Posted by Maneevan on May 25, 2000, at 0:05:34
In reply to Depakote hair loss question, posted by Ginny L on May 24, 2000, at 11:13:37
> I took Depakote for about a month for migraines. I stopped taking it because I was losing an alarming amount of my hair. I put this question out on this message board and it was suggested to me to try zinc. I would have tried it, but I decided to just not go back on the Depakote at this time. My question is this. It's been about 2 or 2 1/2 weeks since taking the Depakote and I'm still losing a considerable amount of hair. I'm starting to get really worried. This hair loss WILL stop, right? When? Help!? Ginny
Depakote (divalproex) is associated with hair loss. It results from damage to proliferating
(fast growing) cells in the anagen (actively) growing hair follicles. This results in a thin, fragil hair shaft that breaks even with minor trauma. It is reversible with discontinuance of the drug... but I suspect that you could lose a lot of hair before it begins to regrow normally. With some drugs the extent of hair damage is dose dependent, thus the more Depakote taken the more hair loss. You might consider other drugs you take also - tricyclic antidepressants (some times used for headaches) and various anticonvulsants can cause hair loss. So can oral contraceptives. But the one you took just before the problem should be most suspect. Time is the great healer - you should not have a permanent problem. Reference: Pharmacotherapy, Dipiro, fourth ed.
poster:Maneevan
thread:34496
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000517/msgs/34552.html