SSRIs

Question:

I have had RSD 11 yrs.  For those of you looking for treatment options or drs  or for that matter to find an RSD support group, try www.rsdhope.org www.rsd.org www.rsdhelp.com  (if I’m wrong, its  org ) www.rsdcoalition.org Surgery or sympathectomy tend to excerbate RSD and cause it to spread (I’m a good example  I now have it full body) Sympathectormy may sometimes alleviate the pain for a few months, but the burning tends to comeback and spread. The only way I was able to gain any control of the relentless burning was thru clonidine, SSRIs, and an intrathecal pump.  Life is not good, but it is better. Feel free to email me if I can be of help.

Response:

I apologize for not knowing how to respond to an individual.  Am a newbie so please bear with me. It appears that no one wants to say those words.  You know, uh-oh, shouldn’t have cut this nerve or we messed up. Lots of suppressed anger.  Gosh, 11 years?  I don’t know if I can stand it.  Would you kindly spell out your abbreviations for me?  My brain just does  not work as good as it used to. Thanks so much and I will certainly look at the sites you forwarded to me.  

Response:

SSRIs are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors  a  type of antidepressant which has been shown to help with chronic neuropathic paini   such as effexor, luvox,paxil

Response:

Hi…. I posted these sites too…from what I remember, they are really the best on the internet. >www.rsd.org

This should read: http://www.rsdsa.org.  Without the "sa" in rsdsa, you won’t get to the correct site.  www.rsd.org is for a french renovation type site. Hope this helps…. Robin – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >I have had RSD 11 yrs.  For those of you looking for treatment options >or drs  or for that matter to find an RSD support group, try >www.rsdhope.org >www.rsd.org >www.rsdhelp.com  (if I’m wrong, its  org ) >www.rsdcoalition.org >Surgery or sympathectomy tend to excerbate RSD and cause it to spread >(I’m a good example  I now have it full body) >Sympathectormy may sometimes alleviate the pain for a few months, but >the burning tends to comeback and spread. >The only way I was able to gain any control of the relentless burning >was thru clonidine, SSRIs, and an intrathecal pump.  Life is not good, >but it is better. >Feel free to email me if I can be of help.

I am in no way a physician or any other type of medical professional.  I am just speaking from personal experience or information gained during my treatment or research ;o). Remove NOSPAM from the above email address to contact me.

Response:

Gottcha.  On those too.  I know that the benzodiazapines make me behave down right mental.  Even my mother was crying when I would talk to her on the phone because she said I sounded like I was drunk or on something all the time.  Ah, 26 pills a day.  Get a clue docs. I also wanted to thank you for turning me onto Angel.  I feel like I am truly not unique!  I really appreciate everything. Red

Response:

listings of support groups for rsd may be found at www.rsdcoalition.com www.rsdhope.org www.rsdsa.org for those of you looking for a dr. who specializes in treating rsd , try contacting the support groups nearest you for suggestions

Response:

I was diagnosed 3 yrs ago with RSD (SMP/SIP).  I have been homebound for 2-1/2 years.  I am trying to find support groups to attend and most importantly — alternative pain control.  I currently take medications such as methadone (just started as a replacement for oxycotin), neurontin, soma, flexeril, desipramine, ambien, depakote, and a couple more I can’t think of right now.  I feel like a guinea pig.  I have also had a thoracic sympathectomy.  I would most certainly have to die to feel better.  I also have myofacial pain syndrome secondary to 6 surgeries.  As of 4 days ago, I lost the use of 3 more fingers. I need to know if there is anything else left to try or doI decide to accept this horrible disability and just try to get through each day. Will try anything; afterall, what have I to lose?

Response:

Jana,      I have severe rsd all over , but am only 18 months in. Every where on my body is affected. After 17 months of steady increases in narcotic meds, we have found that 48mg of dialaudid, 480 mg oxycontin and 6 squirts of oxy-fast finally has produced a good enough remission to allow me to sit with no pain. Because it works so well, my doc is putting in a med- pump to supply the dilaudid continuously. I also have both kneecaps rubbing on my femurs which is what triggered the rsd. After all the reading and asking I have done, it is obvious that the pain has to be stopped, even at the risk of all those meds. The addition of the dilaudid was what finally tipped the scales. For comparison I weigh 200 lbs. Peace,    Richard Sullivan              I am not a doctor nor have I ever read a magazine in their office. I speak only from my personal experience with RSD

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Question:

>The Washington Post (4/29/99, A1) reports that Columbine >gunman Eric Harris was on a prescription antidepressant, >a new drug called "Luvox." A net search finds that Luvox >"can activate mania in susceptible patients" (source: >http://www.begin.com/redoak/medications/luvox.html) >The manufacturer’s prescription insert says: "LUVOX Tablets >should be used cautiously in patients with a history of mania." >http://www.ocdresource.com/ocdresource.nsf/pages/Diagnosis+Luvox >Symptoms of "mania" include: "Provocative, intrusive, or aggressive >behavior" (see: http://mentalhelp.net/articles/grohol/bipolar.htm)

 It’s important to note that The Washington Post article  says Eric Harris was the leader of the two dead gunmen.  So Dylan Klebold was following his friend who was on  a psychotropic drug that’s known to activate mania,  which can manifest itself as aggressive behavior.  Dr. Ann Blake Tracy, author of "Prozac: Panacea or Pandora?,"  lists "aggressive or violent behavior" as a side effect of  antidepressants such as Luvox. Dr Tracy states that long-  term users of antidepressants can loose the distinction  between reality and dream. She says some patients enter  an "anesthetic sleep state" where they do things that  later they can’t believe or recall they did (see:  http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/3568).  Searching the MEDLINE database at the National Library  of Medicine website (http://igm.nlm.nih.gov) I found a  study by doctors from the Hadassah-Hebrew University  School of Medicine in Jerusalem, Israel that came  to this conclusion about Luvox, or fluvoxamine:    "Our case series suggests that fluvoxamine    may have the ability to induce or unmask manic    behavior in depressed patients. Clinicians are    alerted to monitor for this ’switching’ effect…"    STUDY TITLE: Fluvoxamine-associated manic behavior:    a case series.    AUTHORS:  Dorevitch A; Frankel Y; Bar-Halperin A;    Aronzon R; Zilberman L    SOURCE: Ann Pharmacother 1993 Dec;27(12):1455-7    CITATION IDS: PMID: 8305775 UI: 94138126    TITLE: Mania and fluvoxamine.    AUTHORS: Burrai C, et al.    SOURCE: Am J Psychiatry. 1991 Sep;148(9):1263-4.    CIT. IDS: PMID: 1909099 UI: 91353783    TITLE: Fluvoxamine-associated mania/hypomania    in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.    AUTHORS: Jefferson JW, et al.    SOURCE: J Clin Psychopharmacol. 1991 Dec;11(6):391-2.    CIT. IDS: PMID: 1770160 UI: 92121482  There are a dozen or more studies on Prozac-induced  mania (http://igm.nlm.nih.gov). Both Prozac and Luvox  are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). GODDARD’S JOURNAL: http://www.erols.com/igoddard/journal.htm — Reach beyond your grasp!

Response:

    Thanks Lynda for your informative and interesting note.  These observations emphasise the importance of monotoring the patient’s response to medications by the perscribing physician.     Unfortunately, the Columbine shooting might have been averted if a neigbour of one of the assailants had been listened to by police the previous year.  There had been overt signs of trouble for a considerable period of time.     I have been thinking about the concept of a sick society.  That thought has already been expressed by the father of one of the shooting victims (this is with respect to the Taber shooting in Alberta last week).  But I wonder if it could it be that if everyone sites a, sick society, as the root cause of these problems, we are each abdicating our own responsibility?     With respect to the Taber shooting, the assailant had been teased to the point of requiring home schooling.  He was in effect banished from the school community by the bullies there.   Such mental cruelty, which I imagine each of us on this ng have been the unhappy receipient of at some time in our lives, ought to be taken more seriously by us all.  It is a part of the sickness that exists in our society, and it behouves us to act positively. Thanks for listening, Peter

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->The Washington Post (4/29/99, A1) reports that Columbine >gunman Eric Harris was on a prescription antidepressant, >a new drug called "Luvox." A net search finds that Luvox >"can activate mania in susceptible patients" (source: >http://www.begin.com/redoak/medications/luvox.html) >The manufacturer’s prescription insert says: "LUVOX Tablets >should be used cautiously in patients with a history of mania." >http://www.ocdresource.com/ocdresource.nsf/pages/Diagnosis+Luvox >Symptoms of "mania" include: "Provocative, intrusive, or aggressive >behavior" (see: http://mentalhelp.net/articles/grohol/bipolar.htm) >  It’s important to note that The Washington Post article >  says Eric Harris was the leader of the two dead gunmen. >  So Dylan Klebold was following his friend who was on >  a psychotropic drug that’s known to activate mania, >  which can manifest itself as aggressive behavior. >  Dr. Ann Blake Tracy, author of "Prozac: Panacea or Pandora?," >  lists "aggressive or violent behavior" as a side effect of >  antidepressants such as Luvox. Dr Tracy states that long- >  term users of antidepressants can loose the distinction >  between reality and dream. She says some patients enter >  an "anesthetic sleep state" where they do things that >  later they can’t believe or recall they did (see: >  http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/3568). >  Searching the MEDLINE database at the National Library >  of Medicine website (http://igm.nlm.nih.gov) I found a >  study by doctors from the Hadassah-Hebrew University >  School of Medicine in Jerusalem, Israel that came >  to this conclusion about Luvox, or fluvoxamine: >    "Our case series suggests that fluvoxamine >    may have the ability to induce or unmask manic >    behavior in depressed patients. Clinicians are >    alerted to monitor for this ’switching’ effect…" >    STUDY TITLE: Fluvoxamine-associated manic behavior: >    a case series. >    AUTHORS:  Dorevitch A; Frankel Y; Bar-Halperin A; >    Aronzon R; Zilberman L >    SOURCE: Ann Pharmacother 1993 Dec;27(12):1455-7 >    CITATION IDS: PMID: 8305775 UI: 94138126 >    TITLE: Mania and fluvoxamine. >    AUTHORS: Burrai C, et al. >    SOURCE: Am J Psychiatry. 1991 Sep;148(9):1263-4. >    CIT. IDS: PMID: 1909099 UI: 91353783 >    TITLE: Fluvoxamine-associated mania/hypomania >    in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. >    AUTHORS: Jefferson JW, et al. >    SOURCE: J Clin Psychopharmacol. 1991 Dec;11(6):391-2. >    CIT. IDS: PMID: 1770160 UI: 92121482 >  There are a dozen or more studies on Prozac-induced >  mania (http://igm.nlm.nih.gov). Both Prozac and Luvox >  are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). > GODDARD’S JOURNAL: http://www.erols.com/igoddard/journal.htm > — > Reach beyond your grasp!

Response:

Question:

Lynda,  FWIW = for what it’s worth.  IMHO = in my humble opinion.  These are often used to soften the impact of a pointed statement. — For more information about this service, send e-mail to:

Response:

there’s actually a list… i saw it.. shoot. ill try and find it again and post it.. it’s funny alexia the not headed – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >Dear pcangel, >Please don’t feel foolish. >I was so clueless..still am about some of the abbreviations I see…damn >I wish I had written some of them down too. >FAQ = frequently asked questions >SSRI = selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which are >antidepressants (ADs) like (Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil) >LI = lithium >URC = ultra rapid cycler >RC = rapid cycler >MS = mood stabilizer drugs >AA(s) = antianxiety meds >AP(s) = antipsychotic meds >IMO = in my opinion >IMHO = in my humble opinion >Here’s the one that got me :ROFLMAO = rolling on the floor laughing my >ass off! I NEVER would have figured that one out!!! >Come on you guys…give us some more examples >Peace, >What does AWIW mean? (I think that’s right <sigh>) >Reach beyond your grasp! >– >Reach beyond your grasp!

Response:

Dear pcangel, Please don’t feel foolish. I was so clueless..still am about some of the abbreviations I see…damn I wish I had written some of them down too. FAQ = frequently asked questions SSRI = selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which are antidepressants (ADs) like (Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil) LI = lithium URC = ultra rapid cycler RC = rapid cycler MS = mood stabilizer drugs AA(s) = antianxiety meds AP(s) = antipsychotic meds IMO = in my opinion IMHO = in my humble opinion Here’s the one that got me :ROFLMAO = rolling on the floor laughing my ass off! I NEVER would have figured that one out!!! Come on you guys…give us some more examples Peace, What does AWIW mean? (I think that’s right <sigh>) Reach beyond your grasp! — Reach beyond your grasp!

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Question:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hi, I am in a seriouse situation and I need help. I am a manic, and > was > prescribed a number of drugs- finally zoloff was the wonder cure all > for > me, and my life "moods" took a 180 turnaround for the better. After > leaving my job of many years to become an entrepruener, I had to get > new > insurance. It was then that I found out the realities of depression. > once > diagnosed with depression, if a person tries to gert health insurance > on > their own, "outside of a large corporate group plan" you may as well > have > the plaque. it was impossible for me to get health insurance at a > reasonable rate "affordable to anyone other than bill gates", I was > denied > insurance by company after company, and the ones that would accept me > had > insane premiums,and extreme deductibles. "SO" my solution had to be > extreme, I had to have health insurance for the bank loans, and my own > comfort, so i had to convince my shrink that my depression was > situational, Doing this took over a year. So now I have affordable > insurance again, and also more depression than i care, damn near > dis-abaling. I would be most grateful if any one has leftover samples, > access, or information on how I can get around getting zoloff without > it > being on my medical record. I am going to be near mexico in a couple > months, can i get it easily their? > If you have leftover samples or access to zoloff, I could give you my > P.O. > box number and you could mail it to me without a return adddress, to > releive you from any legalities. Someone please help with this > problem, > depression is no fun

now this seems to be either a ting operation or a case where someone i am anxious to see how the wonderful advisers here in the group

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hi, I am in a seriouse situation and I need help. I am a manic, and > was > prescribed a number of drugs- finally zoloff was the wonder cure all > for > me, and my life "moods" took a 180 turnaround for the better. After > leaving my job of many years to become an entrepruener, I had to get > new > insurance. It was then that I found out the realities of depression. > once > diagnosed with depression, if a person tries to gert health insurance > on > their own, "outside of a large corporate group plan" you may as well > have > the plaque. it was impossible for me to get health insurance at a > reasonable rate "affordable to anyone other than bill gates", I was > denied > insurance by company after company, and the ones that would accept me > had > insane premiums,and extreme deductibles. "SO" my solution had to be > extreme, I had to have health insurance for the bank loans, and my own > comfort, so i had to convince my shrink that my depression was > situational, Doing this took over a year. So now I have affordable > insurance again, and also more depression than i care, damn near > dis-abaling. I would be most grateful if any one has leftover samples, > access, or information on how I can get around getting zoloff without > it > being on my medical record. I am going to be near mexico in a couple > months, can i get it easily their? > If you have leftover samples or access to zoloff, I could give you my > P.O. > box number and you could mail it to me without a return adddress, to > releive you from any legalities. Someone please help with this > problem, > depression is no fun

The medical insurance you have now…does it have any exceptions/exemptions from pre-existing conditions?  I’d try that avenue first..ie, see if you can go back to your doctor and have the health insurance cover it..  If I understood correctly, the reason you don’t want it on your medical record is because you are concerned the health insurance would be cancelled, and cause major problems with your business loan. Lynn — disclaimer:  the above is my opinion.. to respond by email remove the loony.bin

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> Can anyone tell me what Zoloft is about?  Is it like prozac or what??? > Need to know, as my friend is on it and needs some info….She is very > depressed, the kind of can’t-get-out-of-bed-depressed and the doc rx’d > that for her….THANX

zoloft works like prozac chemically. they both fall under the category of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), under which paxil (and luvox?) also fall. like prozac, zoloft slows down the reuptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin (it is not a hormone as some believe) by cells in the body. increased levels of serotonin have been linked to stability and has been inappropriately-termed the "happy hormone". all the GPs i’ve seen have told me that zoloft is their favourite anti-d. it has less side effects compared to prozac, and it (to put it in the eloquent words of one of my GPs), "does what prozac does without zonking you out." mind you, ssris are more unlikely to "zonk you out" than they are to make you so jumpy and on-edge that many manic-depressives don’t take them without also taking a mood stabilizer like depakote. if you need any more info, or if you want references, i can try and get them for you. also, i called up pfizer and eli lilly when i was doing my project, and they sent along a lot of stuff pertaining to their products. regards, Dawn. International student Second year Media Studies RMIT University, Australia (Melbourne) "Good leaders being scarce, following yourself is allowed."      - from the Minyos database

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Question:

Does anyone have any information on how the phen/fen diet might affect persons diagnosed with bipolar disorder? My wife was on the diet for several months and went into a full manic state and was hospitalized. She has since been diagnosed as Bipolar II.

Response:

> Does anyone have any information on how the phen/fen diet might affect > persons diagnosed with bipolar disorder? My wife was on the diet for > several months and went into a full manic state and was hospitalized. She > has since been diagnosed as Bipolar II.

Hi, The following does not address your question directly, but I’d like to offer it to the discussion. The June 1996 issue of Harvard Women’s Health Watch contains an article titled "Weight-Loss Drugs." It examines the renewed interest in the use of drugs to treat obesity, and provides information on Redux (dexfenfluramine), and on the previously-approved fenfluramine and phentermine (fen/phen), which work by "increasing brain levels of serotonin, a chemical believed to control the sensation of fullness." In the section of the article subtitled "Side Effects" was the following paragraph: – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->   Unfortunately, the effects of taking these medications for several > years aren’t yet known. Both dexfenfluramine and fenfluramine affect > the body’s levels of serotonin and have been shown to exacerbate > depression. For this reason, there was some speculation that people > taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Zoloft and > Prozac might not be good candidates for fen/phen or dexfenfluramine. > However, the 10-15 [per cent] of obese people who were taking SSRIs > in early fen/phen studies experienced the same weight loss and reported > no more side effects than did other participants.

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