birth control as a culprit (never considered this - I'm 28 and I've been on the pill for 12 years). This made me decide to look into the side effects of my birth control which just happens to be...AVIANE (I didn't even know the name - that's how aware I was.) This is starting to sound like beating a dead horse, but I was on Alesse for 10 years with NO problems whatsoever. From 2006-2008 I was put on a generic form because I was under military healthcare. They basically gave me whatever generic they had "in stock" that day so I didn't even stay on a consistent generic birth control, which is bad news. I just thought I was turning into a crazy, emotional bitch who hated life because I moved away from my home and family for my husband's military career. I actually learned to make peace and manage it...until the hair loss. Call it vanity but that's where I draw the line. This part is key: I didn't see the consistent hair loss until I got on a steady stream of AVIANE. Once my husband got out of the military, I went to a regular obgyn but opted for the generic form of Alesse (so the say) just to save money (at the time I still haven't put it together that it's the bc that's been making me unhappy.) I've been on just AVIANE since July 2008 and started noticing hair loss around September 2008, have seen no regrowth and I think it's getting worse. That search led me here and I am so glad it did - on top of the balding, the last few months I have been moodier than normal, have small fits of rage (that fade quickly, thank god), have been mildly depressed and unable to really enjoy life, I've gained about 5 pounds without a lifestyle/diet/exercise change, I've had more cystic acne (although daily exfoliation has helped this immensely) and lo and behold, 2 days into the placebo week and I feel GREAT. I have one more week on this month's pack - I'm making a doctor's appointment on Monday and I am DONE with AVIANE.