After 20+ years, several physicians and numerous failed medications, my chronic cough was diagnosed as neurogenic and I was prescribed 10mg of amitriptyline. Unlike the other medications, I was elated when the cough actually disappeared! A few months later, I noticed I was losing my normally very thick hair, but did not connect it to the amitriptyline, because I did not see that listed as a side effect. Additionally, I later attributed the hair loss to a COVID-19 positive diagnosis shortly after beginning the amitriptyline and later went to a dermatologist for the hair loss. The dermatologist did not do testing, but prescribed spironolactone and oral minoxidil. He must not have been aware that amitriptyline can cause hair loss, because he said nothing about it, though I told him I was on that and no other medications, at all. Meanwhile, my hair loss continued after taking the new medications along with the amitriptyline, and to make things worse, my cough began to creep back into the picture! Now, a year and a half later, I have read in this support group that others have experienced hair loss with amitriptyline as well as cough recurrence. I am now weaning myself from all three medications, as I feel like a cat chasing its tail here with the side effects bouncing off one another; the cough is back and the hair loss is unacceptable. Does the hair loss stop once the amitriptyline is out of my system?
Help with amitriptyline hair loss, please!?
Question posted by rpont on 4 Oct 2024
Last updated on 4 October 2024 by Silimus
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Answers
Im sorry you are having trouble. I am nurse who takes 75mg daily. I cant say ive heard of hairloss, have . Thats scares me a little as a 29 year old male!
I will speak to my team of doctors to explore this further. Does the sister drug nortriptyline have this side effect? I take it for pain and it works brilliantly. Are you sure its related to this?
Related topics
cough, amitriptyline, chronic, prescription, medication, diagnosis, hair
Further information
- Amitriptyline uses and safety info
- Amitriptyline prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Amitriptyline (detailed)
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