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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by CK1 on March 27, 2005, at 18:18:48
I have experienced a sinus pressure/pain above my right eye (eyebrow) ever since I started Zoloft a month and a half ago. I stopped Zoloft and went to Paxil three weeks ago and it's still here. I had an eye exam (everything normal), MRA (no anuerism), etc. I'm thinking it could be migraines or cluster headaches, but the doctors don't think so.
It all started with Zoloft. Anyone experience sinus pressure/eye pain (above one eye only) on these drugs?? It's very strange!
Posted by Phillipa on March 27, 2005, at 21:26:54
In reply to EYE PAIN/SINUS PRESSURE on SSRIS?, posted by CK1 on March 27, 2005, at 18:18:48
Hi CK1. Good to see you back, but I wish you weren't having problems. I'm down to 25mg of zoloft and plan on discontinuing it as I don't think it helps me. I've experienced eye pressure but it wasn't on the zoloft. I wonder what others will report. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by missliz on March 28, 2005, at 0:47:53
In reply to Re: EYE PAIN/SINUS PRESSURE on SSRIS? » CK1, posted by Phillipa on March 27, 2005, at 21:26:54
There's a big bunch of nerves in your face, the trigeminal nerves, that run down out of the brain and wrap around the sinuses. A whole slew of neuro/ psych drugs will irritate one or more of these nerves and cause sinus pain. They can make the sinuses swell and cause massive misery. The only thing I can tell you is that some folks have all 5 light up and hurt, so it could be worse. As one of those people, I think undermedication is a culprit; I got better by adding a nice wallop of Trileptal. I means healthier, as well as the sinuses/ face pain calming down. Multi- amine treatments also have less of this problem for me.
missliz
Posted by CK1 on March 28, 2005, at 11:16:17
In reply to Re: EYE PAIN/SINUS PRESSURE on SSRIS?, posted by missliz on March 28, 2005, at 0:47:53
I'm reading this book on Migraines and it says a lot of pyschotropic drugs can cause "med-induced" migraines. There is NO WAY that I am adding another "Migraine Med" like Topomax to my Paxil 10mg and Lamictal 25mg. I know my Lamictal is too low for benefit, but the jump to 50 made my headaches worse so I'm going 12.5 every two weeks until 50-75mg. I'm not really depressed and sleeping all day like I was, but I'm still not "better" (It's been 21 days on Paxil and Lamictal) Another weird thing that's happening lately is I can't pronounce difficult words sometimes, but it's diff from stuttering. I've NEVER had a problem speaking and have always been a very good communicator. I think Lamictal (despite it's literature) DOES cause short-term memory loss and slurring of words.
I've been reading a lot of people's comments on pain above one eye from these meds! How weird! I guess it's a very rare side effect.
Posted by rev on March 28, 2005, at 12:07:54
In reply to EYE PAIN/SINUS PRESSURE on SSRIS?, posted by CK1 on March 27, 2005, at 18:18:48
Lexapro did that to me. But Zoloft did not.
> I have experienced a sinus pressure/pain above my right eye (eyebrow) ever since I started Zoloft a month and a half ago. I stopped Zoloft and went to Paxil three weeks ago and it's still here. I had an eye exam (everything normal), MRA (no anuerism), etc. I'm thinking it could be migraines or cluster headaches, but the doctors don't think so.
> It all started with Zoloft. Anyone experience sinus pressure/eye pain (above one eye only) on these drugs?? It's very strange!
Posted by ixus on March 28, 2005, at 15:13:35
In reply to EYE PAIN/SINUS PRESSURE on SSRIS?, posted by CK1 on March 27, 2005, at 18:18:48
Have you notices increased anxiety? In that case muscles constrict nerves and many dificult to diagnose headaches may occur. Search for example for "occipital neuralgia". For temporal relieve benzo is the best.
/ixus
Posted by MGOLDW on March 28, 2005, at 16:53:46
In reply to Re: EYE PAIN/SINUS PRESSURE on SSRIS?, posted by missliz on March 28, 2005, at 0:47:53
Hi! I experienced eye pressure/pain on my left eye during the first 8 weeks on Lexapro 10mg. In my case, this side effect is gone.
Good lucuk
Posted by CK1 on March 29, 2005, at 18:46:51
In reply to Re: EYE PAIN/SINUS PRESSURE on SSRIS?, posted by MGOLDW on March 28, 2005, at 16:53:46
My primary doctor said since the Lamictal and Paxil are helping me so much, I should try adding a small dose of Nortriptaline (PAMELOR) to my mix for the eye pain/sinus like pressure. We've ruled out every serious thing and have concluded that this pain is med induced. Not willing to switch around with meds at this moment since I'm feeling good. Feeling good - but this eye pain is keeping me from feeling better!
Has anyone tried Nortriptyline + SSRI?
Posted by jerrympls on March 29, 2005, at 21:23:56
In reply to Re: EYE PAIN/SINUS PRESSURE on SSRIS?, posted by missliz on March 28, 2005, at 0:47:53
> There's a big bunch of nerves in your face, the trigeminal nerves, that run down out of the brain and wrap around the sinuses. A whole slew of neuro/ psych drugs will irritate one or more of these nerves and cause sinus pain. They can make the sinuses swell and cause massive misery. The only thing I can tell you is that some folks have all 5 light up and hurt, so it could be worse. As one of those people, I think undermedication is a culprit; I got better by adding a nice wallop of Trileptal. I means healthier, as well as the sinuses/ face pain calming down. Multi- amine treatments also have less of this problem for me.
>
> missliz
Missliz- thanks for the post--very informative. I've been having terrible sinus pain/pressure. My doc doesn't think it's migraine either but I feel like a nail is being driven in my left temple. I take Lexapro -but I've been taking it for a long time and these headaches have been happening the past couple weeks.Jerry
Posted by CK1 on March 30, 2005, at 9:27:59
In reply to Re: EYE PAIN/SINUS PRESSURE on SSRIS? » missliz, posted by jerrympls on March 29, 2005, at 21:23:56
too weird! Had an MRA (perfect), CT Sinus Scan (perfect), pure oxygen for 10 minutes to rule out cluster headaches (no clusters!), had an eye exam (no eye pressure, glaucoma, etc) and no one in my family has ever had migraines.
There is no swelling, no drooping eyelid, no sweating on one side of my face, no congestion, or any other abnormal signs.
Just a slight ache every few hours around one eye. It doesn't keep me from functioning or doing the things I like to do. It's just an everyday nuisance.
I started taking a multivitamin, fish oil, B-Complex, and Vitamin C about a month ago and VITAMINS CAN REACT ADVERSELY WITH MEDS so I'm giving up all vitamins for a week to see what happens. I don't care for vitamins anyway as you never know if you're body is even absorbing them, they work sooo subtlely, and they aren't regulated by the FDA so how do you know which brand has "sugar pill" vitamins. However, I've heard "wonder stories" about people improving with them.
If this eye pain is still persistant after a week with no vitamins, I guess I'll try a LOW dose of Pamelor (Nortreptyline - a tricyclic AD) to ward off these headaches. From what I've heard, it works and is used to augment SSRI's sometimes? BTW, if you aren't having success with SSRI's, the TCA's are supposed to be JUST AS EFFECTIVE as SSRI's with less sexual side effects, but, they do have more SE's like dry mouth, constipation, etc.
This has turned into an essay..........Wow! I've learned a lot about depression from being depressed!
Side note: If SSRI's do not work, produce agitation, "poop out" after working very well for months/years, cause insomnia, etc. adding a mood stabilizer (Lamictal, Depakote, Lithium) ON TOP of the SSRI can oftentimes make the SSRI work much better! Paxil, for me, worked great for 2 years and good for another 8 months, but pooped out. Now, I have found that Lamictal has restored my response to Paxil. YEA! To all of you who can't tolerate the SE's of AD's or can't reach a theraputic dose without having PANIC/ANXIETY, "think" about adding a mood stabilizer. Polypharmacology is now being widely used and is shown in many studies to be more effective. Blah, blah, blah! Peace out peep! Babble me if you have any questions or to tell me to stop writing these loooooooooooooooooooooooooooong posts! haha
This is the end of the thread.
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