Metoprolol & Hair Loss (Page 3)

I have been taking 200 mg. a day for about 4 years. I thought it was a coincidence that I've lost 50% of my hair during this time because I am also going through menopause. I just found out that it is possible the hair loss is caused by metoprolol, so my doctor just wrote me a RX for a different drug. Will my hair grow back? It was very long, down to my waist, but I've been cutting it to compensate for the thinness. I just touch my head and lose a few hairs! Any ideas?

REPLY

REPORT

HAVE RESEARCHED OVER AND OVER WHAT TO DO ABOUT MY HAIR LOST, I RECENTLY FOUND OUT THE MED I AM TAKING CAUSE HAIR LOSS, I NOTICED BUT WITH AGE I THOUGHT IT WAS NORMAL, NOTICED THAT I SEE STRAIGHT THUR MY HAIR AND A VERY THIN PONYTAIL, OVER A MATTER OF FEW MONTHS WAS NOT OKAY. I AM NOW SCARED TO WASH MY HAIR BECAUSE IT IS ALL IN THE BRUSH. I JUST CRIED NOT TO BE VAIN BUT WITH RAPID WEIGHT GAIN BECAUSE OF THE MED AND NOW THIS I AM MAJORLY DEPRESSED. MY HAIR WAS LONG AND FULL NOT ANYMORE, MY NEXT STEP WOULD BE A WIG TOO THIN TO WEAR SHORT. GLAD TO KNOW I MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE. I AM NOT TAKEN THIS NO MORE.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

I started BP meds about 4 years ago...started on Lisenopril and had a bad cough reaction to it, apparently fairly common. Doc rx'd the metoprolol 50 mg., cough stopped within a week. Great! Late in the summer noticed a quArter sized bald spot on the lower back of my head (thankfully). Didn't think much of it at the time as I had recently found a tick in the same area and thought it was a result of the tick bite. By December my hair loss had doubled and the bp was up so she upped my med to 100 mg and tested me for lupus. Lupus was neg. but its now April and my hair loss is now almost 50%! In reading mor about lupus, I found that there is drug induced lupus! It involves hair loss, achey joint and muscles, all of which I have experienced, not to mention the tiredness! One of the drugs that causes drug induced lupus is beta blockers, metoprolol being one. BINGO!!!!! If it is drug induced lupus, it may take months, even years for symptoms to show up...yah that would be me! Like one of the other bloggers, I started taking biotin...for my nails, actually but I did start experiencing a little regrowth, so I will start taking it again...the weird thing is, I have naturally dirty blonde hait that I lighten with some gray mixed in. The new growth is SNOW WHITE!!!! I have always had naturally thick hair and lashes which are now considerable thinner. Fortunately my hairs loss is at the lower back of my head so I can cover it , but I'm about bald half way up my head. I hope it comes back, but if I can just get it to stop, I'll be happy. New med starts today! Lets hope there are no more bad reactions and that all the joint and muscle pain go away too!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Thanks, I have had multiple thryroid tests so I think that I am ok but am now on a lower dose of Lisinopril which doesn't sound much better, and am still having hair loss also.. . I have now started taking Protandim and will continue to monitor my results since it may help me altogether with the bp and getting rid of all of the meds. I know that many others are struggling with this stuff so I will try to remember to come back and post my results in a few months:) I am very hopeful as my bp is the "heriditary" kind because they cold never find an actual cause and I have had it since I was 23 and am now 36. (and it was stroke level when it "popped up"). Good luck to you all!!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I forgot to say also that when they switched to the Lisinopril I spoke with my doctor because she mentioned that "my heart and lungs would slowly get stronger now also" because I always had a faster pulse so they put me on the Metorolol also to "slow things down".. and I said hey wait a minute is this going to fix the polycythemia ruba vera that I mysteriously just started having a few years back and she said well yeah I guess that it probably would but no-one had connected the dots.. even when I asked when I was told I had it (a different doc but the new one didn't see it either til I said something)..I only make more blood because I had a low oxygen count (apparently not common) but obviously a side effect also of the slowing everything down for so many years. These meds just aren't good for you:(

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

My hairs growing back ppl whoop whoop it's taken 7 months after stoping the pills and had a heart opp there's hope I lost nearly all my hair and now slowly it's coming , come off the drugs it's the only way thanks everyone tho for the support and good luck guys

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

I just re-read my old posts on this subject, along with all the new ones. I feel so bad for all of you who have hair loss due to these blood pressure/heart medicines. Both Metoprolol and Lisinopril cause hair loss to some degree or another. You all are so young to be going through this--and still none of us know what to do to regrow our hair!

We can't stop taking medications without risking stroke and/or death. Having beautiful hair again is not worth risking our lives. I hope you all agree with that.

I keep hoping someone will post a solution! or find a doctor who figures out an alternative medication that won't make hair thin and fall out. IF anyone does, please announce his name and what the solution is!

Even on a low 10mg. dose of Lisinopril, my hair is still thinning, only at a slower rate. New hairs grow about 2-3" and then fall out. I take lots of vitamins, use gentle shampoo and rarely take a brush to my hair.

I must mention that I also have thyroid disease, but supposedly it is under control with meds.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I am taking Protandim and became a vendor because of the short term results I saw not related to my bp.. however oxidative stress can be a cause of many issues so I am also monitoring it for this.. I will definately keep everyone posted on what it does for me:) I agree no-one should have to deal with this crap! It is a shame that doctors know so little about this stuff and brush it off.. I went to a dermotologist before changing meds to ask his opinion and he pretty much treated me like I was crazy and it was just me aging..... pointed out some other stuff and basically kicked me out the door! I am only 36 and it is not aging!! gheesh:(

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

April...some one posted that BIOTIN, a supplement, helped, I I think it does too...I experienced some regrowth when I was taking it but I ran out and never got anymore...of course at the time I didn't realize it might have been because of the biotin that I got the regrowth. I am now starting to take it and have changed my bp med, so hopefully I will start seeing no more loss and with any luck, will see new growth. I will try to keep posting as there is progress!!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Ok there is help! I stopped taking mine and started taking a mixture of Hawthorn berry with COQ10 and garlic. And a baby asprin a day religiously. NO MORE HBP for me. Surf the web and lookk for Cardio support supplements.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Thanks, Angel ! Did your hair grow back?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I have read all of the posts and I am sitting at my PC crying because this is so upsetting. I had two open heart surgeries (ages 9 and 39); I am now 51. Was not on any medications for heart reasons at all. Was put on Metoprolol because of heart palpitations about two years ago. I have been losing my hair for the past 18-20 months playing detective and trying to find out why. I have other issues - perimenopause, migraines, and thyroid. My "other" issues have pretty much been stabilized and I kept telling my doc about my hair loss connection to the beta blocker. I called my Cardiologists office today and I am telling them to get me off of this crap. I don't know what I am more depressed about. Losing my hair or the fact that the "professionals" can't seem to figure it out. From reading posts, it sounds like you either get a wig to mask the hair loss or die because of refusing to take the meds....... phone is ringing. I just finished up my call with the Cardiologists office. The nurse took all of my information and the nurse practitioner will call me back tomorrow. Just for the heck of it I asked the nurse if she gets complaints about hair loss. She said she has not and she looked it up before she called me. Low and behold that side effect is at the bottom of the long list. She told me that she learned something today. I hope she remembers this lesson. I'm just so angry that I want to go and punch somebody out. As I calm down, I wonder if a big part of this problem is that people who take the meds just don't make the connection. They think the hair loss is due to perimenopause, thyroid problems, aging, etc. And, the feedback never gets back to the doctor's ears. My personal plan is to get off of this medication start CoQ10 and Biotin.

Thanks to all of you who have taken the time to post. I have learned that being your own health care advocate is a necessity these days. I will be sure to follow up with another post to give you an update on my status.

As someone stated.... "this too shall pass"....

I'm so happy to hear that for those who could stop the medication that your hair did come back, it just took a while. The hardest thing is when people pretend that they don't notice your freaking hair is missing. If I absolutely have to be on this medication, I will buy a wig. I know I could have it a lot worse.

My motto is DO NOT take a medication unless you have explored on your own all other options. Don't just take a doctor's word for it Also, just because it is an alternative Rx make sure you do your homework also. Everything has it's limitations. My sister once turned orange from too much Vitamin A. Was really kind of funny.

Peace and good health.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Yep. It is growing back. I am so happy!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Lisinoprol HCTZ also causes hair to thin and hair lost.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

After reading all the latest post here I would like to comment ....Again...Regarding Lisinopril and Metoprolol. I have tried lisinpril and 4 other bp meds then went to Metoprolol. I had large bald spots the size of a half dollar when I took Lisinopril and Metoprolol and suffered leg pain and with the other 4. My doctor says I am (wierd) and very unusual to be in that 1% category when it comes hair loss. I also went to co10 and biotin and am doing much better and my hair has grown back too.(took about 6 mos.)
After much trial and error I found that I could take Doxazosin Mes 2 mg which has my bp down where it should be and no side affects after 6 mos. Also my husband was on Doxazosin for his heart years ago and it is helpful with heart problems I believe. I agree with Angel, in that the doctors are giving us meds and don't know (or care)what the side affects do to us as long as they are treating main problem. I think a little more research must be done ourselves to achieve the correct balance in our own health.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Sandy.... thanks for the information. I am weaning myself off Metoprolo but my Cardiologist did not have any suggestions as to a medication that would not have the hair loss side affect. I will keep your Doxazosin in mind. Just in case I absolutely need to be on a medication. I had one question for you. You said it has been 6 months and you have not noticed any side affects from the Doxazosin. Do you recall how long it was with the other meds before you noticed the side affects (particularly the hair loss)? Shame on that doctor for calling you weird. He was unprofessional and uneducated in his own specialty. How worse could that be for a doctor. Thanks again for the post.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

So little up date i slowly took my self off the drugs last pill being xmas day 2011 then jan 25 th had opp then 4 weeks later had a mild heart attack,but after all of that uts now june and my hair is starting to come back least it stop falling out after a few months of stopping the drug. But now i can feel my heart probs slowly comeing back ,defo not taken the pills again tho as hair will never be right plus they made me feel poo ,dint brush your hair when wet,and try not ti wash it as much it helps xxxxxxxx

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Roxanne, Yes I can answer your question. I found with all other meds I noticed leg pain and swelling within 16 to17 days (symptyms similar to what the ads describe as PAD, restless leg syndrome) and within 30 to 60 days the hair loss (bald spots) showed up in the back of my head from the Lisinipril and Metropolol. Unfortunately the Doctor's do not know or want to be told about the baldness and I do not know why as he keeps telling me it is only less than 1% that have that and thinks I am weird (the idiot), lol. The Doxozosin is (Cardura) and your cardiologist may not want to mix Metropolol with doxozosin. I would ask him about that as my husband takes metropolol for a heart condition and his cardiologist doesn't want him to take them together. I would rather take Doxazosin for my high BP but don't have a heart condition but it lowers my BP significantly and is the only BP med so far that doesn't cause bad side affects for me. I hope this helps you a little. I don't understand the Dr's not admitting to the many, many complaints bout Hair loss from Metroplol and Lilsinipril.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Thanks very much for the alternative treatment information. I really appreciate it and am looking
into it right away.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

It great that there is something out there that doesnt cause hair loss, there are bad side effects for all of these meds. Lisinopril caused non stop coughing, atenolol and metropolol also caused hair loss, Norvasc generic caused edema, and hair loss continued. I tried pomegranate extract but the results were uneven, Would appreciate knowing how much worked for you ??

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

please mail me ur email address

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Why do doctors online and offline pretend that Metropolol does NOT cause hair loss, when there are patients online and r...

15 REPLIES

Loss hearing in my right ear after taking Metoprolol Tarta 50 mg. Woke up in the morning and couldn't hear out of my...

12 REPLIES

i've been taking metoprolol for several years as partial treatment for high blood pressure. through diet and exercis...

2554 REPLIES

I started Metoprolol this Monday after the cardiologist prescribed it because of being in the ER with extremely fast hea...

103 REPLIES

I started Metoprolol Tartrate 25mg being one tab every 12 hours. I was in the hospital with a blood pressure of 200/130,...

73 REPLIES

Is the best time to take this medicine in the morning or night? ## Has your doctor made any specific recommendation? Met...

28 REPLIES

I took Metoprolol Tart for 2 months, June - July 09 and my heart rate dropped drastically, admitted to hospital with che...

28 REPLIES

oblong tablet, G282 imprint on back, scored on front to break in half ## I could not find anything with that marking in ...

28 REPLIES

My Metoprolol ER 50 is oval with a line for splitting. On the other side is 369. Is this Metoprolol? Can't find that...

25 REPLIES

This is a white large oval tablet with a slpit on one side down the middle and 369 on the other side. The Mfr. is ETHEX ...

22 REPLIES