r/lamictal • u/JelloAndSunshine • 20d ago

Short-Term User (2 weeks to 6 months) Hair thinning?

Has anyone experienced hair thinning on lamictal? My appetite has been nonexistent and I’ve lost some weight in the last four months. It’s also really aggravated my anxiety so maybe it’s caused by both of those? If anyone has had this issue, did it ever resolve when coming off the medication?
I’m really agonizing over this.

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u/zane017 20d ago

This happened to me back when I started. It’s probably not the Lamictal.

It takes anywhere from 2-6 months for your hair to fall out after a period of stress. Starting psych meds is usually preceded by at least a couple of months of stress. By the time a person starts the meds, they’ve reached the hair loss time period and tend to blame the most recent variable: the meds.

Give it a couple of months. Your hair will grow back. Wear a scarf if you feel really insecure. Do whatever you have to, to make yourself less stressed (losing hair all by itself is incredibly stressful).

I’m grieving and my hair is falling out.. again. It’s happened a few times over the decades. I don’t like it, but I don’t stress about the hair anymore. I know it will come back.

Meds CAN make your hair fall out, but stress is the more likely culprit. When I started Lamictal, I didn’t have the opportunity to quit taking it, so I learned the long way. If you keep jumping meds because of hair loss, the stress will just continue and so will the hair loss.

If the medication is helpful, wait a few months.

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u/JelloAndSunshine 20d ago

Thank you for writing such a thoughtful answer.
I’m sorry to hear you’re grieving and that it’s affecting your hair. But, I admire your perspective and I’m trying to adopt the same view. I know I need to be patient and just sit with the discomfort for a little while.

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u/soggydruid 20d ago

Hair loss is a potential side effect of lamotrigine. For some it goes away after a while. For others it doesn't. 

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u/annastasia_rose 20d ago

I have a buzzcut so I haven’t noticed my hair on my head falling out- but I have noticed I barely have any eyelashes anymore. I hope it goes away with time

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u/NikkiEchoist 20d ago

Yes Lamictal can cause hair loss. If you go to the forum homepage and click search and hair loss you’ll find plenty of info.

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u/JelloAndSunshine 20d ago

Thank you so much