I know some people complain of hair loss.

I was wondering if anyone thought lamictal or lexapro was the cause. Mine has thinned considerably , right in the front hairline. Irritating because i have a lot in the back.

I am peri-menipausal, so this could be the cause as well.

[Crazy Hitch]

Actually come to think of it - my hair thinned out (generally) when I was on Lithium.

I hadn't thought of that for a while.

It was prone to breakages, that was my main issue at the time.

I think I went on a general multivitamin at the time. Can't say I remember if it worked, but just wanted to throw it out there that you are not alone.

I hope this resolves soon

[HALLIEBETH87]

Lamictal has caused hair thinning a lot for me

[~Christina]

Yep Lamictal for sure ! one of the reasons I tossed it in the bin. My anorexia isn't helping matters. I was in a bad episode recently.

I have started a pre natal vitamin it should help some and I also got some good quality Argon Oil to massage into my scalp every other day.

Sorry your having this problem... Its terrible for sure !

[BipolaRNurse]

I've lost a ton of hair since I've been on Lamictal and Geodon. I get drain-squirrels every time I wash my hair. I also wonder how it is that I am not bald. But you'd never know it to look at me---I still have lots of hair and it's really long.

Thanks everyone for answers. If it stops or reverses, I am fine with it. It is annoying because it is right in the d--- front.

I am going to take a more vitamins and I heard biotin is good.I also bought Rogaine for women!

[BeyondtheRainbow]

Centrum Silver helps. Also biotin and selenium supplements. If it is significant enough you want to try there are shampoos that can help. I used Nioxin but my stylist said that it no longer contains the active ingredient (DHT) that it had back then. She said it wasn't as good but it still gets good reviews. There are other DHT shampoos out there. It made a huge difference for me (my hair came out on depakote then I had lithium toxicity for months before we caught a high level thanks to vomiting all the time and that screwed up my thyroid so the combination of 3 was leaving me receding patches along my scalp line). Then when it was growing back in I started menopause and had a gyn procedure and that caused me to start to lose hair again and that time the vitamins fixed it. I'm well into menopause and post-hysterectomy now and my hair is different but not falling out anymore (I'm also off lithium and have no idea what effect that's having).

Thanks! ^

Originally Posted by BipolaRNurse

...drain-squirrels...

Gotta remember THAT one!

I noticed more shedding being on Lamictal too. Noticed it upon starting, so something there. It's from all over, no one place. It's not dreadful though, as my hair is ridiculously (annoyingly) thick. Does seem to vary. I'm currently in a shedding spell. Woof! There are age factors at play too. I remember the first time a hairdresser brought out thinning shears. Chomp! Chomp! Chomp! Woohoo! Chomp me more, you!

If it wasn't already so annoyingly thick, I might be bothered a bit about it though. Keeping up against the gray though? That's my battle. Grrr! Can't blame the meds for that though... (Good thing they aren't the culprits, or there would be serious compliance issues(!))

[pinkviolet]

Lamictal has also caused me hair loss but since we reduced my dose my half it is not as much anymore.

Bipolar, Rapid Cycling with Psychotic Épisodes
PTSD, Borderline, Chronic Anxiety and Depression
Fibromyalgia

Originally Posted by ValentinaVVV

I know some people complain of hair loss.

I was wondering if anyone thought lamictal or lexapro was the cause. Mine has thinned considerably , right in the front hairline. Irritating because i have a lot in the back.

I am peri-menipausal, so this could be the cause as well.

Mine fell out like crazy on depakote, and then when I went to lamictal it slowed down. I think part of it was a bodily trauma reaction to my psychotic break, as I didn't get my period for three months either. Now it's a little thinner but I no longer have to dig out chunks of hair from my drain.

[thecrankyone]

I've never taken lithium, but I've been on lamictal for years and never lost any more hair than normal.

[CopperStar]

I know someone who takes large biotin dosages daily, picks it up at Walmart and has it as part of her vitamin routine. Her hair thinning was not caused by medication to my knowledge, but rather by decades of bleaching it, poor nutrition and then reaching middle age and teetering in and out of beginning menopause. However it does work for her. It's one of the few 'home remedy' type things that I have ever actually seen work.

Gonna pick some biotin up. Thanks.^

[Cocosurviving]

I'll have to keep an eye on that. I wear my hair in braids so I don't have my hair out to comb daily. When I take it down to wash it, it feels thick. Hair comes out which I believe to be a normal amount. I'll definitely start the vitamins just in case.

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[meganb22]

I take both medications and I haven't noticed any hair loss. I have been on Lexapro for 5+ years and Lamictal for several months.

[electricbipolargirl]

Try Selenium supplements. I have thin hair already and Lamictal was making it fall out. We recently lowered the dose to 100 mgs and I still had hair loss but definitely not as much as when I was on 200 mgs. I also started Selenium and it is really helping. Very inexpensive, too. Worth a shot.

[BeyondtheRainbow]

One thing about the supplements is to be prepared to need them for a long time. I had to take them for over 2 years until my hair was done revolting from gyn surgery and altered hormones (I had a Mirena IUD that screwed with my whole body) but now it's been another year and I'm fine without them. It just takes a while for your body to work through it all. If you stop too soon you'll notice the hair falling out again. IT's not a quick fix unfortunately but as someone mentioned it's pretty cheap, especially if you take a multi-vitamin anyway and just change it to the Silver version and add the biotin and selenium which are both cheap. There are vitamin mixes that claim to help hair but are expensive and have the same ingredients.

Thanks for sharing everyone.

Sorry for the double post. I just wanted to report that I bought biotin pills and they taste and smell horrible! Yuck!

I may try another approach. LOL