Loon-A-TiK Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 i went to the gyn again today, and she had my blood work back. my prolactin (due to risperdal) is through the roof. it is over 120 and is supposed to be about 12. she said that because my body thinks it is breastfeeding, it is natural for the body to shed hair, because it built up hair during pregnancy and is now shedding down to a normal amount of hair. totally normal. so that's it- my body thinks i'm breastfeeding! my thyroid is fine. she also said it is my weight contributing to the prolactin problem, because there just isn't a lot of me for the prolactin to circulate in. i didn't think i was thin enough for it to be even a consideration, but apparently it is. not just super-anorexic or athletic women have this issue. "normal" weight women who happen to be slim are also affected. she said she's never seen a case of a patient losing hair due to adderall, but sees it all the time with prolactin. so i'm safe and can take my add med without having to choose between focus and my hair! i'm so relieved! everyone else who is losing hair should check with their pdoc and gp to get some blood work and see what the problem is. chances are, it isn't adderall, but something else. it could be hormonal, nutritional, weight, medication, stress, or any number of things. i'm happy in my case that within about a month it should stop being so bad, and within 6 months stop totally. i'm surprised it takes that long for prolactin to go back to normal. i thought it would be almost instant. boy, what little i know about these things! i'll be back to 12 in a good 6 months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caillech Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 First off...good to hear about the hair loss problem. Thank the Goddess it isnt actual hair loss. Second, and im sorry if this is totally off topic, but are you going off the risperdal? And if so, what will you be taking instead? I ask because im on the consta shot and have all sorts of nasty se, from too much prolactin to horrific weight gain. Sorry if im being to nosy, Selene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loon-A-TiK Posted January 19, 2007 Author Share Posted January 19, 2007 selene, my gyn wanted me off of risp before she even saw the blood prolactin results, so my pdoc ripped me off of it and gave me abilify. so far the abilify is going good. if your prolactin is high, DON'T MESS WITH IT!!! it can cause bone loss and all sorts of things i never knew before. it can make your hair fall out, like it did mine, and it won't stop for months. it will take months for your prolactin to get back to normal. just have your doc run a prolactin test. as i said, mine was in the 120s when it should be 12. she said it would take about 6 months to go back to normal. she said that it causes headaches and a general "blah" feeling too. with high prolactin, your body thinks that you're breastfeeding, and you get all the side effects that breastfeeding women get. the hair thing is something that happens to a lot of lactating new mothers. if you're gaining weight and having hormone issues, i'd consider getting off of risp right away. if you haven't tried it, abilify is a good alternative. the side effects are low and it is good for mania. i take WB for depression, lamictal for a mood stabilizer, and abilify for mania. abilify can be monotherapy for some people i've heard as well. it won't make you gain weight or mess with your prolactin, i made darn sure of that! lol loon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caillech Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 Loon, Thanks. I didnt know about the bone loss with high prolactin levels. Thats scary. I will bring it up with my doc the next time I see him. I think my levels must be high because im not getting my period and im lactating. Thanks so much for the info. Selene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loon-A-TiK Posted January 21, 2007 Author Share Posted January 21, 2007 it was weird...one day i woke up and the inside of my upper arm was wet with this white stuff...a little investigation proved it to be breast milk! i just about died! yeah, my prolactin was through the roof. it puts you at risk for bone density issues. it is something you should discuss with your pdoc! from what i read, you have to take risp for about a year for it to start messing with your bones, but any risk of bone thinning is too much risk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caillech Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 Hey Loon, Any news on the new AP from the makers of risperdal? Cant remember the name right now. Does it still have the same SE that original risp? Selene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loon-A-TiK Posted January 22, 2007 Author Share Posted January 22, 2007 selene, the new drug is called invega. it is a time released version of risp. the manufacturer claims that the side effects are milder, but because it is new, my pdoc hasn't even put anyone on it yet to know how the side effects go. the PI sheet says that the side effects are the same, and the reps claim that they are the same but less intense, so who knows? i think reps will say anything, but they've had some helpful hints for my pdoc in the past. loon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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