Hi! Sorry about all those bogus Boytko (or whatever) responses you got. A very good suggestion was given to you: to make sure you don’t have sleep apena, and that your asthma isn’t bothering you when you sleep. I would be wary of the theophylline. There are much better drugs for your asthma. Are you on flovent 220 at least 2 times a day? If not, I"d increase that and dump the theophylline. I had *severe* side effects from the theophylline that lasted for years (because I took it for years) and it really affected my sleep. Perhaps try singulair or accolate or something. If you are taking all those medications for asthma you should be seeing a specialist, not just a doctor: and they might be able to help you further with your problems. I personally also had similar side effects from the serevent, but I do know that many others tolerate it well. Intal did nothing for me, and is usually not an "as needed" drug- you have to take it all the time for it to have any affect, right? I found that Intal (and Tilade) actually made my exercise induced asthma *worse* because it irritated me and didn’t help. Also, with all the above, do try to start an exercise program and certainly improve your diet. Just because your diet hasn’t changed in 10 years doesn’t mean *you* haven’t. It can make a big difference in how you feel energetically, and makes your asthma better too.(the exercise part). It might also help you sleep longer- 8 hours is a bit more normal. -j – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am taking Flovent, Serevent, Albuterol, Intal (when needed), and Theophylline. Ever since I’ve been taking them faithfully (around 2 years), I feel so tired….even when I’m not doing anything. My diet is kinda lousy; yet, it hasn’t changed 10 years. I averaged six hours of sleep. Don’t have a strenous job. Rarely exercise, but I do walk alot! Has anyone experienced fatique while on medications? If do, what was the culprit? Thanks.. * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
writes <snip do try to start an exercise program
The original post states they walk ‘a lot’. If that means a brisk walk (e.g. raises the pulse) for half an hour, three or more times a week I would classify that as exercise. IMHO Walking is underrated as exercise but can be really good if it’s on unmade footpaths (much better that roads or gym floors as each step is slightly different) and up and down hills. And it doesn’t carry dangers (or they are greatly reduced) of over-use injuries, and on paths away from roads the air is better and the dangers from traffic go away. And walking is weight-bearing which helps prevent osteoporosis – something swimming doesn’t do though weights, gym works & cycling do. <snip — Surfer!
Mark: I’m 76 and for over 2 years have persistent (without attacks) old age asthma. In times of remission, all breathing parameters are OK. I’ve tried daily 20 min. exercises with a restricted air flow device for about 2 months……
Mark, I’m not sure what you expected this device to do for you. Just because you make it harder for yourself to breathe does’nt mean you get less air. Your respiratory center paces your breathing for you and it will make you breathe in such a way as to attain a particular CO2 level in your blood. Putting a restrictive device in line with your respiaratory tract isn’t going to change anything. What you need to do is practice breathing in such a way as to sustain, over a prolonged period of time, a small shortage of air. You need to do this often. Unless you actually feel like you’re not getting enough air while you’re doing this, it’s not going to help your respiratory center accommodate to higher levels of CO2. If you want to knock Buteyko by all means, but make sure you’ve actually done the exercises properly before you do. …. with no effect, and then had the idea that asthmatics don’t need Buteyko, since they have plenty of hypoventilation, with (as follows from medical research) some positive results claimed by Buteyko (e.g., less sclerosis).
In early stage asthma CO2 is low, because of hyperventilation. When asthma is very sever you get to a point where the lungs are so damaged that CO2 can’t get out and Oxygen can’t get in. You’re right, here the asthmatic is hypoventilated from the point of view of the blood gases. But there is a state in between where blood CO2 appears to be normal and Oxygen is low. What happens here is as follows. As the disease progresses part of the lungs becomes so badly blocked that it stops being ventilated all together, but it still gets perfused with blood. That part of the lung which is still functioning becomes hoplessly overventilated, as can be seen from ETCO2 (End tidal CO2) studies. The blood that leaves the lungs to get into the arteries therefore contains a mixture of blood from the overventilated and underventilated areas, which means that the CO2 may appear to be normal. But the CO2 component from the functioning part is very low, and this is what causes it to go into bronchospasm. So we take Ventolin to open it up. But that does’nt actually cure anything. At this stage Buteyko alone won’t help either. You need to supplement with steroids until you can get your breathing under control and then gradually reverse the process by deliberate hypoventilation. As you can imagine, by this stage this can be a very difficult process. Sticking a marble in your nostril won’t solve your problem. Peter Kolb Free information provided by grateful ex-asthmatics http://www.wt.com.au/~pkolb/buteyko.htm
If you want to knock Buteyko by all means, but make sure you’ve actually done the exercises properly before you do.
So you are saying that I should try something that is dangerous and stupid before I warn others about it? Why don’t you jump off a cliff and then tell us whether or not it is dangerous? In early stage asthma CO2 is low, because of hyperventilation. When asthma is very sever you get to a point where the lungs are so damaged that CO2 can’t get out and Oxygen can’t get in.
What are you talking about? You really need to learn something about asthma instead of relying on the stuff the buteyko promoters fabricated. No electrons were harmed in the posting of this message.
Can I just mention that I tried Buteyko after seeing a documentary on the TV and found a course run by Sasha Stalmatski in York UK in Oct 99. I was on quite a lot of medication at the time, Flixotide, Ventolin, Atrovent, Serevent, Slo Phyllin etc. and before starting the course was extremely tired and could hardly walk upstairs. I found the course very difficult but persevered. One year on and I am only on Flixotide and Ventolin and although I visit hospital as an out patient regularly for bronchial/chest infections my asthma is under control and from having an asthma attack regularly every night 12 months ago I do not have any attacks at all now, I do have problems when I have a chest infection but the breathing exercises I learnt on the course have been very helpful and last year I had an attack of pluerisy and used the shallow breathing as I was rushed to hospital and it certainly worked for me. By the way I have no medical training whatsoever so I cannot give medical advice it certainly didn’t cure me but it has made my life better, I can at least get up stairs now, I haven’t progressed to cycling yet but I am working on it. I am a middle aged lady and able to do a full time job even if I do occasionally have to have time off for chest infections. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – If you want to knock Buteyko by all means, but make sure you’ve actually done the exercises properly before you do. So you are saying that I should try something that is dangerous and stupid before I warn others about it? Why don’t you jump off a cliff and then tell us whether or not it is dangerous? In early stage asthma CO2 is low, because of hyperventilation. When asthma is very sever you get to a point where the lungs are so damaged that CO2 can’t get out and Oxygen can’t get in. What are you talking about? You really need to learn something about asthma instead of relying on the stuff the buteyko promoters fabricated. No electrons were harmed in the posting of this message.
– Christine Varney Dept of Physics University of York YORK YO10 5DD UK tel: 44 (0) 1904 432261 fax: 44 (0) 1904 432214
I am taking Flovent, Serevent, Albuterol, Intal (when needed), and Theophylline. Ever since I’ve been taking them faithfully (around 2 years), I feel so tired….even when I’m not doing anything. My diet is kinda lousy; yet, it hasn’t changed 10 years. I averaged six hours of sleep. Don’t have a strenous job. Rarely exercise, but I do walk alot! Has anyone experienced fatique while on medications? If do, what was the culprit?
I find fatigue is the product of any single one or combination of the following: 1) that time of the month 2) being ill 3) not getting enough sleep – I usually need 8-9 hours a night 4) emotional upset like when I had to have two cats put to sleep last year – each time the response was to sleep for a couple of weeks, 16 hours a day or more at first. 5) stress at work 6) boredom 7) prevarication – shall I do some decorating or get another ours sleep? 
lack of exercise 9) not drinking enough water especially if it’s hot – I’ve had a few night cramps 10) eating too much too late – full stomach is not ideal before bed 11) I go to sleep fine if I drink too much (e.g. more than 2-3 glasses wine) but then have disturbed dreams As you might imagine I’m a good sleeper! Luckily too much time in bed gives me a bad back so there’s no danger (at the moment) of my developing a 24-hour per day habit. Before I got my medication (Pulmicort, and inhaled steroid) I *was* chronically tired due to lack of sleep and poor quality sleep. Starting them made a new woman of me. But I can’t find a new man to match! 
So I’ve got some new cats! so check (with your doctor) your asthma medication is working properly – especially at night. When I’m bad I start snoring and give myself disturbed dreams and intermittent waking especially if I fall asleep with pillows as they prop up my head and close the airway (and are bad for my back & neck). If you don’t have a peak flow meter get one and use it, drawing a chart of the morning & evening results (or put them in Excel!). It should be pretty level – if it’s down in the mornings and responds to Intal it suggests you are possibly under-medicated in the steroid department. Also ask your partner (if you have one) how you sleep. Lots of snoring could be part of, or an indication of, the problem. Especially if you wake yourself up, or wake because you have almost stopped breathing (sleep apnoea). Good Luck PS Peter Kolb seems to reckon that everything is caused by CHVS. — Surfer!
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am taking Flovent, Serevent, Albuterol, Intal (when needed), and Theophylline. Ever since I’ve been taking them faithfully (around 2 years), I feel so tired….even when I’m not doing anything. My diet is kinda lousy; yet, it hasn’t changed 10 years. I averaged six hours of sleep. Don’t have a strenous job. Rarely exercise, but I do walk alot! Has anyone experienced fatique while on medications? If do, what was the culprit? Thanks.. Hello I can’t say whether or not your medications cause fatigue, but what I can tell you is that fatigue, listlessness and inability to exercise are some of the very many symptoms of Chronic hyperventilation syndrome (CHVS). This was first discovered by American Field Surgeon DaCosta in 1870 when he descibed this condition sufffered by American Soldiers under combat stress during the civil war. While the mechanism by which such stress can cause chronic hyperventilation is well known and understood, few doctors even seem to be aware of its existence. This is in spite of the fact that prevalence in the community is between 6 and 11% (References have been given on an earlier occasion). There is a very logical treatment which has been developed in Russia for CHVS. They found it so successful (and quite dramatically so) in the treatment of asthma, that it has been brought to the west largely as a therapy that reverses the asthma condition. But any of the symptoms of CHVS can be successfully treated with this therapy. Unfortunately, unlike with conventional medicine, there are no magic bullets. Buteyko therapy requires a lot of work and a lot of time, but at least it enables you to get your health back. Many people have found that there is sufficient information on our web site to help you get rid of your asthma. Peter Kolb BSc(Eng),MSc(Med),CPEng(Biomed) BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER Free information provided by grateful ex-asthmatics
Mark: I’m 76 and for over 2 years have persistent (without attacks) old age asthma. In times of remission, all breathing parameters are OK. I’ve tried daily 20 min. exercises with a restricted air flow device for about 2 months – with no effect, and then had the idea that asthmatics don’t need Buteyko, since they have plenty of hypoventilation, with (as follows from medical research) some positive results claimed by Buteyko (e.g., less sclerosis). – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – http://www.wt.com.au/~pkolb/buteyko.htm
I am taking Flovent, Serevent, Albuterol, Intal (when needed), and Theophylline. Ever since I’ve been taking them faithfully (around 2 years), I feel so tired….even when I’m not doing anything. My diet is kinda lousy; yet, it hasn’t changed 10 years. I averaged six hours of sleep. Don’t have a strenous job. Rarely exercise, but I do walk alot! Has anyone experienced fatique while on medications? If do, what was the culprit? Thanks.. * Sent from RemarQ http://www.remarq.com The Internet’s Discussion Network * The fastest and easiest way to search and participate in Usenet – Free!
I am taking Flovent, Serevent, Albuterol, Intal (when needed), and Theophylline. Ever since I’ve been taking them faithfully (around 2 years), I feel so tired….even when I’m not doing anything. My diet is kinda lousy; yet, it hasn’t changed 10 years. I averaged six hours of sleep. Don’t have a strenous job. Rarely exercise, but I do walk alot! Has anyone experienced fatique while on medications? If do, what was the culprit? Thanks..
Hello I can’t say whether or not your medications cause fatigue, but what I can tell you is that fatigue, listlessness and inability to exercise are some of the very many symptoms of Chronic hyperventilation syndrome (CHVS). This was first discovered by American Field Surgeon DaCosta in 1870 when he descibed this condition sufffered by American Soldiers under combat stress during the civil war. While the mechanism by which such stress can cause chronic hyperventilation is well known and understood, few doctors even seem to be aware of its existence. This is in spite of the fact that prevalence in the community is between 6 and 11% (References have been given on an earlier occasion). There is a very logical treatment which has been developed in Russia for CHVS. They found it so successful (and quite dramatically so) in the treatment of asthma, that it has been brought to the west largely as a therapy that reverses the asthma condition. But any of the symptoms of CHVS can be successfully treated with this therapy. Unfortunately, unlike with conventional medicine, there are no magic bullets. Buteyko therapy requires a lot of work and a lot of time, but at least it enables you to get your health back. Many people have found that there is sufficient information on our web site to help you get rid of your asthma. Peter Kolb BSc(Eng),MSc(Med),CPEng(Biomed) BIOMEDICAL ENGINEER Free information provided by grateful ex-asthmatics http://www.wt.com.au/~pkolb/buteyko.htm
I am taking Flovent, Serevent, Albuterol, Intal (when needed), and Theophylline. Ever since I’ve been taking them faithfully (around 2 years), I feel so tired….even when I’m not doing anything. My diet is kinda lousy; yet, it hasn’t changed 10 years. I averaged six hours of sleep. Don’t have a strenous job. Rarely exercise, but I do walk alot!
Try sleeping an extra 1/2 hour. Most people do not get the amount of sleep they need. No electrons were harmed in the posting of this message.
I can’t say whether or not your medications cause fatigue, but what I can tell you is that fatigue, listlessness and inability to exercise are some of the very many symptoms of Chronic hyperventilation syndrome (CHVS).
Can you name something that is not a symptom of this imaginary ailment? BTW, can you provide any current medical references that support your diagnosis? And how about providing your qualifications to dispense medical advice? No electrons were harmed in the posting of this message.
Can anyone help me find out what wrong? In the past month, my lungs have worsened. My peak flow used to be around 375, but now I can’t get it any higher than 325. My chest feels tight constantly–it didn’t before. I sometimes feel intense pain in my chest–I had never felt that before about a month ago. I need to use my albuterol inhaler about 8 times per week and my neb about 4 times a week–much more meds are needed than ever before. I’ve been tested and tested for allergies, but I’m really not allergic to anything. My doctor says my asthma’s no worse than before. What’s causing this?
It sounds like your asthma is worse than before. "Being responsible sometimes means pissing people off." General Colin Powell
Can anyone help me find out what wrong? In the past month, my lungs have worsened. My peak flow used to be around 375, but now I can’t get it any higher than 325. My chest feels tight constantly–it didn’t before. I sometimes feel intense pain in my chest–I had never felt that before about a month ago. I need to use my albuterol inhaler about 8 times per week and my neb about 4 times a week–much more meds are needed than ever before. I’ve been tested and tested for allergies, but I’m really not allergic to anything. My doctor says my asthma’s no worse than before. What’s causing this? -Lannieta
Since your peak flow is down and symptoms have increased, this indicates your asthma has worsened. Apparently you have nonallergic asthma. It sounds like you need to increase your inhaled steroid or/and switch to one of the newer stronger ones; Pulmicort or Flovent. Current asthma guidelines are to use an Action Plan approved by your doctor to adjust medications. See: http://www.ama-assn.org/special/asthma/treatmnt/updates/patient.htm Patient Asthma Action Plans Ellis
Can anyone help me find out what wrong? In the past month, my lungs have worsened. My peak flow used to be around 375, but now I can’t get it any higher than 325. My chest feels tight constantly–it didn’t before. I sometimes feel intense pain in my chest–I had never felt that before about a month ago. I need to use my albuterol inhaler about 8 times per week and my neb about 4 times a week–much more meds are needed than ever before. I’ve been tested and tested for allergies, but I’m really not allergic to anything. My doctor says my asthma’s no worse than before. What’s causing this? -Lannieta
Last time I visited my doctor (6 days ago), he LOWERED my Azmacort (one of the older inhaled steroids). I’m allergic to Pulmicort an Flovent (Flovent almost killed me), so I can’t take them. -Lannieta
Last time I visited my doctor (6 days ago), he LOWERED my Azmacort (one of the older inhaled steroids). I’m allergic to Pulmicort an Flovent (Flovent almost killed me), so I can’t take them. -Lannieta
Azmacort is triamcinolone, a rather weak steroid inhaler. It seems to have more side effects than other steroids. I had facial edema from Azmacort, had to switch to Beclovent/Vanceril [beclomethasone]. What are your ‘allergic’ symptoms to Pulmicort and Flovent? Expecially Flovent? Ellis
Pulmicort reduced my peak flow to about 225 (my average then was about 375) and caused difficulty breathing enough to have an emergency visit to my regular asthma doc. The Flovent caused me to stop breathing just after taking it–a friend had to call an ambulance and I stayed in the hospital for a day. -Lannieta
x-no-archive: yes When I see my doctor again, I’m going to try a new inhaler. Any suggestions from people about what ones are the best? I need something better that I can use that won’t cause migraines. Rechelle
There are 4 beta2-agonist bronchodilator inhalers recommended by the NHLBI EPR2 national asthma guidelines; albuterol (MDI or DPI) [Ventolin] terbutaline MDI [Breathaire] pirbuterol breath-actuated MDI [Maxair] bitolterol MDI [Tornalate] They all have similar action and side effects. Albuterol is the most popular and cheapest as its available in generic form. The asthma guidelines state that if you need to use the above rescue inhaler more than once per day, it indicates the need to increase your dose of inhaled steroids; Pulmicort Turbuhaler and Flovent MDI or DPI or the new most effective ones. Ellis — Free audio & video emails, greeting cards and forums Talkway – http://www.talkway.com – Talk more ways (sm)
you may be right about the connection between headaches and albuterol. i have had no problems with my maxair inhaler, but when i do my nebulizer those days are full of pain and suffering due to powerful headaches. and i never get headaches normally and when i do nothing can compete with these doozies.
x-no-archive: yes When I see my doctor again, I’m going to try a new inhaler. Any suggestions from people about what ones are the best? I need something better that I can use that won’t cause migraines. Rechelle
For bronchodilators I think Albuterol is considered one of the safest – but they all tend to have similiar side effects. Another popular bronchodilator is terbutaline – never used it myself so I don’t know what the side effects are like. In Canada (not sure about US) – Berotec is another bronchodilator – and that was the first bronchodilator I used (I now use albuterol) – I found the side effects to be worse with Berotec vs albuterol – but than everyone is different. I have also used one called ProAir (Procaterol HCl Hemihydrate) for a bronchodilator – I found that it worked a little slower for me than berotec – but it worked well and the sideeffects will almost nil. Again I am not sure if this drug is in the US or not. I hear mention of Maxair too – not sure if that is an older bronchodilator or not. As people have alos probably told you here – it is important to be on an inhaled steroid drug (ask the doctor about this) – so you shouldn’t have to use the bronchodilator short acintg) very often. Perhaps you are getting headaches from too frequent use of albuterol and if you use it less you might find it alright. You might also find that Serevent (long acting bronchodilator) gives you less side-effects – though because it takes about 30 minutes to kick it - it isn’t a replacement for a shortacting bronchodilator. Some countries have access to formoterol which is both fast acting and long acting (I don’t think it is approved in the US though not sure about Canada).
I hear mention of Maxair too – not sure if that is an older bronchodilator or not.
Not sure how long Maxair has been around, but my son, daughter and I all three use it.(for about 5 years) I don’t think it is one of the "older" ones though.It gives better delivery of the med. without a spacer and is breath activated. This makes it hard to take if you are to the point of not being able to breathe well enough to actuate it, but by this point you need a neb anyway.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – x-no-archive:yes I’ve been lurking for about a day now and wanted to find out if anyone here has had any trouble taking Albuterol USP inhalers? I’ve been asthmatic for several years now and was in bad shape Sunday night/Monday morning due to severe broncitis & sinus infection. My peak flow was only 200 and I usually blow a 750. I started the Albuterol yesterday and by last night had a severe migraine. I was wondering if it was fluke or if I may have a problem with this. I moved to the States from Canada and had a couple old inhalers but the dr. yesterday but me on a new one that he said was comparable. Any advice on rescue inhalers would be greatly appreciated. Warmest regards, Rechelle
A side effect of albuterol at high dose is headache. However with a peak flow of only 27% PB, you would need a lot more than just albuterol. Most would head for the emergency room at this point. Some would try high dose inhaled steroids, like Pulmicort; the usual regimen is a burst dose of prednisone, along with albuterol. There are other rescue inhalers, like terbutaline; they’re all beta2 agonist bronchodilators; and all have similar side effects. Ellis — Free audio & video emails, greeting cards and forums Talkway – http://www.talkway.com – Talk more ways (sm)
I also had a steriod injection, and am on Prednisone for now. After this, we’re going to look at other alternatives. Just wanted to find out about the Albuterol. Rechelle – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – x-no-archive:yes I’ve been lurking for about a day now and wanted to find out if anyone here has had any trouble taking Albuterol USP inhalers? I’ve been asthmatic for several years now and was in bad shape Sunday night/Monday morning due to severe broncitis & sinus infection. My peak flow was only 200 and I usually blow a 750. I started the Albuterol yesterday and by last night had a severe migraine. I was wondering if it was fluke or if I may have a problem with this. I moved to the States from Canada and had a couple old inhalers but the dr. yesterday but me on a new one that he said was comparable. Any advice on rescue inhalers would be greatly appreciated. Warmest regards, Rechelle A side effect of albuterol at high dose is headache. However with a peak flow of only 27% PB, you would need a lot more than just albuterol. Most would head for the emergency room at this point. Some would try high dose inhaled steroids, like Pulmicort; the usual regimen is a burst dose of prednisone, along with albuterol. There are other rescue inhalers, like terbutaline; they’re all beta2 agonist bronchodilators; and all have similar side effects. Ellis — Free audio & video emails, greeting cards and forums Talkway – http://www.talkway.com – Talk more ways (sm)
[Uthur] I’m trying to remember the name of a drug someone told me about a while back. It begins with ‘z’ (in Europe) and is used for treating anxiety. It *might* be a newish one. I’d remember it if I heard it again. Can you help me out please?
Xanax (alprazolam) ? zolpidem? (more a sleeping pil) zopiclon? (more a sleeping pil) Kind regards, Henk J. van Dijk — The charter is available at:
simion wrote:
I know the feeling. I get the willies when I visit my family. Can hardly hold a cup of tea.
Good one.
In message <Cjg9b.8108$4j3.7…@bignews6.bellsouth.net
, Smoove B
<to…@bellsouth.net
writes I have tremors also, but my doc diagnosed them as familial tremors.
I know the feeling. I get the willies when I visit my family. Can hardly hold a cup of tea. But also, being chronically tense, as many obsessional people are, can cause the muscles to tremble. That’s my experience anyway. — simon
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
From: "Mike" mikea…@nobody.net This is something that has bothered me ever since I was a teenager. I’ve never been able to figure it out, so I thought I would post about it here. Anyway, I have this problem with tremors, and fine motor problems in general. I first noticed it as a teenager, when lying on my side on the bed, propping my head up with my hand and arm so I could read my homework assignment. I noticed that I couldn’t move my arm or hand smoothly without causing tremors in the muscles being used for that motion. Subsequently I learned that this is made much worse when the muscles in question have been stressed (such as propping my head up, or carrying a heavy shopping bag.) Also, the more "strength" I put into the motion, the more exacerbated the tremors. As an example, imagine the motion involved with twisting the throttle on a motorcycle. That movement induces tremors in my hand, particularly if I tense those muscles, or if they’re tired. Also, I’ve always had some fine motor control problems in other ways – my movements seem more "jerky" than other people. Course, maybe I’m just obsessing over it (I have OCD, after all.) It doesn’t appear that anyone has ever noticed these symptoms, so I don’t want to exaggerate them. It doesn’t really affect me, other than just making me curious as to the cause. I’ve done some reading in the past, and my symptoms don’t match Parkinson’s or other similar diseases. The closest match I can find is the diagnosis of "Essential Tremor", which really isn’t a "true" diagnosis at all, but just a catch-all for tremors without any other obvious cause. Just curious if anyone knows if this type of thing is more common among those with OCD and/or Tourette’s? I.e., could the same chemical imbalances related to these disorders also have an impact on fine motor control? Thanks, Mike
Hi Mike. Curious question to me ! My son is the one in the family with TS – tics only (and is now 22). But ET, Essential Tremor, runs in my family. My father has it, my sister, my brother, and me. All to different degrees. My dad and sister have very shaky hands. People have asked me if my sister has Parkinson’s due to her shaky hands. My brother and I have it very mild where you just see a paper shake if I am holding it up with unsupported arms. My sister is now in a study with a neurologist who is doing research to see if there is a connection between ET and Parkinson’s. In fact, I was going to call him and see if he treats TS patients, as well. He is so wonderful! He dxed my father with hydrosephalus (sp?), water on the brain, when all other doctors threw up their arms and gave up. So no answers for you, but seems plausible about your theory. Jan
This is something that has bothered me ever since I was a teenager. I’ve never been able to figure it out, so I thought I would post about it here. Anyway, I have this problem with tremors, and fine motor problems in general. I first noticed it as a teenager, when lying on my side on the bed, propping my head up with my hand and arm so I could read my homework assignment. I noticed that I couldn’t move my arm or hand smoothly without causing tremors in the muscles being used for that motion. Subsequently I learned that this is made much worse when the muscles in question have been stressed (such as propping my head up, or carrying a heavy shopping bag.) Also, the more "strength" I put into the motion, the more exacerbated the tremors. As an example, imagine the motion involved with twisting the throttle on a motorcycle. That movement induces tremors in my hand, particularly if I tense those muscles, or if they’re tired. Also, I’ve always had some fine motor control problems in other ways – my movements seem more "jerky" than other people. Course, maybe I’m just obsessing over it (I have OCD, after all.) It doesn’t appear that anyone has ever noticed these symptoms, so I don’t want to exaggerate them. It doesn’t really affect me, other than just making me curious as to the cause. I’ve done some reading in the past, and my symptoms don’t match Parkinson’s or other similar diseases. The closest match I can find is the diagnosis of "Essential Tremor", which really isn’t a "true" diagnosis at all, but just a catch-all for tremors without any other obvious cause. Just curious if anyone knows if this type of thing is more common among those with OCD and/or Tourette’s? I.e., could the same chemical imbalances related to these disorders also have an impact on fine motor control? Thanks, Mike
I have tremors also, but my doc diagnosed them as familial tremors. Brandon "Mike" <mikea…@nobody.net
wrote in message
news:uVOdnb4R7tgonP-iU-KYvg@giganews.com… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
This is something that has bothered me ever since I was a teenager. I’ve never been able to figure it out, so I thought I would post about it here. Anyway, I have this problem with tremors, and fine motor problems in general. I first noticed it as a teenager, when lying on my side on the bed, propping my head up with my hand and arm so I could read my homework assignment. I noticed that I couldn’t move my arm or hand smoothly
without
causing tremors in the muscles being used for that motion. Subsequently I learned that this is made much worse when the muscles in question have
been
stressed (such as propping my head up, or carrying a heavy shopping bag.) Also, the more "strength" I put into the motion, the more exacerbated the tremors. As an example, imagine the motion involved with twisting the throttle on a motorcycle. That movement induces tremors in my hand, particularly if I tense those muscles, or if they’re tired. Also, I’ve always had some fine motor control problems in other ways – my movements seem more "jerky" than other people. Course, maybe I’m just obsessing over it (I have OCD, after all.) It doesn’t appear that anyone has ever noticed these symptoms, so I don’t want to exaggerate them. It doesn’t really affect me, other than just making me curious as to the cause. I’ve done some reading in the past, and my symptoms don’t match
Parkinson’s
or other similar diseases. The closest match I can find is the diagnosis
of
"Essential Tremor", which really isn’t a "true" diagnosis at all, but just
a
catch-all for tremors without any other obvious cause. Just curious if anyone knows if this type of thing is more common among those with OCD and/or Tourette’s? I.e., could the same chemical
imbalances
related to these disorders also have an impact on fine motor control? Thanks, Mike
Actually, the story is a bit more complicated. He was supposed to start on 10 mg, go to 20 mg (10×2) in a week, then 30 (10×3). The pharmacy goofed and put 18s in the bottle, so he started on 18. He experienced almost immediate positive affects, in terms of behavior in school. But he also was having drowsy spells and stomach aches, and sometimes just seems drugged up – he falls asleep in the car for the first time since he was an infant. Fortunately, we noticed the error before it was time for him to take two, and immediately cut him back to 10. Which brings us to our present circumstances – side effects with 18, insufficient effects with 10. During his time with me this summer, I have chosen to give him 10 – he has more chance for physical exercise, and less requirement to be still and attentive. But I’m more interested in determining a good long-term solution for him, and none has been forthcoming from his physicial or Lilly.
You need to give the drug time, a few weeks, before you will know what staying side effects will be. Drowsiness and stomach aches are common on reuptake inhibitors and often go away with time. You have raised another issue as regards the four hour half life. His physician’s solution to the side-effects was to suggest he take the medication in the evening. I was concerned that he was still being overmedicated, but just sleeping through the symptoms. But I am now further concerned that by giving him the medication in the evening, most of the effect is wasted, thus requiring a higher dosage to maintain the effect. Also, his physician said that it builds up in the blood, but this is also apparently wrong. More info on half-life and other issues at: http://www.mosbysdrugconsult.com/DrugConsult/003578.html
Taking it at night to avoid drowsiness during the day is a good idea and often helps reduce drowsiness – not always, but sometimes. Taking it at night will make no difference to its positive effects. With reuptake inhibitors, the blood half life has little to do with the positive effect. However, it may have a lot to do with side effects. These are nothing like stimulants where you only have an effect while it is in your blood. Reuptake inhibitors can take weeks before the drugs start having the effect you want, and after you quit can take a long time to stop "working" also. Just follow your doctors orders and stop panicking.
The pharmacy goofed and put 18s in the bottle, so he started on 18. He experienced almost immediate positive affects, in terms of behavior in school. But he also was having drowsy spells and stomach aches, and sometimes just seems drugged up – he falls asleep in the car for the first time since he was an infant. Fortunately, we noticed the error before it was time for him to take two, and immediately cut him back to 10. Which brings us to our present circumstances – side effects with 18, insufficient effects with 10.
In our experience (our son is 10) the side effects you mentioned go away pretty quickly — and were greatly lessened by dosing at night (which we still do). The medication has been very helpful for us. I suggest you go back to 18 and take it at night. In time, you may be able to switch to morning dosing (we may do this when school starts; right now bedtime is a much more predictable time than morning is.) -Dawn Mom to Henry, 10
Actually, the story is a bit more complicated. He was supposed to start on 10 mg, go to 20 mg (10×2) in a week, then 30 (10×3). The pharmacy goofed and put 18s in the bottle, so he started on 18. He experienced almost immediate positive affects, in terms of behavior in school. But he also was having drowsy spells and stomach aches, and sometimes just seems drugged up – he falls asleep in the car for the first time since he was an infant. Fortunately, we noticed the error before it was time for him to take two, and immediately cut him back to 10. Which brings us to our present circumstances – side effects with 18, insufficient effects with 10. During his time with me this summer, I have chosen to give him 10 – he has more chance for physical exercise, and less requirement to be still and attentive. But I’m more interested in determining a good long-term solution for him, and none has been forthcoming from his physicial or Lilly. You have raised another issue as regards the four hour half life. His physician’s solution to the side-effects was to suggest he take the medication in the evening. I was concerned that he was still being overmedicated, but just sleeping through the symptoms. But I am now further concerned that by giving him the medication in the evening, most of the effect is wasted, thus requiring a higher dosage to maintain the effect. Also, his physician said that it builds up in the blood, but this is also apparently wrong. More info on half-life and other issues at: http://www.mosbysdrugconsult.com/DrugConsult/003578.html
Actually, the story is a bit more complicated. He was supposed to start on 10 mg, go to 20 mg (10×2) in a week, then 30 (10×3). The pharmacy goofed and put 18s in the bottle, so he started on 18. He experienced almost immediate positive affects, in terms of behavior in school. But he also was having drowsy spells and stomach aches, and sometimes just seems drugged up – he falls asleep in the car for the first time since he was an infant.
Is he sleeping the night through? One side effect some people experience with Strattera is that it interrupts their sleep. I wasn’t able to sleep more than 3 hours at a stretch when I was on it. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Fortunately, we noticed the error before it was time for him to take two, and immediately cut him back to 10. Which brings us to our present circumstances – side effects with 18, insufficient effects with 10. During his time with me this summer, I have chosen to give him 10 – he has more chance for physical exercise, and less requirement to be still and attentive. But I’m more interested in determining a good long-term solution for him, and none has been forthcoming from his physicial or Lilly. You have raised another issue as regards the four hour half life. His physician’s solution to the side-effects was to suggest he take the medication in the evening. I was concerned that he was still being overmedicated, but just sleeping through the symptoms. But I am now further concerned that by giving him the medication in the evening, most of the effect is wasted, thus requiring a higher dosage to maintain the effect. Also, his physician said that it builds up in the blood, but this is also apparently wrong. More info on half-life and other issues at: http://www.mosbysdrugconsult.com/DrugConsult/003578.html
– –John Reply to jclarke at ae tee tee global dot net (was jclarke at eye bee em dot net)
So far as I know, he is sleeping through the night. The problem we’re having is that when he takes 18 mg, he is often drowsy during the day. The doctor’s solution to this was to switch to giving him the medication at dinner instead of breakfast. This seems foolish to me, though – Strattera levels peak in 1-2 hours, and it has a half-life of 5.2 hours. So by morning, 3/4 of the medication is gone. Seems better to me to give him the medication two hours before school for maximum effect. However, the Lilly support rep said that effects of Strattera persist after blood levels drop – she said they suspect it stays in the brain after it is gone from the blood, but they aren’t sure about this. I am leaning toward morning administration on an empty stomach, and we’ll see how that goes. I just wish there were more authoritative guidance on this.
My 7 year old son has been using Strattera for about a month, with reportedly good effects. Unfortunately, it seems that 10 mg is not enough for him, but 18 mg produces substantial side-effects. Since there is no such thing as 14 mg, and you can’t break the capsules, does anyone have any experience with daily alternating between 10 and 18 mg? His physician is making contradictory statements – on the one hand, you must never miss a day on Strattera because it builds up in your blood – but on the other hand, alternating dosages will create huge swings in effect. It seems to me that if it’s a cumulative buildup, there should be very little swinging induced by alternating doses. Lilly says they have no information on this since it wasn’t part of their clinical trial.
What are the side effects? If he has only been on 18mg for a week, that is probably not long enough to judge the side effects. With these types of drugs, often the initial side effects go away. Maybe not, but I would give it more than two weeks and then start looking at the side effects. The half-life of Strattera is only about 4 hours. So, you wont get any smoothing out of blood levels by alternating doses. You start fresh every day with Strattera. Thats not to say other mechanisms besides blood levels wont smooth out somehow. I dont know. This page is where I found the half-life: http://lists.chadd-mc.org/pipermail/chadd-mc/2002-November/000063.html For me, the nausea side effects from Effexor (which partly inhibits the reuptake of norepinephrine like Strattra dose) went away in a few days. The sleepy side effects never went away. I doubt you will know ahead of time if alternating between 10 and 18 would work. Some of the side effects happen immediately, others take time. Going from 10mg to 18, you would be taking almost double the dose every other day. You would NEVER do this with Effexor, for example – because you would be nauseous and have a headache every day. You would go though withdrawal on the half-dose days, and experience the side effects of the increased dose on the double-dose days. At least with Effexor, and other anti-depressants (I cant say about Strattera) its very important to have a steady dose. Any variation only causes more side effects. You probably can open the capsule and remove 22% of the contents. Doctors rarely let you do this because they dont trust you to do it right. And, some of them may mistakenly believe you will disrupt the absorption or time-release functions of the capsule. Anyone with any sense of statistics would see this is not a problem except for specialized capsules like Concerta. But, Strattera is not a time-release capsule anyway. And there would be no change in absorption. Again, I am curious, what are the side effects? – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – My 7 year old son has been using Strattera for about a month, with reportedly good effects. Unfortunately, it seems that 10 mg is not enough for him, but 18 mg produces substantial side-effects. Since there is no such thing as 14 mg, and you can’t break the capsules, does anyone have any experience with daily alternating between 10 and 18 mg? His physician is making contradictory statements – on the one hand, you must never miss a day on Strattera because it builds up in your blood – but on the other hand, alternating dosages will create huge swings in effect. It seems to me that if it’s a cumulative buildup, there should be very little swinging induced by alternating doses. Lilly says they have no information on this since it wasn’t part of their clinical trial.
Hi everyone. 4 weeks off Zoloft(for Anxiety)- coping fairly well, some days really suck and others are fine. Apparently I do my current job to well or the company is desperate for help. I dunno, but I am flattered that I am being asked. My situation is this. I do not need the money ( I guess I could probably make $2. more per hour ) but Christmas is coming – It would help out (If I can stand to shop long enough – I hate the hustle and bustle) I consider myself fairly intellegent and enjoy doing my job well and having people notice. I do want to be challenged mentally as well as with the anxiety. I do want to "HELP" my struggling boss trying to do 2 + jobs. But: I do not want to supervise a bunch of whining brats. I do not to run around the office like my hair is on fire. I do want to sleep at nite. I tend to (Process) things in my head over and over. I have a week to decide. My main concern is my mental health – I don’t want to stir up anything- but yet I don’t know if just taking the EASIER way – Is the best way to go through the rest of my life. (I’m 31) I guess I feel somewhat obligated to try this out (after all "they think pretty highly of me")- the Supervisor said I could return to my current position if I want to -but could I look him in the eye and ask to be demoted? He probably would talk me out of it just as he is trying to talk me into it. I know that none of you know me or the company I work for- but what do you think? Bonnie Before you buy.
Glad to hear you’re doing well off med,and at your job, BUT give it a lot of thought before you take the promotion. I got the shaft recently with a co. who loved me, bragged about me, put me in charge of buying as well as asst. mngr, but, then when I got ill they didn’t want me, harrassed me, lied about me, etc. It’s much better to be loved where you are than to be treated so poorly. My last job before this one, demoted me for getting ill and missing to much hard long hours, and the only satisfaction is knowing you did your best, and whatever makes us ill, we don;t ask for. Mine was asthma, no mental problem at that time. Anyway -Good Luck in your future, and with love and concern I will pray whatever decesion you make that God helps you to make the right one. We are each diff. LOL Charisma
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi everyone. 4 weeks off Zoloft(for Anxiety)- coping fairly well, some days really suck and others are fine. Apparently I do my current job to well or the company is desperate for help. I dunno, but I am flattered that I am being asked. My situation is this. I do not need the money ( I guess I could probably make $2. more per hour ) but Christmas is coming – It would help out (If I can stand to shop long enough – I hate the hustle and bustle) I consider myself fairly intellegent and enjoy doing my job well and having people notice. I do want to be challenged mentally as well as with the anxiety. I do want to "HELP" my struggling boss trying to do 2 + jobs. But: I do not want to supervise a bunch of whining brats. I do not to run around the office like my hair is on fire. I do want to sleep at nite. I tend to (Process) things in my head over and over. I have a week to decide. My main concern is my mental health – I don’t want to stir up anything- but yet I don’t know if just taking the EASIER way – Is the best way to go through the rest of my life. (I’m 31) I guess I feel somewhat obligated to try this out (after all "they think pretty highly of me")- the Supervisor said I could return to my current position if I want to -but could I look him in the eye and ask to be demoted? He probably would talk me out of it just as he is trying to talk me into it. I know that none of you know me or the company I work for- but what do you think? Bonnie
Dear Bonnie, Congratulations on being offered a promotion, I am sure that had to make you feel good 
Only you can decide whether or not you should go for it. I think it is great that your boss would allow you to go back to your old position if need be. I wish you much luck in whatever you decide!! Take care. Jackie ~*~You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if
Hi, bonnie, Pat yourself on the back for me – it is a tremendous feeling to be noticed and given the chance for a promotion. About ten years ago I was in the same situation and it made me feel wonderful. but for many reasons, one being anxiety, I didn’t accept and to this day I know I made the right decision. Absolutely love my job and wouldn’t give it up unless I had to. Not many people are this fortunate to love their jobs but when you have one you do enjoy it makes going to work much easier. good luck on your decision making and please let us know wht you decide. smiles, elise
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi everyone. 4 weeks off Zoloft(for Anxiety)- coping fairly well, some days really suck and others are fine. Apparently I do my current job to well or the company is desperate for help. I dunno, but I am flattered that I am being asked. My situation is this. I do not need the money ( I guess I could probably make $2. more per hour ) but Christmas is coming – It would help out (If I can stand to shop long enough – I hate the hustle and bustle) I consider myself fairly intellegent and enjoy doing my job well and having people notice. I do want to be challenged mentally as well as with the anxiety. I do want to "HELP" my struggling boss trying to do 2 + jobs. But: I do not want to supervise a bunch of whining brats. I do not to run around the office like my hair is on fire. I do want to sleep at nite. I tend to (Process) things in my head over and over. I have a week to decide. My main concern is my mental health – I don’t want to stir up anything- but yet I don’t know if just taking the EASIER way – Is the best way to go through the rest of my life. (I’m 31) I guess I feel somewhat obligated to try this out (after all "they think pretty highly of me")- the Supervisor said I could return to my current position if I want to -but could I look him in the eye and ask to be demoted? He probably would talk me out of it just as he is trying to talk me into it. I know that none of you know me or the company I work for- but what do you think? Bonnie Dear Bonnie, Congratulations on being offered a promotion, I am sure that had to make you feel good Only you can decide whether or not you should go for it. I think it is great that your boss would allow you to go back to your old position if need be. I wish you much luck in whatever you decide!! Take care. Jackie ~*~You may be deceived if you trust too much, but you will live in torment if
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi everyone. 4 weeks off Zoloft(for Anxiety)- coping fairly well, some days really suck and others are fine. Apparently I do my current job to well or the company is desperate for help. I dunno, but I am flattered that I am being asked. My situation is this. I do not need the money ( I guess I could probably make $2. more per hour ) but Christmas is coming – It would help out (If I can stand to shop long enough – I hate the hustle and bustle) I consider myself fairly intellegent and enjoy doing my job well and having people notice. I do want to be challenged mentally as well as with the anxiety. I do want to "HELP" my struggling boss trying to do 2 + jobs. But: I do not want to supervise a bunch of whining brats. I do not to run around the office like my hair is on fire. I do want to sleep at nite. I tend to (Process) things in my head over and over. I have a week to decide. My main concern is my mental health – I don’t want to stir up anything- but yet I don’t know if just taking the EASIER way – Is the best way to go through the rest of my life. (I’m 31) I guess I feel somewhat obligated to try this out (after all "they think pretty highly of me")- the Supervisor said I could return to my current position if I want to – but could I look him in the eye and ask to be demoted? He probably would talk me out of it just as he is trying to talk me into it. I know that none of you know me or the company I work for- but what do you think? Bonnie Before you buy. I haven’t decided for sure yet. But I think I’m going to take a
chance and do the thing I fear most. I appreciate all of your advice- I’m going into this with my eyes wide open- and if it doesn’t work out and they don’t let me do my old job- well then maybe it’s time to move on. (I fear that too) I will keep you posted. Best of Health to you all, Bonnie Before you buy.
Drop 50mg per week – it’ll take a few weeks, but you’ll probably avoid any wd symptoms. On an optimistic note, I stopped taking Zoloft without tapering – had mild headaches for a few days and that was as bad as it got
I had no trouble at all going off zoloft. I went off pretty quickly with no witdrawal symptoms at all. Effexor, otoh… — Power concedes nothing without a demand. Frederick Douglass
hi… i might be going off zoloft (sertraline) soon b/c it seems to be pooping out… not sure yet. if i do quit it, how should i? i’ve heard about withdrawl & that we should taper down by half a mg? i’ve been on it since august `98, and i’m on 200mg now & have been for at least a few months & also risperdal & wellbutrin what happened to you if you stopped taking z, particularly at this high a dose? i’ve heard about some fantastic dreams during withdrawl… what should i expect??? thanx, lorraine
My experience with going off zoloft, nothing. I went to 150 then 100 then 50 three days each. The only problem was the delay, waiting to start prozac again. zoloft had no beneficial effect for me. For what it’s worth, I quit Effexor cold, definitely not recommended, but I had no bad experience there either. Charles
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – hi… i might be going off zoloft (sertraline) soon b/c it seems to be pooping out… not sure yet. if i do quit it, how should i? i’ve heard about withdrawl & that we should taper down by half a mg? i’ve been on it since august `98, and i’m on 200mg now & have been for at least a few months & also risperdal & wellbutrin what happened to you if you stopped taking z, particularly at this high a dose? i’ve heard about some fantastic dreams during withdrawl… what should i expect??? thanx, lorraine — .
– maybe it pooped out because the Risperdal is interfering(blocking) it? Eric Steroids caused my depression…prednisone should be illegal. Before you buy.
hi… i might be going off zoloft (sertraline) soon b/c it seems to be pooping out… not sure yet. if i do quit it, how should i? i’ve heard about withdrawl & that we should taper down by half a mg? i’ve been on it since august `98, and i’m on 200mg now & have been for at least a few months & also risperdal & wellbutrin what happened to you if you stopped taking z, particularly at this high a dose? i’ve heard about some fantastic dreams during withdrawl…
I’d strongly rec tapering the dose gradually – over about a month. If you do this it may well be you get no side effects at all. I’d suggest lowering your dose by a few mg & doing this every few days. If you start to feel bad then stick at that dose, or even go back up for a few days. If you’re going onto another SSRI or similar you can switch straight from one to the other – probably with very few side effects. OTOH I know people who’ve come off this stuff cold turkey & had no problems. Others get bad if they’re just a few hours late with their pill – a real YMMV I guess. ali
hi… i might be going off zoloft (sertraline) soon b/c it seems to be pooping out… not sure yet. if i do quit it, how should i? i’ve heard about withdrawl & that we should taper down by half a mg? i’ve been on it since august `98, and i’m on 200mg now & have been for at least a few months & also risperdal & wellbutrin what happened to you if you stopped taking z, particularly at this high a dose? i’ve heard about some fantastic dreams during withdrawl… what should i expect??? thanx, lorraine — .
One side effect of having spasmodic torticollis which I had not appreciated was the difficulty in finding spectacles. Like many people of my age – 48 – I have difficulty reading without spectacles and I have been short-sighted since I was a teenager. So I thought I would try varifocal lenses to give me the best of both worlds.
I use varifocal lenses but just with the computer. I haven’t had any problem. I have S.T.,B.T.W. However I found these were very blurred. An optician friend at the bridge club explained why. Because of my neck movements I am often looking through the side of my spectacle lenses. Not all the area of a varifocal lens is intended to be used – just the middle funnel.
Your friend’s explanation seem to be on the mark. One should not move too much (side to side) with these spectacles. I have Essential Tremor and only when I purposefully exaggerate the movements will my vision will blur. Please keep in mind that some of the medications you take for Dystonia will affect your eye site precariously. Has anyone found the same problem and solved it. I would love to know. Thanks.
Regards, Gene
One side effect of having spasmodic torticollis which I had not appreciated was the difficulty in finding spectacles. Like many people of my age – 48 – I have difficulty reading without spectacles and I have been short-sighted since I was a teenager. So I thought I would try varifocal lenses to give me the best of both worlds. However I found these were very blurred. An optician friend at the bridge club explained why. Because of my neck movements I am often looking through the side of my spectacle lenses. Not all the area of a varifocal lens is intended to be used – just the middle funnel. Has anyone found the same problem and solved it. I would love to know. Thanks. — David Everett
In _The Essential Guide to Psychiatric Drugs_, Jack Gorman says that it has been reported that Klonopin causes depression. Anyone have any experience with this side effect?
This all gets so confusing to me as I once was on K alone but can’t say that that caused my depression. I read alot about this side effect and guess I never paid attention for direct cause and effect. What about those taking it with an SSRI, for depression (the thought being that the SSRI might "insulate" against this potential side effect)?
I take a low dose of PAxil and now Xanax as well and things don’t really feel that much different to me. I have my good and bad days. I have never heard of taking an SRI to counteract a benzo – have heard the reverse tho. I certainly wouldn’t take an SRI for that – as there are many other benzos to choose from without this noted side effect. Gwen
In _The Essential Guide to Psychiatric Drugs_, Jack Gorman says that it has been reported that Klonopin causes depression. Anyone have any experience with this side effect? What about those taking it with an SSRI, for depression (the thought being that the SSRI might "insulate" against this potential side effect)? Thanks for your help. Matt
I have heard that Klonopin can aggravate depression in a "small" percentage of people. People have also reported depression, as a side effect to placebo. Sometimes as much as 3%. So without knowing the percentages of reported depression with Klonopin vs. placebo, it is almost the same as having no information at all. I was on an SSRI, before ever taking Klonopin. I noted less depression after taking it, as my depression was situational. I was depressed because I was having 3-4 full blown panic attacks per day. When the PA’s stopped, from taking the Klonopin, my mood improved dramatically. — Kiesha Van Dyke To e-mail, remove ** from address.
I was on an SSRI, before ever taking Klonopin. I noted less depression after taking it, as my depression was situational. I was depressed because I was having 3-4 full blown panic attacks per day. When the PA’s stopped, from taking the Klonopin, my mood improved dramatically. —
I have to agree with you here, Kiesha. I didn’t go the SSRI first route – but being out of control on the panic was certainly depressing as hell and I truly believe if the docs had increased the benzos as first choice – I wouldn’t be saddled with Paxil now. I know from my experience that being free of panic makes me jubillant beyond beleif. I wish more docs tried THAT route first before jumping on the SSRI bandwagon. Gwen
In _The Essential Guide to Psychiatric Drugs_, Jack Gorman says that it has been reported that Klonopin causes depression. Anyone have any experience with this side effect? What about those taking it with an SSRI, for depression (the thought being that the SSRI might "insulate" against this potential side effect)? Thanks for your help. Matt
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Hi Matt – Well – I think Gorman may be right. My experience has been that adding an SSRI *has* eliminated the depression I felt when taking Klonopin (4-4.5mg/day) alone. (Added Zoloft). This is for primary social phobia, secondary mild depression. I think the Klonopin *may* aggrevate my mild depression some. Zoloft 50mg + K worked well except side effects – VERY tired and sex side effects from Zoloft. Nardil 45mg + K worked well too – less side effects, except add in food restrictions. Luvox + K felt awful. JR
In _The Essential Guide to Psychiatric Drugs_, Jack Gorman says that it has been reported that Klonopin causes depression. Anyone have any experience with this side effect? What about those taking it with an SSRI, for depression (the thought being that the SSRI might "insulate" against this potential side effect)? Thanks for your help. Matt
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<< Hi Matt – Well – I think Gorman may be right. My experience has been that adding an SSRI *has* eliminated the depression I felt when taking Klonopin (4-4.5mg/day) alone. (Added Zoloft). This is for primary social phobia, secondary mild depression. I think the Klonopin *may* aggrevate my mild depression some. Zoloft 50mg + K worked well except side effects – VERY tired and sex side effects from Zoloft. Nardil 45mg + K worked well too – less side effects, except add in food restrictions. Luvox + K felt awful. JR JR
In _The Essential Guide to Psychiatric Drugs_, Jack Gorman says that it has been reported that Klonopin causes depression. Anyone have any experience with this side effect? What about those taking it with an SSRI, for depression (the thought being that the SSRI might "insulate" against this potential side effect)? Thanks for your help. Matt