Massive hair loss

[soon2besknygrl]

I have been on phen for 3 months. At first it was just a bit of shedding. Now my hair is REALLY going. Falling out in clumps at the root. You can actually see the follice! I've been taking a B complex, to no avail. Is this permanent? I guess I will have to go off, before I'm bald. If it's not permanent, how long does it take for this side effect to wear off? HELP!!!!

[Danelady]

Hair loss.
Although you won't see hair loss (alopecia) as a listed side effect for most anorectic medications, it is a commonly reported event.
The hair loss usually starts around the third month, and can continue for as long as you are losing weight. Alopecia can be caused by the change and diet and hormonal levels that accompanies weight loss. Centrally acting obesity medications also have hormonal effects. The reason you do not notice the hair loss right away is that hair follicles lie dormant on your head for several months after the initial damage is done. By the time you start to notice alopecia, your body is already starting to correct the problem. A few weeks after you notice the initial hair loss, you should start to feel little hairs coming out of your scalp, this is hair regrowth.

If you are experiencing hair loss on while taking obesity medications you should make sure that the hair you are losing is coming out by the root. This is normal hair loss, even though the rate of hair loss is abnormal. However, if your hair is dry, or breaking off, this could be a sign of something else like hypothyroid. In either case, you should report alopecia to your physician.

The hair loss will stop on its own. Eating a good diet and taking a multivitamin from the inception of your weight loss program should help. Discontinuing the medications will not stop the hair loss. The shock to your system has already occurred, and the hair loss will continue for a while. Don't bother with shampoos or other non-systemic solutions. They are a waste of money.

The amount of hair loss can vary widely from individual to individual. However, the hair does grow back, and I know of no one who has gone bald from the medications.

[soon2besknygrl]

Oh my god thank you soooooo much for the advice I feelo better now!!!!! a million thanks!!!! <BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Originally posted by Danelady:
Hair loss.
Although you won't see hair loss (alopecia) as a listed side effect for most anorectic medications, it is a commonly reported event.
The hair loss usually starts around the third month, and can continue for as long as you are losing weight. Alopecia can be caused by the change and diet and hormonal levels that accompanies weight loss. Centrally acting obesity medications also have hormonal effects. The reason you do not notice the hair loss right away is that hair follicles lie dormant on your head for several months after the initial damage is done. By the time you start to notice alopecia, your body is already starting to correct the problem. A few weeks after you notice the initial hair loss, you should start to feel little hairs coming out of your scalp, this is hair regrowth.

If you are experiencing hair loss on while taking obesity medications you should make sure that the hair you are losing is coming out by the root. This is normal hair loss, even though the rate of hair loss is abnormal. However, if your hair is dry, or breaking off, this could be a sign of something else like hypothyroid. In either case, you should report alopecia to your physician.

The hair loss will stop on its own. Eating a good diet and taking a multivitamin from the inception of your weight loss program should help. Discontinuing the medications will not stop the hair loss. The shock to your system has already occurred, and the hair loss will continue for a while. Don't bother with shampoos or other non-systemic solutions. They are a waste of money.

The amount of hair loss can vary widely from individual to individual. However, the hair does grow back, and I know of no one who has gone bald from the medications.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[ana_perfection]

WOW! I just hope I dont start loosing my hair, all these horror stories on here has really go me worried

[DavidsGirl]

This is just a post from experience... I was taking a similar medication and was losing weight... 53 lbs to be exact. I felt GREAT about myself, but my hair started falling out as well and was falling out drastically. I began seeing a Dermatologist to find out what was going on and how to stop the hairloss. He had me stop the meds and begin using Women's Rogaine. Eventually, my hair began slowly growing back. Just little sprigs sticking up all over the place at first... most noticable around my bangs and then more full around the rest of my head. I figured later, my body may have adjusted itself and began taking the meds again... needless to say, it began falling out again, so I stopped before I had to start up the Rogaine treatment. I just thought I would share... Hope it helps!

[Mystic Butterfly]

Oh gosh...I already have thinning hair bad from my mother...I dont think I can take pill thinking I will lose more..I will go bald!!! Oh wow, now I dont know if I want to take this pills....::

[mom_wants2lose]

I am glad you posted this. I have noticed that when I run my hands through my hair I am shedding. I have always lost some hair, but not like this...glad to know it should stop at some point.

[kareninfl]

I think anytime you don't eat right or cut back on food intake trying to lose weight, a multivitamin is necessary. I take a good multivitamin (capsule or gel cap, not cold pressed hard pills as they don't digest) and I haven't lost any hair. Please consider this ....

[AMedina]

I took phentermine on and off for a long time. I never experienced hair loss. My guess is like the others, you need to take a multi-vitamin. After eating much less than you're used to, you're not taking in as many nutrients. Try eating more vegetables and fruits to nurish your body.

[hopefultolose100]

my advice to anyone with hair shedding, or dryness, like posted above, its because your body is not getting enough nutrients, and is feeding off of itself, i was on atkins, and my hair became realy realy dry like it looked soooo dead, and i have never ever had this problem before, i continued atkins, but took an oil of ola muti vitamin, that has all the extra stuff in it ,and bought a leave in conditioner, after a month my hair went back to normal and wash your hair only three times a week while trying to bring it back to its health

[Fango]

Take Biotin supplements, available at all vitamin shops, walmart...I take 1200 mcg. daily for 2 years, have not lost any while one phen since dec. I also take a multi, calcium and b-complex

[jagusmc]

I took Phentermine a few years ago and lost 30 lbs in 3 months. I also lost hair daily. I keep my hair pretty short (military) and have fairly straight fine hair... it was noticeable enough to finally just shave my head. My hair grew back of course but not to the same condition it was prior to Phen.

Now, I just started taking Adipex 37.5 and on week 2 and already my hair is falling out along the top. I put nothing in my hair and just running my hand thru the top I can see a spot forming in middle of my scalp and along the edges of my hairline. I take a great multivitamin, Omega 3's, 6's and 9's, super B complex, but I know that definitely my caloric intake and protein intake has dropped to hardly anything... right now I know my body is in shock and I know hair loss is normal when dieting, particularly when using extremes such as Phentermine.

I'm going to go get biotin and see if that helps but someone said hair loss starts in the 3rd month and just wanted to let you ladies know that even the guys get it and in my case immediately after starting the medication.

[tazgirl31]

Wow I been so depressed and worried about my hair cause it's falling out by roots and my hair is Long and used to b so thick n shiny and Now it's dull n thin! I hate it! I'm so close to goal I don't want to stop here. But my hair is just horribly thin now feels like it has no life to it ! And when I try to fix it I see the bald spot up top ughhhh so disguisting! I'm for sure going to start my prenatal vitamins and my biotin I bought tommorow! Cause I just can't afford to keep losing my hair at this rate! Taz

[jagusmc]

So I thought I'd give an update since my last post. Here is a list of all the vitamins I'm taking. Some vitamins end up being repetitive because multi's and complexes contain the same stuff just in varying doses.

I don't buy my vitamins from grocery stores and Men's One A Day & Women's one A Day are CRAP vitamins. They have metals mixed in with them and the quality is barely and I mean BARELY enough for your body to get any nutrition from. You need to go to a Heath food store or a Vitamin Shop. Most people don't know how to read labels regarding ingredients for vitamins or understand the percentages listed & end up thinking their grocery store vitamin is enough when it's severely lacking.

I take daily:

Biotin - 7500 mcg
2x Calcium/Caltrate w/Vitamin D
1x Flax Seed oil w/omega 3, 6 & 9
1x EHA/DHA w/omega 3 & 6
1x Super B Complex (Gives me mega energy)
3x Benefiber pills

I went to my GP last night to ask about starting up Propecia but hesitant cause once you start, if you stop you lose hair. Also I've never had any issues w/my blood pressure but yesterday it was 150 over 90 when the nurse did it and then a little higher when the doctor did it. I didn't tell him I was taking Phentermine because he doesn't approve of people taking the drug. However, when I got back to the weight lose doctor I got the Phetermine script from, he will take my blood pressure and if it's high he will not allow me to continue taking the medication. I started the week of X-mas, Dec 22 and up until last week the medication would hit me within minutes of taking it. I took it last week and nothing. I've only been on it for approx 3 weeks and by the second week I did not feel anything when I took it other than a slight salty buttery taste in my mouth which is what I get when taking the Phentermine. I have lost 7.5 lbs since taking it. When I first did Phentermine back in 2002, I lost 30 lbs in 3 months. I worked out every other day and didn't each much but drank water, gatorade and red bull constantly. I didn't take any vitamins back then either and the weight stayed off for years. It's only been in the last 2 years since both my parents passed away that I've gained the weight back and more... but I also had not worked out in 2 yrs either.

[IndigoIncenseInsanity]

I'm just re-starting phen, so I can't comment about hair loss this go 'round. I will say that the last time I was on phen my hair fell out by the handfuls. I talked to the doctor about it this time and he said I need to make sure my diet has a certain amount of fat and protein in it. I spent time on Fitday last night making sure I was going to get enough of both of those things, and that was a CHALLENGE to do so with keeping my calories down! I finally managed to do so with my calories going 22 over my 1000...lol I worked out this morning. I'm figuring that 22 calories burned off. Either way, I know for a fact the last time I took phen, I was not at all informed on the appropriate levels of fat and protein and used to pride myself in living on almost NO fat. NOT SMART AT ALL!

At any rate, I gained all this weight during my father's illness and in the two years of grief after his passing. The stress from that also caused my hair to shed heavily. I'm using women's rogaine, progaine shampoo and taking Nioxin vitamins. I'm hoping that, combined with closely monitoring my protein and fat intake, will help me from losing hair again.

[jagusmc]

Well since I've been taking all the vitamins, the hair loss has stopped or slowed down drastically. I had to get my hair cut shorter because my hair is straight and lays down. The weight of having hair longer than 3 inches causes it to be much more noticeably on me so by keeping it short it takes the weight off and my hair actually looks normal again to anyone but me cause only I can really tell I've lost hair. My doctor said only 1 other patient of his has hair loss as well. He was shocked.

So I weighted in on Jan 19th and had lost at that point 12 lbs. Now mind you I am working out every other day and gaining back my muscle mass. Since muscle weighs more than fat, if I wasn't working out I'd probably have a higher weight loss number. Now after weighing in last night, I've hit 198 from 213 in a little over a month. So its a 15 lbs weight loss but again, I'm gaining a lot of muscle fairly quickly from working out so in comparison, if I was not working out that number would more than likely be close to 20 lbs in a little more than 1 month.

The appearance is dramatic in comparison to what I looked like before in such a short time. I'm not even sure that when I did Phen before that my body changed so much, so fast. I will post before and after pictures. Yikes.

I spoke w/the doctor about not feeling the active affects of the Phen and he mentioned I could have developed a tolerance but it's unusual to have hair loss and/or develop a tolerance within 2 weeks of taking it... dunno, I just know what happened with me. I told him if the hair loss gets really bad, I'll shave my head but as long as it will grow back. I'm worried that the Phen may kick in or speed up the natural hair loss process... you'd think at 38 if I was going to go bald, I'd have gone bald way before now considering my cousin whose 1 yr older than me went bald in late 20's and cousin under me went bald after high school and I had a fairly full head of hair before taking Phen but I remember the little I lost when I took Phen before, my hair never fully recovered from that and remained "thinner" from that time period no Phen. So this current hair loss is in addition to what I lost years ago when on Phen.

as far as not feeling the active affects of the Phen, I may not be feeling it's effects but it's still working obviously because I'm still losing weight rapidly. Of course I keep track of what I eat and the calories and protein in each thing I eat. I'd forgotten how little numbers add up... geez.

My doctor was extremely pleased with the amount of weight loss. He was almost giddy. It was kind of funny.