Posted by yxibow on February 18, 2005, at 3:14:50
In reply to Akathisia, is this it?, posted by NealMcCoy on February 18, 2005, at 0:46:46
> I have this indescribable, agonizing feeling in the center of my brain that makes me wish that I were not alive. It is like nothing I have ever experienced in my entire life. I do also have the crawling out of my skin sensation. I took 20 mgs of propranonol and it doesn't seem to be working. I am getting a bit concerned. This feeling isn't anywhere near bearable. It's gotta be the worst feeling known to man..Any comments or suggestions?
You haven't mentioned what medication(s) you are taking that precipitated this sensation.
I've experienced akathisia on a half dozen or so times at least... "skin crawling" is one sensation though at least in my experience it is marked also by an inner sense of either a need to pace or to grope the nearest sofa or carpet with writhing thought.
I cant prescribe by proxy but in my experience a major episode for me usually doesnt go away without 40 or 50mg of propranolol (200mg/day or so is the upper limit of what people take for heart related conditions).
Not suggesting you down that amount of propranolol without observing that your pulse is at least 60 or so, because it -will- lower it and fainting and stopping your heart isn't highly recommended.
Also if nothing else is available to you, and you're ready to hit the hay anyway, 50mg (standard dose) of benadryl OTC (also marked as unisom and other sleep medications... they're all the same and benadryl, diphenhydramine generic is usually cheapest) may hit the spot.
Talk to your doctor about increasing the propranolol dose in general, and/or being prescribed one of the non-drowsy anticholinergics (benadryl is a drowsy one) such as Akineton or Artane.. Cogentin affects cognition more than those but is a common prescription too.
Hope you feel better.
poster:yxibow
thread:459703
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050217/msgs/459735.html