Keppra hair loss and other issues

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kirsten

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I began Keppra in November last year. During, I would guess, the last three months, I've been shedding rather a lot of hair. My hair was always very thick, so the hair loss that's happened thus far has been a bonus--I'm much impressed with my new hair:rock:--but I'm worried about whether it's possible that Keppra can make you lose ALL your hair. Will the shedding stop at any point? Is there anything I can do to stop it? I just don't have any more options left beyond Keppra. I've tried everything else--other than surgery.
 
Hard to know -- everyone has a different experience. Some people have only mild hair loss, and/or the side effect lessens over time. For others, the hair loss is severe and ongoing, and they have to reduce the dose or switch meds to find relief.

You could try taking a biotin supplement (usually part of a B-complex supplement). Some anti-seizure meds lower biotin levels in the body, which can lead to hair loss. Keppra isn't listed as one of those meds, (Carbamazepine, Phenobarbital, Phenytoin, Primidone), but the biotin still might make a difference for you.
 
For me, I think Keppra weakens my hair follicles or something making it difficult to support the weight of longish hair because when my hair reaches past shoulder length, I start shedding like a Husky in the summer. :p If I get my hair cut back up to about chin length, it stops.
 
travel bug said:
For me, I think Keppra weakens my hair follicles or something making it difficult to support the weight of longish hair because when my hair reaches past shoulder length, I start shedding like a Husky in the summer. :p If I get my hair cut back up to about chin length, it stops.
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Well my follicles were already weak before I started Keppra. :roflmao: I have'nt noticed them being any weaker now then before I started Keppra.
 
I had kinda thin hair to begin with. I noticed my hair falling out a lot at first, but it's slowed way down - basically down to where it was pre-medication - and my hair pretty much just looks the same it did
 
When I took Keppra I experienced hair loss, like you I had very thick hair to start so no one noticed but I was horrified seeing all that hair in the shower, like a full grown wookie haha Unfortunately, my hair also got really fried and dry looking and the color even changed to very blond but just on the ends it did a number on my hair. Now that I am not on it my hair feels so much better!
 
Hi kesaiserris, did it take long for your hair to start growing back after keppra? I've been off it about 10 weeks now and it's still falling out, although my eyelashes started coming back about five months ago as was reducing it, nothing else has as yet. I was on it for seven years. Blessings
 
I was having the same problem kirstin and the hair-loss it wasn't stopping, I had become wary of AED's and tried an amino acid called Taurine, which I slowly replaced keppra with. It's has an anti-convulsant effect at therapeautic levels, and is being trialed as a new AED. Your neuro may not approve as it's not a fda sanctioned AED, so the risk is yours. I'm delighted with it although I'm still waiting for the hairloss to stop.
 
Tombuchaill said:
Hi kesaiserris, did it take long for your hair to start growing back after keppra? I've been off it about 10 weeks now and it's still falling out, although my eyelashes started coming back about five months ago as was reducing it, nothing else has as yet. I was on it for seven years. Blessings
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I didn't lose hair all over my body just my head. I would say it was 2-3 years (t but what really helped more than anything was getting off gluten my hair improved substantially in a very short time.
 
kesaiserris said:
I didn't lose hair all over my body just my head. I would say it was 2-3 years (t but what really helped more than anything was getting off gluten my hair improved substantially in a very short time.
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Thanks kesaiserris, thats very interesting, do you think keppra also caused a gluten sensitivity? I might try going off it for a while and see if it makes a difference. Was it a matter of months that you saw the effect with a gluten free diet. :ponder:
 
Tombuchaill said:
Thanks kesaiserris, thats very interesting, do you think keppra also caused a gluten sensitivity? I might try going off it for a while and see if it makes a difference. Was it a matter of months that you saw the effect with a gluten free diet. :ponder:
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Months yes it really didn't take that long to see improvement. I am not sure if it was the Keppra or if I had a pre-existing allergy.
 
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