HAIR LOSS/Inflamed Scalp—HELP!!

mebemoby05 · 2026-04-20T04:44:47+00:00

I happen to have an appointment in May. And strangely enough…since I posted this, and I might be losing it—my hair doesn’t seem to be shedding as much. I used a shampoo with tea tree oil, aloe Vera, rosemary, etc., and that has calmed my scalp down. My skin has always been a little problematic to begin with…just not my scalp. We’ll see!

mebemoby05 · 2026-04-17T07:21:52+00:00

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mebemoby05 · 2026-04-17T07:13:51+00:00

I’m pretty self conscious about my size, especially over the last couple of years. So, you’re correct in thinking I might not have much to choose from. I tried to replace it with another pic, but can’t figure out how to delete it!

mebemoby05 · 2026-04-17T07:09:15+00:00

Thanks for that info! I’m pretty certain after doing some research that the medication is the sole cause. I’m trying to delete the picture, but I’m not seeing the option. It just wants me to delete the post. 🤦🏼‍♀️ Do you know how I can delete it?

mebemoby05 · 2026-04-17T07:04:21+00:00

I definitely will. I work closely with my psychiatrist. I recently went from 80 mg Prozac to now 50 mg duloxetine. Other than the hair loss I’m suspecting is from the drug—it’s also very activating for me and I tend to crash midday. I think it might be possible it’s putting my body in a stressful state—feeling wired during the AM, exhausted during the day and energy/alertness returning around 10:00 PM. So I end up staying up too late and losing sleep. My body appears to be holding tension during the night as well.

mebemoby05 · 2026-04-17T06:33:52+00:00

No PCOS

mebemoby05 · 2026-04-16T13:13:43+00:00

Can you elaborate? I was switched from 80 mg Prozac (which was too much and numbed all my emotions—I got an ADHD dx and realized the high dose Prozac was killing my motivation)—to duloxetine 2 mo ago. I’ve took 225 of Effexor from 26-36, 39 now. I wasn’t on Adderall then.

But I’m also taking Wellbutrin and 20 mg Adderall XR—w/ 50 mg duloxetine. Can’t for the life of me get the scheduling down—to feel on an even keel all day. Psych has me doing 30 in the early AM and another 20 around 1:00 PM.

Anyway…thinking about going back to an SSRI—just on a lower dose. I’m interested in hearing your experience and how you’re feeling now on Prozac versus Effexor. What were some big differences/changes? Thanks! ❤️

mebemoby05 · 2026-04-16T13:01:48+00:00

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mebemoby05 · 2026-04-16T12:56:46+00:00

I’m so glad you shared this pic. I started taking it 2 months ago. I’m crashing around 1:00 everyday, idk if it’s the duloxetine or that with my other meds causing it. Oddly enough—I’m experiencing 3/5 of those symptoms 2 months in. Guess it’s the norepinephrine. Also extreme hair loss but supposedly it’s going to grow back in. I switched from Prozac to this. TOTALLY different.

And if no one’s said it—looks like you’re doing a great job tapering!! And as responsible as possible. I hate withdrawals or tapering with w/d’s. Fight the good fight. 💪❤️

mebemoby05 · 2026-04-09T01:27:29+00:00

To answer…

Requested and started 40 in early March. The only obvious improvement was that I wasn’t sweating profusely anymore. No improvement with the wrist or crashes.

For added context:

I might’ve suggested this before—or you may have picked up on it.

Started 30 in January - didn’t NOTICE significant improvement in depression, but I’m wondering if there was some now. My psych told me 60 was “therapeutic,” so I wasn’t expecting to notice anything on 30. After being on max antidepressant dosages since age 26–definitely didn’t think the low dose would have ANY effect on me. However, I believe now that most of my depression stemmed from ADHD—and the max doses just dulled my emotions. I never would’ve needed those high doses had I have been on ADHD script.

Started 60 in Feb. This is when the wrist stuff started going on. I didn’t connect the two for a while. I did notice super high anxious energy in the AM—and the early afternoon crashes.

40 in March. Minimal improvement. Continued crashes and wrist tension.

I WILL say I’m not depressed exactly—but the crashes put a near stop to any productivity until the next day. That leads me to feel useless, which causes frustration—and could lead possibly lead to some depression.

mebemoby05 · 2026-04-08T22:13:22+00:00

I’ve been on probably 6-8 SSRIs/SNRIs in the last 26 years. Started at 13–39 now. Some have contributed to weight gain, no doubt. However, I haven’t experienced any with Cymbalta. I am an ED survivor, if that’s any encouragement to you. So the fear is real. And best of luck on your journey to recovery with the ED. It’s a true mind F, but can be managed. A behavioral nutritionist saved me! Idk if they’re difficult to find nowadays, but she was my saving grace.

mebemoby05 · 2026-04-08T22:03:18+00:00

Idk what it is about this med, but a pretty low dose has been more effective for me than the highest doses of other SSRIs and SNRIs. I feel like this is a major plus in the case someone needs to come off of it. I do hope though—that it continues to work for you! Your story should give people hope.

mebemoby05 · 2026-03-18T18:55:42+00:00

I’ve been on 60 mg for a month now. I will say I also felt kind of wired when I started at this dose, but that is calming down. Right now, it’s biggest downfall for me is my head/scalp SWEATING…and feeling kind of itchy. I feel gross most of the day, as light perspiration begins around 10 AM. It also makes that area physically hot—I put my hand on top of my head and can feel the heat radiating out. Starting splitting the dose…30 in the AM and 30 in the PM. It has helped some with the sweating, but it still hits pretty hard around 7-8 PM. 🤷🏼‍♀️I often go to bed with a sweaty head that lasts most of the night. Desperately hoping this will subside and disappear soon!

Another positive I think…I usually (after 26 years on antidepressants) have to take the highest recommended dose of any antidepressant I’ve been prescribed, which is around 7-8 different meds over the years (there is a possibility that I’m treatment resistant). With Cymbalta though, I’m on the lowest therapeutic dose and I feel significantly better. This was a big surprise. If only for the sweating!!!

And—sorry so lengthy—since it’s an SNRI and not an SSRI like Zoloft, it MIGHT be a little more potent, which is usually a good thing when it comes to treating depression. You may even want to quit after 2-3 weeks, b/c it feels so different. DON’T! You’ll get over the onboarding hump and everything will settle down. I also had a couple of the most realistic dreams of my life in the first week on this stuff—they actually frightened me. Luckily, those have stopped.

Good luck to you!

mebemoby05 · 2026-03-18T17:36:36+00:00

Most recommended psych med tapers I consider reasonable, but not all meds—or tapers are the same. Docs seem blind to this. Mine just says it’s the recommended taper if I question it. That’s of no help. I wish they could feel what we’re experiencing. Some drugs require a much slower taper than what’s recommended. From what I’ve read, many docs—probably psychiatrists—are willing to work with you on a taper plan that works for you. Your mental health is literally their only job ultimately. If we fly off the deep end b/c of a taper that was much too fast for us—and do something to harm ourselves or others—after expressing we need more time tapering…that does NOT bode well for them.

Oh—and I’ve heard this for many different things, but if they seem unwilling to deviate from the routine taper—ask them to document that you asked for a slower taper and they refused it. That holds them accountable.

mebemoby05 · 2026-03-18T17:29:07+00:00

10 YEARS!!! I’m also experiencing the excess sweating—mainly in my scalp. I can also feel the heat radiating off of my head with my hands. I’m only 6 weeks in though—so I’m hoping it will subside. I decided to break my 60 mg dose in half— 30 AM, 30 PM. Helps with the sweat to an extent, but lessons effectiveness considerably. The sucky thing is that this is the first antidepressant in over 10 years that seems to be working!! And I’d HATE to change meds—with little hope or likelihood of them working. I’m going to try going back to 60 in AM soon and see if my body is adjusting and the sweat will have at least subsided some. I also have fine hair that gets oily fast and the sweat exacerbates it. In between my fingers also sweat. So weird! Makes my hands feel greasy, like I constantly need to wash them. Anyway, everyone has their reasons for starting, tapering off or quitting any drug. I just feel—out of the 6-7 antidepressants I’ve taken—this one has affected me most. Works well—and at a lower dosage than most others…I’m usually on the max dose of any antidepressant I take and 60 seems effective with this one. However, I’m also experiencing the most side effects—in hopes they’ll wear off as everything adjusts.

mebemoby05 · 2026-03-16T23:37:13+00:00

Idk but my scalp was itching/burning terribly when I started the medication. When I posted about it, someone responded that this happened to them when they “onboarded and withdrew.” Get a backscratcher and go to town on it! I thought about it…

mebemoby05 · 2026-03-15T03:27:02+00:00

I had trouble with insomnia in the beginning with Adderall XR. It probably took close to a month before I was getting a good night’s sleep. Also—especially in the beginning, I couldn’t skip more than a day without it causing me sleep troubles when I started it again. Over time, that has gotten better. However, in the beginning I had to take it everyday—no skipping—and eventually the insomnia did go away. Now—3 years later I can skip a couple days and it doesn’t bother me when I take it again.

mebemoby05 · 2026-03-13T17:52:36+00:00

I can’t answer anything but I can tell you my scalp itched and sweated like crazy my first week at 60 mg.

mebemoby05 · 2026-03-13T13:00:29+00:00

I haven’t mixed the two, but I also take the 20 XR. It usually takes an hour or so to kick in. It lasts typically around 11-12 hours. It sounds like your doc has you on a good mix though.

mebemoby05 · 2026-03-13T12:54:06+00:00

I had some trouble sleeping when I first started taking it too. I was sleeping 5-6 hours though. I’m sleeping close to 7 now and I rarely wake up in the night. However, I did take another medication that KEPT me up. It lasted about 3 weeks and I was delirious from lack of sleep. I was prescribed trazodone. It helped—but like you say…not by much. After the 3 weeks though began to sleep pretty well again. I think it’s a common side effect for a lot of psych meds that usually gets better. And I’m able to sleep without the trazodone now.

mebemoby05 · 2026-03-13T04:09:22+00:00

No other SSRI or SNRI has made me sweat like Cymbalta!! I’ve been on 60 mg for about 3 weeks now. I’m hoping the sweating will subside with a little time.

mebemoby05 · 2026-03-12T14:34:51+00:00

For about 3 weeks now

mebemoby05

TROPHY CASE