Hi mike,I have very thick dark long hair,I was only on 40mg of propranolol for 5 wks and lost 3/4 of all my hair.it was so devastating.i suffered with panic attacks and the propranolol did help with it.but I came off it because of the hair loss,it’s taken 8 months to grow back,but be reassured,it does grow back when you stop..good luck
What mg are you on
Hi Anna,
This has LITERALLY been my SAME experience!!!!! I was put on propranolol for my hyperthyroid induced tremors/tachychardia in August 2018. I had been losing my hair due to the thryoid disease for a couple months prior. I was put on thryroid meds at the same time (Aug 2018) and my hair STOPPED falling out for a lovely two months. During this time however, I was noticing rapid and extreme weight gain (like 15-20 pounds) mind you, I've always been a fit and thin gal. My eating habits had only improved and I had been working out consistently as well. I come to find out that propranolol was the culprit for this. As soon as I found this out, I self-lowered the dosage (doctor had me taking 30mg 4x a day). But then, BAM! in late October 2018 my hair starting to fall out at rates I've never in my life have seen before! It is scary! I had lost about 55% of my thick and very curly hair in a matter of 3 weeks! Washing my hair is a slow and dreadful process as the shedding does not want to stop! At this rate, I will be bald in a couple of weeks! I told my doctor about it and he did not seem very concerned and did not correlate it to the propranolol! Thanks to this forum, I am relieved to find out why! I've been STRESSED about this issue and am happy to find that others have experienced similiar situations off of this medication so now i know to stop using it! I will keep everyone posted on how this goes. I've decided to monitor my own heart and only take the medication as needed. So far, I've barely been taking it (once or twice a day) and my blood pressure and heart rate have remained stable. I am very disappointed that my doctor had no clue or did not advise me of this symptom because it's been eating me alive. Wish me luck!
Emely,
I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism/graves June 2018. I just recently noticed in the past month i've been losing tons of hair . My levels are stable, but i'm on methimazole and 80 mg of propanolol. I think I may start weaning myself off the propanolol as well. Glad to know there's others going through the same thing. The weight gain has also been such a burden :(
Hi Ana! YES!!! the hair propranonol induced hair loss is far more intense than the thyroid induced hair loss for sure (it also depends how far along your thyroid issues got prior to treatment because the thyroid hair loss cames like 6 months after my diagnosis in Dec 2017). I've already been weening off the propranolol for the weight issue and as of yesterday decided to only take half of a 30mg tablet (which is half of the entire 60mg, so 15 mg) tablet IF and whenever my heart rate surpasses 100 beats per minute for more than an hour. Everytime I've gone for my blood pressure tests (on a biweekly basis), they have been normal. So that's good! But i wish my heart rate would just become more stable so i did not have to worry about taking the medicine at all! I hope that decreasing my dosage as such well help with the hair loss. I am happy that the thyroid medicine hasn't caused these side effects because that's the one we need to survive lol oh! and this past month I've started juicing. i read that beet juice is really good at lowering blood pressure so I've been drinking tons of that!
SIDE NOTE: i am literally intimidated to wash my hair because i am not looking forward to seeing how much hair I'm going to lose this time. #depressing
we will get through this!!!!
I started propane 20mg 5 months ago and my weight ballooned and my thick beautiful hair is falling out horribly. I was told to take Biotin, and the shampoo someone else here recommended. I'm sick over this. I take it for hand tremors, due to Lithium, but I cut the lithium in half, so I am down to the 20mg propanol. my hair falls out in handfuls in the shower, it's all over my bed, my car, my clothes, my carpets, everywhere. I'm going to start the biotin, the shampoo and hopefully get off of this medication. How are you doing?
someone on here said it takes 3 months.
Use Minoxidil :)
Emely! I am experiencing the SAME EXACT thing! It is alarming to say the least. I have never had this issue until propranolol. Even a small dose. After taking it for 3 weeks I have extreme thinning and several bald spots. I had long, thick hair before I started taking it. It has been a couple of months since you have posted...can you tell me if the shedding has stopped? Is your hair growing back? PLEASE update if you see this, thank you!
Been on Propranolo for many years (40mg x2 day )and not had any symptoms of hair loss.......magic drug for migraine !!!
hi I'm about to start propranolol how long did it take for your hair to fall out?
Been on 40mg twice a day for over 6 years, no hair loss noticed
hi, i know its been a while from the post, but i also used this med for 15 days after a traumatic event and had horrible diahrea. 2weeks after stopping i noticed a bald spot. and I'm still waiting for it to grow, on month 3 since i noticed it. i feel horrible and cant stand how it makes me feel. i will up my biotin.
hi, I know its a very late post, still thought to participate. I was prescribed this med 40mg on last August and and i came off from the med in end of October. In the 1st week of december i saw first bald patch on my head and within 4 weeks of time i've lost 70% of my thick, dark brown hair. I went to dermatologist and he doesnt think its the regular Alopecia they deal with. I have no family history of hair loss. I strongly beleive this is the reason behind it and patiently waiting to see some miracle. I was wondering how are now?
hi I only stick to 20 mg thinning of hair but not too much medication out weighs hair loss they are amazing for me
did anyone ever get any answers for this? i know this was years ago but im facing the same thing and ive got no answers :( ive been off propanolol for nearly a year and my hair hasnt returned, all tests came back clear for everything else!
hi, hope youre well? i just wondered how your getting on with you hair loss?
xx
hi just wondered how you were getting on? xx
hi,
just wondered how you were getting on? as im going through the exact same problem
Hi. From late May 2020 until July 2020 I was on this propranolol for essential tremors. I have lost over 2/3 of my thick beautiful hair. Now October 2021 and it's pitiful. I was switched back to atenolol which I had previously been on for about 10 years for high blood pressure. There was previously no hair loss with atenolol. But since my hair is still falling out I believe the atenolol has kicked in this side effect as well since it's the same family beta blocker. I am depressed beyond words. I have scalp showing. Just shampooing causes so much loss and even gentle hairbrushing and hair everywhere - clothes, kitchen, car, floors. I can't afford dermatologist. It's so depressing . My primary insists no other patients have atenolol hair loss. I'm stopping it by myself.