Update on Me

[Dennis]

Hello everyone! I know I haven't posted in a long time.

I've been having headache problems, and finally started going to a headache
specialist in another city. He's tried several things but no success yet.
He put me on Abilify several months back. For the past months I've had
problems with tension and depression, and the tension finally reached
episodes of near panic-level.

My headache doctor told me to see my psychiatrist, which I did, and my
psych said that the anxiety was a side-effect of the Abilify. Abilify can
also cause something called akasthenia, which is like restless-leg
syndrome, which I could have. I had already stopped taking Abilify, so
these symptoms will fade away.

My psych is changing my anti-depressant from Cymbalta, which doesn't seem
to be doing me much good any more, to Anafranil. He's keeping me on 1500
mg/day of Depakote.

I'm sure I'll fell better with time, but right now I feel pretty miserable.
My headache doctor wants to see a psychologist who helps with chronic pain
problems, so I'm looking for one.

How is everyone doing? Well, I hope.

Dennis

[diana]

Hi Dennis,

for your headache is this maybe something.
did you ever had a bio feetback training?.
you can ask that at your Pdoc.

and I see that you have now anafranil, well I had that a few years back.
It was a disaster for me, it give me a low bloodpressure.
and I lost a few time's a day my consiousness.
but there was sosmebody for who it was the med; of the year.
I hope that it wil help you.

Love Diana

Post by Dennis
Hello everyone! I know I haven't posted in a long time.
I've been having headache problems, and finally started going to a headache
specialist in another city. He's tried several things but no success yet.
He put me on Abilify several months back. For the past months I've had
problems with tension and depression, and the tension finally reached
episodes of near panic-level.
My headache doctor told me to see my psychiatrist, which I did, and my
psych said that the anxiety was a side-effect of the Abilify. Abilify can
also cause something called akasthenia, which is like restless-leg
syndrome, which I could have. I had already stopped taking Abilify, so
these symptoms will fade away.
My psych is changing my anti-depressant from Cymbalta, which doesn't seem
to be doing me much good any more, to Anafranil. He's keeping me on 1500
mg/day of Depakote.
I'm sure I'll fell better with time, but right now I feel pretty miserable.
My headache doctor wants to see a psychologist who helps with chronic pain
problems, so I'm looking for one.
How is everyone doing? Well, I hope.
Dennis
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[Dennis]

Post by diana
Hi Dennis,
for your headache is this maybe something.
did you ever had a bio feetback training?.
you can ask that at your Pdoc.

Yes, I had biofeedback training a long time ago (skin temperature), and
it's one thing that helps, but it's not enough by itself.

I recently read about neurobiofeedback (voluntary brainwave control) and
Open Focus - a version of neurobiofeedback; I'd like to find someone who
does those!

Post by diana
and I see that you have now anafranil, well I had that a few years
back. It was a disaster for me, it give me a low bloodpressure.
and I lost a few time's a day my consiousness.

Yes, everyone is different! I'm sorry you had such a hard time.

Post by diana
but there was sosmebody for who it was the med; of the year.
I hope that it wil help you.

Thank you!

I found about two psychologists who treat people with chronic pain, and
anxiet issues - and they also can prescribe medicine! Maybe someone like
that could integrate all my problems - headaches and anxiety disorder?
That would be great!

Post by diana
Love Diana

Love, Dennis

[Sheldon]

Post by Dennis
Hello everyone! I know I haven't posted in a long time.
I've been having headache problems, and finally started going to a headache
specialist in another city. He's tried several things but no success yet.
He put me on Abilify several months back. For the past months I've had
problems with tension and depression, and the tension finally reached
episodes of near panic-level.
My headache doctor told me to see my psychiatrist, which I did, and my
psych said that the anxiety was a side-effect of the Abilify. Abilify can
also cause something called akasthenia, which is like restless-leg
syndrome, which I could have. I had already stopped taking Abilify, so
these symptoms will fade away.
My psych is changing my anti-depressant from Cymbalta, which doesn't seem
to be doing me much good any more, to Anafranil. He's keeping me on 1500
mg/day of Depakote.
I'm sure I'll fell better with time, but right now I feel pretty miserable.
My headache doctor wants to see a psychologist who helps with chronic pain
problems, so I'm looking for one.
How is everyone doing? Well, I hope.
Dennis

I'm no doctor, but based on your symptoms I'd give acupuncture a try. It
worked for me, to some extent, and now my girlfriend's dog is on it and
doing very well.

Hang in there, and, BTW, I'm doing quite well. Still on Lexapro but I've cut
back half of my daily intake of benzos.

[Philip Peters]

Post by Dennis
Hello everyone! I know I haven't posted in a long time.
I've been having headache problems, and finally started going to a headache
specialist in another city. He's tried several things but no success yet.
He put me on Abilify several months back. For the past months I've had
problems with tension and depression, and the tension finally reached
episodes of near panic-level.

I'm sorry to hear this. Why Abilify, Dennis? It's an antipsychotic.

Post by Dennis
My headache doctor told me to see my psychiatrist, which I did, and my
psych said that the anxiety was a side-effect of the Abilify. Abilify can
also cause something called akasthenia, which is like restless-leg
syndrome, which I could have. I had already stopped taking Abilify, so
these symptoms will fade away.

All true. Antipyschotics can induce all kinds of movement disorders.
Only rarely do they have a place in the treatment of panic disorder
(e.g. when all fails one starts experimenting with off label use -
talking about which I never heard of Abilify being used for headaches).
IMO it's a good thing you got off A.

Post by Dennis
My psych is changing my anti-depressant from Cymbalta, which doesn't seem
to be doing me much good any more, to Anafranil. He's keeping me on 1500
mg/day of Depakote.

I used Anafranil back in the day with excellent results. I've been on
its older brother *imipramine* ("Tofranil") for many years now, the
*mother of all antidepressants* (hm.... a brother who is also a
mother...gender doesn't mean anythig anymore in this day and age ;-)
SNRI's like Cymbalta target both serotonin and norepinephrine receptors
and so do the old TCA's albeit in a different way (clomipramine,
Anafranil, is more of a coincidental mixture of a TCA and an SSRI). When
they arrived on the scene the SSRI's and their younger ....eh...shall we
say sisters?...like the SNRI's were hailed as the new panacea but with
time ever more data surfaced about side effects and discontinuation
problems etc. Of course they have their place in the treatment of
depression and anxiety disorders but I think the slight revival of the
old TCA's isn't such a bad idea.
Do you need the Depakote? It's basically an anticonvulsant also used in
the treatment of bipolar disorder. Off label use is getting more popular
every day, it seems but it seems to me that there are other meds that
are much more effective with anxiety: the good, old benzos of course.
Still, Depakote might help you with mood swings if you have any.

Post by Dennis
I'm sure I'll fell better with time, but right now I feel pretty miserable.
My headache doctor wants to see a psychologist who helps with chronic pain
problems, so I'm looking for one.

Does the headache doctor feel "it's all in your head" (pun intended)? Do
you? What's a *headache doctor* by the way, a neurologist?

Post by Dennis
How is everyone doing? Well, I hope.

I can hardly speak for everyone but I've been fairly stable anxiety-wise
for a long time now using a mixture of meds, self-help REBT and clever
avoidance behaviour ;-)

Philip