Posted by King Vultan on July 2, 2004, at 9:24:48
In reply to Anyone here with movement disorders, posted by 2ndXround on July 1, 2004, at 22:03:47
It seems clear that your dopamine system has become disordered in some way, as this is the system most identified with movement disorders. Psychosis and antipsychotic drugs are areas I am not particularly familiar with (and anyone with better info, please feel free to correct me), but your side effects while on the Prozac also appear to be dopamine related--hallucinations are a psychotic effect and the reduction in sweating and heat stroke is a side effect of anti-psychotic drugs that block dopamine receptors. So is the restless leg syndrome, which is the most common EPSE (extrapyramidal side effect). Of course, these aren't side effects at all that one might expect from taking Prozac, which primarily works on serotonin, but it seems to me that your doctors should open up their minds and try to help you. Just because nobody's ever heard of a particular scenario doesn't mean that it's not possible.
I am no doctor, but for now, I think something that could be done is to at least treat you symptomatically. You have RLS (restless leg syndrome); one method of treating this is to add an anticholinergic. You can do a simple experiment yourself by trying Benadryl (diphenhydramine), which is an OTC antihistamine that is anticholinergic enough to have some use for the early stages of Parkinson's Disease and for treating EPSEs. I have one reference that suggests 25-50 mg three or four times a day for this particular application. The problem with this stuff is its propensity to make people drowsy, and I even use it as a sleep aid.
Of course, there are other treatments, but as I said, I'm not a doctor. However, I would think an open minded and competent neurologist should be able to help you. In dealing with these doctors, I would focus more on your symptoms than ascertaining what the exact cause is. If it were me, I would tell the doctor that you've been left with this horrible RLS and other movement disorders, that it seems like too much of a coincidence that you were also on Prozac at the time these symptoms developed, but determining the cause is less important than obtaining relief, because you are truly suffering. I do wish you well with the doctors and hope you are able to find some kind of effective treatment for your unfortunate movement disorder.
Todd
poster:King Vultan
thread:362427
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040627/msgs/362521.html