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Suggest Remedy For Excessive Hair Fall And Itchy Scalp When On Venlafaxine
Question: I need to take venlafaxine to treat my depression. At 75 mg a day it is causing serious hair loss and burning itching scalp. The med works well for my depression. Should I try treating the hair loss with zinc and selenium or change antidepressant med? If I need to change med. what do you recommend?
I hate to change my venlafaxine but my scalp is becoming really bothersome and so is my hair loss. I have been on venlafaxine now for about a year. If I switch to another SSRI might I have the same hair loss problem? What other SSRI's are there?
I hate to change my venlafaxine but my scalp is becoming really bothersome and so is my hair loss. I have been on venlafaxine now for about a year. If I switch to another SSRI might I have the same hair loss problem? What other SSRI's are there?
Brief Answer:
Please send the full details of depression symptoms and medical history
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for using Helathcaremagic.
Before I can answer your question there is need to know details about depression symptoms over the years and medication dosage, frequency, duration.
There is also need to consider any medical history if you have.
Please revert back with all relevant details.
Thanks
Please send the full details of depression symptoms and medical history
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for using Helathcaremagic.
Before I can answer your question there is need to know details about depression symptoms over the years and medication dosage, frequency, duration.
There is also need to consider any medical history if you have.
Please revert back with all relevant details.
Thanks
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I have been diagnosed bi-polar with clinical depression since age 30. I am now age 62. I have needed an antidepressant since age 30. I have not had a manic episode since age 30. I don't remember all the dosages of all the meds but they were all relatively low. The depressive symptoms are feelings of hopelessness, severe fatigue, thoughts of death and dying, loss of interest in things I usually enjoy, etc. Most of the antidepressants that I have been treated with work about 2 years maximum before they stop working well or side effects become intolerable.
I typed an answer to your question but it doesn't seemed to have reached you.
All other health issues are currently fine. Have had numerous surgeries over the years. Hysterectomy, gallbladder, right hemicolonectomy stage one colon cancer, nine years ago, recently abdominoplasty with liposuction done on 4/2/2015. All blood work fine. All xrays fine, recent colonoscopey fine, no current health issues. Just need to solve antidepressant issue.
I typed an answer to your question but it doesn't seemed to have reached you.
All other health issues are currently fine. Have had numerous surgeries over the years. Hysterectomy, gallbladder, right hemicolonectomy stage one colon cancer, nine years ago, recently abdominoplasty with liposuction done on 4/2/2015. All blood work fine. All xrays fine, recent colonoscopey fine, no current health issues. Just need to solve antidepressant issue.
Brief Answer:
I think lexapro is option
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for reverting back to me with more details.
As I can see every tried medication worked for you for at least two years than there was relapse which lead to change in medication. First thing you need to know that rather than a failure it was natural course of disease which striked after two years on medication. It is not unusual to have relapse while on medication specially at lower dosages.
This opens all options again for you. In my view you can try any of previously tried medication albeit at slightly higher dose in compare to past.
Among the new options the first thing I like to recommend is Lexapro in dosage of 10 mg. This works well in majority of patients and reports of failure over less common in compare to other SSRIs.
Other SSRI you tried include Prozac and Zoloft. In addition to them SSRIs also include Celexa, Paxil and Fluvoxamine.
Among remaining I do not recommend Paxil as it is too sedative and chance of falls are much higher with advancement of age.
The option of treating hair and scalp condition is there but majority of patients do not respond to these measures while they respond readily following removal of ooffending agent (read Venlafaxine).
I hope this answers your question.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you may close the discussion and if possible you may rate the answer for me, so that I get a good feedback.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
http://doctor.healthcaremagic.com/doctors/dr-ashok-kumar/67386
Thanks and regards
I think lexapro is option
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for reverting back to me with more details.
As I can see every tried medication worked for you for at least two years than there was relapse which lead to change in medication. First thing you need to know that rather than a failure it was natural course of disease which striked after two years on medication. It is not unusual to have relapse while on medication specially at lower dosages.
This opens all options again for you. In my view you can try any of previously tried medication albeit at slightly higher dose in compare to past.
Among the new options the first thing I like to recommend is Lexapro in dosage of 10 mg. This works well in majority of patients and reports of failure over less common in compare to other SSRIs.
Other SSRI you tried include Prozac and Zoloft. In addition to them SSRIs also include Celexa, Paxil and Fluvoxamine.
Among remaining I do not recommend Paxil as it is too sedative and chance of falls are much higher with advancement of age.
The option of treating hair and scalp condition is there but majority of patients do not respond to these measures while they respond readily following removal of ooffending agent (read Venlafaxine).
I hope this answers your question.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you may close the discussion and if possible you may rate the answer for me, so that I get a good feedback.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
http://doctor.healthcaremagic.com/doctors/dr-ashok-kumar/67386
Thanks and regards
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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