Citalopram and hairloss ?

[Milkmachinemadness]

I took citalopram for about 3 months last year , my hair started falling out by the handful , this was in the list of side effects of 1 in 100. I weaned off them before I became bald ! I have since had my anxiety and depression hit me again hard like a tonne of bricks. GP has put me back on them saying it was stress causing the hairloss not the meds . It wasn't my thyroid as the was checked. So I have to choose between hairloss , anxiety or both :(

Could you ask for a different antidepressant? Its a shame that your preferences weren't taken into consideration as I'd not want to take something that caused hair loss.

Could you ask about trying one of the others like Sertarline or Fluoxetine?

I asked but she said she doesn't believe it was the cause of my hair loss ?

Ask to see a different GP. It's hard I know but in our position we need professionals who make us feel supported and that they listen to us. Your concerns are genuine.
Your GP hasn't alleviated your worry and that's as much of your treatment as medication.

I find it helpful to write things down before a visit so that I can't be steered off course.

Please go back to see a different GP

This will be the 4th GP if I see another , I'm
Going to run out :(

You can go back to the same GP and say that you don't want to take that and ask for an alternative. Whether she believes it to be the case or not, you do and there are alternatives.

Ohhhh I find it hard to be assertive , :( I was trying to be but obviously it wasn't enough , I will try again when I get the courage

I would get them to change the antidepressants.

I think that is very easy for Gps to blame all side effects on your anxiety. A few years ago I had to go on to ad. They made me throw up. Not the meds,apparently, just my anxiety. I just hassled her until she changed them. It took three attempts with different meds to sort it out.

Citalopram is the one that I was ok with. My hair did go very thin at first, but it has grown back. I am still taking them. I think I would have remembered if my hair had come out in handfuls thoug,it was just a gradual thinning.

Like you, I practically ran out of Gps to see, but also medication to take. Don't let them fob you off. There will be something that suits you.

Just wondering of anyone else had hair loss with this medication ?

I can't shake this thought that I have BC I can't get the fear away :( it's in my mind all the time ! I think I'm dying