Types of Hair loss on AEDs

[Rae1889]

Hello everyone.
I have read a few threads on hair loss in here, but other than the "I did/did not have hair loss" few have gone into specifics.

So I wanted to know the following

1) How much hair did you loose you?

2) Was it a gradual hair loss?

3) All over or in one spot *patches*?

4) Was it more like hair breakage at the middle or from the folicle?

5) what about other hair? *eyebrows, eyelashes, arm/chest hair etc*

6) What anti-epileptic drug were you on that caused this?

7) Dit it stop for you?

[dfwtexas]

I had been on Keppra when neurologist suggested me trying Keppra XR. Within 10 days of starting it, I noticed losing a hairful of hair each time I shampooed my hair. I contacted neurologist who wanted me to have some tests to check my thyroid, all test came back ok. I really liked the XR, seemed my moods were more even, like taking pills only once a day. I was switched back to regular Keppra...within 2 days, the amount of hair I was losing during shampoos started being a lot less and after a week, there was no more loss. It seemed like most of the hair was from temple areas, but in all all reality, that is where my hair is the thinnest anyway.
neurologist told me he has people have hair loss problems on Keppra, but I was first that it was only Keppra XR

[Nakamova]

I'm not sure how much hair I lost. I don't think there's anything dramatic for people to notice, especially since it stopped or slowed after about 7 to 9 months. I do feel like my hair is thinner than it used to be.

It was a gradual shedding, but definitely a change that coincided with going on Lamictal. When I brushed my hair there was suddenly a lot more in the sink, or in the shower, or showing up on my clothes. I have fairly long hair (although due to the shedding I got 4 inches chopped off), so it was both more noticeable and more annoying to be suddenly shedding a lot.

All over, not patchy.

Breakage from both the middle and the follicle I think.

No other hair shedding. Eyelashes a bit -- but more from the dry eyes that Lamictal has given me.

Lamictal was the culprit!

The shedding seemed to stop somewhere between 7 and 9 months. My hair started to get a lot grayer then too, but that could be age-related.

[Zoofemme]

1) I couldn't tell you...it went on for 7 years, lol. My hair is really, really thick. To lose some of it never bothered me.

2) It was pretty consistenet.

3) All over.

4) Came out at the follicle according to my beautician.

5) My other hair (legs, eyebrows, etc got ver thin and was extremely slow to grow. It is now coming back normally which means I have to shave more frequently again

6) Lamictal

7) It stopped when I started taking Topomax...don't know why, thought it was really strange because I had been cautioned that it might fall out

[Rae1889]

Yes I noticed my eye lashes shed a lot more on lamictal and now that I'm on dilantin, and only for 2 weeks, I notice that my eyebrows need to be maintained a lot more and my legs need to be shaved more often.

But at the same time, I have noticed the shedding of my hair on my head a lot more again. Hopefully it will stop when I've settled into a bit more. Or I switch to something else.

I'm in my neurologist waiting room now, so I'll let you know in a bit.

[sillymissy]

1) Not patches, more of an all-over thinning. Probably 70 hairs more than average each day.

2) Yes but it started very suddenly

3) All over

4) From the follicle

5) My eyelashes started getting weird white flakes on the ends

6) Lamictal

7) Not yet but yesterday I bought baby shampoo to see if that will help!

[Loopy Lou]

1) How much hair did you lose? - I lost quite a lot. I did use to have long hair, but when it started falling out i had it cut about 6 inches so that it was below my shoulder blades and then again up to above my shoulders. Luckily i've always had extremely thick hair, but it's thinned out an awful lot. My hairbrush was getting full a lot quicker, and loads came out when i washed my hair.

2) Was it a gradual hair loss? It started falling out pretty quickly when i started the Lamotrigene.

3) All over or in one spot *patches*? Apart from one tiny patch near the nape of my neck, it was basically just thinning out a lot.

4) Was it more like hair breakage at the middle or from the folicle? From the follicle, because it was full length hair.

5) what about other hair? *eyebrows, eyelashes, arm/chest hair etc* I noticed that under my arms and my legs needed less shaving, but now that i've reduced the amount of lamictal to nearly half, the hair loss has slowed right down. I'm hoping to grow it long (hair on my HEAD!) for the summer. It grows insanely fast normally.

6) What anti-epileptic drug were you on that caused this? Definately the generic lamotrigene. When i switched to brand it seemed to get a slight bit better, and then it got loads better when i went down in that and started taking keppra too.

7) Dit it stop for you? I think it's definately slowed down a lot, but i'd like to get off Lamictal entirely. There's a few other side effects which really wore me down, but i suppose it's vanity that my hair is my one redeeming feature :P

[Nakamova]

Your experience sound a lot like mine LL! I too chopped off some of my long hair to deal with the thinning, and I'm sad about it. Though the thinning has slowed or stopped, I'm not sure my hair will return to where it was. I also think that cutting my Lamictal dose is ultimately what made the difference.

[Loopy Lou]

I just hope it grows out ok again. It used to be down to my bum (i'm quite tall too), but i'm worried that if i grow it too long again, then the weight will make more fall out lol.

[Endless]

Can rogaine be safely used with epilepsy / anti-epileptic drugs?

[Nakamova]

There are no known interactions between Rogaine and anti-epileptic drugs. That said, it's always a good idea to check with your pharmacist.

Also you might try taking selenium and/or zinc -- it's supposed to help with hair loss. (Can't vouch for it myself).

[Rae1889]

Thats what Im worried about.
My hair had always been pretty soft and healthy. and then Lamictal made the ends frizz like hell.
It was below the bottom of my bra strap and now its just above. I want my hair to my waist for my wedding, and it grows fast enough to do that, but i dont want it looking like straw. and I think extensions will damage my hair more.

[kyrissa]

ok, so my experience seems opposite. I am on lamictal, and noticed a lot more "peach fuzz" in some areas. I have also noticed some facial hair (and I am a female!)
I am also on lyrica, so I don't know if this is due to that, or just some random issues of my system.

[Rae1889]

I've heard reports of facial hair on lyrica.

I've been kept on dilantin for the month and he warned me about growing a beard.

[Nakamova]

I had no problems with hair growth when I was on Dilantin, so it's not a given...

[NeeLee]

I am on Keppra and Topamax for 4 years and my hair has been falling out for the last two years. At first it was not that noticeable because my hair was very thick. But now it is obvious. Wherever I part my hair there are small patches where the mair is missing and my hair line has receded. I am very stressed about it. I am changing the Keppra to Neurontin, but Topamax also causes hair loss. I can only hope Keppra is the main cause. I also have hair loss in my eyebrows and some in my eyelashes. Since my seizures started about 4 years ago, I am very traumatized by the loss I am experiencing of what was a very normal and functional life. Do we adjust?

[alivenwell]

Do you think the stress of losing hair contributes to more hair loss? Just curious. I've noticed my dog shed a great deal during stressful visits to the vet.

[Nakamova]

Stress can cause hair loss in humans, but in animals the effect is much more pronounced because of how their metabolisms work, and their inability to sweat the way we do.

[Endless]

my eyelashes are falling out. I find them in my eyes and it's driving me nuts. and now there is a bare patch in my eyebrow. I've only been on lamictal a week or so. Is this even possible? Or is something else responsible? (aftermath of topamax, which I'm now off of?)

[Nakamova]

Hair loss is definitely a side effect of Topomax too so it may hard to determine which med is the culprit. I've noticed that some side effects seem to increase during both the tapering on and tapering off processes -- it's as if the transitional instability brings out the worst.