Posted by yxibow on August 20, 2009, at 18:58:32
In reply to Frightened of hair loss--but desparate, posted by whitmore on August 20, 2009, at 18:07:17
> I have BDD(essentially untreated),severe anxiety, and insomnia which may be unrelated, since even when medicated, I can never sleep. Anyway, symptoms are out of control at the moment. When I see my pdoc I'm going her to ask to augment the low-dose AD with an anti-epileptic. But I'm TERRIFIED of the hair loss(BDD of course). Are there any that are less likely to have this effect than others
Well -- considering there are what, quite over a dozen+ AEDs including benzodiazepines, its which one is right for YOU.And this may sound very harsh, but its a choice for you between being not treated and living with what you have or taking the medication and possibly having side effects, including hair loss and maybe having a better life and better functionality.
Its always a choice one faces with any medical treatment -- do the benefits outweigh the risk.
If you are "desperate" -- then I would say, go with polypharmacy to try to get what sounds like a number of comorbid disorders going on at the same time reduced, in my opinion I would say, forget possible hair loss -- heck, I have patchy hair but I (grudgingly, I admit) would have more patches if I could actually get some powerful reduction.
For YOU, that's up to YOU.
And yes, I imagine if you have BDD this will place into effect too -- but you have to choose really between what I know is a rock and a hard place in your mind -- treatment to me sounds better, its your decision.
Has anyone been on them long term and NOT noticed any hair loss? I keep reading about the zinc/selenium supplement route to prevent it, but I really doubt that it works--seems like something the Pdocs say in order that you'll give it a try.
That sounds a bit of a stretch -- "..pdocs say" ?... There has been some minor research I think into zinc and selenium for hair loss. Its relatively harmless in appropriate quantities, that doesn't mean it will do a lot.
BTW, I have been on high dose SSRI, with no more relief than low dose.That's possible -- dose doesn't say it all, ratcheting to the ceiling doesn't "work" for everyone.
-- take care
-- Jay
poster:yxibow
thread:913199
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090818/msgs/913205.html