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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Depression, headache, fatigue
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.
Depression, headache, fatigue
by nelspa, Mar 18, 2006 12:00AM
I have experienced a daily headache, fatigue, and depression for 16 years. I am 53 now. I have tried almost all of the anti-depressants, SSRI, tricyclics, and MAO's. I had my best success with Paxil which made me about 60% of normal functioning and I stayed on it for about ten years. It finally starting losing effectiveness and I have tried others but without equal effectiveness. Or quite adverse side effects with some. But I haven't felt really well during all of that time. I have had CATSCAN for the headaches and that did not show a problem. The headache is there every day and all day, varying in intensity, usually with how hard I work (stress). I keep wondering if the depression is causing the headache like this? Does this seem possible? I haven't met anyone who experiences this kind of a headache. Can low serotonin levels cause this chronic daily heachache? I went to some headache clinics early on but they couldn't find a therapy to help. I figure that I have an illness of some kind. I don't know if depression is the primary factor and the headache and fatigue are secondary. Or, is there a primary illness that is causing the depresssion, headache, and fatigue as secondary factors. Blood tests don't show anything outside the normal ranges. If depression is the primary cause, shouldn't most of the antidepressants be helpful? Or are they just not very effective for some people? Other people I know on antidepressants seem to do well. I am still trying to find answers and hope I will someday. What is the value of the brain scans that are done at the Amen Clinic in LA? I have been thinking about trying it even though it is very expensive. Thanks for your thoughts.
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Mar 18, 2006 12:00AM
, Mar 18, 2006 12:00AM
You have tried all the medications, but have you tried a good thorough course of psychotherapy with a good therapist. You will get more results and more answers that way than with any particular test or trial of new medication.
I had a headache that lasted for nearly two months. After MRI's, CATS scans and numerous other tests, it was concluded the cause was depression. After trying numerous antidepressents, I went on Paxil and was fine for 8 years. I was recently taken off Paxil and the headaches, and fatigue, are back. There is, in my case, a direct connection between these headaches and depression, and the only therapy that works is the Paxil.
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