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Scalp dysesthesia

Posted , 5 users are following.

david48602
david48602

Hey, guys! I'm not sure if any of you know what the condition mentioned in the title is, but I think there is a possibility that I may be suffering from it, and that it might be Mirtazapine that is causing it. So, I am going to tell you what's been happening, to see if perhaps anyone can relate.

So, I have been taking Mirtazpine 15mg for about... let's say a month, give or take a day or two. I take it for anxiety, more specifically health anxiety. I got myself very anxious towards the end of last year, when I very foolishly googled symptoms I had been suffering from, and had myself on death's door. Ever since, I have been a bit of a wreck.

So, I started taking Mirtazapine because anxiety was keeping me awake, and my GP told me that Mirtazapine was good because it helped with sleep issues. Originally, I had been offered sertraline, but I refused to take those because I heard horror stories about it. So, the Mirtazapine has been great for my sleep issues, but it really knocks me out and sometimes I wake... maybe even after 10 hours sleep... and I feel, not necessarily groggy, but I'm not exactly skipping around with the joys of summer time, either.

Now, on this site, I'm also frequently lurking around on the anxiety board, checking my symptoms with other anxiety suffers, before it reaches a point where the white coated orderlies are coming to take me to my padded cell. And, please, keep in mind that I have health anxiety, so the slightest twinge anywhere in my body sends me off the boil - I'll think I have cancer, or a brain tumor, or a heart condition, it's horrible and often feels as if it's consuming me.

Now... my recent fear has been brain tumors, because I have been having his feeling in the top of my head. I wouldn't call what I feel "pain", but it definitely isn't pleasant. It's just this really strange feeling - I don't know whether to describe it as pressure, or as pain, or as a burning sensation. Now, I have my hair shaved off, so I can feel around head, quite easily, with my hands. There is no pain on the exterior of my head. If I were to liken it to something, as "out there" as it sounds, it's like someone is poking something into my brain, in this one particular area. People tell me it might be a tension headache, but I'm not entirely convinced that it is.

I recently heard, though, of a thing called scalp dysesthesia, which has its own wiki page, which mentions anti-depressants. 

Has anyone else experienced this?

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • david48602
    david48602

    Posted

    Oh, lordy, that was a long post - apologies to anyone who dares read all of that!!!
    • david48602
      david48602 Patty9019

      Posted

      It has been driving me insane, honestly. Although, in saying that, yesterday and today have been okay. If I don't think about it, which isn't always the easiest thing to do, I can kind of will it away.
  • sharon12462
    sharon12462 david48602

    Posted

    Hi David that's a side effect I also had it.. went on for weeks felt like I was goin to explode towards the end..got very short tempered and believe me I thought the same as you ..I came off the mirt after 4months made me so much more mentally ill with all the side effects never known a tablet like it.
    • david48602
      david48602 sharon12462

      Posted

      I'm thinking of coming off it, Sharon, honestly. I don't think I am ready to come off anxiety meds altogether, but I am really beginning to think that this particular one is not for me.
    • sharon12462
      sharon12462 david48602

      Posted

      I doubt very much itl get any better..to be honest iv never known a med like it .. turned my life upside dwn & others .. good luck.
  • pixie22
    pixie22 david48602

    Posted

    I just looked up scalp dysthesia on the web, and it said that anti-depressants are used to treat it, rather than cause it. I haven't experienced it myself but I do sometimes get a crawling sensation in the skin on my arms, especially when I'm tired. I just ignore it. I do think you should try not to worry about it, easy to say, I know, but not easy for you to do. A month is quite a short time for the mirtazapine to work, it can take 6 weeks or more to have a full effect. In the meantime could you try other ways to control your anxiety - eg. relaxation, warm baths, distraction with something you enjoy doing, slow breathing. I hope that helps. Pixie.
    • david48602
      david48602 pixie22

      Posted

      You're absolutely right, Pixie. It's cured my anti-depressants, not caused by them; I must have misread. I'm an idiot, haha. Some of the symptoms of my anxiety are a breeze; they're there, but they don't bother me. But this particular one, because it seems to be coming from inside my head, really rattles me.
  • eva28308
    eva28308 david48602

    Posted

    HI David, I'm going trough the same like 6 moths what you going trough right now. I was put on mirtazapine 15 mg last year October for nausea and becouse I lost 25 lbs, and was not able to sleep. Never had depression or anxiety before in my life. I started to take 7.5 mg I fugured I'm a small it will be enough for me. And the problem started. Was not feeling well was getting first painfull thingling in my brain and later became painfull zaping and they told me to go higher so I went 15 mg for a week. Was even more sick. The brain zap was just terrible. After 2 months I slowly came off mirtazapine and I still have the pain exzatly what you saying. Went to neurologist and had CT scan MRI everything is ok.Mirtazapin ruined my life and just hope one day I can be normal in my head and brain again. I know is working for some people God bless them but did not work for me. I hope you head will get better soon too. I will flow this tree to see.God less you sorry I could not help I just wanted you to know you not alone.
    • david48602
      david48602 eva28308

      Posted

      I'm really starting to consider coming off the mirtazapine; I just don't think it is working out for me. I mean, I am taking it to combat anxiety, but I still feel as anxious as ever. All it seems to be helping with is sleeping, and even then I don't know if I could sleep without them, I haven't tried in a while (I know I can't just stop taking Mirt, now that I have started).
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