hair loss???

[hangingbasket]

Im not quite sure how to use this site yet, I joined about 5 minutes ago.
I usually post on another anxiety site but this one is looking promising to get the answers I hope for.

I suffer with Health Anxiety and Im in about my 4th month of taking citalopram.
The last few weeks Ive noticed my hair falling out. Not in big clumps, just ALOT when I was or brush it. It seems to be even, coming from my whole head so Ive not noticed any bald patches. Its more of a general thinning.
Ive never had this before.. had blood tests in may which checked thyroid, liver, iron levels, kidneys etc.. all came back normal.
Could it be citalopram making my hair fall out?
Has anyone else had this?????

[manx_kitty]

Hi hangingbasket :)

My hair comes out quite a lot when I brush it but it has been like that for as long as I can remember,way before I started on Citalopram. I always put it down to my hair being so fine,my mum and sisters hair is the same.

[bernie1977]

Have you checked the side effects list to see if it's mentioned on there?

I too lose a lot of hair and like you have no patches. It scares me how much comes out when I wash it. I'm on omeprazole and hair loss is on the list of side effects. It an also be an age thing or hormonal. My pony tail is so skinny it looks sad!

[hangingbasket]

Thanks for the replies guys!

I have checked the side effects and hair loss is listed.
It's under the 'uncommon' section, which I think means more than 1 person in 1000??
I had my thyroid levels checked a few months ago and that came out fine, and I wasn't anaemic either.

This only started after taking citalopram, and as its listed as a side effect I should just put it down to that and not worry about it right??

I have read about others experiencing this but I'd love to know if anyone on this site loses a lot of hair when washing, drying or brushing and thinks it might be caused by citalopram?

[Magic]

I have the same reply as manxkitty,
I am on meds that say hair loss
My daughter takes no meds at all and she sheds a lot of hair
We both have fine hair

[keithwms]

Well, this might be somewhat related to the cortisol issue I was just describing in the other thread started by devonchap. These SSRIs may increase cortisol levels, at least on startup... and high cortisol is associated with hair loss.

This link might have some helpful tidbits...

http://www.womentowomen.com/adrenalhealth/effectsofhighcortisollevels.aspx

[hangingbasket]

My next prescription of citalopram was in different packaging.. maybe it's a different brand or something?!?!
Anyway... on the side effects list of this new pack, loss of hair is listed as 'common' rather than 'uncommon'.
It has to be cit causing this then right? Because it was never an issue before I went on cit, and just before I started taking cit, I had blood work done which all came back normal.

[Magic]

I had a newspaper this morning. Left it at my daughters, I cannot remember which paper it was -- Any way there was an article on hair products and hair loss.
I remember it said it was normal to loose between 80 and 140 hairs a day.
Oh it was Daily Mirror