Hair loss?
 

I've been diagnosed for about 6 years now and presently taking carbi/levo 25-100 7 per day plus Comtan 200 - 4 per day. I have a lot of wearing off and keep watching for new possibilities in drugs or alternatives. I am very active, don't sleep much and keep a positive attitude.
Yes, call me vain but, I guess one of the things that is bothering me most is hair loss. I am female. I have always had a very thick head of hair. But, since beginning the PD drugs it has been coming out by the hands full. If I hadn't started with a lot of hair, I'd be bald by now. I've even lost about half my eyelashes. I've heard that this is a somewhat rare side effect of the meds but no one seems to know anything more about it. I did read somewhere that if I stop taking the meds, my hair will grow back... not a good solution. Has anyone else had this side effect or heard of a treatment other than not taking my PD meds?
Thanks!

Hi madamlash,
I have been diagnosed for about 11 years now. I take carbi/levo 25-100 6 times a day, carbi/levo 50/200 2 times a day and Comtan 200 4 times a day now. I too have hair loss and as you say by the handful. Several years ago i did see a treatment for this but I haven't seen it for quite a while now. I don't know if it simply did not work or if it has just faded into the background because it is a rare side effect. I will do a search and see what I can find about it and post it here if i can locate it.

GregD

Hair loss
 

Thanks! Any leads would be most appreciated. I realize that hair loss is way down the list as far as important PD problems. However, it is that one extra insult that is quite irritating.

Sorry to say I cannot find the article I was looking for about hair loss and Parkinson's. As a matter of fact, everything that I looked at mentioned hair loss as a rare side effect to taking carbo/levo but stopped short of giving a cure for it.

GregD

Treatment
 

I have the same problem and did find some information about it a couple of years ago. I do remember that sinemet and dopamine agonists were considered suspect. Read the following old post on this board for some links that might help: http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/ar...p/t-30396.html

A treatment that works well for me is minoxidil solution, 3 months worth available at Walmart for about $20. It is called "Hair Regrowth Treatment for Women." It only will work if there is still life in your hair follicles. Also you have to use it forever. If you stop, the hair will fall out again. I just put it on at night before I go to bed and after I wash my hair. It has made a tremendous difference in my appearance and self confidence. It may also be helpful to take Biotin, although I'm not certain how that interacts with PD drugs.

Good luck! My neuro laughed at me at first for being concerned about it, because he has male pattern baldness. I let him know that it was important to me and he apologized.

Judith

Have you had your thyroid checked? My hair fell out terrible twice with low thyroid levels.

Hair loss
 

It is a rare side effect from the agonists. My previously thick hair fell out while I was taking Mirapex. No one believed me, my thyroid tests were normal. I stopped all drugs on Halloween, moved with difficulty and my hair eventually grew back but thinner (at least it doesn't fall out in clumps and is no longer "fairy or angel hair").

My dermatologist reported it as an "adverse effect" to the drug co. and fda, did research and published an article with photos of the top of my head, before and after. See Telogen effluvium associated with the dopamine agonist pramipexole in a 55-year-old woman with Parkinson's disease
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Volume 55, Issue 5, Pages S103-S104
K. Katz, G. Cotsarelis, R. Gupta, J. Seykora

That was me, a few years ago.

Hate to mention the competition, but there's a long thread on "hair loss" on Patients Like Me.

I have been on mirapex for 5 years now and have lost a lot of hair. hair seems come out of its roots so easily. Its a side effect of Mirapex for sure, may be common to all agonists.
Johnsons baby shampoo helped a little but didnt stop.

girija

Me too
 

I have been taking agonists (Permax then Neupro (?) now Requip) since 2001 and my hair has fallen out in clumps also, including eyelashes, eyebrows, arms and legs. I have been told more than once that it is not a side effect of meds but I have talked to too many others who have experienced the same thing to think it is unrelated. My thyroid is ok too. It's nice to hear minoxidil works, I had not heard that. I also take carba/levo which was started when the Permax was discontinued. The hair loss did not abate while taking only c/l.

Pam,
Be careful with Minoxidil. It was developed as a drug to control high blood pressure. I know of two people who had serious problems when they used it. i am not sure if they tried the pill or the topical version.
Girija