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Lamictal and Hair Loss

Tue, 02/01/2005 - 11:33

Hi everyone,

I was just wondering if anyone has experienced some hair lossor knows of a connection between hair loss and Lamictal? As i recently increased my dosage of Lamictal to 500mg a day, and i'm finding that i'm losing a lot more hair than usual especially when washing it. Any advice anyone can give me would be great!!!

Thanks Robyn.

Comments

Re: Lamictal and Hair Loss

Submitted by evansjl on Sun, 2008-05-11 - 02:23
Back 30 years ago when I started having seizures, my hair did not grow for almost 2 years. My Dr's at that time did not relate the two and had no belief what so ever that my epilepsy had anything to do with it.  My hair is still not any longer than my neck because it does not grow past there without getting to thick to manage.  I understand what you are going through.  I have been on every seizure drug their is with the exeception of maybe 2 and though I don't remember a loss of hair while on lamictal it does not mean it did not happen.  I truely believe that what your hair does is a mirror for your entire body.  I have seen this happen with people with other illness as well.  You need to shake these Dr's sometimes because many will see the hair loss as a small side effect and the the bigger problem that it is.

Re: Lamictal and Hair Loss

Submitted by cathyafwife on Mon, 2008-06-02 - 16:11

Im new to Lamictal and not seeing any problems yet but I have lost my hair twice due to medical issues and I used a shampoo/cond. combo called Nioxin, its a bit pricey but it strips junk from your hair and it really does help it regrow and thicken some and when you quit using it your hair wont fall back out like with Rogain and such, might wanna have them check your thyroid at your next check up, that can cause hair loss as well.

 

Good Luck!

Cathy

Im new to Lamictal and not seeing any problems yet but I have lost my hair twice due to medical issues and I used a shampoo/cond. combo called Nioxin, its a bit pricey but it strips junk from your hair and it really does help it regrow and thicken some and when you quit using it your hair wont fall back out like with Rogain and such, might wanna have them check your thyroid at your next check up, that can cause hair loss as well.

 

Good Luck!

Cathy

Re: Lamictal and Hair Loss

Submitted by bellarena on Wed, 2008-06-18 - 12:28

I'm so glad I found this site.  I feel like I finally have proof that Lamictal is the cause of my hair loss.  I'm not even sure how long ago I was prescribed this drug, but I'm taking 300mgs a day.  I know it's been over a year, because I remember being upset last year on Mother's Day, because I was afraid that the hair loss was noticiable.

I started noticing my hair thinning out probably within a month of taking it.  I was really confused by this, because I actually had a mini hair transplant in the 90's.  My hair is thin all the way around, thanks to Mom, and I was young and insecure by it.  I went to see a specialist and he suggested I try a very small graft in the area that was concerning me and maybe the added thickness would alleviate my stress over it.  Wish I hadn't even bothered, as I now know that I didn't have a problem and just flushed my $$ away.  However, that hair is permanent, that is, until I started taking Lamictal.  The hair seemed to start thinning very quickly.  After a year of this, I knew something was off.  It seemed to even be too much for genetic hair loss.  It was quick and drastic.  I finally went to my general doc a few months ago and he ran every test known to mankind, and I was fine.  Thyroid, Lupus, everything.  I went to my dermatologist.  She did the same thyroid tests.  In fact, my thyroid is tested every year.  Fine.

I was suspicous of the Lamicatal in the very beginning of this, because I could really see that it was the only thing I had done differentely when the hair started falling out.  I thought maybe it was stress, but I don't believe that now.  I asked the doc who prescribes me this and he read the side effects out of the pharmacology book and said it wasn't a side effect.  I went home and searched it online, but I must have typed something else in, because I got very few hits, but there were sites that said this was a side effect. 

I now have a spot in the front of my head, including my hair line, that is almost bald.  No exaggeration there.  This is more like alopecia.  The hair in my front hairline has actually fallen out.  I believed my doc at first and started using Rogaine.  I waited out the shedding period that you experience with this drug, but my hair loss has only increased.  There is NO new hair growing in that area.  I've now stopped the Rogaine as I realized this wasn't the problem or solution.

I believe it really is the Lamictal, and I'm wondering if the hair will grow back.  Again, keep in mind that I had permanent hair transplanted there and it is gone, so that's REALLY a good sign that something is happening.  I asked a specialist about the transplanted hair and that should NOT happen.  I'm starting to believe that the Lamictal is the only thing that can be causing this.  I don't know about you, but I'm calling my doc today and seeing about changing my meds. 

I will keep coming here and post on my progress and see if my hair grows back.  Lamictal has been a really good drug for me all around, and I hate to stop taking it, but if there are other options out there, then I don't think the trade-off is worth it.  I want hair.

 

 

   

I'm so glad I found this site.  I feel like I finally have proof that Lamictal is the cause of my hair loss.  I'm not even sure how long ago I was prescribed this drug, but I'm taking 300mgs a day.  I know it's been over a year, because I remember being upset last year on Mother's Day, because I was afraid that the hair loss was noticiable.

I started noticing my hair thinning out probably within a month of taking it.  I was really confused by this, because I actually had a mini hair transplant in the 90's.  My hair is thin all the way around, thanks to Mom, and I was young and insecure by it.  I went to see a specialist and he suggested I try a very small graft in the area that was concerning me and maybe the added thickness would alleviate my stress over it.  Wish I hadn't even bothered, as I now know that I didn't have a problem and just flushed my $$ away.  However, that hair is permanent, that is, until I started taking Lamictal.  The hair seemed to start thinning very quickly.  After a year of this, I knew something was off.  It seemed to even be too much for genetic hair loss.  It was quick and drastic.  I finally went to my general doc a few months ago and he ran every test known to mankind, and I was fine.  Thyroid, Lupus, everything.  I went to my dermatologist.  She did the same thyroid tests.  In fact, my thyroid is tested every year.  Fine.

I was suspicous of the Lamicatal in the very beginning of this, because I could really see that it was the only thing I had done differentely when the hair started falling out.  I thought maybe it was stress, but I don't believe that now.  I asked the doc who prescribes me this and he read the side effects out of the pharmacology book and said it wasn't a side effect.  I went home and searched it online, but I must have typed something else in, because I got very few hits, but there were sites that said this was a side effect. 

I now have a spot in the front of my head, including my hair line, that is almost bald.  No exaggeration there.  This is more like alopecia.  The hair in my front hairline has actually fallen out.  I believed my doc at first and started using Rogaine.  I waited out the shedding period that you experience with this drug, but my hair loss has only increased.  There is NO new hair growing in that area.  I've now stopped the Rogaine as I realized this wasn't the problem or solution.

I believe it really is the Lamictal, and I'm wondering if the hair will grow back.  Again, keep in mind that I had permanent hair transplanted there and it is gone, so that's REALLY a good sign that something is happening.  I asked a specialist about the transplanted hair and that should NOT happen.  I'm starting to believe that the Lamictal is the only thing that can be causing this.  I don't know about you, but I'm calling my doc today and seeing about changing my meds. 

I will keep coming here and post on my progress and see if my hair grows back.  Lamictal has been a really good drug for me all around, and I hate to stop taking it, but if there are other options out there, then I don't think the trade-off is worth it.  I want hair.

 

 

   

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