Community Forum Archive

Keppra & Hair Loss

Wed, 03/14/2007 - 23:45

I am on Keppra for Migraines that I have had for 16 years. I also take Topamax, but the only medication that helps is the Keppra. I am currently on 1000mg twice daily with my goal dose being 3000mg per day. Just recently, (this past month), my hair has begun to come out in clumps as I brushed it. I am 31 y/o, a mother of 4, and I have shoulder length hair. Does this eventually stabilize? Will it only get worse? I'm not sure if I should just stop the Keppra as my Neuro has suggested, (for the hair loss), or hope that it will eventually find an equilibrium. Please any input! I'm ready to shave my head and keep on taking the Keppra!

Comments

I am a 59 year old woman who

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 22:11

I am a 59 year old woman who always had a great head of hair. Unfortunately I’ve had some severe seizures (almost died several times now where I had code blued 7 times in past two years)I am on 1000 kepra twice a day for approximately 9 months. My hair is very long. Past the bra strap. And the past few months literally I am shedding hair like crazy. I’ve always prided myself on my hair. I feel like it’s the only thing that really makes me kinda attractive If anyone can suggest a sure fire fix for shedding...like the best brand of shampoo they found...vitamins etc. I’ve recently (2-3 weeks ago) started taking Women’s One a Day and 5000 strength of biotin. I notice the hair I have (thank God) does look shinier and more...bouncy? Not sure that’s the right word but I am still shedding like a sheep in heat As you can probably tell...my sense of humor has been quite affected as well I’m so sorry for those of you who have already suffered the hair loss too...They can send a man to the moon BUT they can’t make meds that do not have side effects sadly I wish you all a day that is better than yesterday...God bless and thank you in advance for ANY help at all xoxo

I am a 59 year old woman who

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 22:34

I’m the same way! Been on 1 a

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 22:34

I’m the same way! Been on 1 a day vitamin and biotin 5000 for about a month and not helped a bit so far:( I’m on 1000 keppra a day but I’m gonna cut myself back to once a day...and say a bunch of prayers I don’t have another seizure...Wish I had a good idea for you. I’m sorry you’re going thru this :(

I am a 59 year old woman who

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 22:42

I’m the same way! Been on 1 a

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 22:42

Oh honey I’m so sorry this is

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 22:42

Oh honey I’m so sorry this is happening to you. Same thing with me:( like we don’t have enough worries with the darn seizures...now we have to worry about our hair. I’m definitely not a good looking woman but I have always prided myself on my hair...and now I don’t even have that. And I’m just not a wig type of gal...I’m gonna keep everyone here in my prayers...and I truly hate to say this but...because of my severe chronic pain issues...seizures and lack of relief for my pain due to this opioid crisis... I’ve been taken off the fentanyl patch that did at least help...but now my health has finally caused me to re-think my belief in a God... :(. It’s not entirely gone...for now I just say that I’m mad at God...AND you have to believe in him....to be upset with him...

I am a 59 year old woman who

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 22:46

I’m the same way! Been on 1 a

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 22:46

Oh honey I’m so sorry this is

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 22:46

Same for me krissy...exactly

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 22:46

Same for me krissy...exactly the same story...I’m truly sorry :(I’m on the one a day multi vitamin and 5000 biotin once a day. Been on it for about a month and hair seems shinier and bouncier...but I’m still shedding like frickin crazy:( I promise I’ll come back and share if I find out ANYTHING to help... :(

I am a 59 year old woman who

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 22:51

I’m the same way! Been on 1 a

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 22:51

Same for me krissy...exactly

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 22:51

Honey I said almost the same

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 22:51

Honey I said almost the same darn thing!How the heckkk can they send a man to the moon but they can’t create freakin meds that don’t cause HORRIBLE side effects?BTW...I’m not yelling at you with the caps...I’m older and my 13 year old grandson warned me that caps mean your yelling. And I’m yelling because of our stupid situation. And you are TOTALLY correct. Your my favorite post. I just wish so badly that we didn’t have to be on a website like this :(I sure hope your hair heals honey. Please let us know if you find anything that helps. XOXO

Oh honey I’m so sorry this is

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 22:51

I am a 59 year old woman who

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 23:33

I’m the same way! Been on 1 a

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 23:33

Oh honey I’m so sorry this is

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 23:33

Same for me krissy...exactly

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 23:33

OMG you sound like my long

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 23:33

OMG you sound like my long lost twin honey. I’m 59. At 17 I was a passenger in a car wreck that broke my back. 23 years ago the daily pain I had always had since the wreck...got even worse. And it was a new type of pain. I figured I had just done too much. Well-after 4-6 weeks of suffering my husband found me sobbing while I was mopping the floor...we had a back X-ray and found out that the hardware of the Harrington rods they had put in my back had broken away from their original placement...You should see my X-ray. It literally looks like pick up sticks cos nuts and bolts are all over my back. They can’t remove them surgically because nerves and scar tissue have grown around the hardware...The supposed best neurologist surgeon in my area said he would literally have to dig the hardware out and I’d probably end up in a wheelchair :(. So 23-ish years ago they put me on everything from ultram to OxyContin...either I was high as a kite puking or no relief... :( Finally after 3ish years of being basically a lab rat....they put me on the fentanyl patch. My god I’ll never ever forget the first day I had a patch on...I was at a restaurant with my cousin...I still remember looking at the wooden chair we would have to sit on...no comfy booths were available. I didn’t say a word to my cousin but I knew I’d pay for sitting on that hard chair while we had dinner...I swear I’ll never ever forget this feeling...but about 20 minutes into the meal I literally looked at my cousin and started to cry...it was one of those good cries...because I realized.... I DIDNT HAVE PAIN?!?! I couldnt wait to get home and tell my family. Well 6-7 months ago I was weaned off the level 75 fentanyl patch...that’s not a very high dose for someone on fentanyl for 15 years!?!?I been with the same pain doctor for 12-13 years...I have never ever never...failed a urine test NOR a med count. BUT because some people abuse/sell their medication...I have to pay the price :(I know my pain specialist really likes me...his MA and I met at another dr I was going to and when he relocated...she brought me with her to the current doc...I’ve known her for 15 years...she has met my hubby son and grandson...we never leave each other without saying “love you “ ....BUT my pain doctor loves his license and his wife more :( Anddd I don’t blame him one tiny bit...I have been on a newer med called Belbuca and of course it helps a bit...but I’m never lower than a level 5-6 pain scale. I just do not understand why in the world can they send a man to the moon but they cannot create a medicine for they only genuine chronic pain? I am not one of those people that are conspiracy theorist… But… Are they not finding relief for us with chronic pain… On purpose?I’m so sorry for the rambling. I post my story for a few reasons. I hope it helps someone else out there… Whether they know they are not alone or whether it makes them think maybe their story is not as bad as it could be.The selfish reason I shared this story? I literally say prayers that hopefully a doctor or medical practitioner will see my story and somehow help me… Another reason I was so drawn to your story is because sometimes the patch would peel off of my crêpe skin. I’m getting older and my skin is wrinkly...If the patch came off… No matter how I taped it back on-it never worked as well as it did if it stayed in place. With the new opiate crisis my doctor could not order me another patch a few times a year when they came off… So I would go through the most horrible withdrawals you can imagine. :( Sometimes when I was in with drawl… I would have seizures that landed me in the emergency room. One very very nice nurse practitioner told me that my withdrawals were absolutely much much worse than a heroin addict. Because I was on fentanyl which is stronger than heroin anyway and I hand fentanyl every day…for over a decade. She sad when I had to go through with drawls it was as close to death as you could get… And still live. :(But I’m off the fentanyl now and I have mixed emotions about even going back On it if a doctor would even trust me enough to put me back on it…At least with the fentanyl my pain level would go down to a number two to a number four… But I don’t think mentally I could live with the sheer terror that the patch would come off again and I would have to go through with drawls… I am pretty sure at my age I would not be able to survive more with drawls. :(I’m pretty much hopeless...for the 43 years I’ve had pain...I always felt like eventually the medical field would come up with something...but I’m pretty much realizing...their not...I truly hope that everyone here finds help... thank you all for sharing your experiences and thoughts...

Honey I said almost the same

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 23:33

Re: Keppra & Hair Loss

Submitted by Lughnasagh on Thu, 2013-04-25 - 23:57

Hi keeler, I know this thread is ancient but I'm wondering what happened with your hairloss? I've lost a lot of hair with keppra, body hair too. Strangley my eyelashes came back in about six months ago but I've been completely off it for three months and it's still falling out (although maybe less so, it's hard to tell because I've so much less hair). I was on the stuff for seven years. I hope you got sorted, blessings

To the Big Pharmaceutical

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2015-04-29 - 09:56

To the Big Pharmaceutical Companies These pharmaceutical companies make billions and yet they let us take there pills and we lose hair by the handfuls "Did they not know this"? Did they not do tests on people ??I had long thick hair and now it's lank and thin, why are we not told this in the first place thatKeppra can make our hair fall out by the handful, now find us some decent drug that stops harming us.Hope this finds you as it leaves me, Moulting by the handful Win

To the Big Pharmaceutical

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2015-04-29 - 09:59

Can someone delete the other

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2015-04-29 - 09:59

Can someone delete the other 2 please

To the Big Pharmaceutical

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2015-04-29 - 10:01

Can someone delete the other

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2015-04-29 - 10:01

Can someone delete the other 2 please

It keeps coming up twice more

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2015-04-29 - 10:01

It keeps coming up twice more, sorry

Re: Keppra & Hair Loss

Submitted by GetBackJack on Thu, 2007-03-15 - 02:30

Hey, worried about the meds huh? That's understandable, Keppra is not know for causing hair loss, but everybody reacts differently to medication (it's important you keep taking your meds, until your neurologist says otherwise) What I would do if I were you is tell your neurologist your concern about the medication, and perhaps see if you can get a dermatologist to do a hair biopsy. I don't think they'll be able to tell if it's definitely the meds, but if it is'nt that at least...perhaps you can catch what else it could be. If I'm not mistaken stuff like asprin can cause some serious bleeding in some people, but it's rare...so, I can't really tell you what the side effects are-talk to your doctor if you're really worried!

Thank you so much!

Submitted by Me Love Bono on Mon, 2020-05-11 - 23:36

You help me a great deal because I did not even know they could do a hair biopsy! I am going to check into that tomorrow thank you thank you thank you from the bottom of my heart XOXO

Re: Keppra & Hair Loss

Submitted by quirky on Thu, 2007-03-15 - 09:41

hi keelerj keppra is not known for hair loss but topamax is for some people. I used to take keppra and I never had side effects of hair loss from it. I also take topamax. Been on it since May last year. My hair always did shed a bit but when I went on topamax, literally clumps of hair comes out of my head every day! Not losing hair, just more like shedding loads. Hair all over the pillow, all over the bedroom floor, bathroom,shower especially, hairbrush that kind of thing. But I'm certainly not going bald! I have thick mop of hair on my head :-) Just as well! I think it mught be the topamax your on. But then again, maybe I'm wrong? I hope you can get it sorted. I have been told to try conditioning my hair and keep it moistened. Take plenty of vitamins and minerals if not getting them from your regular diet. And water. Very good for you. Good luck!

Re: Re: Keppra & Hair Loss

Submitted by pinkangel_82 on Thu, 2007-03-15 - 10:40

Hello I agree with quirky. I have taken both keppra and topamax. During the years I was on keppra I had no hairloss at all but since being on topamax for the past year it has made me suffer with hairloss. The hairloss I am having is not in huge amounts just a bit more than usual every day but then my hair straighteners don't help either lol. So I would definately say it's topamax that is causing you the problem and not keppra for the hairloss. I know it is a nuisance and causes a little mess! lol I hope you can get it sorted with your Neurologist/GP. Good Luck! Pinkangel_82

Re: Re: Re: Keppra & Hair Loss

Submitted by shaheen on Thu, 2007-03-15 - 22:01

my daughter , 5 years, 16 kg, was on tegtetol and Topamax since the past year, but the Neurologist decrease gradually the Tegretol and today my daughter will start using Keppra, and really worry about the side effect ,some body told me that Keppra is used for children over 16 years and my daughter is 5 years old!! what i can do some times she got more than 20 seizures!!!!

Re: Re: Re: Re: Keppra & Hair Loss

Submitted by quirky on Fri, 2007-03-16 - 10:50

Hi Shaheen Keppra as far as I know is for 16 year olds upwards too. But I have heard of children being prescribed keppra younger than this. So I not sure about the age thing. Maybe you should speak to your doctor about this and possibly get a second opinion if so worried. As for the side effect of hair loss we have been discussing, I would not worry about it in my opinion. As far as I'm concerned, it has nothing to do with keppra :-)

Re: Keppra & Hair Loss

Submitted by beaniebabs on Sat, 2007-03-17 - 07:55

Hi i am on keppra and at the dose of 750mg twice a day my hair started to fall out so my meds have been decreased, it IS known that keppra causes hair loss... it can heppen with all of the meds. you need to have a lower dose of keppra and use it with a different med.it will get worse as you increase your dose, your body can only accept a certain an=mount of a particular drug and this is diferent for everybody, depending on weight, heigh, metabolism.. good luck emily :o) x x x

HI! I'm not sure if you'll

Submitted by skscv on Sat, 2019-05-11 - 17:25

HI! I'm not sure if you'll see this but did your hair loss improve by reducing the dose? I was on 1000mg 2x daily and noticed hair loss after several months. i don't come from a family that's balding, and i've never had hair loss before i began taking seizure meds last year. i've been taking briviact 50 mg 2x daily since march.

Re: Re: Keppra & Hair Loss

Submitted by TDavis on Wed, 2007-09-12 - 20:47

My daughter has been on Keppra for the past 3 years and I have noticed a significant hair loss. I am being told that it is not known that Keppra causes hair loss. unicom, how long have you been on the Keppra? Are you still experiencing hair loss. Ms. Davis

Hi there, sorry to hear

Submitted by bex on Fri, 2007-09-14 - 06:19

Hi there, sorry to hear about your hairloss, I know what its like but it got too much for me. I've been on Topomax since December last year and as soon as they started to increase my dose from 300mg to 400mg (the last 4 weeks) my hair loss has got really bad and it just falls out around me every where. From reading these comments - you all know what I mean. Having fine hair doesnt help and as I am starting to see white patches I went to see the Dr today as the neuro had said to monitor the hairloss. The dr has taken me straight back down to 300mg and added in some Keppra. I've been unable to function on the 400mg of Topomax so spaced out and like a drunk person and the Dr thinks its too much med for my frame and maybe 2 meds will be better. Am so bored of keep trying all these meds. HELP - Would appreciate some comments on how the Keppra and Topomax combination works for you and what doses your on as when I was on 2 aeds before it really didn't work out for me?? I really hope my hair stops falling out and Keppra doesnt also cause it to fall out. Best wishes all. Many thanks, Bex

Re: Keppra & Hair Loss

Submitted by gretat on Sun, 2007-09-23 - 17:33

Hi! Sorry about your hair loss. I am a 34-year-old woman and I can totally symphathize. My doc put me on Trileptal at 28 and my hair started coming out in clumps too, along with a 30-pound weight gain. (I had been on Depakote since 13 with no problems.) Now I am on Keppra 2000 mg for the past year with hair growing back in and lost the weight :) When I talked to my neurologist and endocrinologist about my hair loss, they both recommended the vitamins selenium and biotin (both good for hair and nails). You can buy them in any grocery store or drug store. My hair started growing back in after 4-6 months...hope this helps you!

Re: Re: Keppra & Hair Loss

Submitted by bex on Sun, 2007-10-07 - 09:00

Dear Greatat, Thanks for your advice, I currently take B vits and C, Omega 3 fish oil, and silica suplements and special shampoos and treatments for hair, but will give the biotin and selenium a try. I've gradually been increasing the Keppra to 1000mg with 300mg of topomax and my hairloss just seems to be getting really worse. I have fine hair and its so thin at the back with white patches, what with all the other side affects of the meds I really feel now the best way forward would be to come off the meds for a while and give my body a break. This is the 5th combo I have tried in a 2 year period and I think my small frame doesnt cope too well with all these meds. Have read a couple of books on alternative therapies and how you can try a low gi diet etc so maybe I should give that a try. Am due to see the neuro at the end of the month, a choice of going bald or have seizures, I'll take the seizures. They have suggested brain surgery before but feel like I need a rest for a while. Thanks again, I'll give it a go. Bex

Re: Keppra & Hair Loss

Submitted by Seruzies on Mon, 2007-09-24 - 00:17

Hmmm, that's it! I'll blame my hair loss on my meds! It's not that I'm getting older and losing my hair, it's these damn meds!

Re: Re: Keppra & Hair Loss

Submitted by spcsangel on Fri, 2007-10-12 - 10:33

my hair has been slowly falling out I thought it might be the keppra im on but then again dying hair blonde about once or twice a month I'm sure has to be the culprit .... I hope its not your meds...and your hair starts growing back.. love angel