Living with Alopecia (Hair Loss)

I was put on Licmictal as a substitute for anti-depressants that did not seem to work.

My first hair loss was because of chemotherapy. Within 4 months of ending chemo my hair started growing in. At first it was very curly, but then it became thick, and although fine, it was mildly curly as before, beautiful and healthy.

My Mother is almost completely bald It started in her thirties.

Anyway, almost 5 years later, I suddenly noticed “thinning” of my hair, larger “part” lines. I had pain on my entire scalp.

Then, I noticed that my hair was falling out. The hairs that fell out had little
“while balls” at the end of them. They were fuzzy. These I learned, are called “club hairs”. Although the hair that I do have continues to grow at least a half inch per month, it seems that more hair is falling out, and now the areas by my forehead are looking spare, but not bald. And it also appears that the hair that is long is cracking.

I tried to figure out WHAT had suddenly happened. I could only come up with the start of the “Limictal” as the reason. If you go on the Internet and look it up, you will find nothing. If you look up
“Limictal” and hair loss, you will find hundreds of people telling their stories about it. My oncologist and psychiatrist do not believe it has anything to do with my hair loss. I went to see a hair specialist, and she put me on a drug called “Spironolactone” which initially stopped the scalp pain, and it appeared to help the hair grow more rapidly again. She did a biopsy, which was inconclusive.

Now, after being on this drug for almost a year, I am noticing substancial hair loss again. I notice that my eyelashes are thinning, yet (this is gross) but my nose hairs are growing and are thicker. I never really was hairy on my arms or legs, but what is there appears to be even less.

The only OTHER correlation that I can come up with is that I have been under severe emotional stress since starting a new business two years ago. My once daily excercise routine has totally dwindled to almost nothing. Before, I barely missed a day, even when I was going through cancer treatment.

I have slowly cut down my dose and will eventually go off of the “Limictal”. The thought of it making my hair fall out over weighs it’s “mood stabalizing” benefits. I’m told I will not see any results (if that is the cause) for six months.

Does anybody else have a similar story pertaining to this drug, exercise, or whatever?

It’s difficult to exercise when stress makes you feel so exhausted all of the time. I’m trying. It’s the only other missing link that ties in with my sudden hair loss.