Mood disorder symptoms? - Mental Health Message Board

omfree · 03-03-2003, 01:38 PM

My husband has recently started having strange symptoms-trembling hands while at rest or during fine motor use, difficulty sleeping, memory loss (forgetfulness), depression, gastrointestinal problems, eye twitches, occasional panic attacks, a tightness across his shoulders and neck, occasional numbness in his cheeks, and drooling. These have lasted several months. We were scared of brain tumors (but the symptoms aren't so focal) and Parkinson's (bu it is statistically improbable). I am a yoga teacher and he is a physical therapist. We both work with patients with these diseases, so we know quite a bit about them. He is seeing a neurologist to eliminate more dire possibilities. He has taken X about 8 times in the last 3 years (one pill each time). The last dose was about a month ago. The symptoms were slight-easy to ignore and write off as SAD or a mid-life crisis, and no numbness or shaking-until this last dose. He has also recently discovered that he has inherited mood disorders-bi polar, manic depression, etc. from both sides of his family. I would like to see his doctor prescribe an anti-depressant, but she is running some other tests first. Does anyone share these symptoms or have any advice? He is terrified of course and the anxiety is exacerbating the other symptoms. He is 29 years old. I'm baffled and scared. Can anyone shed some light? Namaste all.

Nigel555 · 03-06-2003, 03:28 AM

Hi there,

I'm a 40 y.o. male and have anxiety for years now but this last few months I have had much the same as your husband and don't know what it is, I see a hand and arm speacialist soon but if your doctor comes up with something I would love to know what it is if I may

I hope he gets well soon

best wishes Nigel

omfree · 03-07-2003, 10:34 AM

Blood tests and a physical exam point to a serotonin/dopamine imbalance (probably set off by 4 months of no sunshine whatsoever!)The rods and cones in your eyes must have full spectrum light to absorb enough Vitamin D to keep those chemicals in balance. X certainly didn't help the matter. Neither did a family history of mood disorder (probably why this happened to him and not me). Doc says the chances of it being more serious (Parkinson's, tumor, thyroid, etc.) are very, very slim (that second "very" made me feel SO much better, I can't tell you!)She put my husband on 10 mg. of Paxil daily and wants to wait three months to see if the symptoms abate. She thought an MRI/CAT was unnecsarry at this point. He is also healing spritually by meditating for 20-30 minutes daily. I taught him a Buddhist vipassana where rather than just follow the rise and fall of the breath, you start to explore the inner demons-negativity, pride, ego, pain, fear, etc. Once you befriend them, it is easier to let them go. We also got a "light box" (cost $300) that you can set by the computer or where you meditate. You sit in front of it for 30-60 minutes each day so you can absorb full-spectrum light (regardless of what you have heard, tanning beds are NOT the right answer here!). He's used it for a week and swears he feels better. His handwriting is shaky and he's still twitchy and sleeping poorly, but the depression hasn't been crippling. I suspect he is simply relieved that he sin't going to die anytime soon (once he courted these thoughts, it was hard to pull himself out of the quagmire of negativity). Let me know what happens with you. I'll keep you in my positive thoughts.