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Old Wed Jan 27, 2016, 12:26 PM
Neil Cuadra Neil Cuadra is offline
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Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Los Angeles, California
Posts: 2,553
solitarymusic,

I'm sorry that you're suffering from such a strong side effect.

I assume that you're taking cyclosporine for a very good reason and need to be on an immunosuppressant. Did you have a bone marrow or organ transplant? Have you and your doctor discussed how long you'll likely need to take it? Lots of patients, including my wife when she was being treated, are happy to get off cyclosporine as soon as they can, but tapering it has to be done carefully.

Excessive hair growth, called hypertrichosis or hirsutism, is a known side effect of cyclosporine. The good news is that it lasts only as long as you're taking the drug. Once you're able to get off cyclosporine, the hair growth problem should disappear.

Many doctors concentrate on saving your life or preserving your health without giving a thought to your comfort, looks, or self-esteem. Your health comes first, of course, but we know that all of those things matter. It's worth telling your health professionals how important this issue is to you. The acne may need medical attention.

You could ask your doctor about the possibility of taking a different immunosuppressant. For example, this article is about patients with hirsutism benefiting from a switch from cyclosporine to tacrolimus. That article may be out of date, but your doctor may know what the latest research shows.
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