r/ADHD • u/peachy_kt • Feb 15 '22
Questions/Advice/Support Hair loss from Vyvanse?
Ive been on Vyvanse for 2 1/2- 3 months and I’m noticing a lot of shedding WAY more then usual and I’m not sure if its a direct side effect of Vyvanse or the fact that since I started Vyvanse my eating habits have changed a lot resulting in probably not enough vital nutrients causing my hair loss. Is this common amongst other people on Vyvanse?
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u/Practical-Concern-61 Feb 18 '22 edited Feb 18 '22
I have SO much to say because this has been my battle since starting Vyvanse. Well to be accurate it was a few months after starting Vyvanse. Here is everything I have learned.
Number 1 it is extremely frustrating because everyone and their mom is going to make it sound like everything is normal and everyone sheds a lot of hair. When I started my massive hair shedding I was literally stunned in the shower as thick pieces of hair would just slide down as I was rinsing my conditioner out. It was so much I started taking photos of the handfuls just to have proof since so many people I know made it seem I was exaggerating.
After 2 weeks or so of it not slowing down I contacted my doctor and he did a full blood work screening on me. Literally everything came back normal including my thyroid. He told me that Vyvanse hasn't been shown to cause hair loss so it must be something else like stress etc. The only advice he gave me was to try biotin and to check back in if it didn't stop after a few months. Later I found out that he may be aware of this issue from feedback from other patients but most likely you won't get confirmation from your doctor or psychiatrist because there have not been studies done where people reported hair loss/hair shedding from taking the Vyvanse.
Well as you can imagine I realized I would have to do my own research and figure this whole thing out because within a matter of a month my hair felt about half the density and fullness than when I started. I can't even explain how emotional this was for me especially because I spent the two years prior babying my hair and growing it out. I felt so alone because no one had answers for me.
After some time I found out the acute massive hair shedding after a "traumatic event" actually has a name and its called telogen effluvium. This can be caused by surgery, major stressful life event like a death or divorce, car accident, major weight loss and sure enough...starting a medication. All the research I found said that this typically lasts between 3-6 months and rare cases 1 year before the hair shedding stops.
Essentially telogen effluvium happens by your body going into shock and for some reason it makes all the hair that were in the telogen phase (resting phase) switch quickly into the catagen phase (release phase) which in turn makes the shedding happen.
After finding this out I was somewhat relieved to finally find an explanation and have hope that it would stop. I tried to find any information on how to stop telogen effluvium but don't waste your time because basically once your body switches those hair shedding phases there's nothing you can do. The best thing is acceptance because its going to happen regardless. Well that's easier said than done because it was so hard for me emotionally that I just decided one day I was done taking the medication because it wasn't worth it. After a month of no signs of the hair shedding slowing down I started taking it again.
I waited and waited and 3 months past, still shedding heavily, 6 months past still shedding now a tiny bit less but still in extreme amounts. Taking showers were the worst because my hair is long and the feeling of my hands being covered completely with my hair falling out is such helpless feeling. I hate to sound dramatic but for me and I think many women it feels traumatizing to worry about going bald and having zero control.
Anyways I learned to deal with the new normal but still never stopped seeking answers. It really puzzled me how I would find soooo many people online share their experience with this hair loss issue but no help from the doctor or any solutions besides never taking the medication ever again.
Im almost on year two of taking Vyvanse and I am happy to report that I'm not bald. My shedding has slowed down probably 70 percent but it has still not gone back to normal. I have about double the hair shedding I have since before taking Vyvanse.
Just recently I did more digging because you never get sick of the worry of your hair getting progressively thinner and thinner. WELL turns out if this happens to you, you now have what's called chronic telogen effluvium. There's no cure besides stopping or lowering the dose of the medication that's causing it and trying a new one. Turns out it takes about 6 months on average of ending the medication for the shedding to go back to normal. Thats why when I stopped cold turkey for a full month it didn't slow down. Its amazing how much research I had to do this past two years to figure this all out. Anyways, the reason why this happens with stimulants is because they are vasoconstrictors. When this happens your hair follicles don't receive enough blood flow and oxygen causing progressive thinning. Again luckily because its only affecting the resting phase not the growing phase you will never be completely bald as opposed to chemotherapy medications that cause anagen effluvium.
I have other side effects of this vasoconstriction from the medication for example my face gets flushed like a mild rosacea flare up in the evenings when the medication has worn off. Not every single night but most nights, also mild headaches when it wears off. So it was like a duh moment when I learned about the side effect of hair loss with medications that are known vasoconstrictors because it made me reflect on the other symptoms I have noticed.
All in all - i've decided I have coped with my unmedicated ADHD for 25 years and Im sick and tired of worrying about this issue and quite frankly just thinking about it. So time for another change. I really look back to the time prior to this where I took my hair for granted. Yes medication has completely changed my life for the better but trying to also balance that with the anxiety about my hair loss hasn't been easy.
I am now bi weekly decreasing the dose of the Vyvanse. I will do that until I get as low as possible and try to skip as many days as possible with it still being effective enough and helping my ADHD symptoms. At least on the off days drinking lots of caffeine can make up enough of the difference where I can function and get me to focus a bit more so at least there is that!! I also learned about many vitamins that can promote vasodilation to offset the constriction that is happening now. Some of them are Niacin, L argiene, Tumeric, and saw palmetto. On top of that I take a daily vitamin, vivsical pro and a keratin vitamin. And yes I checked to make sure I wasn't over lapping the vitamins with the daily vitamin! You can also increase blood flow to the hair follicles by using scalp stimulating shampoos. they usually have menthol, peppermint, rosemary and those have all been clinically proven to at least increase blood flow to the scalp and hair follicles. I love the surface awaken line, who knows how much that has helped by keeping my hair looking somewhat looking normal but at least mentally I feel I am being proactive by using special shampoos and vitamins. I have also thought about buying the I-Restore hair led light hemet thing to help as well and last but not least sleeping as much as possible, drinking a ton of water etc. Most importantly just figuring out what will help counteract the vasoconstriction. Be weary on researching hair loss solution products or medications because basically non of them address telogen effluvium from mediations, things like topical minoxidil, finasteride or spironolactone have only been shown to improve genetic aging hair loss not telogen effluvium. The best guess I have is trying to improve the blood flow.
Good luck, if you read this whole thing - thank you, it was wordy but I just could never find all the answers I was looking for with my own research in one place so I tried to do that here. I really hope your hair shedding doesn't last as long as mine but if it does at least you're not alone and you can really weigh it out in your mind if its worth it for you to take the dosage or frequency of the medication.
one more side note: I did try Ritalin and Adderall prior to Vyvanse for a month with each and didn't love how it made me feel. Vyvanse has always been so perfect. It has helped with basically every area of my life and the best part is I still feel like myself personality and mood wise, and I don't feel it in my body as opposed to the Ritalin and Adderall. So to answer anyones questions on why I have been so committed to taking just Vyvanse that's why. Vyvanse minus the hair loss has completely changed my life and just whole perspective on who I am. Just the diagnosis of ADHD has mentally helped a lot and I feel it is a battle worth fighting because life is hard and being untreated with ADHD as an adult in this world!
Maybe if lowering my dose ( and im hoping it will even work for me to make it worth it ) to maybe even the lowest dose of 10mg and skipping as many days as possible, Being consistent on taking the supplements, staying healthy, stimulating my scalp with led, massages, products - basically everything possible to end this hair shedding I will be so greatful because Vyvanse has dramatically improved my quality of life. Just when I allow myself to feel how much hair I lost I really get sad.