It was propranolol 🫩

I have always had thick hair but it started thinning a couple of years ago. I didn't really notice until last winter when I braided my hair for the first time in a while and realised my plaits were not as chunky as they'd always been. Maybe it's normal ageing? Fast forward this summer and it's very obviously falling out in huge amounts, I can't make a single move without clumps falling onto my arms, my scalp becomes visible, showers start to scare me because of the volume coming out, no new hair is replacing it. I start freaking out thinking I am gravely ill and will soon have no hair left.

Blood tests came back normal, no further advice from doctors but carried on trying to rule things out myself. The birth control I take supposedly would normally increase hair growth so can't be that. Only other meds I was taking was propranolol, a beta blocker that I had prescribed to prevent panic attacks. Anything I looked at online said beta blockers can cause telogen effluvium but it is rare. Looking back, the time I noticed thinning lines up with a few months after I stated taking it. I stopped taking it pretty quickly out of desperation, it's worth a try to rule it out!

I haven't taken it in over 3 weeks. I think it's now safe to say the hair loss has officially slowed to normal shedding levels. I can't believe it. Now I am just waiting for new growth, I'm not sure when that will happen but I'm so relieved it is no longer falling out rapidly. Thankfully I am coping without the medication and will only take it on days that I know panic attacks will be likely (I know my triggers!). Not sure I should ever have been prescribed to take it daily!

Has anyone else experienced TE from beta blockers? If you have recovered how long did it take for the hair to grow back? I'm hoping this might be a lightbulb moment for anyone else going through the same thing with this type of medication. Though I understand that I am fortunate enough to not rely on taking it daily for actual heart conditions or anything like that and others may have no choice, I don't want to discourage people from taking medications that they need!