hair loss with lamictal

Question

This is kind of off topic but I really need help with this. I'm going through a really horrible time right now--it's been a horrific year for me. First, all of a sudden my lexapro stopped working, and I was on topamax and went through the most dangerous and destructive depression ever. In June I went on Wellbutrin and Lamictal. My grandmother who I was best friends with died rather suddenly. I am so emotionally exhausted and my life feels like it's falling apart. I could go on and on. I do have female pattern baldness, but all of a sudden, since July, my hair has been falling out in huge clumps. I have huge areas of scalp showing, a big bald spot on the back of my head and the back of my scalp is red and inflammed. I am soooooo depressed and anxious. I even joined the Hair Club and spent a fortune on their EXT program. I keep reading that Rogaine won't work if your hair loss is caused by medication, which I asked the Hair Club and got a totally different answer from someone who's worked there for 11 years. Is there an antidepressant and bipolar medication that does not have these side effects? Seriously, in a couple of months I will look like I had chemo. In addition, I have this big area of scalp tenderness and it is red and hurts to even touch. Please help.

slr1122 · Answer

Hello, I was started on Lamotrigine April 2020. I look back at photos and my hair was still shiny and full. Fast forward to October 2021 and 300 mg of this med. My hair is thin and brittle. I'd say that my hair started falling out significantly about 6 months ago. I went to see two dermatologists who prescribed me Finasteride. I certainly think it's helped a tiny bit. I then started using Rogaine and again, I see some baby hairs growing in the front of my head. But what good do any of these medications do for helping my hair grow back if I continue taking Lamotrigine. I'm worried about what will happen once I stop taking it. But I can't deal with losing my hair. I suffer greatly from insecurities. I can hide my chubby body by wearing baggy clothes. But I can't hid my brittle thin hair. Please note - my doctor has performed every blood culture he can. There's nothing else to explain this. I've sent a message to the doctor advising her that I want to taper off. We'll see how this goes.

DA3411 · Answer

Hello, I know this thread is quite old but I'm hoping maybe with the passing time someone has found a solution. 

I too am in lamictal and it really works for my bipolar depression. BUT hair is falling out and that makes me even more depressed. I went off of it and it took awhile but eventually I crashed. I went back in it and boom hair falling out. 

I can't live with my fair falling out. 

To note I am Alison on seroquel Valium and Gabiapentin. None of those cause hair loss. I have to say about an hour after taking my 200mg oh the lamictal I feel great. But I won't take it because of the hair loss. 

Can anyone shed some light for me. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. 

DA

keepmyhair · Answer

Hi everyone, 
I too experience hair loss from Lamictal and other antidepressants. It is mading, I went to the dermatologist and they told me there is nothing they can do. It seems to fall out while takeing a shower. There is something about being in the water that exacterbates the problem. I searched the internet for days for a cure and here is what I found. Your hair loss can be caused by a lack of blood flow to your scalp. I believe that the medication somehow prohibits the blood flow to your scalp. Therefore it may be beneficial to increase the blood flow in the following way.
1st I have an inversion table and I invert myself upside down. In case you don't know what and inversion table is I found a YouTube clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYbT9M6KaO0
Then I massage my scalp, you tube video below
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mp_97Dq5GSA
I wash my hair in tepid water so as not to open up the pores and allow hair to come out in the shower, and gingerly comb it. I also take Ginkgo Biloba to help increase blood flow.
My hair doesn't seem to fall out at any other time but in the shower. This system I developed seems to help. I washed my hair the other day and about 250 hairs fell out. Then in a panic I searched the internet, did the things I mentioned and washed my hait today and about 10 hairs fell out. I am no doctor and I am unsure this will help, but it seems to help me and has worked in the past with other drugs I have taken.
I hope this helps, I feel your pain and can relate real time! 
*The above you tube clips are random and I am unassociated with the people in them

meek99 · Answer

Ive been on lamictal and it has worked soooo well for me for 6 years. When im on 100 mg i dont notice hair loss. 150mg tons of hair globs so thank God i have thick hair. Try the vitamin celenium..

meek99 · Answer

Ive been on lamictal and it has worked soooo well for me for 6 years. When im on 100 mg i dont notice hair loss. 150mg tons of hair globs so thank God i have thick hair. Try the vitamin celenium..

jude0128 · Answer

Hello. Just want to let you know  Lamitcal can be a major reason for hair loss.  That's exactly what I am experiencing with that drug. My hair is falling and thining out alot!  I've been on MANY seizure medications, and had the brain surgery itself of it but neither were a success. I've obviously experienced all kinds of panic and stress, however at this particular time in life I have been very very calm and happy. I was back into the stress and upsetness due the hair loss from the lamictal they have now had me on!  My doctor's nurse just said that is NOT one of the side effects so I have made another appt with him because it most certainly IS the factor and I want off.  I hope we can both change this for ourselves!!  Good luck with everything.

evenkeel368 · Answer

I, like another commenter, am bipolar and had to change from lithium (after 18 years) to lamictal eight months ago because of thyroid problems and concern that kidney problems would follow.  Lamictal has been a great drug, but in the last month my hair has thinned noticeably and my hairline is receding. I am also taking Zoloft, Wellbutrin, and Invega, so this drug "cocktail" could be the culprit in the hair thinning.  In addition, I started a new job four months ago and went through about 2 months of much increased stress, and some people have written to say stress can cause hair loss. I am going to try the Centrum Silver and biotin together and see if I can't get my old hair back.

katylin · Answer

Hair Loss With Lamotrigine (Lamictal) Treatment  (more)

Months ago someone asked me, on Bipolar World's "Ask-a-doc" page, about whether lamotrigine causes hair loss. At the time I had trouble finding much to go on, to answer that question. It is listed (at the less than 1% level) in the prescribing information from the manufacturer.

But now comes a very clear report of the phenomenon in a respected journal. (Hillemacher) This augments the numerous reports one can find online (e.g. Googling lamotrigine hair loss). It does seem clear that lamotrigine can be associated with substantial hair loss.

The same vitamins which have been recommended for valproate (Depakote)-associated hair loss (as that medication is well-known to cause this problem) were suggested informally by one person who felt they had helped: selenium and zinc, which can be found together in the (expensive) vitamin called Centrum Silver.

http://www.psycheducation.com/2006/08/hair-loss-with-lamotrigine-lamictal.html

katylin · Answer

Anticonvulsants/Mood Stabilizers

These drugs were initially used only for seizure disorders. The following anticonvulsants are now prescribed frequently in the treatment of bipolar disorder and other selected forms of depression:

    * Carbamazepine (Tegretol®)
    * Divalproex (Depakote®)
    * Gabapentin (Neurontin®)
    * Lamotrigine (Lamictal®)
    * Topiramate (Topamax®)
Hello. I am doing some homework, I read this... 

Anticonvulsants tend to cause hyperinsulinemia (elevated insulin in the blood) and increased appetite leading to weight gain. Hyperinsulinemia also results in increased testosterone, which causes a risk to women on these medications for development of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (POS). Polycystic ovary syndrome can cause weight gain, male pattern baldness, increased facial hair, skin tags, acne, infertility, high blood pressure, abnormal lipid levels, and heart disease.

I know that  hyperinsulinemia is also caused by too much sugar, and high stress. I have worked very hard to reduce both of these for myself, and as I was looking into medications, in particular lamictal, I wanted to know all of its side effects. 
K

insearchforanswers · Answer

I am a 29 year old female with epilepy.  I had seizures when I was eight for a couple of months due to a head trauma.  The seizures stopped for 20 years and I recently relapsed due to stress.  I began treatment, in which my neurologist put me on 100 mg of Lamictal back in Oct. 2007. I started noticing my hair falling out more than usual.  Within 2 months, I had patchy baldness.  My hair has always been full and thick, and now its patchy, breaks easily and the follicle is very thin.  I am so afraid to brush it for fear what I will see.  It started normalizing after a few months, but the patchy baldness remains.  I recently had to increase my dosage, and it started falling out again.  It's very embarrassing since it seems to fall out everywhere.  I don't take any other medicine other than birth control, so I am convinced it is the Lamictal.

MNash · Answer

I'm just now getting around to searching for information related to lamictal and hair loss.  I'm sorry to hear about all your troubles.  I hope you are doing better now.  I began taking Lamictal about 2 years ago.  I started noticing hair loss when I finally worked my way up to taking 100mg a day.  I hit a point about a year ago when I thought I would be able to go off the Lamictal.  A few months later it seemed like I was seeing more new hair growth.  I eventually had to go back on Lamictal and I think it is a wonderful drug but the hair loss started again.  I too have seen suggestions of selenium, zinc, and biotin and am going to give them a try.  I have seen some comments on another community that hairloss is not a side effect of Lamictal and you may hear that regarding other psychiatric drugs.  My suggestion to anyone who takes any type of drug is to always read your package insert or patient leaflet that comes with your medication to see what side effects are possible with your medications (look in the sections for adverse events or side effects).  If the patient leaflet or package insert is not with your medication, ask your pharmacist or doctor.  They should be able to give you some information or find the information on the internet or the drug company's website and print it out for you.  Remember too that you can still have side effects that may not yet be known.  You know your body best.  If something doesn't feel right then ask.

amyp9377 · Answer

I hope things are getting better for you, you are in my thoughts.. I noticed you took topomax.  I experience terrible hair loss on this and unfortunately, from what I hear it last for a good nine months after stopping.  The good news is I see new hair growth coming in.  I take a hair,skin and nail vitamin, selenium and zinc.  Seems to be helping. I was also using Nioxin but I gave that up.  This is why I am questioning lamactil.  I don't want to start this again.  A few years back I also experienced alopecia (3 bald as a baby's butt spots on my head).  This was clearly from stress (actually happened after the stressful period was over).  

Best regards,
Amy

AshleyBaker · Answer

Hi. I'm so sorry for your loss. That hurts! I had a huge amount of hairloss. But it wasn't from the bipolar meds, instead, it started when my blood pressure medication increased.  My thyroid was checked and everything is okay with that. Most recently, I have lost some weight and my blood pressure medicine has been cut in half. My hairloss is to a minimum. My doctors also checked my vitamin and mineral levels in my blood. I was found to have a deficiency in vit. D. I'm not sure if that causes hairloss, but it causes a number of other things. Also stress can cause hairloss.

Hope that helps some.

You're in my thoughts and prayers.

Ash

mamasan1953 · Answer

My daughter of 16 years is on 200mg Lamictal a day. She has had no problem with hair loss but has gained over 30 pounds... I'm thinking it just depends on the individual as to what side effects it has... But other than the weight she has been doing great....

amyp9377 · Answer

Thanks. I did have blood test when loosing my hair on topomax, all was clear. I read from some others about biotin, selenium and zinc. So I will give the lamactil a try and see if I avoid this awful side affect. Thanks for your comments.

xanweaner · Answer

I've been on lamactil 50 mg. or a bit less since about 2004. I do have hair loss, but it's  more like thinning - I used to have very thick hair. However, others drugs that I take could also be a factor, so I can't exactly pinpoint it to the lamactil.
Good luck - I also agree with others to see a dermatologist, report this to the treating physician and get an up-to-date blood test to rule out any other deficiencies.

amyp9377 · Answer

I noticed most of the comments were from 2007.  I was wondering if any of you could comment on any hair loss currently?  I took topomax and had a lot of hair loss.  I just started lamictal and am very fearful of the same result.  Can any of you who have been taking it for quite some time comment?
Thanks!

shawn47 · Answer

i'm sorry about your Grandmother, tashi.  I had some hair loss, too.  Drugs plus extreme stress can make one's hair fall out.  Don't hit me -- scalp bugs can cause your hair to fall.  I hope you feel better.  shawn

kris123 · Answer

I am on this drug taking 300mcg and never had this problem - ck you thyroid (sp) hypothyroid cause big time hair loss

DLA · Answer

Have you seen a dermatologist about the hair loss.  To me it sounds like there is something else going on if you have red inflamed areas.  Think you need to do that first.  Would also make sure they check your thyroid levels as this can make hair fall out like a chemo patients.

roscoe230 · Answer

I have been on lamatical and wellubtrin for a while and have no hair lost sytpoms mine seems to growing alot faster

Persephone69 · Answer

I currently am on Lamictal and Wellbutrin and have not experienced hair loss.  However, a couple of years ago I was on a variety of medications including Zoloft, Xanax, Trazadone and Clonapin and noticed the hair loss.  I went from having thick hair to very thin and brittle.  My hair is finally starting to thicken up.  Has your doctor said anything about the combination of medication that you may be taking? Best of luck to you.

jessieann · Answer

I haven't heard of hair loss as a side effect of Lamictal. My best friend has been on it for years and has not had a problem. I also know others on it including my 13 year old son. Let me tell you, it has been a miracle drug for him. I'm sorry for your loss and I hope that you can find some solutions for the hair loss. Take care.