I began taking celexa (citalopram) this past March, started on 5mg (cut 10 in 1/2) then slowly went to 10mg, then 15, now on 20 and holding. I think this med saved my life. I had a horrible winter last winter, scared me to death, thoughts of suicide, stopped eating, lost 15 pounds (a lot for me). I lost my daughter, only child, 8 years ago this past March and have been struggling to survive and deal with this huge loss. This med has reduced my intrusive thoughts by 75%, allowed all the therapy I have been through to actually WORK by changing my self blame and what ifs, reduced anxiety so I don’t have to take Xanax during the day, it’s a miracle. BUT I started to lose hair in early summer, a lot of hair: not on my pillow or anything, but there are patches on my head. Dermatologist says it is not permanent, not pattern hair loss, but due to long term stress and very poor diet and rapid weight loss last winter. My hair is long, hard to tell if the loss is continuing or has become a normal amount. I’m afraid it’s the celexa. I get side effects to almost every drug I’m given, rare side effects. Has anyone had hair loss with this drug? I can’t find it as a side effect anywhere and psychiatrist says no it is not the celexa. If you did have it, did your hair loss stop? It takes hair a long time to recover, months and months. TY.
How long was it before the celexa stopped your intrusive thoughts? I’ve been taking it for 6 weeks still got them. My husband was put on lot meds after heart attack and started loosing his hair. he’s using the caffeine shampoo advertised a lot and seemed to help . His hairdresser said his was caused by the blood thinners. I haven’t heard of celexa causing it, couple of friends take it and got good head of hair. Think long term stress can affect your hair as well. I had friend who lost lot of weight and suffered hair loss but did grow back again.
Celexa started to help me three days after starting 5MG, I kid you not. it took two months to get up to 20mg. Everyone is different, tho. I took the GeneSight test. It told me what drugs would not cause side effects, and which drugs would, and which to avoid. You might try it, not every psychiatrist is signed up and it is still considered experimental. Six weeks is not long enough for blood titer to rise, you have to give Celexa at least three months. Plus, my therapist has helped me over these past difficult eight years. As for my hair loss, blood test showed low protein levels. I crashed last winter and ate HORRIBLY, will take months for my hair to return because I lost a lot of hair. I don’t take any other meds except for very low dose Toprol. I’d rather lose my hair instead of my mind, but I don’t think it’s the Celexa. Give it some more time. It is a miracle drug for me but, like I said, everyone is different.
the metoprolol causes hair loss in some patients. so that might be the culprit.best regards
my hair was always falling out with citalopram and its worse in withdrawal but when i settle so does my hair.
Just get bit despondent not making lot difference so far. i have been able to drive short distance last couple days, which haven’T been able to do for couple months, so maybe is kicking in. just desperate to improve a bit!!!
OMG I can’t stop taking this medication, I just can’t, I’m afraid of what would happen! Did you have a metabolic panel while you were losing your hair? My protein blood levels are LOW, not normal. I pray to God that’s the problem! Did you lose A LOT of hair? Did it grow back after you stopped the citalopram, are you sure it was related? Did you ask your psychiatrist? Mine tells me there’s no listing of this side effect for this drug. What happened when you titered off the drug? TY
hi jo, i had bloods (all normal) and im still tapering, my hair is alot thinner and snaps really easily, but when i settle it stops falling, thats how i know its the citalopram
hair loss with the cit is unknown.now hair loss with the blood pressure med you stated is common!dont stop taking your cit because of one allegedly case or even two cases of it.look into the blood pressure med you are taking.best regards
Thanks Lois, my psychiatrist did research. She called me today, told me Citalopran CAN cause hair loss and she wants me to taper off, gave me a schedule. She also said this is not a long term drug and I’ve been on it 8 months so she is not expecting emotional rebound but I can always go back to 5mg a day if needed. Also, this drug enhances effects of Metoprolol WITHOUT affecting bp or heart rate, so there is more in my blood than 25mg a day and since I’ve taken this drug for years with NO hair loss, she said it will go back to metabolizing normally by end of October. NOW I hope the gains I made on this drug (in terms of my PTSD) will remain since I have developed tools and overcome my habit of isolation.
Yes you are correct, my psychiatrist did research as I said in an answer to another comment. Cit CAN cause hair loss. It also has affected my metabolism and stressed my liver, enzymes are high normal, plus affected protecin absorption in my colon (protein levels in my blood are 1 point below lowest normal). She gave me a tapering schedule. By end of october I will be off the Cit and she said my hair will recover. I hope I can remain off it since I’ve acquired skills to counteract my PTSD. Keep me informed please of how you do off the Cit and I will post as well. TY!
hi jo, you can message me anytime, ive been on it years so im tapering so slowly goodness knows what my hair will be like by then x
just be careful with the tapering .good luck
TY my psychiatrist has given me directions.
TY if I had stayed on this drug for six more months, I’d be bald! OMG! I hope it comes back as quickly as it went away.
fingers crossed, what is your tapering plan jo? x
Doctor gave me tapering plan. 15mg a day for one week, 10mg a day for one week, 5mg a day for one week, stop. She said if I experienced any significant reaction to call her but she doesn’t anticipate it. Truthfully, I think most of what I believed to be help from this med was in my imagination: placebo effect. It’s done much more harm than good. My hair loss is going to take a year to reverse, at least.
fire your doctor.saying a prayer for you for that weaning process.
jo that is a really fast wean, please be careful x
Well the psychiatrist is doing it this way so we’ll see