How to deal with hair loss from meds?

My hair is coming out from taking Lamictal, but without it I go off the deep end. Is there any way to prevent this from happening? I hate that I have to decide between sanity and vanity.

Tell your doctor about the side effect and perhaps switch to a different med.

I have read in my book from some doctor that there are some vitamins that can help. I don't remember what they were, but like eterea107 said, tell your doctor and start on them. I realize that everyone experiences different side effects with the same med. I have taken Lamictal for a while and I took lithium as well, I put the blame on Lithium for my hair thinning, but now if you say this, perhaps it could be Lamictal. I have already revamped all my meds and it's been really hard on me with my mood not being stable, so I'll have to wait on that med switch, if the doctor says it's ok.

I can imagine this is a very distressing side effect, TuesdayC and I'm very fortunate not to have had it- then again, I haven't taken Lamictal. All I can suggest is, like eterea and quietgirl, that you discuss it with your pdoc and perhaps change to another med if possible. Wishing you all the best of luck. I know what it's like to have to choose between sanity and vanity, as you aptly put it. Right now I'm struggling with weight gain from the two antipsychotics I'm on, but they were lifesavers during my mixed episode/psychotic break last year. Sending lots of hugs your way, if wanted.

In the hospital I met a guy who demanded to be taken off depakote, because his hair was just GOING. For me personally depakine made my beard thicker (no problems with that!), lithium made my hair curly (normally it's as straight as hair gets) and lamictal has absolutely no effect on my hair.

Seriously, psychiatry, get a grip.

Ennui wrote:I can imagine this is a very distressing side effect, TuesdayC and I'm very fortunate not to have had it- then again, I haven't taken Lamictal. All I can suggest is, like eterea and quietgirl, that you discuss it with your pdoc and perhaps change to another med if possible. Wishing you all the best of luck. I know what it's like to have to choose between sanity and vanity, as you aptly put it. Right now I'm struggling with weight gain from the two antipsychotics I'm on, but they were lifesavers during my mixed episode/psychotic break last year. Sending lots of hugs your way, if wanted.

I'm super surprised you've never been on lamictal it's like the first bipolar med doctors prescribe these days. Seroquel is so hardcore, it sent me to the hospital twice

TuesdayC wrote:

Ennui wrote:I can imagine this is a very distressing side effect, TuesdayC and I'm very fortunate not to have had it- then again, I haven't taken Lamictal. All I can suggest is, like eterea and quietgirl, that you discuss it with your pdoc and perhaps change to another med if possible. Wishing you all the best of luck. I know what it's like to have to choose between sanity and vanity, as you aptly put it. Right now I'm struggling with weight gain from the two antipsychotics I'm on, but they were lifesavers during my mixed episode/psychotic break last year. Sending lots of hugs your way, if wanted.

I'm super surprised you've never been on lamictal it's like the first bipolar med doctors prescribe these days. Seroquel is so hardcore, it sent me to the hospital twice

Yeah, I'm not sure why I haven't ever been on Lamictal, either. My current pdoc mentioned in passing that if we were to change my mood stabiliser, it would be to Lithium or Lamictal, but probably to Lithium. When I was first diagnosed about 15 years ago, I was put onto Carbamazepine/Tegretol as my mood stabiliser and it's the same one I'm still on today. Over the years, it's had to be combined with antipsychotics and/or antidepressants to treat individual mood episodes, and for many years I took it as a monotherapy.

Sorry you had such a rough time with Seroquel. In what way did it make you have to be hospitalised?

I don't exactly enjoy taking it myself and the side effects are admittedly harsh, so I'm working to reduce and come off it now, leaving the Zyprexa in place. I think my pdoc is nervous of me coming off both of my APs since my severe mixed episode and psychotic break this time last year, though.