Valium Propranolol

[medlam]

hi there,
Ive been struggling with full body hh for 5 years now i recently went to the gp (doctor in the uk) he was a nice guy but didn't seem to relise the true damage this disease does to my life he seems to think its all panic and anxiety which is half right and put me on propranhol.

Propranhol didnt really work for me and i went back last week and hes put me on a two week valium test. Everyone knows anxiety plays a huge part in HH but its the issue of allways feeling hot and uncomftable that i want to address.

Anyone tried either propranhol or valium to help with HH ?
Do you allways fell hot,sweat when walking to the shops or riding a bike when theres no panic or anxiet involved?

Any help or advice greatly appreciated

Thanks

 

[Cato]

I'm glad you posted this, as I was planning on making a similar thread. I've had HH my whole life, but really started to notice it about 12. It was more concentrated in my hands and feet back then, but it grew in to full body HH. At the age of 14 or so I started seeing doctors to figure out what was wrong with me. I had full blood work, exams, ekg, etc. They couldn't find anything wrong with me. I recall one doc saying " you're healthy as a horse, but that sweating is impressive " I eventually went to see a psychiatrist because I was extremely depressed and anxious. I also had a horrific case of acne, which of course contributed to the mental anguish. Anyway, he tried a few meds on me and eventually came to the combo of Paxil and Klonopin. That combo helped me ALOT. Not only did it help with my depression and anxiety, but it seemed to bring the sweating way, way down. I'd say from 16-24 I was almost HH free. I still sweated alot, but more like the upper region of " normal "

I've been reading alot about Benzos lately and found some interesting info. It seems that there is alot of evidence pointing to benzos lowering the amount of norepinephrine and acetylcholine the body produces. Those are the main chemicals involved in a " overactive sympathetic nervous system " the thing doctors say us HH sufferers have. I believe THIS is what was helping me so during those years. Unfortunately, over the years I believe two things happened: 1. I developed a tolerance to the drug, so that the dose began to lose effectiveness. 2. I began bodybuilding and went from 160lbs to 220lbs, which also increased the need for a larger dose. I actually haven't been on Klonopin for two years or so, as I didn't like the idea of being of two meds long term. However, since my HH has gotten so terrible these last few years, I now believe that I will have to take a benzo for many, many years. I was using 0.5mgs 3 times a day for years. But again, I feel that the dose became too low. I am going to the Dr. next week and am going to ask for 1mg 3 times a day.

People all too often dismiss psych meds, but we have to keep in mind that they DO work on chemicals in the body. We tend to look at them in more of an abstract way I think. But really, it's not much different than taking insulin for diabetes. If you have chemicals in your brain or body going haywire, they need to be treated.

Anyway, that's my story. ::One note of caution: benzos can be pretty addictive. Though I went cold turkey on Klonopin after 13 years and it honestly wasn't TOO bad. The Paxil is another story. I honestly don't believe it does anything for me, but trying to go off of it is like pure mental and physical torture.

 

[llhook]

Benzos and SSRI's

I have had HH since I was 12-14(I can't remember). I was put on 0.5mg x3/day of xanax and 50 mg of Zoloft daily around the age of 20, due to stress and emotional issues, then at 21 due to a late onset seizer disorder (wonderful genes my father gave me) I have been on 200mg of Lamicatal and 100 mg of Dilantin daily. I found they reduced my axillary sweating slightly, which is my biggest issue.
Yet, I have gained a large amount of weight due to these. I am currently 26, I have always been of a small frame, 100-110 lbs and 5'6. I am an active runner and biker. Yet since I stared the zoloft, xanax, lamicatal, and dilantin, I have now weigh nearly 150 lbs.

Although the medications have slightly helped with my HH, I would suggest that the weight gain is not worth it. I cannot stop my seizer medications, but I have been considering stopping my physological meds, if I do I will get back to you about whether or not my HH gets worse.

Hope this helps!