To everyone
25.09.2006, 16:31 |
Tricyclic antidepressants and hormones (Anti-depressants & Hair Loss) |
Are tricyclic antidepressants (specifically nortriptyline) known to have any effect on female hormones?
I stopped nortriptyline 4 months ago after it started a massive TE shed. But 4 mo. later my hair loss is still the same as before, and I lose tons of miniaturized hairs that look like spiderwebs ranging from less than 1cm to over 3 inches, which means they all tried to grow sometime after the 7 months I was taking the anti. I also still lose regular healthy hairs, and I never had any such miniaturized hairs prior to the antidepressant.
My ferritin was very low (8) when it was tested 2 mo. ago and I have religiously been eating red meat, taking iron supps, etc. for 8 weeks. I just had it retested but I don't know the results yet.
Any ideas why I am not seeing even slight reduction in shed? I have NO regrowth but I see a few miniaturized hairs sticking up here and there on my head. I am so desperate and fearful that this I will never recover my hair and keep losing it although everyone tells me to wait and see. And my biopsies say AGA but I don't know if I should rely on that since I know one other gal who had her biopsy read in the same place saying probably mild AGA but it wasn't at all-it was TE and it went away in 4mo.
I know AGA usually crops up anytime there is a big hormonal change which I wonder if the antidepressant caused? I can't find any literature on it though, except that DHEA acts like an antidepressant. So do antidepressants raise DHEA levels in your body? I don't have a before and after number.
It is so hard to keep up this fight and go on with school, work, etc. I thought this would be over months ago since I stopped on June 1. please someone have any advice? Thanks.
To everyone is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: YES |
to everyone
25.09.2006, 16:35
@ To everyone
|
Tricyclic antidepressants and hormones |
One more thing, I am 26 and this started when I was 25. I do have a hx of AGA in my family: my mother. But hers did not start until 50/menopause not even when she had two kids. Also, a few years ago I used to take all sorts of BCP (not knowing they can cause HL) and they never affected my hair, so theoretically I pretty resilient to synthetic hormonal manipulation.
But again, this just doesn't make any ense to me why 4 mo. after stopping the drug I AM POSITIVE caused my TE it is still as bad as it was while taking it. The only thing I can think of is maybe it messed up my hormones permanently, but how and is that even possible? All I know is I cry everyday about it and when I see miniaturized hairs of all lengths under 4 inches I get so scared. (So far I have not seen a miniaturized hair that was growing before my anti-all thin hairs after my anti.) But no derm believes me that the anti caused this; they just look at my mom's head and say I have what she has (nevermind that hers started when she was twice my age!).
My prolactin was tested right after I stopped the anti and it was 9 I think, very normal for me (I've had it tested before) just under the mid-range of normal.
Is this completely irreversible? Should I just give up now.
» Are tricyclic antidepressants (specifically nortriptyline) known to have
» any effect on female hormones?
»
» I stopped nortriptyline 4 months ago after it started a massive TE shed.
» But 4 mo. later my hair loss is still the same as before, and I lose tons
» of miniaturized hairs that look like spiderwebs ranging from less than 1cm
» to over 3 inches, which means they all tried to grow sometime after the 7
» months I was taking the anti. I also still lose regular healthy hairs, and
» I never had any such miniaturized hairs prior to the antidepressant.
»
» My ferritin was very low (8) when it was tested 2 mo. ago and I have
» religiously been eating red meat, taking iron supps, etc. for 8 weeks. I
» just had it retested but I don't know the results yet.
»
» Any ideas why I am not seeing even slight reduction in shed? I have NO
» regrowth but I see a few miniaturized hairs sticking up here and there on
» my head. I am so desperate and fearful that this I will never recover my
» hair and keep losing it although everyone tells me to wait and see. And my
» biopsies say AGA but I don't know if I should rely on that since I know one
» other gal who had her biopsy read in the same place saying probably mild
» AGA but it wasn't at all-it was TE and it went away in 4mo.
»
» I know AGA usually crops up anytime there is a big hormonal change which I
» wonder if the antidepressant caused? I can't find any literature on it
» though, except that DHEA acts like an antidepressant. So do
» antidepressants raise DHEA levels in your body? I don't have a before and
» after number.
»
» It is so hard to keep up this fight and go on with school, work, etc. I
» thought this would be over months ago since I stopped on June 1. please
» someone have any advice? Thanks.
to everyone is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: YES |
HairSite Admin
26.09.2006, 06:07
@ to everyone
|
Tricyclic antidepressants and hormones |
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a682620.html
What side effects can this medication cause?Return to top
Side effects from nortriptyline are common:
* upset stomach
* drowsiness
* weakness or tiredness
* excitement or anxiety
* insomnia
* nightmares
* dry mouth
* skin more sensitive to sunlight than usual
* changes in appetite or weight
Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
* constipation
* difficulty urinating
* frequent urination
* blurred vision
* changes in sex drive or ability
* excessive sweating
If you experience any of the following symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:
* jaw, neck, and back muscle spasms
* slow or difficult speech
* shuffling walk
* persistent fine tremor or inability to sit still
* fever
* difficulty breathing or swallowing
* severe skin rash
* yellowing of the skin or eyes
* irregular heartbeat
To know all about hair loss
http://jaapa.com/issues/j20040401/articles/0404wthinhair.html
HairSite Admin is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO ---
I offer research assistance for HairSite.
email: hairsite@aol.com for free consultations
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allywied
Indonesia,
26.09.2006, 18:42
@ to everyone
|
Tricyclic antidepressants and hormones |
Hi,
I know how you feel.
When I went to tricho (and stop Nizoral pill-I always think it's the cause of my alopecia-Doctor's miss diagnose for a skin allergy), she said that it would take 6 months about to regrow hair -with application of saw palmetto and eugenol sollution she sold me-. May be you should apply something to help your hair regrowth besides eating rich iron foods.
I did growth something after 6 months and now some hair covers my bald.
» One more thing, I am 26 and this started when I was 25. I do have a hx of
» AGA in my family: my mother. But hers did not start until 50/menopause not
» even when she had two kids. Also, a few years ago I used to take all sorts
» of BCP (not knowing they can cause HL) and they never affected my hair, so
» theoretically I pretty resilient to synthetic hormonal manipulation.
»
» But again, this just doesn't make any ense to me why 4 mo. after stopping
» the drug I AM POSITIVE caused my TE it is still as bad as it was while
» taking it. The only thing I can think of is maybe it messed up my hormones
» permanently, but how and is that even possible? All I know is I cry
» everyday about it and when I see miniaturized hairs of all lengths under 4
» inches I get so scared. (So far I have not seen a miniaturized hair that
» was growing before my anti-all thin hairs after my anti.) But no derm
» believes me that the anti caused this; they just look at my mom's head and
» say I have what she has (nevermind that hers started when she was twice my
» age!).
»
» My prolactin was tested right after I stopped the anti and it was 9 I
» think, very normal for me (I've had it tested before) just under the
» mid-range of normal.
»
» Is this completely irreversible? Should I just give up now.
»
» » Are tricyclic antidepressants (specifically nortriptyline) known to
» have
» » any effect on female hormones?
» »
» » I stopped nortriptyline 4 months ago after it started a massive TE
» shed.
» » But 4 mo. later my hair loss is still the same as before, and I lose
» tons
» » of miniaturized hairs that look like spiderwebs ranging from less than
» 1cm
» » to over 3 inches, which means they all tried to grow sometime after the
» 7
» » months I was taking the anti. I also still lose regular healthy hairs,
» and
» » I never had any such miniaturized hairs prior to the antidepressant.
» »
» » My ferritin was very low (8) when it was tested 2 mo. ago and I have
» » religiously been eating red meat, taking iron supps, etc. for 8 weeks.
» I
» » just had it retested but I don't know the results yet.
» »
» » Any ideas why I am not seeing even slight reduction in shed? I have NO
» » regrowth but I see a few miniaturized hairs sticking up here and there
» on
» » my head. I am so desperate and fearful that this I will never recover
» my
» » hair and keep losing it although everyone tells me to wait and see. And
» my
» » biopsies say AGA but I don't know if I should rely on that since I know
» one
» » other gal who had her biopsy read in the same place saying probably
» mild
» » AGA but it wasn't at all-it was TE and it went away in 4mo.
» »
» » I know AGA usually crops up anytime there is a big hormonal change which
» I
» » wonder if the antidepressant caused? I can't find any literature on it
» » though, except that DHEA acts like an antidepressant. So do
» » antidepressants raise DHEA levels in your body? I don't have a before
» and
» » after number.
» »
» » It is so hard to keep up this fight and go on with school, work, etc. I
» » thought this would be over months ago since I stopped on June 1. please
» » someone have any advice? Thanks.
allywied is located in INDONESIA and he is available to meet: NO |
to all
28.09.2006, 12:01
@ allywied
|
Tricyclic antidepressants are bad for hormones for some |
Hairsite and Ally thanks for the response.
OK, I got the results of my hormone panel back (the one I had to fight 3 months and 3 different doctors to get) and they are worse than I thought. Shockingly bad in fact. I thought they would be fine because my hormones have always been fine before. I have a reference point from last July 2005 when I had to get a very thorough checkup so I know I have not always been like this/this is not a result of a preexisting condition. The numbers are now completely inverted. Last summer, I had high estradiol and a 1:1 LH:FSH and now I have androgen excess and a 3:1 LH:FSH (although, I am sort of doubting PCOS but it is entirely possible I am "headed there" .
Basically I have post menopausal estrogen levels while my androgens are thru the ROOF. I mean sky-high, some on the high end of normal and some about 30% higher than the upper range. Oddly enough, aside from the balding, I am not showing any signs of virilization. I think it's due to my race (I am east Asian) - we don't have body hair and tend to be pretty thin.
I have no idea how I am still ovulating and menstruating exactly on time but I am. The same hormone panel also confirmed that I am very fertile and have excellent ovarian reserve, which I could tell by my cycles etc. But week by week my symptoms get worse (my scalp burns and itches, I have to wash it twice a day instead of twice a week, I have out of control dandruff that Nizoral can't touch, night sweats, heat/cold intolerance, the beginnings of body odor which I NEVER had before even after working out (I used to swim, skate, play tennis).
I will always be convinced that it was the Pamelor antidepressant that caused this. I can never prove it but it is no coincidence that I was the picture of hormonal health before I started taking it and within 3-4 months after starting it my hair began to fall out and my hormones got more and more out of control. I have no idea how to even begin to reverse it and my gyn is going to refer me to an endo for help. I can't take any hormone therapy because of a migraine condition (for which I was taking the Pamelor to control, there's the irony for you). I'll be incapacitated if I do, I've tried BCP in the past and they just made me so dizzy I couldn't stand, I dropped 5 pounds in days, couldn't keep any food down. Basically, felt like a sick pregnant woman.
Anyway, at least now I know what is causing my HL...I think tomorrow I will finally take the plunge and get measured for a wig or something. I was hoping this would reverse if I raised my ferritin but now I know it won't. What luck.
» Hi,
» I know how you feel.
» When I went to tricho (and stop Nizoral pill-I always think it's the cause
» of my alopecia-Doctor's miss diagnose for a skin allergy), she said that it
» would take 6 months about to regrow hair -with application of saw palmetto
» and eugenol sollution she sold me-. May be you should apply something to
» help your hair regrowth besides eating rich iron foods.
» I did growth something after 6 months and now some hair covers my bald.
»
»
» » One more thing, I am 26 and this started when I was 25. I do have a hx
» of
» » AGA in my family: my mother. But hers did not start until 50/menopause
» not
» » even when she had two kids. Also, a few years ago I used to take all
» sorts
» » of BCP (not knowing they can cause HL) and they never affected my hair,
» so
» » theoretically I pretty resilient to synthetic hormonal manipulation.
» »
» » But again, this just doesn't make any ense to me why 4 mo. after
» stopping
» » the drug I AM POSITIVE caused my TE it is still as bad as it was while
» » taking it. The only thing I can think of is maybe it messed up my
» hormones
» » permanently, but how and is that even possible? All I know is I cry
» » everyday about it and when I see miniaturized hairs of all lengths under
» 4
» » inches I get so scared. (So far I have not seen a miniaturized hair
» that
» » was growing before my anti-all thin hairs after my anti.) But no derm
» » believes me that the anti caused this; they just look at my mom's head
» and
» » say I have what she has (nevermind that hers started when she was twice
» my
» » age!).
» »
» » My prolactin was tested right after I stopped the anti and it was 9 I
» » think, very normal for me (I've had it tested before) just under the
» » mid-range of normal.
» »
» » Is this completely irreversible? Should I just give up now.
» »
» » » Are tricyclic antidepressants (specifically nortriptyline) known to
» » have
» » » any effect on female hormones?
» » »
» » » I stopped nortriptyline 4 months ago after it started a massive TE
» » shed.
» » » But 4 mo. later my hair loss is still the same as before, and I lose
» » tons
» » » of miniaturized hairs that look like spiderwebs ranging from less
» than
» » 1cm
» » » to over 3 inches, which means they all tried to grow sometime after
» the
» » 7
» » » months I was taking the anti. I also still lose regular healthy
» hairs,
» » and
» » » I never had any such miniaturized hairs prior to the antidepressant.
» » »
» » » My ferritin was very low (8) when it was tested 2 mo. ago and I have
» » » religiously been eating red meat, taking iron supps, etc. for 8
» weeks.
» » I
» » » just had it retested but I don't know the results yet.
» » »
» » » Any ideas why I am not seeing even slight reduction in shed? I have
» NO
» » » regrowth but I see a few miniaturized hairs sticking up here and
» there
» » on
» » » my head. I am so desperate and fearful that this I will never recover
» » my
» » » hair and keep losing it although everyone tells me to wait and see.
» And
» » my
» » » biopsies say AGA but I don't know if I should rely on that since I
» know
» » one
» » » other gal who had her biopsy read in the same place saying probably
» » mild
» » » AGA but it wasn't at all-it was TE and it went away in 4mo.
» » »
» » » I know AGA usually crops up anytime there is a big hormonal change
» which
» » I
» » » wonder if the antidepressant caused? I can't find any literature on
» it
» » » though, except that DHEA acts like an antidepressant. So do
» » » antidepressants raise DHEA levels in your body? I don't have a before
» » and
» » » after number.
» » »
» » » It is so hard to keep up this fight and go on with school, work, etc.
» I
» » » thought this would be over months ago since I stopped on June 1.
» please
» » » someone have any advice? Thanks.
to all is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: YES |
shortywcb
17.12.2007, 04:31
@ to all
|
Tricyclic antidepressants are bad for hormones for some |
hey there,
it is amazing that pills can do just about anything to the body except grow our hair back. our bodies rely on hormones working together in a type of symphony. if one becomes off, your whole body will be off.
at least you can take relief in knowing that your tests actually came back with something. so many of us get hormone tests (after much pleading to our doctors) only to have them come back completely normal. yet, we know we are not normal because we are balding at young ages.
my androgens have to be sky high because i too have become stinky with body odor which i never had before. i am also very sweaty, oily, and losing my hair. one doc will tell me i have pcos, the next one will tell me i dont. they also tell me that i'm too young to really have hormone problems.
your hormones sound severely out of whack. i imagine the most your doctors will do is prescribe a birth control pill and perhaps spironolactone. if you have pcos, they will probably prescribe something like metformin and birth control pills.
birth control pills caused my hair loss but with the problems you are having, maybe that is all you need.
you can check what real patients say about almost any pill you can imagine at www.askapatient.com
shortywcb is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO |
mickelvine
26.03.2008, 00:50
@ HairSite Admin
|
Tricyclic antidepressants and hormones |
Antidepressants are the best stimulus in the process to empower depressed people to have positive thinking and raise themselves esteem, because at the beginning it is quite difficult to think about and do this. Taking anti-depressants helps a lot of people to shift their moods and then these medications give them the possibility to work on other therapies.http://www.mydepressionmedication.com/tricyclic-antidepressantsAnxiety Attacks
mickelvine is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO |
mickelvine
10.04.2008, 02:16
@ to all
|
Tricyclic antidepressants are bad for hormones for some |
The potential side effects of Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs) are allergic reactions, blood cell problems, blurred vision, dry mouth, weakness, fatigue, weight gain, constipation, difficulty with urination, sexual dysfunction, sweating, muscle twitches, rash, dizziness, tremors, ECG abnormalities, seizures, stroke, and Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (with amoxapine).
http://www.mydepressionmedication.com/tricyclic-antidepressants
mickelvine is located in [NA] and he is available to meet: NO |
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