I'm thinking about going to a psychiatrist to get on an antidepressant. I am tired and never feel like doing anything but laying around on the couch. Actually it is hard to get motivated to do anything at this point. I think it has gotten worse after the sixth month anniversary of my injury in September.. Has antidepressants helped in your situations?

Amy

Antidepressant drugs make one feel so very ill with the side effects. It is only when you stop taking them that you actually feel better. Whether they actually cure depression is very debatable. Changing one's lifestyle may do more good

I would make sure your nutrition is up to par for a person who suffered a severe concussion. Your brain needs extra nutrients to heal and just get to a normal state.

I need extra B vitamins, especially B-6 and B-12. Treat your brain like it is under stress. The vitamin industry has already marketed products for stress. You probably need twice the amount they recommend.

Have you had any blood work done?

B-12
Folate
T3
T4
TSH
Hormones, including DHEA

all can be brain stress and tiredness related

As a brain injury survivor, you will need to always keep your nutrition up so you brain can function properly.

Hope this helps.

It will take a while for nutritional changes to improve your condition, so get going.

Hi Amy,

Lack of motivation can indicate a low production of dopamine. You may want to talk a doctor or any health care practitioner about getting on a dopamine supplement, such as L-Dopa.

I would also recommend staying clear of antidepressants unless you absolutely need to go on them. The side effects are horrible and the withdrawal symptoms are worse. If you feel that you could use a pick me up in your mood, you could also talk to your doctor about getting on tryptophan.

You could also look into neurofeedback. Just google 'neurofeedback' and 'your city' and you should find some therapists in your area. Make sure they have experience dealing with head injuries.

Hope this helps.

The dopamine and tryptophan comments are valid. You need to find a doctor who has specific knowledge and experience with them. The L-Dopa needs to be used with caution. Messing with your dopamine can be problematic.

Thanks Mark and MRH The nutrition aspect makes a lot of sense to me right now. A couple of months ago I was diligently taking a multivitamin as well as a b complex supplement, and I didn't feel this way. I was also eating a lot better and I was exercising. In the beginning of August I had exacerbated symptoms for a couple of weeks after going to the beach (sunlight does me in) and took some time off from the gym, then my diet regimen fell apart as well. I did have some bloodwork done at the doctor. Everything was normal (including thyroid levels) except the vitamin D levels which were low. A retest after 3 monhts showed that my level is now normal.
I really hate taking pills, so I will try the diet/vitamins/exercise route before asking the doctor about any other medication.. Thanks for the advice

Did your blood work include the B-12? You want to be at the top of the normal scale for B-12 and Folate.

I take 2 B-50 complex tablets plus an additional 200 mg of B-6 and 250 mcg of B-12 and 400 mcg of Folate. I am 180 pounds. With all of that, I am just above the top of the recommended scale.

A multi-vitamin will have very small amounts of B's. Be sure to get a good supplement of anti-oxidants, too.

Sounds like you need to get back on the nutrition wagon. There are some liquid forms of these nutrients. They are just more expensive. I know how hard B-50 can be to take. They are horse pills. I have decades experience at taking pills so they are not a problem.

I find that it is sometimes easier to take large pills with a lightly carbonated beverage. I add some 7-UP to my cran-raspberry juice. With that, I can take about 6 horse pills at once. I like to get it over with.

I have been dealing with Post Concussion Syndrome for over 30 years. I have fallen off the wagon a bunch of times. Now, my wife has learned how to notice my behavior changes and get on my case to get back on the wagon.

This link has new information about how amitriptyline works on neurons.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...=amitriptyline

This drug has always been a first choice for peripheral neuropathy and chronic pain patients...now we see some indication of how it works.

Read the whole thread, because there is discussion on the potential cardiac effects of this drug.

Mrs D,

While I was in the hospital this past week, they became concerned with some tachycardia I was having. My heart rate was spiking up to 150 at times. They had a cardiologist looking at me, and are sending me for a tilt-table test tomorrow.

Should I be concerned that the amytriptyline is what's causing my tachycardia? I've been on 10mg a night since June. It really helps me sleep and I feel like it keeps me in check, but could it be causing damage to my heart?

Ask them to evaluate your EKG for long QT syndrome. This involves some measurement of the tracing. Just to be sure.

TCAs in high dose, may cause cardiac effects in sensitive people with a genetic history for this.

The other risk is taking them with other drugs that prolong QT segment, or getting dehydrated and low in potassium and magnesium. Both of these minerals when low affect the heart.

Read the website I have on that thread, and look at the lists of drugs there. There are 4 lists made according to risk.

Much of the data on this subject has been compiled long after the drugs were approved by the FDA. Many doctors are not aware of the reports that Univ. of Arizona has collected on this subject. That is why I post this information, for those reading here.