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Hair loss due to Amlodipine

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yvonne85501
yvonne85501

I had been on Amlodipine 5mg for some years,during this time I had begun to notice my hair thinning and becmoing fine and lifeless.After regular checks earlier this year my b/p was unacceptably high consistently and the dose was increased to 10mg.My b/p was still not within normal limits after 4-6 weeks and I was prescribed in addition 5mg Ramiprimil..it was then that I started to notice a drastic increase in HAIR LOSS (I have read on the leaflet inside my medication that it's a possible side effect).I would like to hear from anyone who has had a similar experience,as I would like to change to a medication that doesn't have this devastating side effect!

1 like, 47 replies

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  • mike92384
    mike92384 yvonne85501

    Posted

    Hi Yvonne...while I have not experienced what you describe, anything I've read about bp medication has said that doubling the dose usually isn't the answer to getting the bp down. All this seems to accomplish is to magnify whatever side effects the person may be experiencing. At 10mgs, I'm surprised you haven't mentioned feet/leg swelling, but not all people experience this. So, now you're on a Calcium Channel Blocker & an ACE Inhibitor. You didn't say if your bp has started to come down since being on both. The hair loss could very well be blamed on the Amlodipine, but you said yoiu noticed this since being on the Rampiril. I would suggest you get back to your doctor about this. I'm sure you've read a lot of horrible stories about what people are experiencing with Amlodipine.
    • nellie82741
      nellie82741 mike92384

      Posted

      Yes i too just found about two types if medication that I have taking since 2015, recently finding that these two kinds of medication s is the main reason that I am seeing so much hair loss.

      Amlodipine 5mg and Fenofibrate tabs 160Mg from having thick hair to baby fine hair with a bald spot in the top of my hair, I now wear wigs. So I made a appointment with hair specialist she is the one to ask me to see what I had been taken and how long have I been on these two medication...I am in treatment with now after she knew what my problems might be, so I am giving it 6 months with thesese vitamins called NUTRAFLO

      They come in women balance for over 6 plus, I just been on them for two week, also you must brush your hair & massages your scalp always every day to get circulation flooling again, truth be told I just didin't brush my hair or massages it just put on a wigs and go

      Now I decided to want my own hair back their is another regrowth hair product out there its called KERANIQUE IF THIS DOESN'T WORK FOR ME IN 6 MONTHS I WILL GIVE IT A TRY OR JUST GO BALD WITH THE NEW STYLE. BUT I AM FIGHTING IT ALL THE WAY THANKS. PS DON'T PUT MY NAME OUT THERE.

  • yvonne85501
    yvonne85501

    Posted

    Hi Mike,thanks for your suggestions.Yes my blood pressure responded well to a combination of Ramiprimil 10mg and 1.5mg of indipamide (diuretic) and readings are eg.134/79.However,it has been at the cost of my much reduced hair density,which for a woman is very demoralising.Therefore I'm eager to find a combination of medication that's still effective and desperately hope and pray that my hair will recover!
    • mike92384
      mike92384 yvonne85501

      Posted

      Ok..Are you still taking the Amlodipine along with the Rampiril & Idapamide????? The cause of your hair thinning COULD be the Amlodipine, but be sure to check with your doctor first. 
  • angela89269
    angela89269 yvonne85501

    Posted

    I too have been on high blood pressure  for a number of years. Amlodipine has been one of them. I had very thick and long hair and over the last few years I notice that the top especially has thinned out considerably. I met someone that new me and when I mentioned the state of my hair thinning loss , she asked if I was on blood pressure meds , she confirmed that she also had the same hair loss problem.I had also had an allergic reaction to the med and had stopped for a while. When I restarted a couple months after the reaction resurfaced. This included dizziness, vomiting and diarrhea.But definitely the hair loss has become an issue.

     

  • Guest
    Guest yvonne85501

    Posted

    Hi Yvonne

    I had side effects from Amlodipine which included hair thinning. I really noticed my hair on the shower floor whenever I had a shampoo. I dont take Amlo these days, the effects made life very difficult.

    Best wishes

    Sue

    • Kelleyboots
      Kelleyboots Guest

      Posted

      Hi, I have been experiencing the same thing! When I shampoo my hair I loose about a handful! I have such bad hair loss it is completely bald on the temples and around the edges it is so thin all you can see is my scalp! I recently have quit taking the medicine and I am still loosing hair. I was wondering has your hair grew back? The doctor seems to think my hair loss has nothing to do with the medicine but after reading all of this I am convinced!
  • jay33956
    jay33956 yvonne85501

    Edited

    Hi Yvone, 

    Amlodipine seem be to the cause of the hair loss. My mum is actually going through the sameside effeect with the blood pressure medication she is taking . 20 mg of Olmetec (olmesartan medoxomil) and 10 mg Amlodipine daily.

     

    • Oregonjohn-UK
      Oregonjohn-UK jay33956

      Edited

      You ladies have all the problems - I lost most of my hair pre meds so can't comment as to Amlodipine effecting me!  Been on 5 mg for over 15 years without any side effects and BP is just below borderline now.
  • gloria68339
    gloria68339 yvonne85501

    Posted

    Hi Yvonne,

    . Every time I wash my hair there is loads of hair in the plug hole, and  hairdressers always comment on my thin hair, which is very upsetting for me because i previously had a thick head of hair.  I  was on amlodipine for about seven years but recently decided to come off it  to see if my bowel problems improved (they didn't) but amazingly my blood pressure is now almost normal!  My GP was astonished to find it was 130/70 last time he took it.  I have a BP monitor and I plan to use it once a month as I don't want to become obsessive about measuring my BP. ( I am eating lots of vegetables but I am unable to exercise or walk any distance due to my bowel triggering severe vaginal/urethral pain )   I wouldn't recommend that anyone should stop taking their BP medication, and I did so with my GP's full approval. I just hope that my hair loss was caused by the amlodipine and that it will recover and start to thicken up again,

    Good luck! Let's hope that your hair thickens very soon, because I know just how you feel.

  • rachael78976
    rachael78976 yvonne85501

    Posted

    Yes Yvonne this medication has caused your hair to thin and fall out. The dr's know this even b4 they prescribe it bit they wont admit because they know of us will refuse to take it. I used it and stopped just last month. I will  no longer take anything that will cause baldness. My dr. finally admitted that he did not tll me because he knew I would refuse. He said vanity of health should not be! stop lying to people . my hair went from thing and long to thin and I have many bald patches..

    • Kelleyboots
      Kelleyboots rachael78976

      Posted

      Hello, I have experienced the same thing! All of my edges are gone! I can't even wear a ponytail which was my go to hair style especially for work! I have a mixture of completely bald spots and thin edges. It looks awful and I hope and pray it grow back! I am now using biotin and keratin hoping it will help with my re growth!

  • christina65995
    christina65995 yvonne85501

    Edited

    I have been on Amlodipine 10mg since February 2016.  Slowly over time, I have noticed a lot of hair coming out in my hand when combing my hair or shampooing in the shower.  Last Thursday, I checked closely with two mirrors and could see my scalp.  I used to have very thick hair and now I look like a cancer patient.  I decided to look up side effects for the three medications that I am on.  Guess what hair loss and thinning of hair is a side effect of amlodipine.  I called Pfizer, Cambor and Cipla.  spent a totally frustrating afternoon on the phone.  No one owns up to the side effect and each drug company gives me another number to call.  Is there anyone else out there who is going through this?  All I want to know is if my hair will grow back?????
    • Kelleyboots
      Kelleyboots christina65995

      Posted

      Hello, I experienced the same thing. I was on 2 meds that cause hair loss (norvasc & metformin). I stopped them about a month ago and I am still experiencing hair loss by the handful! Nobody can tell me why.

    • deborah53662
      deborah53662 christina65995

      Posted

      Hi Christine I have taken amilodipine for five years and due to welling ankles and feet decided to stop taking it. I take ramipril and bisoperol and have invested in a blood pressure montor. My blood pressure in normal now with no increase from stopping this medication. My hair had thinned considerably at the front and now after three weeks I notice it growing back at the temples with fine hair about 8mm long. So I am sure this is down to stopping the amilodipine plus I have no more swelling. Hope your hair comes back too I am confident it will. This medication is banned in some countries probably for good reasons. Kind regards Debbie 
    • janice7491
      janice7491 christina65995

      Posted

      Same happened to me last September. Took it less than a month and lost about half my hair. I quit taking immediately and sadly no hair has grown back, and I am going through periods of no growth at all! I am in a 2 month stagnant period right now. I have gone to wearing wigs. It is a heart breaking/gut wrenching experience.

    • Southernlagirl
      Southernlagirl janice7491

      Edited

      Hi Janice and Christina,

      Try taking Biotin tablets for your hair growth. I experienced hair loss first from amlodipine then I asked to be switched to something different (don't remember the name of it) but both medications caused hair loss! My doctor swore it was not the medication but I had not experienced as much hair loss prior to starting blood pressure meds and I took myself off of them in October of 2018 and just have maintained my diet with less sodium, drinking more water, increased my exercising and I use essential oils and my BP has been better than it was on the meds! Started taking Biotin immediately after I stopped and my hair has grown back, it's beautiful and thick again and it made my nails strong b/c they used to paper thin that I could bend them over, well not anymore! I just take the Biotin tablets that Walmart sells.

      Hope this helps! Take care

    • nila29
      nila29 christina65995

      Posted

      I've been experiencing some serious skin conditions as well as hair loss since 2015 but I didn't know what the culprit was back then. The beginning of my hair loss coincided with the start of new medication: Norvasc, 5mg at the time. A few months after taking it, I noticed some hair shedding which was mild and I was not really concerned as I used to have a lot of hair, so I attributed it to the perimenopause. Then in June of 2026 I had the worst type of blistering eczema on my toes, which was awful. I had some really bad sores on my toes and was unable to wear shoes for a very long time. I had to be treated for over 2 years. Meanwhile, I had hives all over my body twice and unexplained angioedema on my face a few times, for which I had to go to the ER. Needless to say, I saw several dermatologists, none of whom understood that my skin problems were drug-induced. My hair loss at the time was of secondary importance but I did visit a derm in 2017 for increased hair shedding but she dismissed my issues as being stress-related. Then, due to other medical issues I had to stop Norvasc and after a while, miraculously my skin conditions disappeared and my hair loss subsided. Also, my weird dry skin problem that I had all over my body and which I attributed to the perimenopause improved. So, in 2019 I noticed that my hair shedding had stopped and I had no more skin conditions until 2020 when I started Norvasc 10mg. Since then I have had chronic telogen effluvium, which has been getting really bad. My hair loss just wouldn't stop and I noticed thinning areas on my scalp which I never had before. Of course, throughout this time I tried all kinds of supplements for hair loss and dry skin, none of which worked. When I researched amplopidine and eczema (blistering eczema, the type I had) plus hair loss, I've made the connection. I will now try other remedies for my blood-pressure issue and never take this drug again. It really has poisoned my system. Never again! Doctors just don't care what they give you as long as one issue is resolved for them.

    • nila29
      nila29

      Posted

      edit- I mean 2016, not 2026

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