![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by babak on April 14, 2003, at 7:06:28
I wanted to share a symptom that in my case has been becoming more and more pronounced in the last few years.
Just before falling asleep I start sweating specially my head and neck area. Sometimes I also get hypnagogic hallucinations which I don't know if it is related.
Does this ring true with anyone else?
Does it mean anything? should I tell my doctor about this?
Could it be a side effect of ADs?Thanks
Babak
Posted by utopizen on April 14, 2003, at 11:52:18
In reply to Sweating just before falling asleep`, posted by babak on April 14, 2003, at 7:06:28
About 1% of the population that takes SSRIs sweat.
But I believe your problem is more complex and morbid.
Keep in mind your hallucations before sleeping could be related (althought not proven?) with the SSRI... in fact, meds can sometimes active underlying disorders that are sort of brewing underneath... agitating them.
I'd see your doc about it, but it may require a neurologist, if he suggests one... or a sleep doctor. Ussually docs refer you to other docs as a professional way of saying "I have no expertise here" and I appreciate that. My last doc did that with my social anxiety, saying he just didn't keep up with the research on it.
For sweating, you have three choices. But keep in mind it's possible just to try dropping the SSRI or switching to another SSRI to see if that works.
One is an alpha blocker. This will kill sweating, but nothing else. Another is a beta blocker, which will block adrenaline, which could block your hallucanations if they're brought on from anxiety that is agitated by your adrenaline response to them.
Another possibility, reserved for when these things don't work, and if this is truly disabling, is a thoraic symptheticemy (sp) which is a 2-process surgery that kills the nerve responsible for sweating, blushing, etc. Downside: about a 30% risk of compensatory sweating on your lower back. Upside: Makes antipersperants and deodorants obsolete.
Less extreme, yet very painfaul and only lasting 4 months, is botox shots. Insurance generally only covers it if it's for spasms.
You can also try Klonopin, I suggest with a beta blocker, to calm you down and keep hallucinations to a minimum, before trying an antipsychotic. Higher doses of K may be encessary for something as complex as your situtation.
Keep in mind I'm not a doctor, these are just creative suggestions.
Posted by babak on April 14, 2003, at 18:39:22
In reply to Re: Sweating just before falling asleep`, posted by utopizen on April 14, 2003, at 11:52:18
Thanks for the response. I told my GP, he thinks it could be the side effects of Paxil(50mg). I have to wait to see the pdoc in three months time. This is UKs NHS for you.
I asked him if I could use Klonopin but he said that the drug is for epileptic people and he doesn't think my condition warrants it.
To be honest sometimes I get so fed up with doctors in UK that I just give up for a while.
Posted by baracuda on April 16, 2003, at 0:30:21
In reply to Re: Sweating just before falling asleep` » utopizen, posted by babak on April 14, 2003, at 18:39:22
prozac, imiprimine, desiprimine, ritalin all made me sweat in the head/neck area during bedtime - im finding that with lexapro, i still sweat, but not as much, and only in the middle of my sleep. i found that sleeping with a fan next to my bed that i can reach and turn on when this happens takes care of the discomfort pretty good and i can get back to sleep nicely -
hope that helps...
Posted by babak on April 16, 2003, at 5:02:06
In reply to Re: Sweating just before falling asleep`, posted by baracuda on April 16, 2003, at 0:30:21
As well as sweating I have now developed Parasomnia. May be I have had before but I have only found out about it in the last two months since I have had friend staying with me (two episodes). According to my fried I walk around mumbling and crying.
The second time I was apparently doing all sort of things like cutting oranges, screaming, apparently seeing things and people who weren't there, insisting that I was not in my own house, smashing things. This took some three and half ours. My friend didn't know what to make of it because I looked awake, but apart from flashed I don't remember much. I don't remember anything from the first episode. I am really scared now and I don't want to tell my doctor about it. I am worried they might stop my daughter staying with me at the week ends.
I use to have parasomnia when I was a child until the age of 12.
Could it be a reaction to sudden discontinuation of Xanax?
What can I take for it?
Posted by mmcasey on April 18, 2003, at 13:05:02
In reply to Sweating just before falling asleep`, posted by babak on April 14, 2003, at 7:06:28
I never had sweating problems on celexa or wellbutrin. But when I started taking Effexor, the night time sweats became a real problem... I could hardly stand it. People have told me that it could be bad on Paxil too, which I am now on, but I didn't have a problem when I was taking only Paxil. But now I also am taking Risperdal and the sweating has started again, but not so severely. I'm worried because I just started taking desipramine and I've heard it can be bad with that. The sweating really drove me crazy! I hope you can get it under control. Take care.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.