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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by 4WD on August 19, 2005, at 15:19:08
Any time I'm on an SSRI the muscles in my shoulders and neck get all tight tense and sore and I get these little hard knot muscle spasms along my shoulder blades in the upper back. My pdoc thought Artane might help with this.
Any comments?
Marsha
Posted by Phillipa on August 19, 2005, at 18:30:12
In reply to Artane for SSRI induced muscle spasm, stiff neck, posted by 4WD on August 19, 2005, at 15:19:08
Isn't artane used with antipsychotics to stop jaw clenching and TD? Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by 4WD on August 19, 2005, at 21:51:05
In reply to Re: Artane for SSRI induced muscle spasm, stiff neck » 4WD, posted by Phillipa on August 19, 2005, at 18:30:12
> Isn't artane used with antipsychotics to stop jaw clenching and TD? Fondly, Phillipa
Yes, it is. My pdoc said that SSRIs can sometimes cause a Parkinson's like muscle tightening. (on most ssri's my neck gets stiff and sore and I get muscle spasms in my back). He was thinking it might work for that if the back pain is similar to the TD stuff. We'll see if it works. He said if it does work, it should help immediately.
How are you, PHillipa? I just wanted to tell you "publicly" what an important member of the board you are.
Love,
Marsha
Posted by Phillipa on August 19, 2005, at 22:12:37
In reply to Re: Artane for SSRI induced muscle spasm, stiff neck » Phillipa, posted by 4WD on August 19, 2005, at 21:51:05
Marsha, Oh Thank-you so much by saying I'm important and valued to you. Right now I'm crying cause I don't know what to do. I'm just so depressed and feel so helpless and stupid that I'm not as knowledgeable and unafraid to try the meds that you all do. I'd start a Thread but I've bothered you all enough with my problems. So sorry for the rant. Good luck to you. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by ed_uk on August 20, 2005, at 11:14:42
In reply to Artane for SSRI induced muscle spasm, stiff neck, posted by 4WD on August 19, 2005, at 15:19:08
Hi Marsha,
I think Artane might help - if your muscle tension is similar to AP-induced parkinsonism.
Ed x
Posted by ghost on August 20, 2005, at 13:17:09
In reply to Artane for SSRI induced muscle spasm, stiff neck, posted by 4WD on August 19, 2005, at 15:19:08
i take artane. it's nice because the artane itself has practically zero side effects and it works very well for muscle stiffness and other parkinson-like symptoms. it's definitely worth a shot since it has so few side effects.
good luck.
Posted by ed_uk on August 20, 2005, at 14:11:55
In reply to Artane for SSRI induced muscle spasm, stiff neck, posted by 4WD on August 19, 2005, at 15:19:08
Hi,
Artane often causes dry mouth.
~ed
Posted by 4WD on August 20, 2005, at 22:31:23
In reply to Re: Artane for SSRI induced muscle spasm, stiff neck » 4WD, posted by ed_uk on August 20, 2005, at 14:11:55
> Hi,
>
> Artane often causes dry mouth.
>
> ~edYeah, the pdoc told me that. He prescribed a very low dosage, 2-4 mg t.i.d. I think. So far, though, upping the Lexapro to 7.5mg hasn't increased the muscle spasms/tenseness. It's only been two days, though. I'm not real sure the pain is from a Parkinson's-like reaction anyway. I guess the only way to find out if it works is to try it.
It's weird. I have these little knots in the muscle that runs between your spine and shoulder blades, some of them right where the muscle joins the shoulder blade. They are excruciatingly sore and it hurts when I stretch or move my neck. When it gets real bad, my neck get so sore and stiff that I can't turn my head very far to either side. This started when I was on Prozac. Half a dozen doctors told me this couldn't be a side effect of the drug so I stayed on it and dealt with it for 8-9 years. Then when I switched to Effexor, it pretty much went away within about three weeks. Tried Zoloft, it came back. Back to Effexor, gone. Tried Celexa, it came back. BAck to Effexor, gone. Switched to Paxil and it didn't happen. Went off all ADs and it didn't happen. BAck to Celexa, it came right back. Weird. Anyway, a hefty dose of naproxen helps a lot for a day or two.
I think I got off track.
Marsha
Posted by 4WD on August 20, 2005, at 22:33:20
In reply to Re: Artane for SSRI induced muscle spasm, stiff neck, posted by ghost on August 20, 2005, at 13:17:09
> i take artane. it's nice because the artane itself has practically zero side effects and it works very well for muscle stiffness and other parkinson-like symptoms. it's definitely worth a shot since it has so few side effects.
>
> good luck.Thanks. What dosage do you take? Did it work immediately? I mean, did you take a pill and feel your muscles relax? Or did you have to take it a while before they (your muscles) gradually unkinked?
Marsha
Posted by ed_uk on August 21, 2005, at 6:18:59
In reply to Re: Artane for SSRI induced muscle spasm, stiff neck, posted by 4WD on August 20, 2005, at 22:31:23
Hi Marsha,
>He prescribed a very low dosage, 2-4 mg t.i.d.
Some people take 1mg/day on the first day!
>I have these little knots in the muscle that runs between your spine and shoulder blades, some of them right where the muscle joins the shoulder blade.
Did Remeron have any effect when you combined it with an SSRI?
>Switched to Paxil and it didn't happen.
Not at all?
~Ed
Posted by ed_uk on August 21, 2005, at 6:19:20
In reply to Re: Artane for SSRI induced muscle spasm, stiff neck, posted by 4WD on August 20, 2005, at 22:31:23
Hi Marsha,
>He prescribed a very low dosage, 2-4 mg t.i.d.
Some people take 1mg/day on the first day!
>I have these little knots in the muscle that runs between your spine and shoulder blades, some of them right where the muscle joins the shoulder blade.
Did Remeron have any effect when you combined it with an SSRI?
>Switched to Paxil and it didn't happen.
Not at all?
~Ed
Posted by ghost on August 21, 2005, at 8:15:10
In reply to Re: Artane for SSRI induced muscle spasm, stiff neck » ghost, posted by 4WD on August 20, 2005, at 22:33:20
i think it took about 5 days before i thought "hey, i feel better!"
i take 1 mg every day, but the pdoc said i could go up to 3mg daily if i wanted to.
Posted by 4WD on August 21, 2005, at 14:23:36
In reply to Re: Artane for SSRI induced muscle spasm, stiff neck, posted by ed_uk on August 21, 2005, at 6:18:59
> Hi Marsha,
>
> >He prescribed a very low dosage, 2-4 mg t.i.d.
>
> Some people take 1mg/day on the first day!OH. Hmmm. Well, I'll take it slow then.
> >I have these little knots in the muscle that runs between your spine and shoulder blades, some of them right where the muscle joins the shoulder blade.
>
> Did Remeron have any effect when you combined it with an SSRI?Only tried it on two nights. At 15mg I was kind of tired the next day. At 30mg I felt better the next day, more energy. But people kept asking me if I felt bad.
>
> >Switched to Paxil and it didn't happen.
>
> Not at all?
Nope. I can't figure out what's different about Paxil. Prozac, Celexa, Lexapro, Zoloft all caused the pain. Effexor and Paxil didn't. Paxil also gave me intense restless legs, about the same as trazadone.Marsha
Posted by 4WD on August 21, 2005, at 14:25:56
In reply to Re: Artane for SSRI induced muscle spasm, stiff neck » 4WD, posted by ghost on August 21, 2005, at 8:15:10
> i think it took about 5 days before i thought "hey, i feel better!"
>
> i take 1 mg every day, but the pdoc said i could go up to 3mg daily if i wanted to.Thanks. That's good to know. My script is for 2mg tabs and says take one or two - maybe it's once a day. I think I'll start at the low end...
Are your symptoms SSRI induced?
Marsha
Posted by JaneB on August 21, 2005, at 17:25:08
In reply to Re: Artane for SSRI induced muscle spasm, stiff neck, posted by 4WD on August 21, 2005, at 14:25:56
Is artane similar to Mirapex?
Posted by 4WD on August 21, 2005, at 17:55:25
In reply to artane, posted by JaneB on August 21, 2005, at 17:25:08
> Is artane similar to Mirapex?
I'm not sure how it works other than that it is an anticholinergic.
Maybe Ed knows.
Marsha
Posted by ed_uk on August 22, 2005, at 15:58:39
In reply to artane, posted by JaneB on August 21, 2005, at 17:25:08
Hi,
>Is artane similar to Mirapex?
Artane and Mirapex are both used to treat Parkinson's disease. Artane is an anticholinergic. Mirapex is a dopamine agonist.
~ed
This is the end of the thread.
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