Lexapro and Zoloft mad my hair fall out starting around 2 weeks. It increased and peaked at about 6-8 weeks and then slowed only some. I used minoxidil for over a year with the Lexapro bc I didn't want to go off of it. I finally decided to go off of it and my hairloss slowed down a few weeks later. With Zoloft two weeks after stopping the hairloss stopped. Now with Wellbutrin I've been weening down over months and am at 25 mg..a 100 mg pill cut in 1/4 s. My hairloss is still rediculous..like 50-60 hairs in the shower. Does anyone know how long it will take for the hairloss to slow? Or experience anything similar?
Anyone know how long until my drug induced hairloss will stop?
Question posted by Beatrice15 on 22 Feb 2018
Last updated on 2 December 2019
4 Answers
signguy1951
18 Nov 2019
Don't be alarmed, i know it's easy to say, i went thru same thing. The hair will grow back takes time, don' stress yourself of it. Good advice start eating right it helps alot. alot of fruits and vegetables, make smoothies of each everyday, do this everyday, and a protein drink in morning, get gelatin powder, and 2 eggs put in blender and drink it everyday. Hang in there don't let it beat you up, as i said it will come back
Ttobba
18 Nov 2019
Thanks for the reassurance, signguy. My excessive loss slowed and stopped shortly after I first posted. I am starting to see evidence of new hair growing in. (3 1/2 months since I stopped). Neither my doctor nor my pharmacist had never heard of this happening! I printed out some info from on line to give to my doctor, so hopefully she is a little wiser now.
Ttobba
26 Aug 2019
I was on sertraline for about 6 weeks. After being on it for about 2 to 3 weeks, I began having copious hair loss, at least 5 to 6 times normal. Brush each day contained maybe 100 or so hairs, same when washing hair, and much fall out on clothes during day. My hair was not thick to begin with, and I found this added loss very stressful. My scalp is very evident now. I have been off the meds for about 3 weeks, hair loss continues. I hope it eases soon!!!
saint2020
2 Dec 2019
Hi Ttobba, I appreciate your comment and reassurance. I was on lexapro for about 3.5 months and loved how it worked for me. However I stopped about 3 weeks ago because of excessive hair loss. It’s definitely still falling out and I’m trying not to stress over it. I can now see my scalp and considered buzzing my hair off but I’m reading that I need to be patient and hair loss will stop and grow again within 6 months. I’m meeting my dr next week to see if there are alternatives for my anxiety.
Thanks again!
Ttobba
2 Dec 2019
As an aside, after urging from my doctor, I started escitalopram about 6 weeks ago (with apprehension). I am getting none of the awful side effects that I got from the sertraline! My hair is fine.
WildcatVet
22 Feb 2018
Hi, Beatrice! ALL psychotropic drugs have the potential to cause hair loss, although it occurs very rarely. Mine continued throughout the time I was taking lithium... but not to the point of baldness. When I changed medications (for a different reason) my hair grew completely back in within about four months.
Best regards, Wildcat
"Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): ALOPECIA, ecchymosis, photosensitivity
Beatrice15
22 Feb 2018
Ok thank you for commenting! Glad to hear yours grew back in such short time.
Sstorm
8 Jan 2019
On all the sites mentioning Zoloft sertraline use, scroll to the comments and you will see they all have major hair loss, myself included. Doctors refuse to admit it but it is NOT rare. Try googling sertraline you will see the autofill says and hair loss. I think the doctors feel that anxiety is worse than being bald and apparently it doesn't occur to them that hair loss especially for women causes stress and perhaps even job loss and other issues. Not cool. Also the average weight gain is 30 pounds and many ppl, myself included report stopping breathing for long periods of time when sleeping. I didn't gain wait but I can only eat 1200 cals a day in order to avoid it and my body has no clue how to digest food now. Needless to say I have gone off of it took me 3 tries and 6 months if tapering and am at 2 weeks without it now suffering withdrawal symptoms that doctors also won't admit happening despite the consumer evidence to the contrary.
Not sure if they are bought off by pharma or what but they refuse to a knowledge even brain zaps as a withdrawal symptom, most doctors claim to not know what that is but it is all over the consumer sites. I'm pissed and would like to sue.
WildcatVet
26 Aug 2019
It occurs in less than 1% of users. The problem is that the tens of thousands of users who do NOT have hair loss don't have any reason to want to sit down and comment in the reviews.
erenee
22 Feb 2018
Hi there ! I’ve never heard of that as a complaint from people. I work in health care. I actually think 50-60 hairs a day is normal. Have you ever had your thyroid checked ? That causes hair loss.
Beatrice15
22 Feb 2018
It's 50-60 in the shower. When I brush after the shower it's like double that. The hair at my temples and forehead are so thin now. Thyroid is normal, had it checked three times. I went on and off Lexapro three times and each time it was the same story. 2-3 weeks I, then hair shed started etc. The only time it stopped was during pregnancy. And the pregnancy she'd only lasted like 8 weeks. This she'd is constant and ongoing. It's so horrible
erenee
22 Feb 2018
Oh man. I’m so sorry ! Can you try another Antidepressant maybe ? Like I said I work in health care and the meds you are on are the most prescribed within our office. I’ve never heard of hair loss as a complaint from patients. Sometimes hairloss just happens as a hereditary thing ya know. May not even be related to anything.
Beatrice15
22 Feb 2018
I know my MD said to me " I wonder if this is just your thing." ahh don't want it to be my thing. My mom has been on some of the same drugs with no problems. It's so weird. I'm just praying this current episode stops and want to figure out if a few months is normal or not. I should probably contact a hairloss derm. Thanks for your comments!
Related topics
lexapro, zoloft, alopecia, minoxidil, drug, hair
Further information
Similar questions
Search for questions
Still looking for answers? Try searching for what you seek or ask your own question.