Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 740179

Shown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

racing/ out of control thoughts

Posted by Ines on March 11, 2007, at 15:36:42

Hello!
Has anyone had experience of racing thoughts in unipolar depression? I frequently go into a complete brain overdrive, thoughts are racing through my head really quickly and often I can't even complete one thought before jumping to another. I become unable to concentrate on anything. Sometimes it makes me feel like screaming, or I will 'scream inside my head' (don't quite know how else to explain that). Sometimes it is too much to bear and I feel the need to do something repetitive like banging my head against the wall- I don't do it but just imagining myself doing that can help. I also get really strange reactions when I am doing anything that involves blades- for example I start seeing my fingers mixed up in the food processor if I'm blending a smoothie, or see myself slashing my face if I am shaving; the image comes to my head and it just goes round and round and I cannot control it- this happens even when I am going through a good patch as far as the depression goes and has no association with feeling suicidal. I have been mildly depressed most of my adult life, with two episodes of clinical depression, but no mania whatsoever- I never feel unusually energetic or happy, although I can experience very brief periods of elation (literally a few seconds), usually followed by a drop in mood. Currently I'm taking Reboxetine and all of these symptoms seem to be increasing in fequency, along with agitation- although my mood is better. There has never been a suggestion of bipolar diagnosis by any doctor. Can anyone relate to this?
Thanks! Ines

 

Re: racing/ out of control thoughts

Posted by rjlockhart on March 11, 2007, at 16:06:38

In reply to racing/ out of control thoughts, posted by Ines on March 11, 2007, at 15:36:42

That sounds like me. I one time thought i was eating a pizza and someone had told me earlier their husband had a hernia. I was thinking i was eating skin. I coulndt take it.

Zyprexa at about 5-7.5mg or 10mg.

That will tune you thoughts out.

Matt

 

Re: racing/ out of control thoughts

Posted by rjlockhart on March 11, 2007, at 16:12:08

In reply to Re: racing/ out of control thoughts, posted by rjlockhart on March 11, 2007, at 16:06:38

you know i have had even worse thoughts than that.

Like when im cutting with a sharp knife, i feel there is knife going to stick out of my skin like inside that horrible feeling.

I have never shared this with anyone before.

I just tune it out and say its stupid. Dont think about it.

OH................! When im cutting a knife upwards i always am paranoid it will go into my eye when im pulling upwards. EEEEEEEEEEEEKKKK! My eye!

OMG i cant take that.

 

Re: racing/ out of control thoughts

Posted by Declan on March 11, 2007, at 17:45:25

In reply to Re: racing/ out of control thoughts, posted by rjlockhart on March 11, 2007, at 16:12:08

Maybe the reboxetine is making things worse then?

I personally don't think having weird destructive thoughts is an indication for drug treatment unless you can't cope with them.
IMO they are part of the human condition, though where optimism is the dominant social mode drug treatment will make more sense.
(You can't be politer than that).

 

Re: racing/ out of control thoughts » Ines

Posted by Crazy Horse on March 11, 2007, at 18:27:20

In reply to racing/ out of control thoughts, posted by Ines on March 11, 2007, at 15:36:42

> Hello!
> Has anyone had experience of racing thoughts in unipolar depression? I frequently go into a complete brain overdrive, thoughts are racing through my head really quickly and often I can't even complete one thought before jumping to another. I become unable to concentrate on anything. Sometimes it makes me feel like screaming, or I will 'scream inside my head' (don't quite know how else to explain that). Sometimes it is too much to bear and I feel the need to do something repetitive like banging my head against the wall- I don't do it but just imagining myself doing that can help. I also get really strange reactions when I am doing anything that involves blades- for example I start seeing my fingers mixed up in the food processor if I'm blending a smoothie, or see myself slashing my face if I am shaving; the image comes to my head and it just goes round and round and I cannot control it- this happens even when I am going through a good patch as far as the depression goes and has no association with feeling suicidal. I have been mildly depressed most of my adult life, with two episodes of clinical depression, but no mania whatsoever- I never feel unusually energetic or happy, although I can experience very brief periods of elation (literally a few seconds), usually followed by a drop in mood. Currently I'm taking Reboxetine and all of these symptoms seem to be increasing in fequency, along with agitation- although my mood is better. There has never been a suggestion of bipolar diagnosis by any doctor. Can anyone relate to this?
> Thanks! Ines

I've had very similar thoughts as these...my pdoc says i have OCD, but the main thing is antidepressants with a benzodiazepine gave me relief. I think the reboxetine is contributing in a bad way. My recommendation is to call your Pdoc asap. Best wishes.

-Monte

 

Re: racing/ out of control thoughts

Posted by Phillipa on March 11, 2007, at 19:07:50

In reply to Re: racing/ out of control thoughts » Ines, posted by Crazy Horse on March 11, 2007, at 18:27:20

Yes I agree call you doc but I've had and do have the racing thought can't concentrate to read a book . For me it's high anxiety. Love Phillipa ps when the anxiety is really high I want do something stupid like bang my knuckles on the floor and have.

 

Re: racing/ out of control thoughts » Ines

Posted by UGottaHaveHope on March 12, 2007, at 0:16:27

In reply to racing/ out of control thoughts, posted by Ines on March 11, 2007, at 15:36:42

You describe me perfectly. Ask pdoc for 100mg sample of Seroquel and take only at night. It will quiet down mind. Make you groggy, but quiet mind.

 

Re: racing/ out of control thoughts

Posted by Ines on March 12, 2007, at 5:05:59

In reply to racing/ out of control thoughts, posted by Ines on March 11, 2007, at 15:36:42

Thanks everyone for advice (and thanx rjlockhart for sharing your experiences- I hadn't told anyone about this either until I posted my thread) . It's reassuring to know that other people have similar experiences- I've been quite worried about this. I do think reboxetine isn't doing it for me- will have to go to doc for another change of meds. I've never tried an anxyolitic or mood stabiliser, but AD's that work well on anxiety knock me out completely. I already sleep too much and feel lethargic with the depression, so that effect isn't welcome. But clearly reboxetine goes too far the other way... haven't found the balance yet, but I'll keep trying!

 

Re: racing/ out of control thoughts » Ines

Posted by polarbear206 on March 12, 2007, at 10:57:47

In reply to racing/ out of control thoughts, posted by Ines on March 11, 2007, at 15:36:42

> Hello!
> Has anyone had experience of racing thoughts in unipolar depression? I frequently go into a complete brain overdrive, thoughts are racing through my head really quickly and often I can't even complete one thought before jumping to another. I become unable to concentrate on anything. Sometimes it makes me feel like screaming, or I will 'scream inside my head' (don't quite know how else to explain that).


Sometimes it is too much to bear and I feel the need to do something repetitive like banging my head against the wall- I don't do it but just imagining myself doing that can help. I also get really strange reactions when I am doing anything that involves blades- for example I start seeing my fingers mixed up in the food processor if I'm blending a smoothie, or see myself slashing my face if I am shaving; the image comes to my head and it just goes round and round and I cannot control it- this happens even when I am going through a good patch as far as the depression goes and has no association with feeling suicidal. I have been mildly depressed most of my adult life, with two episodes of clinical depression, but no mania whatsoever- I never feel unusually energetic or happy, although I can experience very brief periods of elation (literally a few seconds), usually followed by a drop in mood. Currently I'm taking Reboxetine and all of these symptoms seem to be increasing in fequency, along with agitation- although my mood is better. There has never been a suggestion of bipolar diagnosis by any doctor. Can anyone relate to this?
> Thanks! Ines


Inez,

You most likely have an underlying bipolar spectrum disorder. You don't have to have full blown mania or even hypomania to have a bipolar diagnosis. There are many subtypes that cross over with unipolar depression. It can present as agitation, anger, obsessive thoughts,etc... A red flag is antidepressant induced symptoms as you are experiencing. Are you seeing a p-doc or a family doc? For proper diagnosis you need to see a good psychiatrist who specializes in mood disorders. I can direct you to some informative web sites to help you sort things out.

http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/02_diagnosis.html#Anchor-Can-27506

http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.lieber.html


http://www.mcmanweb.com/index.html

Polarbear

 

Re: racing/ out of control thoughts » polarbear206

Posted by Ines on March 12, 2007, at 18:27:47

In reply to Re: racing/ out of control thoughts » Ines, posted by polarbear206 on March 12, 2007, at 10:57:47

Thanks a lot for your input Polarbear- those websites are really very useful. I have been seeing a family doc, but as you say I think I need to see a psychiatrist. I'm on the waiting list already, but it takes time to get a referral (I'm in the UK). In the meantime I'm yet to try and AD that does anything for me, I only seem to get worse- quite frustrating.

 

Re: racing/ out of control thoughts » Ines

Posted by johnnyj on March 12, 2007, at 19:40:05

In reply to racing/ out of control thoughts, posted by Ines on March 11, 2007, at 15:36:42

Remeron increased some ocd in me too even though I slept better. It was not a pleasant experience and occured most of the time I was on it. Talk to you pdoc right away.

 

Re: racing/ out of control thoughts

Posted by chiron on March 12, 2007, at 19:43:03

In reply to racing/ out of control thoughts, posted by Ines on March 11, 2007, at 15:36:42

I can relate to some of what you are experiencing. Right now my thoughts aren't racing as much as I my head feels 'crazy' & the blade thing often comes to mind. I also remember another phase when I wasn't so down and more agitated (& productive). And I remember thinking how odd it was that I had these constant intrusive "I want to die" and "I want to kill myself" thoughts. It was like the thoughts happened, and I noticed them after the fact. And then when I sort-of 'switched' & became less agitated. I quickly noticed that the intrusive death thoughts greatly reduced, but I felt like crying all of the time.
I don't consider myself a true bipolar, but having these weird changes seem to give me a different perspective on the brain than I would have otherwise.


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