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  #1  
Old May 22, 2016, 12:23 PM
Gus99 Gus99 is offline
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Hello,

I'm in a huge bind. I have a very severe past with concussions. Approx 20. I was hospitalized for about 10 of them. Then after playing Division 1 Lacrosse, and about 7 years later, extreme anxiety, panic attacks and depression set in, along with eventual agoraphobia.

I started seeing a Pyschiatrist for 1 year. After her attempts of treating me through 3 different types of talk therapy, she was convinced I had a chemical imbalance in my brain, and recommended me to see a Psychologist. Over the next 4 years, I have tried about 30 different medications to no avail. Some had side effects I couldn't deal with. Some made things worse and other had no impact at all. I recently spoke to a concussion center who told me that even if I was diagnosed that my brain trauma had caused these symptoms, they would only send me to a Pyschologist to try and find Meds that work. I'm at my wits end with trying medications. I also had a DNA test done to see what Meds would supposedly work with my genetic make up......didn't work. Am I alone in this situation? I'm currently on 200 mg of Lamictal, 2 mg of Xanax (3 times a days as needed) and 2 mg of Klonipin at night. I also just added Zoloft to the mix, and that seems to make the depression worse. Any ideas or suggestions would be much appreciated. Like the subject lines says, I'm feeling very hopeless, and this is taking away a huge part of my life.
Hugs from:
Anonymous32091, Finniky, Fuzzybear, Lost_in_the_woods, Travelinglady

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  #2  
Old May 22, 2016, 01:30 PM
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Travelinglady Travelinglady is offline
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Hi, Gus99, and welcome to Psych Central! I suspect brain injury, as I think you do. See if you can get an appointment with a neurologist. I think there's hope if the right approach is used.
Thanks for this!
Michelea
  #3  
Old May 22, 2016, 07:44 PM
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Skeezyks Skeezyks is offline
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Hello Gus99: The Skeezyks welcomes you to PsychCentral! I hope you find the time you spend here to be of benefit.

I don't really have any great suggestions for you. I'm an older person. My poor head has taken a real beating over the decades. (I'll spare you the details.) I've tried a number of different antidepressants, & other med's over the years to treat my anxiety, depression, & other stuff. All any of it really seemed to do was to make me groggy. I'm no longer on anything. I simply gut it out one day after another. I suppose it's a bit easier because I am older. One thing I have not done is CBT or DBT. It seems like many people are helped by these therapies. If you haven't tried them you might look into these as possible options.
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  #4  
Old May 22, 2016, 10:32 PM
kecanoe kecanoe is offline
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Lots of people try many psychiatric medications before finding one that works.
I think seeing a neurologist is a good idea since you have had so many concussions. If they can't help, then maybe try some different psych meds.
  #5  
Old May 23, 2016, 02:21 AM
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Lost_in_the_woods Lost_in_the_woods is offline
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I have never had much luck with meds either. Some of us just don't tolerate them well. I agree that with such a long history of head trauma that you should be agressively pushing for neurological treatment. If you have been seen by neuro and haven't gotten much feedback, keep pushing. Things get overlooked easily and can show up later. Also there maybe new treatments that werent available when you were first diagnosed with head trauma. Be safe. Goodluck.
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Feeling very hopeless

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And miles to go before I sleep"
  #6  
Old May 23, 2016, 05:01 AM
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Finniky Finniky is offline
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Link, clicky clicky

That article talks about depression and anxiety symptoms triggered by concussions. One of the highlights of it says:

Researchers using an MRI technique that measures the integrity of the brain’s white matter found unique white matter injury patterns in post-concussion patients who had depression or anxiety.

It is a unique MRI technique used to find it and they stated this damage would not show up on a normal MRI, and that depression patients who had concussions have normal results on an MRI in most cases.

There is also a possibility inflammation can be causing it, according to what I have read.

Another link, clicky clicky

This article explains research showing inflammation as a strong link. A highlight states:

A head injury can lead immune-system brain cells to go on “high alert” and overreact to later immune challenges by becoming excessively inflammatory – a condition linked with depressive complications, a new animal study suggests.

The findings could help explain some of the midlife mental-health issues suffered by individuals who experience multiple concussions as young adults, researchers say. And these depressive symptoms are likely inflammation-related, which means they may not respond to common antidepressants. I also read this on 'medicaldaily' in correlation to inflammation: A 2013 study in BMC Medicine reported inflammation was already on its way to being recognized as “a mediating pathway to both risk and neuro-progression in depression.”

I suppose it is something to consider.
  #7  
Old Jun 11, 2016, 09:26 AM
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Sula B Sula B is offline
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Hi Gus99, I totally agree with Travelinglady - with the umber of brain traumas you have experienced I think you have some sort of brain trauma injury. I would be pursuing the neurology route rather than psychiatry/psychology. It may be that you are dual diagnoses and will still need medication and therapy but it wont assist you one jot if there are neurological functioning problems there.

Good luck mate.
  #8  
Old Jun 11, 2016, 11:35 AM
ricatx ricatx is offline
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I don't have any medical advice about your condition but I can tell you it makes a difference to be proactive. If a doctor doesn't listen to you and try to resolve the problem and test out all explanations then change doctors. Too often we just trust that all doctors are equal and know best but in reality they often try the easy or most common solution instead of taking a deep look. Unfortunately it is the patient who has to be willing to speak up, research, ask for tests, and demand answers. For example, I had a friend that suffered from terrible migraines for years. She knew something wasn't right. Doctors acted like she was just complaining or exaggerating, some put her on medications for depression. Finally, after two years she insisted they do an MRI and in depth testing. When the doctor ordered the test with his nurse she overheard him using a condescending tone and rolling his eyes and he told his nurse it was because she had "little headaches". Yeah well guess what.....she had a tumor on her pituitary gland that was so bad that if it got any more pressure then she could go blind at any moment. They rushed her into brain surgery within 3 days. So my advice is this: Research, Be informed, Question Everything, If a doctor doesn't listen Find another one! Don't be quiet and complacent.
  #9  
Old Jun 12, 2016, 04:54 AM
handheart handheart is offline
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Well medicaments can help your body but cannot help your mind .You must work with your mind .A useful program at here about shyness and social anxiety its a more natural solution for anxiety and low self esteem .Here you will learn how to work on your brain and delete bad thoughts from there .You i read you have very severe childhood and this create some bad trauma in you and this afect you ,i was also in your siuation and i am still afected but its more better for me now.You must reprogram your subconstient mind and take the power of trauma from there with autosugestion .Good luck to you
  #10  
Old Jun 12, 2016, 10:56 AM
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Fuzzybear Fuzzybear is offline
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  #11  
Old Jun 12, 2016, 12:24 PM
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Michelea Michelea is offline
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I agree with the others.

Think your history of multiple concussions should play a bigger role in the equation. You could also contact a brain injury support group in your area, to see what someone who works consistently with brain injuries thinks about your symptoms.

Let us know how things go with this.
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