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Hair loss?

Posted , 4 users are following.

amy75782
amy75782

Hi, I took citalopram for 18 months and stopped, I couldn't cope so I went back on them. I have experienced bad start up side effects like feeling sick/headaches.

I have recently noticed when I was my hair daily lots of hair falls out about 30 strands. Is this normal and could it be an effect of citalopram?

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • pat97152
    pat97152 amy75782

    Posted

    I had hair loss with cit..though 30 strands is normal..keep an eye on it
  • loxie
    loxie amy75782

    Posted

    Hi Amy.  You're the first other person I've heard from that had this happen.  I was on cit for a while and my hair started to fall out really badly.  Every time I washed it in the shower, the hair trap in the plug hole would be totally full, very distressing.  My GP dismissed it as being caused by the cit but due to this and other nasty side effects I decided to stop taking it.  My hair loss eased but to be honest it's never fully recovered.  I did research it and it's a rare side effect but has been known t happen.  I truly believe it was the cit that caused it.
    • amy75782
      amy75782 loxie

      Posted

      Thanks, I can't remember it happening like this before. I seem to be suffering with the side effects a lot worse this time round. I was going to ask my GP, but like my friend just did she will probably laugh at me! My hair has always been really think I'm scared it will fall out x
    • loxie
      loxie amy75782

      Posted

      My GP stated the hair loss was probably a delayed result of the anxiety for which I was prescribed the cit in the first place.  However I'd suffered from anxiety for many years and never had hair loss issues before, even after menopause.  Just be firm with your GP, there are plenty of other SSRIs to choose from and another type may not cause the same problem.
  • pat97152
    pat97152 amy75782

    Posted

    Some SSRI's can cause hair loss regardless of what your GP says ..Prozac is well known for it in some people 
    • loxie
      loxie pat97152

      Posted

      Thanks Pat.  That concurs with the info I found when researching the problem.  My GP came up with the usual chestnuts of 'its your age', 'its your hormones', 'its the stress' - anything to avoid blaming the meds I guess.  I ditched them anyhow and the hair loss ceased - proof in the pudding eh.
    • amy75782
      amy75782 loxie

      Posted

      How bad did it get before you stopped? I was fine last time I took them.
    • loxie
      loxie amy75782

      Posted

      I was on them for three months.  I had other nasty side effects too so was considering asking to change meds anyhow.  It was very severe, great clumps of hair fell out every time I touched my hair.  I could just run my hand through the hair and come away with a handful.  My hairdresser was very knowledgeable about trichology and told me to look of Telogen hair loss which is when the hair goes into abnormal resting phase, which I believe was triggered by the cit.  After I stopped taking it, it was only a couple of weeks before it stopped shedding so badly but regrowth has never been strong so my hair is still much thinner than it was before but it doesn't fall out so shockingly anymore, just normal loss now.
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