Alopecia Associated with Gabapentin in the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain
March 2009
in “
Journal of pain and symptom management
”
TLDR Gabapentin may cause hair loss in patients treated for neuropathic pain.
A 28-year-old woman experienced significant hair loss after starting gabapentin 1800 mg/day for neuropathic pain management, marking the first reported case of acute alopecia associated with gabapentin for this condition. Despite normal hematological and hormonal tests, the timing of hair loss suggested a causal link to gabapentin. Hair shedding ceased two months after discontinuing the drug, with gradual regrowth observed. This case highlighted the potential for gabapentin to induce alopecia, a side effect more challenging to tolerate in non-epileptic patients, suggesting the need for cautious dosing and monitoring.