new thread
On September 11 I had a heart attack. I had a stent put in, and another put in a week later. I'm better now, but now I'm on a host of new meds, including blood thinner and a beta blocker. Does anybody know if these affect hair?
Hi Pat,
So sorry to hear about your ordeal, but glad to hear you're doing much better now. It's amazing how much medical science has progressed in recent years, as 20 or so years ago, people like us would never have bounced back so quickly, let alone even made it out of a hospital.
I had a heart attack in late Sept. of '03, having to have that operation where they "roto-rooted" one of my arteries (angioplasty I think it's called), a stent put in, and now take the following meds: asprin, Plavix, Benazepril, Toprol, and Simvastatin.
OMG, how do they come up with such hard-to-pronounce names??
Anyway, to answer your question: the good news is NO, none of the meds I take seem to have any negative side-effect on my hair -- although I still wish I didn't have to take any of these meds, anyway... But hey, that's another story!
It's always great hearing from you, Pat! And I hope & pray that your health continues to improve, and that your recovery from your heart attack is smooth-sailing from here on...
My best to you!!
- Ken in San Francisco (AKA "Urban Cowboy")
Thanks, Ken.
They put me on aspirin, Effient, Lisinopril, Metoprolol, and Crestor. I listed these in the same order as yours (that is, Effient is the same class of drug as Plavix). I had to quit the Crestor, though, because it caused a rash and itching. I see the dr. again on the 30th, and he will probably try another statin.
Hi Pat, I had my heart attack on the National Mall in January of @009 and a stent installed . I am on Plavix, Asperin, Lisenopril, Crestor, Pepcid and Coreg. I was on Lipitor but the doctor switch me to Crestor because it was cheeper. I take fish oil and eat a lot of foods that contain Omega3. I also take Spring Valley Hair Skin and Nails vitamins from Walmart. My hair is still growing fine and seems to be as heathy as it always has been.
the best person to advise you would be your doctors not laymen on a web board.
Pat, sorry to hear of your heart attack, but glad that you are doing better, and I hope you continue to improve. All medications come with an information paper that states, among other things, any side affects. Different people react differently to the same medications. You should read the info papers that came with your meds - as boring as it is - especially when you start a medication that you have never taken before.
Sometimes a medication is prescribed for only a short amount of time (for example, an anti-seisure med may be prescribed for only the 10 days following a stroke). Some of these meds are powerful and some do cause many people to lose hair temporarely.
I hope you and your doctors find what works well for you, and hope you can keep your health and your hair! :)
Don't have an answer to your question Pat, but I hope you get to feeling better. Glad you are ok.
Take care.
Hi Pat,
Of curse I am genuinely sorry to hear that you suffered a heart attack. I apologize for not having an answer to your question, but you can be assured of my thoughts and prayers for a full recovery.
Take care,
David
Thanks to all who replied with good wishes.
I think Ken answered my question by example. He had a heart attack, and well, just look at his hair.
Hi Pat, sorry to welcome you to the heart attack club, mine was in February. I was put on all the meds, too. There were no side effects to my hair, but the statins made me very weak. After a few weeks off of Simvistatin, I could get up from a chair without help again. Turns out I know three others this happened to! Just be sure to read the pamphlets and watch for changes. Bye the way, it was about 2 months before I could go through my day without thinking about the heart attack.