Cause of hair loss - lithium? stress? thyroid issues?

I am 27 and I have been taking lithium at different doses for three years now.  I have not had a blood level drawn recently and will be doing so shortly, but if my hair loss cannot be explained by thyroid issues, i was wondering whether it is more likely to be a problem with the lithium or a problem with stress.  I remember one occasion before I started taking lithium, during my first year of law school, when I remember seeing a thin spot on the front of my hair line. The issue righted itself thereafter.  I have raised and lowered my lithium levels a numberr of times over the past three years, always in small increments, and those changes neverr seem to have made a difference to my hair, at least.  Within the past year I have graduated from law school, moved from baltimore to new orleans, taken 2 months to find a job, had to leave that job to go study for the bar exam, and taken the bar exam.  So my stress levels have been a tad high.  If this is an emotional stress issue i'm not worried - i know my hair will grow back.  But if it is a lithium issue I really want to know because for me, i'm on a low enough dose now that it just isn't worth having all my hair fall out.  Nothing could be more depressing/more likely to cause more emotional stress.  Do you think you can make a vague sort of answer from what I've told you?

Thank you So much!

[Alan Rockoff, MD]

To my knowledge, lithium doesn't cause lasting hair loss, so I don't think the levels in your blood are relevant.  Stress is a possible cause, as is the early manifestations of genetic hair thinning.  When you get a chance, you should se a doctor in person to look into this.

Best.

Dr. Rockoff