hair loss with lithium?
608982
Hair loss in the course of lithium treatment.\nYassa R, Ananth J.\n\nTwo cases of hair loss attributed to lithium therapy are presented. In one case, lithium did not have to be discontinued, and in the other, hair loss led to noncompliance. This side effect is usually benign. Thyroid function tests should always be performed to exclude hypothyroidism as the underlying factor for this symptom.
797347
Why am I taking Lithium?\n\nLithium will help you have more control over your emotions and mood swings.\nHow much should I take?\n\nTake only the amount your doctor has told you at the times your doctor has told you. Do not stop taking Lithium unless your doctor tells you to stop.\nWhat if I miss a dose?\n\n    *\n      If you do miss a dose of Lithium, take the missed dose only if there are more than 4 hours left until the next dose is due.\n    *\n      If this is a slow release pill, take it only if there are more than 6 hours left until your next dose is due.\n    *\n      Never take two doses at the same time.\n\nWhat are “side effects”?\n\nSide effects are unwanted changes in our bodies which sometimes happen when taking medicine. Often they are minor and go away by themselves.\nThe minor side effects to watch for are:\n\n    *\n      trembling and shaking of the hands and fingers\n    *\n      increased thirst\n    *\n      frequent feeling of needing to pass urine\n    *\n      brief episodes of nausea and/or diarrhea\n    *\n      feeling weak or tired\n\nIf any of these side effects do not go away,tell your doctor.\nThe major side effects to watch for are:\n\n    *\n      diarrhea or vomiting that does not stop\n    *\n      drowsiness\n    *\n      muscle weakness\n    *\n      trembling\n    *\n      slurred speech\n    *\n      seeing things blurry\n    *\n      being clumsy or unsteady\n    *\n      confusion\n    *\n      convulsions or blackouts\n    *\n      feeling dizzy or fainting\n\nIf you have any of these side effects, call your doctor right away.\nAre there any special things I should know?\n\n    *\n      Tell your doctor or dentist who treats you or is planning surgery that you are taking Lithium.\n    *\n      If you take Lithium by pill, do not break, crush or chew the pill. Swallow it whole.\n    *\n      If you take the syrup or liquid form of Lithium, mix it in fruit juice or another flavored drink before taking it.\n    *\n      Always take Lithium after a meal or snack to lessen nausea.\n    *\n      While on Lithium, drink 2 or 3 quarts of water or other fluids each day.\n    *\n      Lithium will work only if it is taken as you are told by your doctor. This will help keep a constant amount in your blood. Do not stop taking Lithium even if you feel better.\n    *\n      Your doctor will check your progress at regular clinic visits to make sure Lithium is working right for you. They will be drawing your blood to check the amount of Lithium in your body.\n    *\n      Make sure you know how Lithium makes you feel before you drive, use machines, or do other jobs that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or are not alert.\n    *\n      Use extra care in hot weather and during activities that cause you to sweat, such as exercising, or during hot months and saunas. The loss of too much water and salt from your body could lead to major side effects.\n    *\n      If you have an infection or illness that causes heavy sweating, vomiting or diarrhea, check with your doctor.\n    *\n      Do not start a weight loss diet without first checking with your doctor.\n    *\n      Tell your doctor if you are on a low salt diet.\n    *\n      Do not change the amount of salt you eat.\n    *\n      Do not drink alcoholic beverages or take any other medicines while on Lithium without first checking with your doctor.\n    *\n      Tell your doctor if you’re pregnant or plan to breast feed your baby.\n\nreminderThings to Remember:\n\n    *\n      If you will be taking this medicine for a long time, it is important that you check your progress with your doctor regularly.\n    *\n      Be sure to keep all doctor and blood test clinic appointments.\n    *\n      Keep your medicine in the bottle it came in and out of the reach of children.\n    *\n      Always keep a list of all the medicines you are taking with you.\n    *\n      Give the list to any doctor or nurse practitioner who is treating you.\n    *\n
477726
best way to deal with hair loss is just go with it.  shave it all off and be done with it. that bald on top/hair on sides look is rediculous lol
875182
when using lithium for a long time hypothroidism can occur which is a condition where there is too little thyroid hormone within the bloodstream but it can be treated with a thryoid supplementation. there can also be a kidney problem but this is a rare thing. your doctor will take random blood samples from you ever so often to make sure that the levels of lithium are correct within your body. no need to worry its only been four months and your docotr knows what he is doing. good luck:)
414416
Yes... actually it can be a COMPULSIVE DISORDER... and it could either be something called Alopecia, OR something called Trichotillomania. Check out "Hair Loss... Causes and Treatments" at www.webmd.com\n\nI agree with "Perplexed" to an extent. The first thing they did was put my 9 year old on antidepressants. And though it HAS helped in her twisting on her hair (I do not see her doing this anymore and there IS new hair growth thank God!) it HAS caused her to become more irritable and moody, which was bad before, but WORSE since on the medication. They say that Trichotillomania is brought on by anxiety, and apparently it has made hers worse... not neccesarily the anxiety, but, the mood swings. Behavioral Therapy, catching yourself when your doing it and becoming more aware of it, can help a lot.
113028
Try using vitamins A&E I think that is the one for hair loss. Vitamin B if I'm not mistaken is to help the blood flow and increase energy and also for healthy diet.
1098823
I am severely bi-polar and am on lithium, I am also a nursing student with a degree in psychology and from what I know about lithium, you need to get tested regularly and have your dosage raised or lowered gradually until your symptoms diminish and you begin to feel normal, blood is usually tested regularly until doctor determines what amount is needed. Lithium can be toxic and detrimental if taken in excess, that is why it is extremely important to have levels checked regularly. You must give this drug at least two weeks to a month to get into your system and the level needs to be correct. I empathize with you because I have suffered with extreme mania and small bouts of horrendous depression for 44 yrs now. All four of my children also display some form of this illness and my mother died of alcoholism due to self-medicating. Back in her day....there was no known treatment and probably no diagnosis. God bless you and good luck.
756985
Yes you can.  I've been taking Synthroid for about a year now and I've had no problems.  There are some medications out there though that might prevent your hair from taking on the desired color that is shown on the box.  I know that if I try to go to a lighter brown my hair will only lighten up partially.  I'll get a more highlighted look which really isn't to bad.
149631
What ever you do, don't take seroquel.  I gained over 70lbs and the doctor just kept increasing the dose.  The best I've heard of is lithium.  But I don't have any experience with lithium.  I recommend to you a website (chat is experiencing difficulty at the time though) it's http://www.bipolarworld.net/Community/webchat.html\n\nIf you go to the link I provided then click on medications then select the link to MOOD STABILIZERS FOR BIBOLAR.  You will then see a chart that compares pros and cons to various popular meds used to stabilize bipolar.... to include: \nLi+, lithium.  \nVPA, valproate (Depakote) \nCBZ, carbamazepine (Tegretol) \nLTG, lamotrigine (Lamictal) \nOLZ, olanzapine (Zyprexa) \nOXC, oxcarbazepine (Trileptal) \nO-3, omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) \nVER, verapamil \nCLZ, clozapine \n\nI have also taken Lamictal which in my experience is very helpful if you experience racing thoughts.  I experienced no side effects and helped control my thought process.\n\nimredy2talk@yahoo.com if you have any questions.  BeWell.
1180950
Lithium is like two different medications:  low doses are pretty easy to manage and produce few side effects.  High doses are tricky to manage, require close monitoring to stay safe, and can cause side effects which make people want to consider alternative treatments. \nBecause lithium is very similar to sodium (a "salt"), taking lithium is like taking small salt tablets: it makes you thirsty. If you don’t drink more water than usual, you can have dry mouth. But when you do drink more, you will also urinate more. During the day this is usually not a problem, but some people have to get up at night to urinate when they did not need to before. Most people taking lithium will notice these effects somewhat, more so at higher doses.\n\nSome people can have nausea from lithium. The slow-release versions (Lithobid, Eskalith) are much less likely to cause this but can cost you more (not generic). After you have been taking lithium without nausea, becoming nauseous is a dangerous sign: your level may have become too high; get a lithium level if this does not get better, or if you get other lithium side effects.\n\nAs the dose and blood level go up, some other side effects can occur. Tremor (usually seen as shaky hands) is common. It can often be controlled with low doses of "propanolol", a blood pressure medication, if you and your doctor decide to continue lithium at this dose.\n\nWeight gain can occur with lithium. At first almost everyone will gain a few pounds as their body hangs on to more water (salt effect). Some people can continue to gain weight, though. This is much less of a problem with lithium than with valproate, both in how often it happens and how much weight is gained. Usually at this point we will switch medications, but some people can control the weight issue with regular exercise, wise eating, and avoiding alcohol entirely -- all good health habits anyway.\n\nSome people can have "edema", when your body has too much water, which shows up as ankle swelling or feeling "bloated". High doses can cause dry skin. At higher doses, loose stool or even diarrhea are frequently noted. Most of the other side effects you will see reported are uncommon.\n\nToo high a dose causes nausea, feeling very unsteady or "wobbly", slurring of speech, and confusion. If you notice these, call the on-call physician (she or he may arrange for a lithium blood test, and may lower your dose until the test shows what to do). It is dangerous to continue lithium if you have these side effects.\n\nAre there any serious side effects? (revised 5/05)\n\nVery high lithium levels, such as in overdose or continuing to take too much, can be fatal or cause kidney damage or other problems. Rarely a person can get very high levels when taking the right dose: this usually involves interactions with another medicine such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) or blood pressure medications; or becoming severely dehydrated (losing fluids through vomiting and/or diarrhea is the most common; if you are sick, taking no lithium until you can drink--and keep!-- plenty of water can avoid this); or making a mistake with the dosing.\n\nLithium can decrease thyroid hormone in about one out of 10 people taking lithium (common). The gland is generally okay and recovers its usual function if lithium is stopped; the only exception to this may be in families where there are relatives with thyroid problems. Thyroid levels need to be checked at least once a year while on lithium, but several times in the first year. (Some references recommend routine checks twice a year, and a few even more often than that; this is a matter for discussion with your doctor). We usually check your lithium level as well at that time.\n\nLong-term lithium treatment, for a decade or two, can lead to a steady lowering in kidney function. The higher the dose, the greater will be this risk.Presne  It is routine to monitor kidney function while people are taking
692688
It depends what you are treating and in who. From the drugs I would guess Bi-Polar disorder and maybe some trouble sleeping. Ask your doctor about a drug called Lamictal. I had to be taken off lithium after 15 years due to it's toxic side effects and the Lamictal not only worked as well as the lithium, it did it without the side effects! It was a like a fog lifted from my brain. Obviously this is for you to decide with your doctor. The transition from Lithium to anything has to be taken very seriously and done both slowly as well as under supervision.
315155
I heard of a new drug called Lamictal - that is actually a family of antipsychotics... I was prescribed only yesterday, in addition to Lithium, a low dose of Risperdal - So far, I don't know how it will work, but my fingers are crossed. Hope this helps to mention it to your doctor.
795613
My suggestion is that you get your thyroid checked.  If it is low it can cause all kinds of hair loss!  It is easily treated and medicated by simply going to a doctor.  \nOther than that make sure you massage your scalp when washing it and eat plenty of iron rich foods and protein in addition to the other things that are good for your diet.
1013737
i have heard of alopecia, but i don't know a lot of information about it, but i found some websites that might help. i hope that they are useful for you.\n\n(to get better: although there is no cure for alopecia, you can take medications to help make the hair grow back temporarily-- ex. corticosteriods,zinc, vitamin supplements, topical ointments; chances of getting alopecia: 2ndwebsite says "Those who develop alopecia areata for the first time after the age of thirty years are less likely to have another family member with it".)
252723
Lithium is a common medication.
162819
The following is taken from the National Cancer Institute webpage, "Chemotherapy and You: A Guide to Self-Help During Cancer Treatment - Coping with Side Effects"\nSource: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/chemotherapy-and-you/page4#C6\n\nHair Loss\n\nHair loss (alopecia) is a common side effect of chemotherapy, but not all drugs cause hair loss. Your doctor can tell you if hair loss might occur with the drug or drugs you are taking. When hair loss does occur, the hair may become thinner or fall out entirely. Hair loss can occur on all parts of the body, including the head, face, arms and legs, underarms, and pubic area. The hair usually grows back after the treatments are over. Some people even start to get their hair back while they are still having treatments. Sometimes, hair may grow back a different color or texture.\n\nHair loss does not always happen right away. It may begin several weeks after the first treatment or after a few treatments. Many people say their head becomes sensitive before losing hair. Hair may fall out gradually or in clumps. Any hair that is still growing may become dull and dry.\n\nHow can I care for my scalp and hair during chemotherapy?\n\n    * Use a mild shampoo.\n    * Use a soft hair brush.\n    * Use low heat when drying your hair.\n    * Have your hair cut short. A shorter style will make your hair look thicker and fuller. It also will make hair loss easier to manage if it occurs.\n    * Use a sun screen, sun block, hat, or scarf to protect your scalp from the sun if you lose hair on your head.\n    * Avoid brush rollers to set your hair.\n    * Avoid dying, perming, or relaxing your hair.\n\nSome people who lose all or most of their hair choose to wear turbans, scarves, caps, wigs, or hair pieces. Others leave their head uncovered. Still others switch back and forth, depending on whether they are in public or at home with friends and family members. There are no "right" or "wrong" choices; do whatever feels comfortable for you.\n\nIf you choose to cover your head:\n\n    * Get your wig or hairpiece before you lose a lot of hair. That way, you can match your current hair style and color. You may be able to buy a wig or hairpiece at a specialty shop just for cancer patients. Someone may even come to your home to help you. You also can buy a wig or hair piece through a catalog or by phone.\n    * You may also consider borrowing a wig or hairpiece, rather than buying one. Check with the nurse or social work department at your hospital about resources for free wigs in your community.\n    * Take your wig to your hairdresser or the shop where it was purchased for styling and cutting to frame your face.\n    * Some health insurance policies cover the cost of a hairpiece needed because of cancer treatment. It is also a tax-deductible expense. Be sure to check your policy and ask your doctor for a "prescription."\n\nLosing hair from your head, face, or body can be hard to accept. Feeling angry or depressed is common and perfectly all right. At the same time, keep in mind that it is a temporary side effect. Talking about your feelings can help. If possible, share your thoughts with someone who has had a similar experience.
731016
Absolutely. When I was on lithium I was constantly hungry. I craved sweets all the time (which I normally don't do). I would have eaten my sneakers if someone doused them in chocolate. I gained at least 35 lbs. It also affected my thyroid which controls metabolism and that added to the weight gain. I'm still on Synthroid to correct that. They switched me to Lamictal - no weight gain. Lithium doesn't cause weight gain in everyone, but if it does for you, you'll continue to gain.