Antidepressants: Good Or Bad? Any Impact On Hair?

[Mellie]

I suspect I've had mild depression for a while but was able to function ok. Since having hair loss for the past 2.5 years, I've become even more depressed. I feel really down on myself and feel like crying all the time for no reason. I don't have much motivation and I constantly have to force myself to do things. I'm only on Rogaine but thinking about adding spironolactone (I am female). But I am also thinking that it may be time to start an antidepressant. So I have 2 questions:

1) For those who are on anti-depressants, do they work well? Which ones? (I am leaning towards Lexapro)

2) Did it make you shed more hair?

thanks

 

[AnxiousAndy]

I've been on antidepressants for years and never noticed hairloss on them.. I would recommend Mirtazapine as its not an SSRI but works a treat for depression and especially sleep. Very vidi dreams happen on it too which can be awesome if you don't have a nightmare

 

[Georgie]

I've been on antidepressants for years and never noticed hairloss on them.. I would recommend Mirtazapine as its not an SSRI but works a treat for depression and especially sleep. Very vidi dreams happen on it too which can be awesome if you don't have a nightmare

Mirtaz is also heavily implicated in the lowering of cortisol which is good for lowering androgens and other factors which contribute to hair loss.

 

[AnxiousAndy]

Mirtaz is also heavily implicated in the lowering of cortisol which is good for lowering androgens and other factors which contribute to hair loss.

Interesting! It's nice to know I was fighting baldness harder than I realised. When I hit NW1 I will thank you in my success stories thread Georgie <3

 

[Georgie]

Interesting! It's nice to know I was fighting baldness harder than I realised. When I hit NW1 I will thank you in my success stories thread Georgie <3

Did you ever read the studies about Astressin-b? A topical injection that reduces cortisol at the follicular level, halting hairloss and reforming thick new hair? Stress/cortisol is a HUGE factor in hairloss. I causes immunosupression, inhibits growth factors, protein and collagen synthesis.. so many things needed for healthy hair growth. It’s something I have been looking into for a while which is why I know mirtaz is so good for lowering cortisol. I don’t take it because i knocks me out. I take Valdoxan, which increases melatonin amongst other things, which helps Lower cortisol.

 

[Jesse Navarro]

Its easy to see if the antidepressant is affecting your hair. It will not cause miniaturization, it will cause Telogen Effluvium. At least thats what a dermatologist i consulted a year ago told me.

 

[Calchas]

Which ones? (I am leaning towards Lexapro)

You're not buying a car,girl.

It's the profile of your symptoms that will determine which drug will be the right one for you(if you need any).
Do you have sleep disorder?
Have you lost your appetite?...Are you nausiated?
Do you feel sad or it's just that you physically suffer?
Ever had panic attacks or derealization/depersonalization episodes?
What's your tolerance to caffeine?
Have you ever contemplated suicide?
How old are you?...Did you have periods of recurring depression in your life?

The fact that you're considering going on anti-depressants and you worry about their potential effect on hairloss,shows
that you're not severely depressed.

 

[DoctorHouse]

I've been on antidepressants for years and never noticed hairloss on them.. I would recommend Mirtazapine as its not an SSRI but works a treat for depression and especially sleep. Very vidi dreams happen on it too which can be awesome if you don't have a nightmare

@AnxiousAndy, what were you main triggers that caused anxiety for you besides your hair?

 

[shookwun]

You're not buying a car,girl.

It's the profile of your symptoms that will determine which drug will be the right one for you(if you need any).
Do you have sleep disorder?
Have you lost your appetite?...Are you nausiated?
Do you feel sad or it's just that you physically suffer?
Ever had panic attacks or derealization/depersonalization episodes?
What's your tolerance to caffeine?
Have you ever contemplated suicide?
How old are you?...Did you have periods of recurring depression in your life?

The fact that you're considering going on anti-depressants and you worry about their potential effect on hairloss,shows
that you're not severely depressed.

Anti-depressants work for people who have actual depression, not ups and downs related to everyday life. (mild depression)

People seem to think these drugs will make them magically forget there worries, and feel great every day. A lot


Sorry to say folks, it will do absolutely nothing for image related issues.

 

[DoctorHouse]

Anti-depressants work for people who have actual depression, not ups and downs related to everyday life. (mild depression)

People seem to think these drugs will make them magically forget there worries, and feel great every day. A lot


Sorry to say folks, it will do absolutely nothing for image related issues.

@shookwun, from what I heard it just makes you not dwell on things as much as you usually do. Any truth to that?

 

[sadila]

I have tried that sh*t out of curiosity and without any prescription, i can imagine how it can quickly become very addictive.
In my experience it prevented any emotional reaction on situations that would normally cause me stress/anxiety or discomfort i was in mode: i don't give a f*ck which was a good thing sometimes where i tend to stress and start losing my intelectual capacities. though i wouldn't dare to stay on it in the long run as you basically become emotionally numb. ultimatly it's the up and downs that keeps us alive and staying on those pills will keep you in a constant rythme where you don't feel sad but neither happy.

I don't know if it had any effect on hairloss in the short period where i was on them. i was the usain bolt of hairloss and i'm still the usain bolt of hairloss

 

[AnxiousAndy]

@AnxiousAndy, what were you main triggers that caused anxiety for you besides your hair?

Most social situations, I hate being around people and meeting new ones. Irrational and paranoid thoughts, sometimes I think people are following me or staring at me.. And they may have been but its unlikely.

 

[DoctorHouse]

Most social situations, I hate being around people and meeting new ones. Irrational and paranoid thoughts, sometimes I think people are following me or staring at me.. And they may have been but its unlikely.

I understand where you are coming from. I used to be paranoid people were staring at my acne( now its my hair). I am sure they were but I was so self conscious of it all the time. If I get one pimple, I always think everyone is staring at it. Also, I have this obsessive behavior that I compare my looks to every guy I see. And when I know they are better looking or better genetics in some way or another I feel very unattractive and my self esteem reaches a low. I know this sound horrible, but I tried to make friends that were at least average or below average. Once in a while if they are cool like @sunchyme1 who is supposedly male model material, I would make an exception.

 

[Georgie]

Most social situations, I hate being around people and meeting new ones. Irrational and paranoid thoughts, sometimes I think people are following me or staring at me.. And they may have been but its unlikely.

I agree with you and @DoctorHouse
Hairloss has made me more paranoid and depressed, but I alreadt had extreme body image issues, obsessional traits leading to obsessional behaviours (ocd), extreme social anxiety, situational paranoia and anxiety, bipolar and a host of other issues. I think those of us who suffer most were already really messed up to begin with.

I have tried all manners of SSRI’s and SNRI’s. I don’t find lexapro does anything for me, Prozac is chemical castration and emotional deletion, all SNRI’s especially Cymbalta make me too sick to funtion.
Mirtaz is pretty good except it is incredibly analgesic, lithium is ok except it can make you pretty numb. I was on fluoxetine Prozac for the longest. I have not yet found a drug that alters my overall of feelings of self-hatred.
Antipsychotics can do that, but only because you’re too f*****g tired to think. I’m banned from using those anyhow. Tried to top myself a few too many times.

Valdoxan is a newer class of drug which actually blocks serotonergic activity, and works more on melatonin secretion, balancing circadian rhythm, decreasing cortisol and allowing for more restful sleep, which leads to improved mood etc etc. It’s ok but it’s not a magic pill. None of them are. I’m only taking to to decrease my cortisol levels in lieu of an astressin-b treatment to stop glucocorticoids and corticotropin releasing factor fuxing with follicles and estrogen. Seriously. The stress response angle is incredibly relavent to hairloss.

 

[Calchas]

So,@Georgie you are only on Valdoxan now?Do you take it at night before sleep or during the day?
I'm on Minitran for the last couple of years,which is a combination of amitriptyline(tricyclic),and perphenazine(antipsychotic).
It alleviates the symptoms about 20-30%,but i'm still struggling...and i'm struggling hard.
Cymbalta was a poison for me too.It literally made me vomit every single day.
Remeron did nothing at all...Same with Ladose and Librax.
Benzos don't work either...I occasionally take a Xanax befor sleep, but most of the times it doesn't work.
I end up sleeping at 5-6 in the morning.It sucks.

 

[Georgie]

So,@Georgie you are only on Valdoxan now?Do you take it at night before sleep or during the day?
I'm on Minitran for the last couple of years,which is a combination of amitriptyline(tricyclic),and perphenazine(antipsychotic).
It alleviates the symptoms about 20-30%,but i'm still struggling...and i'm struggling hard.
Cymbalta was a poison for me too.It literally made me vomit every single day.
Remeron did nothing at all...Same with Ladose and Librax.
Benzos don't work either...I occasionally take a Xanax befor sleep, but most of the times it doesn't work.
I end up sleeping at 5-6 in the morning.It sucks.

You take it before bed because it is mildly analgesic due to the fact that it stimulates release of melatonin. I can’t say it changes my mood much but that’s all very heavily situational/circumstantial as well. It does give you trippy-*** dreams but the sleep you get t pretty decent. I think it could be good in combination with the right anti depressant. I also use nighttime sleep formulas containing GABA. The idea is just trying to reduce my stress/cortisol levels as much as possible.
Mirtaz is really great for that too, but I dislike how zonked it makes me, plus after a while it puts me in a mix-effected state of anger.. which sadly can happen as a side. I’m just unlucky.

 

[Calchas]

You take it before bed because it is mildly analgesic due to the fact that it stimulates release of melatonin. I can’t say it changes my mood much but that’s all very heavily situational/circumstantial as well. It does give you trippy-*** dreams but the sleep you get t pretty decent. I think it could be good in combination with the right anti depressant. I also use nighttime sleep formulas containing GABA. The idea is just trying to reduce my stress/cortisol levels as much as possible.
Mirtaz is really great for that too, but I dislike how zonked it makes me, plus after a while it puts me in a mix-effected state of anger.. which sadly can happen as a side. I’m just unlucky.

Mirtazapine(Remeron)did nothing for me.It seems that i'm super-sensitive in some substances and completely insensitive to others.
I think i should give Valdoxan a try...I've got nothing to lose...When you're wet,you're not afraid of the rain.

Btw...I know you have a history with anorexia...What was the best thing you tried that increased your appetite?
I literally have to force myself to eat sometimes...And i'm 24/7 nauseated

 

[Georgie]

Mirtazapine(Remeron)did nothing for me.It seems that i'm super-sensitive in some substances and completely insensitive to others.
I think i should give Valdoxan a try...I've got nothing to lose...When you're wet,you're not afraid of the rain.

Btw...I know you have a history with anorexia...What was the best thing you tried that increased your appetite?
I literally have to force myself to eat sometimes...And i'm 24/7 nauseated

Just be aware that valdox is quite expensive because it’s such a new drug.
I’m the same with most of the drugs I’ve taken but because I have such a cluster-f*** of problems, it’s hard to treat. My psych thinks I need EMDR to address trauma/ptsd, amongst intensive psychotherapy to actually change my thinking and behaviour towards myself. He genetic part is only one piece of the puzzle. My upbringing has a lot to do with my problems.

Nothing helped with the appetite because with anorexia, you basically trick yourself into not ever being hungry because food is your biggest fear. It’s all mind over matter. I do hear that seroquel in particular causes appetite increase and weight gain.

 

[Calchas]

Just be aware that valdox is quite expensive because it’s such a new drug.
I’m the same with most of the drugs I’ve taken but because I have such a cluster-f*** of problems, it’s hard to treat. My psych thinks I need EMDR to address trauma/ptsd, amongst intensive psychotherapy to actually change my thinking and behaviour towards myself. He genetic part is only one piece of the puzzle. My upbringing has a lot to do with my problems.

Nothing helped with the appetite because with anorexia, you basically trick yourself into not ever being hungry because food is your biggest fear. It’s all mind over matter. I do hear that seroquel in particular causes appetite increase and weight gain.

Valdoxan(x28) costs 40 euros here.I think one month is a sufficient time period to evaluate its effectiveness.

I'm too self-aware for psychotherapy...I have zero plasticity...And biological predisposition is the culprit to blame in my case.

I believe your traumas need other type of bandages...But i'm sure that you'll be fine.

 

[Georgie]

Valdoxan(x28) costs 40 euros here.I think one month is a sufficient time period to evaluate its effectiveness.

I'm too self-aware for psychotherapy...I have zero plasticity...And biological predisposition is the culprit to blame in my case.

I believe your traumas need other type of bandages...But i'm sure that you'll be fine.

It’s definitet worth trying. Very minimal side effects if any, no lagging fatigue, no gut, liver, heart or neuro issues. It’s got a great safety profile. Just don’t expect miracles obviously.

Yeah I hate therapy. Been there, done that. It feels like going to an acting class and learning how to fake. Not my thing.

I am leaning towards EMDR but it’s a hassle because you need to be an inpatient to do it due to the high incidence of post-treatment suicide (from digging up traumatic memories and forcing you to relive them).
I’ll get there one day.