So what I have is basically anxiety about any physical influence to the head, anxiety about getting setbacks and anxiety that I don't get my old life back. The anxiety causes extreme sleeping problems, what means that my condition will hardly get better.

I doubt that my doctor is able to get the point. She gave me 10mg Zyprexa and 3 mg Temesta. The zyprexa caused extreme muscle commotions so that we have to get off it. Now she decided to try Risperidal(for 6 months!), that has the same effect on dopamin receptors. So I end up trying to fall asleep for hours because of my restless legs. I think she completely misses the point of my problems and should rather consider Cymbalta,Cipralex, Lyrica etc.

I alread tried amitryptiline and trazodone for sleeping. My sleep didn't really improve. It is all anxiety that causes the troubles.

What should I do?

What dose Risperdal (Risperidone) and what condition/s exactly is she treating you for with this medication? Anxiety? This is a heavy duty neuroleptic medication.

I get 2mg. She might believe that I have more psychological problems than anxiety. Any time I asked her what it is for she said it is against anxiety and acts as a sleep aid.

What do you mean with heavy duty? Persobally I believe that I get meds that are very challenging for the brain, without a real reason. There should be more gently drugs for my issue.

Have you started it at 2mg already?

OK, so when my son was little he was treated with this medication for a number of years (at a much smaller dose most of that time. The max dose he got to was 2mg). Had severe tics, obsessive compulsive behaviours, anxiety and basically was having an extremely difficult time to the point of disabled and at that point in time it was suggested he be placed in a hospital and I refused to allow that. This is going back 17 years or so now when unfortunately it was prescribed for children who had multiple conditions as well as autism and/or tourette syndrome.

It's really important that you read up on this medication if you're going to accept it because it can have serious side effects. I don't want to give you horror stories about it because I'm just a regular person, but I saw how it affected his mental state and it was not good. It also caused weight gain and it was extremely difficult to get off. He has since told me as an adult that during those years he was not a "sentient being"... his words not mine. Makes me so sad just thinking about it.

As it turned out later my son had not been diagnosed properly and he was in fact on Autism spectrum. Once he got the diagnoses sorted, he went off that medication and we learned new ways to deal with everything else and he thrived.

It just seemed really odd to me that your doctor would prescribe Risperidone for anxiety.

http://www.janssenpharmaceuticalsinc.../risperdal.pdf
Prescribing Information Risperdal - Risperidone.

Edited to add: Usually a doctor will perform an ECG/EKG before starting a neuroleptic drug. I think you've had recently? I may be wrong.
Then there is one done every 6 months or so from memory. That's to rule out a condition that affects the heart called long QT syndrome.

Yes I started with 2mg(the red one) and I already had two EKG's.

I know that this kind of drugs are mainly for bp disorders and schizophrenia. I will definately talk to her about a change. I see no reason why I should take this. She first saw me on a single day when I was completely down. Maybe that was the reason for risperdal. But my problem is just anxiety and a little depression. What drugs would you suggest here?

This is a Neurologist or a Psychiatrist prescribing this?

Coming from a long genetic background of people dealing with OC behaviours/Anxiety, and depression etc. on and off, as I do, I would be looking into some Cognitive Behaviour Therapy or at least talking with a Psychologist about a. sleep problems b. anxiety and oc behaviours c. depression if you're depressed.

Sometimes if the right symptom is targeted, you can find other symptoms will ease up. That goes for tics as well strangely enough. People who have multiple conditions comorbid to tics can find that their tics subside when another symptom is treated e.g. OCD.

I am not the person to suggest a medication but if I could suggest something - that is you need proper diagnoses first. These medications are not ones that you can just use for x amount of time and then stop.

and by the way...

no one can function when sleep is badly affected. It's top priority especially for me. I find my days after lack of sleep filled with brain fog, what I call "brick brain" (Mark calls it mud brain I think) and terrible vertigo.

You could in your own time start looking into sleep hygiene changes. Everything is individual, but maybe you would start to feel a lot better as a whole if you could just learn to calm your mind without drugs right now.

Calming my mind without drugs is what I tried for several months. I decided that there has to be a change. I already receive cbt. The doc prescribing me the drugs is a psychiatrist. She clearly missed the point because of her first impression about me.

That happens all too often unfortunately.

Drugs will not stop your anxious thoughts. They will just lessen them and lower the physical way those anxieties effect your body. You seriously need help with your thought processes. Numbing your mind is not going to do it.

Have you tried gabapentin to help your legs and body relax (let go of muscle tension) so you can sleep. I take 600 mgs before bed. Otherwise, my body tends to shake and have muscle tension.

You really need to find a way to accept that your brain was damaged. It may never recover to the level to get all of your old life back. Letting go of that thought is the best way to move forward.

As I have said in other threads, if you lost your foot to amputation, would you fret about when it will grow back ? You would need to just accept that it is gone and find the best ways to move forward within the limits that you have.

Believe me. It can be done. I have been living this life of reduced function for 40 years. My first injury was quite severe. I have suffered subsequent concussions. Most caused only short term struggles, if that. Some caused further decrease in my abilities to function and endure stress. But, I raised a family on a single income in a very high living expense area. I just found ways around my limitations.

The anxiety of hitting your head again will be self-fulling. Anxiety will reduce your coordination resulting in a higher risk of injury. Getting drugged up will further reduce your coordination.

Have your tried 5-HTP and L-Theanine as natural ways to increase serotonin ? L-Tyrptophan will increase serotonin and melatonin so you can sleep better.

And, find a CBT therapist to help with your thoughts.