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please help me! (Anti-depressants & Hair Loss)

posted by mom2kormas, 10.02.2008, 19:54

Hi all. I'm new to this site. I am a 37 year old female and have been experiencing severe hair loss for a little over a year now. I don't have insurance, so I can only afford crappy clinic doctors and they haven't been any help at all. The first one I saw told me to take fish oil, the second one kept telling me it was stress...well, a year later I have lost more than half my hair, so when is this "stress" supposed to stop?? I had to do all the research on my own to try to get to the bottom of this. It was like pulling teeth to get blood work and I still haven't had all the tests I want. My thyroid seems fine? The loss did seem to coincide with coming off the birth control pill and alot of stress going on in my house, so I decided to go back on the yasmin to see if that would help. It's too soon to tell.

I was on Lithium for bipolar depression and have recently stopped that as I know it may cause hair loss. I was finally able to get some money together to see a Dermatologist and he told me I didn't have hair loss and walked out of the room. Needless to say, he didn't get paid. The 2nd one told me I had female pattern baldness without barely looking at me and to take Rogaine? He told me not to go to my Endocrinologist appt that I have next month? I bought Rogaine, but am extremely frightened to start it if the hair loss will resolve on it's own? I don't want to get stuck on it cuz the hair will fall out once I stop? How can I tell if the hair loss really is FPB or if it's from the medication I was on? My loss seems to be getting worse? It is falling out at rapid speed? Is this normal for FPB? My head is also very itchy? This problem is consuming me. I already have a problem with depression and low self-esteem, so this has been really bad. I spend hours crying in the bathroom cuz I just can't bare to look at myself. I feel it has taken over my life and ruining my marriage. It's all I can think about! Why is this happening to me? Both my parents have full heads of hair? My siblings all have full heads of hair? I am so afraid to lose more hair...I don't know what to do? If my hair loss is due to the Lithium, will it grow back? Should I just start taking the Rogaine? Is it going to make my hair feel even crappier?? Will I ever feel pretty again?!

I am worried how far this depression will go without my medication, but I don't think I will ever be able to trust another side effect again!

Is there anyone that can relate to what I am going through and can offer any advice?

Thank you,
Kim

Complete thread:

• please help me! - mom2kormas, 10.02.2008, 19:54
  • please help me! - mauri, 10.02.2008, 20:37
    • please help me! - mom2kormas, 10.02.2008, 21:54
      • please help me! - delilah, 11.02.2008, 07:30
        • please help me! - mom2kormas, 11.02.2008, 08:52
          • please help me! - delilah, 11.02.2008, 15:25
            • please help me! - mom2kormas, 11.02.2008, 22:55
  • please help me! - mamathins, 06.03.2008, 10:16
  • please help me! - tc, 07.03.2008, 22:01
  • please help me! - Becky8171, 18.03.2008, 09:56