Download FND app Android Aapp IoS App
FND Links Feedback Donate Language
  • English
Home / Treatment / Medication

Medication

Please note: It is especially important that you consult your doctor before starting or stopping any medication. No particular medication is endorsed by this website.

…People get better from functional symptoms without medication and no one should feel forced in to taking tablets, but they can sometimes be helpful….

Medicines that are sometimes helpful in FND

One of the things your doctor may have suggested is medication to try to help your symptoms. The commonest kind of medicines used are:

  1. Antidepressants – there are older types – called ‘tricyclics( including Amitryptiline, Imipramine, Trazodone) and newer types called SSRIs or SNRIs (including Fluoxetine, Sertraline, Citalopram, Duloxetine, Venlafaxine, Mirtazepine and Paroxetine)
  2. ‘Neuropathic’ painkillers – are often also from these antidepressant classes. For example, Amitryptiline and Duloxetine

Medicines that are usually not helpful in FND

Medication rarely fixes symptom all by itself but it can be useful in promoting sleep, improving pain, improving low mood and reducing worry.

People can improve FND without medication and no one should feel forced in to taking tablets, but they can sometimes be helpful. No one likes taking regular tablets but if you feel very stuck with your symptoms you may ask yourself what you have to lose..

But I don’t want to take antidepressants – I’m not depressed!

A review of all the studies in which people with all kinds of functional disorders (and not specifically functional neurological symptoms such as movement disorders or dissociative attacks) were given antidepressant medication found that those taking the medicine were three times more likely to have a better outcome compared to those who didn’t.

The interesting thing was that this was the case whether the patients felt depressed or not.

“Antidepressants” can also have a useful effect in treating anxiety in people who are not depressed, so calling them antidepressants in that situation is not accurate.

Older antidepressants like Amitryptiline have been around for decades. Although they were developed to treat depression, doctors have realised that they can be very useful for treating pain, sleep problems and other symptoms like irritable bladder regardless of whether the person feels depressed

For example if you have really bad “shingles” on your face or you get sciatica then Amitryptiline may be the most effective drug for dampening down nerve pain (also called ‘neuropathic pain’)

But Antidepressants are addictive aren’t they?

One of the major, and understandable worries patients have is that an antidepressant tablet will be addictive. Often this is because they are confusing tranquilisers, like Valium (Diazepam) and sleeping tablets (Temazepam) with antidepressants.

There is no evidence that antidepressants lead to an ‘addicted’ state of mind in which the person craves their medication or wants more and more of it to get the same effect.

With some types of antidepressants, there may sometimes be symptoms when the tablet is stopped. If this happens these withdrawal symptoms are usually over within a week or so.

Some patients report longer duration symptoms triggered by this withdrawal syndrome or the medication themselves.

There is therefore a conversation to be had with your healthcare professional about the risks and benefits of medication in your individual case.

Some other tablets that can be habit forming include tablets with Codeine in them like Cocodamol or Dihydrocodeine and Benzodiazepines such as Diazepam, Nitrazepam and Lorazepam.

Health professionals also see withdrawal symptoms in patients coming off Gabapentin and Pregabalin.

But once I took Amitryptiline and I turned in to a zombie!

Sometimes patients with functional symptoms try tablets like Amitryptiline and have a bad experience. This may be because, they were given too high a dose to start with, or because they weren’t given a proper explanation of what to expect.

The nature of functional symptoms often means that patients taking antidepressants for these symptoms may experience more side effects than normal, especially initially.

Its usually sensible to expect some side effects in the first week or two. These may include drowsiness, nausea and occasionally (depending on the drug) a degree of agitation. After that time, side effects often wear off. The benefits of the tablet may be felt quickly but it may take 6-8 weeks (of being on a therapeutic dose to make a difference).

I’m on the tablets but they’re doing nothing

This may be because you are on too small a dose, or haven’t waited long enough, or because they are doing nothing for your symptoms. Its hard to judge whether an antidepressant has not worked until you’ve been on it for about 12 weeks.

Not everyone does benefit from medication.

how much thc is in cbd oil what cbd oil can be used for refilling is cbd oil legal in wisconsin best cannabis oil recipe cbd oil wisconsin where to buy organic research denver cbd oil do you need a prescription for cbd oil in florida cannabis oil legal in ga cbd oil tacoma cbd oil strains hemp oil cannabis oil same medical cbd oil uk cbd oil home business does cbd oil show up on a drug screen feco cbd oil cbd oil in glasgow cbd oil and stomach issues cbd oil cyber monday cbd oil 750 cbd oil and smoking weed anxiety can i get cbd oil in minnesota hoe to take cbd oil tincture drops cbd oil safe alternative what strenghth cbd oil and reccomendations cbd oil cure all cbd oil stores in wv cbd oil perals cancer cannabis oil does cbd oil on skin help aging spots can you get cbd oil in texas places that sell cbd oil in idiana cbd oil native sun cbd oil pric cbd oil medline cbd oil and dyslexia a il cbd oil cure diabeties best cbd oil cheap is walgreens selling cbd oil yet can i add peppermint oil to cbd oil cbd oil banned ufc

best weight loss meal plan best diet pills available gym workout for beginners to lose weight medically supervised weight loss program prunes weight loss what fruit can i eat on a keto diet benefits of apple cider vinegar for weight loss best keto diet plan for weight loss citalopram weight loss new weight loss pill approved by fda keto diet cheat sheet nursing weight loss daily calorie intake for weight loss energy weight loss diet pill headache on keto diet best weight loss pills to buy at walmart keto diet maintenance diet pills no caffeine metabo diet pills adele weight loss pills alcohol allowed on keto diet weight loss sleep meditation solo weight loss pills mediterranean diet for beginners canada ephedr diet pills fats in keto diet diet pills and heart problems treadmill or elliptical for weight loss two new diet pills diabetic smoothies to lose weight bulking keto diet food to eat for weight loss keto diet period cayenne pepper weight loss relacore extra weight loss pill alkaline water and weight loss best pills to lose weight fast for men keto diet negative side effects what is the difference between keto and paleo diet pills phentermine 30 mg

penis enlargement surgery before and after art of manliness increase testosterone cialis half life pills to enlarge penis relavex cock on viagra male enhancement pill card manufacturer cialis overdose vitamin shoppe testosterone boosters does not having sex increase testosterone how long do viagra last how to naturally increase testosterone in males top testosterone booster pills mens health pills maximum power xl male enhancement reviews viritenz where to buy is taking testosterone pills for working out alternative for cialis superlongnight72 natural male enhancement pills how to make a girl wetter male enhancement blue pill thyroid and low libido what are penis enhancement pills cheap erectile dysfunction drugs best male enhancement pills from walgreens natural testosterone enhancement supplements how to improve erectile dysfunction fast pills to boost testosterone levels androtestin testosterone booster 100 free male enhancement pills testosterone otc supplements extenze male enhancement formula review ed pills at cvs prolong male enhancement for sale can penis enhancement pills give you cancer sex enhancement men supplements for sex drive sex enhancement pills forum mnfclub penis growth pills testosterone blocking pills how much does 100mg viagra cost

best replacement windows pella fiberglass windows best replacement windows for the northwast repair broken window screen frame long crack home window repair home window repair denton txx advantage home window repair windows screen replacement residential window replacement near me home window repair georgetown tx windows repair all window repair council bluffs ia best home window replacement mesa best top replacement window bay replacement windows windows replacement chicago consumers report replacement windows home window repair in vancouver wa replacement windows reston va window screen repair ann arbor window replacement contractor wood casement window repair andersen window handle replacement top quality replacement windows window mesh replacement simonton reflections 5500 replacement window pella replacement window pricing topeka window replacement window screen replacement columbia sc home window repair charleston wv pella casement window crank replacement 36 x 50 replacement window window and door installation chicago hurd window replacement upvc bay window installation window repair in syracuse ny window glass repair stockton how to replace glass window pane replacement window cedar rapids window replacement nokesindun