Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 934

Shown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Great doctor & Now I understand the hairloss

Posted by janey on October 21, 1998, at 22:28:01

I essentially "stumbled" across this forum while looking for information on trazodone. I missed two days' worth of my dose (300 mg h.s.) this week and was looking to see if my side effects were consistent with documented evidence.

Don't worry -- my refills were called in and I picked it up.

I'm from the unipolar family -- dysthymia and major depressive episode. I went through a cognitive day treatment program this summer that helped more than anything in the past. I have a question though, in my day treatment program and here in this forum, there seem to be more bipolars than unipolars; is this just an uncanny coincidence or is bipolar disease more common than unipolar?

After reading through a number of the posts here, I get the impression that a side effect of trazodone is hair loss. Could this be why my hair falls out in clumps in shower lately?

I feel very fortunate to have a wonderful psychiatrist. She is a department head in a local hospital here, and she is one of the most normal people I have ever met. I'm very lucky it seems.

Regarding antidepressants and sexual dysfunction: I didn't notice how uninterested in sex or relationships I was while I did my time on Prozac and Zoloft.... However, when I was switched to Effexor after the previous meds ran out of steam, my sex drive came back with a vengeance. Just an anecdotal female perspective on things.

Thanks for listening. I look forward to checking in and observing.

janey

 

Re: Great doctor & Now I understand the hairloss

Posted by Susan on October 23, 1998, at 10:29:15

In reply to Great doctor & Now I understand the hairloss, posted by janey on October 21, 1998, at 22:28:01

> I essentially "stumbled" across this forum while looking for information on trazodone. I missed two days' worth of my dose (300 mg h.s.) this week and was looking to see if my side effects were consistent with documented evidence.
> Don't worry -- my refills were called in and I picked it up.
> I'm from the unipolar family -- dysthymia and major depressive episode. I went through a cognitive day treatment program this summer that helped more than anything in the past. I have a question though, in my day treatment program and here in this forum, there seem to be more bipolars than unipolars; is this just an uncanny coincidence or is bipolar disease more common than unipolar?
> After reading through a number of the posts here, I get the impression that a side effect of trazodone is hair loss. Could this be why my hair falls out in clumps in shower lately?
> I feel very fortunate to have a wonderful psychiatrist. She is a department head in a local hospital here, and she is one of the most normal people I have ever met. I'm very lucky it seems.
> Regarding antidepressants and sexual dysfunction: I didn't notice how uninterested in sex or relationships I was while I did my time on Prozac and Zoloft.... However, when I was switched to Effexor after the previous meds ran out of steam, my sex drive came back with a vengeance. Just an anecdotal female perspective on things.
> Thanks for listening. I look forward to checking in and observing.
> janey


I've been taking trazodone (Desyrel) for about three years. After the first six or seven months, suddenly and inexplicably my hair began falling out in clumps. The texture also changed; the hair became brittle and broke off easily. My doctor had not heard of this particular side effect with Desyrel but it was the only thing that seemed to make sense. My hair began to come back when I was off the drug for a few months but it never came back completely. I guess given the choice between depression or hair loss, I'll put up with the hair loss.

 

Re: What sexual side effects from Effexor?

Posted by carter on October 23, 1998, at 19:45:17

In reply to Re: Great doctor & Now I understand the hairloss, posted by Susan on October 23, 1998, at 10:29:15

I'm considering taking Effexor, and so far I've heard good, bad, and indifferent reports on Effexor and sex drive. Any reports, especially from males? Janey said thumbs up on it -- can I assume what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander?

 

hair loss

Posted by Dr. Bob on October 29, 1998, at 0:45:48

In reply to Re: Great doctor & Now I understand the hairloss, posted by Susan on October 23, 1998, at 10:29:15

> I've been taking trazodone (Desyrel) for about
> three years. After the first six or seven
> months, suddenly and inexplicably my hair began
> falling out in clumps. The texture also changed;
> the hair became brittle and broke off easily.
> My doctor had not heard of this particular side
> effect with Desyrel but it was the only thing
> that seemed to make sense. My hair began to come
> back when I was off the drug for a few months but
> it never came back completely.

Sorry if I've mentioned this before, but there's
some information on this (maybe not specifically
with trazodone) at:

http://www.dr-bob.org/tips/split/Hair-loss-with-medication.html

Bob

 

Thank you -- hair loss

Posted by janey on October 30, 1998, at 18:27:49

In reply to hair loss, posted by Dr. Bob on October 29, 1998, at 0:45:48

I have very thick and curly red hair, so have always had perhaps a little more noticeable hair loss than most folks by virtue of having more hair. ~laughing~

My trazodone dose was increased significantly this past summer and in the past six weeks I've noticed I'm losing more hair than usual -- no big deal to me as I could lose some more and never miss it. I really didn't notice any increased hair loss while on Zoloft or when I was switched to Effexor; only after my trazodone was doubled.

Dr. Bob, thank you for the hair loss information board. I see that a lot of docs recommend selenium and zinc supplements with Valproic-acid induced alopecia. Are you aware if this treatment is effective for the trazodone family?

Thanks again for having a great site. The information is invaluable.

janey

 

Re: What sexual side effects from Effexor?

Posted by Victor on October 31, 1998, at 16:28:38

In reply to Re: What sexual side effects from Effexor?, posted by carter on October 23, 1998, at 19:45:17

From personal expeience only. The sexual side effects
from Effexor are as bad as you think, or not as bad
as you think, take your pick. With a little help
from my friend, which happens to be my wife of 32
years, (yes, there is sex after 50) the only problem
that I have experienced is that it takes me longer
to achieve orgasm. Good for her, not so bad for
me if I don't THINK about it. I just learned that
I am taking a larger dose than most people, but the
results have been great. I now have a life.

TTFN

Victor

> I'm considering taking Effexor, and so far I've heard good, bad, and indifferent reports on Effexor and sex drive. Any reports, especially from males? Janey said thumbs up on it -- can I assume what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander?


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