A few months ago I started a thread about discovering bald spots. It was truly devastating but at the end of the day I knew that somehow I would get through it. I have suffered severe breakage before from relaxer damage, one time from a kitchen beautician, the other time from failing to neutralize enough. Both times my hair grew back to it's normal length which seems to be armpit for me.
This time was a bit different because it wasn't breakage, it was actually balding. I noticed my hair get thinner and thinner and I assumed it was breakage, until I picked up a mirror to see the back of my head after I felt this strange large smooth spot on my scalp. Surely enough it was a bald spot. Then I found another one. I was crushed. I set out immediately to find out what was causing my bald spot. It turns out that it was my high blood pressure medication Metoprolol. It doesn't matter if it's generic, tartrate or succinate. All beta blockers cause hair loss. Most beta-blockers end in lol. LOL is right! That's probably exactly what those pharmaceutical companies are doing when they convince doctors to prescribe this medication.
I had complained to two doctors about the medication. Unfortunately for me I stated that the hair loss was a reason for my visit. A word to the wise.....DON'T EVER DO THAT!!! If you do, that's how it will be coded on your insurance and they will not pay for your visit or subsequent blood tests. Tell your doctor that you've come in for anything else like a routine physical and blood pressure check.
Both doctors told me that it was not the medication it was stress. They even pulled out their little computers to look up the side effects. I was wondering why the side effects weren't on their computer but are clear as day on the internet. I have found several forums where women have complained about hair loss after being put on Metoprolol.
I finally found a doctor who took me off the Metoprolol. It was really interesting how this happened. She works in the same office as the other doctors and I had seen her before, but I had not seen her for the hair loss problem because she was on vacation. After my visit to the second doctor who refused to take me off the Metoprolol, she called me at home and told me to come in for a blood pressure check. It didn't take her 10 minutes to tell me that she was switching my blood pressure medication because she didn't feel the one I was on was working properly. I was so happy I was ready to jump through the ceiling. I knew she had read my history and saw my complaints and I knew that's why she really switched my medication.
While I was on the Metoprolol, I started a regimen of my own which I hope will help anyone whose doctor refuses to switch their medication. I did this out of desperation when the smaller of the two bald spots grew to 2". I knew if I didn't do something fast I would be completely bald. I know some people are wondering why I didn't just stop taking the medication on my own. If you read up on Metoprolol it specifically states not to stop taking this medication on your own or you will suffer from severe complications.
This is the regimen that I started before I was taken off the Metoprolol. The bald spot in the back that was the largest to begin with which was about 1 1/2" started to fill in after I started this regimen. The bald spot that grew larger also started to fill in although more slowly.
The regimen:
Biotin
MSM
Source of Life vitamins
Garlicin
Nioxin Follicle Therapy
Essential Oil mixture
(3 drops of rosemary oil, 3 drops of lavender oil, 2 drops of thyme oil, 2 drops of cedarwood oil, 4 teaspoons of grapeseed oil and half teaspoon of jojoba oil) I added emu oil because I read that it helped the essential oils penetrate better.
Rogaine.
All natural hair care products:
Chagrin Valley Ayurvedic shampoo bar
John Masters Rosemary and Peppermint detangler
Answers from Nature Restoring Conditioner (great ingredients in it....check it out)
Aubrey Organics GPB
John Masters Shine On
(it leaves your hair gummy at first and doesn't make it shine, but it makes it incredibly soft, definitely helps it retain moisture, and pretty much eliminates breakage).
The conditioners and detanglers were rotated.
Now, I know some people will think the Rogaine made my hair grow, but I used Rogaine by itself and NOTHING happened. When I combined Rogaine with the Essential Oil mixture and Nioxin, my hair really took off.
I tried the Megatek and that just made my hair extremely hard and seemed to accelerate the balding. I have no idea why.
I just hope this post helps someone else who has suffered this terrible fate. If you are on Metoprolol and you are suffering from this problem, the first place to start is by finding a doctor who listens to you and changes your medication. If they won't then this regimen may be of some help.
I have contacted the FDA and filed a complaint about Metoprolol. I suggest that anyone else who has had this problem does the same.
This time was a bit different because it wasn't breakage, it was actually balding. I noticed my hair get thinner and thinner and I assumed it was breakage, until I picked up a mirror to see the back of my head after I felt this strange large smooth spot on my scalp. Surely enough it was a bald spot. Then I found another one. I was crushed. I set out immediately to find out what was causing my bald spot. It turns out that it was my high blood pressure medication Metoprolol. It doesn't matter if it's generic, tartrate or succinate. All beta blockers cause hair loss. Most beta-blockers end in lol. LOL is right! That's probably exactly what those pharmaceutical companies are doing when they convince doctors to prescribe this medication.
I had complained to two doctors about the medication. Unfortunately for me I stated that the hair loss was a reason for my visit. A word to the wise.....DON'T EVER DO THAT!!! If you do, that's how it will be coded on your insurance and they will not pay for your visit or subsequent blood tests. Tell your doctor that you've come in for anything else like a routine physical and blood pressure check.
Both doctors told me that it was not the medication it was stress. They even pulled out their little computers to look up the side effects. I was wondering why the side effects weren't on their computer but are clear as day on the internet. I have found several forums where women have complained about hair loss after being put on Metoprolol.
I finally found a doctor who took me off the Metoprolol. It was really interesting how this happened. She works in the same office as the other doctors and I had seen her before, but I had not seen her for the hair loss problem because she was on vacation. After my visit to the second doctor who refused to take me off the Metoprolol, she called me at home and told me to come in for a blood pressure check. It didn't take her 10 minutes to tell me that she was switching my blood pressure medication because she didn't feel the one I was on was working properly. I was so happy I was ready to jump through the ceiling. I knew she had read my history and saw my complaints and I knew that's why she really switched my medication.
While I was on the Metoprolol, I started a regimen of my own which I hope will help anyone whose doctor refuses to switch their medication. I did this out of desperation when the smaller of the two bald spots grew to 2". I knew if I didn't do something fast I would be completely bald. I know some people are wondering why I didn't just stop taking the medication on my own. If you read up on Metoprolol it specifically states not to stop taking this medication on your own or you will suffer from severe complications.
This is the regimen that I started before I was taken off the Metoprolol. The bald spot in the back that was the largest to begin with which was about 1 1/2" started to fill in after I started this regimen. The bald spot that grew larger also started to fill in although more slowly.
The regimen:
Biotin
MSM
Source of Life vitamins
Garlicin
Nioxin Follicle Therapy
Essential Oil mixture
(3 drops of rosemary oil, 3 drops of lavender oil, 2 drops of thyme oil, 2 drops of cedarwood oil, 4 teaspoons of grapeseed oil and half teaspoon of jojoba oil) I added emu oil because I read that it helped the essential oils penetrate better.
Rogaine.
All natural hair care products:
Chagrin Valley Ayurvedic shampoo bar
John Masters Rosemary and Peppermint detangler
Answers from Nature Restoring Conditioner (great ingredients in it....check it out)
Aubrey Organics GPB
John Masters Shine On
(it leaves your hair gummy at first and doesn't make it shine, but it makes it incredibly soft, definitely helps it retain moisture, and pretty much eliminates breakage).
The conditioners and detanglers were rotated.
Now, I know some people will think the Rogaine made my hair grow, but I used Rogaine by itself and NOTHING happened. When I combined Rogaine with the Essential Oil mixture and Nioxin, my hair really took off.
I tried the Megatek and that just made my hair extremely hard and seemed to accelerate the balding. I have no idea why.
I just hope this post helps someone else who has suffered this terrible fate. If you are on Metoprolol and you are suffering from this problem, the first place to start is by finding a doctor who listens to you and changes your medication. If they won't then this regimen may be of some help.
I have contacted the FDA and filed a complaint about Metoprolol. I suggest that anyone else who has had this problem does the same.
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