Can depression/anxiety tablets make go bald?!


Question: i'v been on citalopram for around 5 months and my hair is all thining and falling out a lot!

could this be the tablets or something else??


Answers: i'v been on citalopram for around 5 months and my hair is all thining and falling out a lot!

could this be the tablets or something else??

I agree with previous posts. I would doubt that the Celexa was causing the hairloss. However, after practicing medicine for a while I've learned that the minute I tell someone that their side effect wasn't caused by the medication there will be some new case report that that very medication has now been linked with that very side effect. So is it possible? Yes, though I think its unlikely. There are other medications, like Depakote, which are much more commonly linked with this side effect. Anxiety could be contributing to the hair loss as well, particularly if people are pulling hair as part of a nervous habit or an illness called trichtillomania.

That having been said, two thoughts come to mind. When was the last time you had your thyroid fnction checked? Hyperthyroidism can cause symptoms of anxiety and depression as well as hair loss. Hypothyroidism can also cause such symptoms though the anxiety is less common than in hyperthyroidism. This would be important to rule out as it is a medical condition that should be treated in its own right. If it turns out that this is not the cause, and you are not on any other meds, you may want to look at your diet. When people are anxious or depressed they tend not to eat well. Vitamin deficiencies can definitely lead to hair loss. A good multivitamin, like Centrum, with 100% of the RDA for most things and the inclusion of a mineral called Selenium, associated with healthy hair maintenance, would be worth trying.

the depression or anxiety itself can cause hair loss. my friend had bald patches when she was depressed. once she started to feel better her hair grew back though. go to see your GP for guidance.

I doubt if it is the Citalopram that's doing it. I've been on it for six months now and had nothing like that.
Side effects include:
Feeling or being sick, indigestion, tummy ache, diarrhoea, constipation, loss of appetite and weight loss or increase in appetite and weight gain, dry mouth or increase in saliva production, nervousness, anxiety (worry), headache, insomnia (difficulty sleeping), shakiness, dizziness, weakness, seeing things that aren't real, drowsiness, discharge from the nipples, sexual problems, sweating, movements of the body without control from you, a fast or fluttering heartbeat, coughing, yawning, confusion, difficulty concentrating, difficulty remembering things, skin rashes, muscle pain, pins and needles, problems with eyesight, problems with taste, a sore or runny nose, ringing in the ears or problems urinating (passing water).
The hair thinning/loss is more likely to be caused by anxiety itself. But I would pop back and have a chat with your GP to set your mind at rest.
Hope this helps.

yes anti depresents can make your hair fall out,but so can anxiety....





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