I Have Epilepsy

Anyone lost hair because of epilepsy medication. If so, when you switched drugs (depakote to lamictal and vimpat) did you have your hair come back eventually? I'm 28 and genetically suppose to have hair into old age... (the genes specifically from your mother's father's hair get passed to the children and my grandfather has a head full at 70) However, I have pretty thin hair on top not gone, but thin. It's been a year since finally getting off a dose of 2000 mg a day of depakote since 16 yrs old.

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boklenholley7 · F

I was never on depakote. However, I did experience some pretty alarming hair loss a few years ago (I lost about 3/4 of my hair within a year). Rinsing your hair with cold water at the end of your showers or just taking a cold shower all the way through will cause the follicles to shrink up making it more difficult for the hair to fall out.
Amazon also carries a damn good shampoo that prevents hair loss by reducing the male hormones that are produces on your scalp (that's what causes male pattern baldness, the build up of too many male hormones, which kills of the hair follicles). It helped my hair loss tremendously, even though mine was caused from stress. You might want to check it out. You can put it on your thinner or bald areas before bed and let it sit over night. I've seen it work on a man I know who got a receding hair line, the hair starting growing back within a month on his bald areas. That's why I originally tried it.

Subsumedpat · 36-40, M

I have not heard of that one and I was never on depakote, I too genetically should have hair into old age, I have no sign of it receding or anything, if I make it to old age I guess I will know.

goshlanders · 36-40, M

@Subsumedpat: First off, we'll make it into old age! Second, I've researched a bit more into depakote. My old neurologist was giving me waaaay to high of a dose. 2000mg is too much even for bipolar disorder. This is damaging to much of the body. Liver damage, hair loss, flat monotone demeanor, grogginess. That's just what I experienced, but obviously there is more. I'm currently on Breviact, Vimpat, and Lamictal. It has some VERY weird side effects, too many to get into. Obviously, most all epilepsy meds have some type of negative side effect that can be fairly serious. The goal is to choose what gives you side effects you can deal with.

Subsumedpat · 36-40, M

I hate the side effects especially ones that dull you any. I hope you get a good balance.

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