Juvenile-HD

HOME

INDEX Page
Tools For Viewing
10 The Most Commonly Asked Questions
Clinical Trials & Research
Huntington's Disease~WeMove Info
Advocacy/Donations/Press Info
Clinical Definition & Search
Facing HD~Family Handbook
JHD Handbook-Chapter 1
JHD Info-Stanford Univ.
Physician's Guide To HD
Caring for People with HD
Physical & Occupational Therapy In HD
Understanding Behaviour in HD-Dr. Jane Paulsen
Understanding Behavioral-Dr. Edmond Chiu
Advanced Stages Caregivers Handbook
First Shift-Certified Nursing Assistants
Activities of Daily Living-HD
Unified HD Rating Scale (UHDRS) Motor Section
Westphal Variant
SECTION 1 - AT RISK
Age & Probability Chart
At Risk For HD-What Next?
At-Risk Checklist
Best Interest of Child?
Crystal Ball?
Food For Thought
Parent Hasn't Tested?
Q&A On Risk of Inheriting JHD
Testing Children
SECTION 2 - GENETIC TESTING
Genetic Disorders & Birth Defects
Genetic Testing for HD
Genetic Counseling-In General
Psychological Impact
Intro: Genetics/Genetic Testing
Prenatal & Preimplanation
Prenatal Testing-In General
o Genetic Testing Resources
o Personal Stories
SECTION 3 - JHD
Coping With The Early Years
Age of HD Appearance
Age of Onset-Historical
Family-HD Underestimated
Children of Parents With HD
Child~Parent Ill
Clinical Description JHD
HD - What Kids Are Saying
HD & Me
JHD-Duration of Illness
JHD-Clinical and Research
JHD Symptoms
Parenting With HD
Patients/Families Coping
Talking With Children About HD
5 Stages of HD
JHD Resources
SECTION 4 - SYMPTOM RECOGNITION
Parent Resources
8 Fears of A Chronic Illness
Anxiety/Apathy/Irritability~HD
Anxiety, Fears & Phobias
Apathy-Physician's Guide
Ataxia
Attention-Perceptual/Unawareness Physician's Guide
Bed/Pressure Sores
Bed/Pressure Ulcer Guideline
Behavior Management
Bi-Polar Disorders
Botulinum toxin therapy
Bradykinesia
Caring Tips
Child Abuse-Reconizing Signs
Chorea-Physician's Guide
Chorea
Cognitive/Decision Making/Impulsivity
Cognitive-Short Tips
Contractures~Joints Locking
Dehydration-Physician's Guide
Dehydration
Delirium
Denial of HD
Depression~Physician's Guide
Depression-Understanding It
Depression-How To Help
Depression - Treatment Resistant Patient
Depression-Other Resources
-Read If Your Child Is On Antidepressant
Disgust - Impaired Recognition in HD
Dissociative disorders
Driving - Physician's Guide
Dyslexia
Dyslexia Resources
Dystonia
Dystonia/Rigidity & Spasticity Physician's Guide
Dystonia-Predominant Adult-Onset HD
Epileptic Seizures and Epilepsy
Epilepsy-Seizures~PG
-Seizures ~Special Populations
Falling~Safety
Falling - Subdural Hematoma Risk
Fevers - Unexplained
Fevers, sweating & menstural cycles in HD
GERD (Stomach)
HD Principle Treatments
Hallucinations/Psychosis~PGHD
Hand muscle reflexes in HD
Hypothalamus - A Personal Theory
Insomia ~Physician's Guide
Irritability~Temper Outburst Physician's Guide
Learning Disability
Mania/OCD~Physician's Guide
Mood Disorder Rate In HD
Myoclonus (Movements)
Nails-What To Look For
Night Terrors
Obsessive Compulsive OCD
Panic Disorder
Personality disorders
Pneumonia
Pneumonia-Advanced Stages
Pneumonia - Aspirated (Inhaled)
Prosody - Social Impairment
Sexuality~Physician's Guide
Skins Sensitivity
Sleep Disorders
Smoking-Physician's Guide
Spasticity
Stress
Tremors
Why Certain Symptoms Occur
Symptom & Treatment Resources
SECTION 5 - COMMUNICATION
Communication Resources
Communication Problems
Communication Strategies For HD~Jeff Searle
SECTION 6 - EATING/SWALLOWING/NUITRITION
Hints For Weight Loss in HD
HD & Diet~HSA Fact Sheet 7
Nutrients: Some Possible Deficiency Symptoms
Nutrition and HD~Anna Gaba (Recipes)
Nutrition Information In HD~Naomi Lundeen
Speech & Swallowing~Lynn Rhodes
Swallowing & Nutrition Physician's Guide To HD
Swallowing & Nuitrition Resources
Swallowing Warning Signs
5 Swallowing Problems
Taste changes in HD
Weight Gain
Resources-Drinks/Shakes
-Feeding Tubes~Advanced Stages of HD
-Feeding Tube~Jean Miller
-Feeding Tubes: One More Word ~Jean Miller
-Feeding Tubes & Baby Foods
-Feeding Tube~Dental Care
-Feeding Tube Instructions~Jean Miller
-Feeding Tube Resources
SECTION 7 - THERAPIES
Finding a Therapist - Behavoir
What Is A Physiotherapist?
Physical Therapy In HD
Speech-Language Therapy
Therapy Descriptions
Therapy Resources- Easter Seal
Therapy Resources
SECTION 8 - MEDICATIONS
HD Treatments
Medications-Movement Disorders
Medication/Emergency Info Forms
Cutting Prescriptions
Drugs-Look 'Em Up
-Adolescents Under 25
-Antidepressant Adverse Effects
-Anti-psychotic
-Anxiety-Antidepressant
A-Z Mental Health Drugs
-Creatine
-EPA~Fish Oil
-Haldol/Haloperidol - Clinical Sheet
-Haldol~Clinician Description
-Haldol & HD
-Haldol/HD Patient Experiences
-Haldol~ Patient Handout
-Mood Stabilizers: ASK 3 Questions
-Neuroleptic Malignant Synd WARNING
-Olanzipine-Risperidone/blood tests
-Celexa/Luvox/Paxil/Prozac/Zoloft
-Psychiatric Drugs & Children
Sertraline ~Zoloft
-Spasticity Meds/Treatments
-SSRI Medications
-Tardive Dyskinesia WARNING
-Weight Gain Medications
-Sites/Help the Medicine Go Down
-Vitamin & Mineral Deficiencies
SECTION 9 - SURGERIES
Surgery-Movement Disorders
o Surgery Resources
SECTION 10 - PROCEDURES
Clinic Visits-How To Prepare
CT Scans, MRI's etc.
Swallowing Tests
Tests Commonly Used
o Procedures Resources
SECTION 11- ALCOHOL/DRUGS
Alcohol-Parent's Guide
Alcohol-Talking To Your Child
Drugs-What To Do?
Drugs-Talking To Your Child
Disciplining-Ages 0-13 & Up
SECTION 12- SUICIDE
Straight Talk On Suicide
Teen Suicide-You Need To Know
o Suicide Resources
SECTION 13 - DIVORCE
Divorce & Child Stress
Tips For Divorcing Parents
SECTION 14 - DISABILITY ISSUES
Guides To Disability Issues
Caring-Child & Medical Technology
Caring for a Seriously Ill Child
Child Long Term Illness
Disability-Special Education Plan
IFSP Early Intervention Process
Disability Resources
Financial Planning
Wishes Can Come True-Children's Wish Foundations
Special Needs Resources
Special Needs Camp - About
Special Needs Camp - Finding One
SECTION 15 - ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY
Child Assistive Technology
Adaptive Equipment Resources
Products
SECTION 16 - EMOTIONAL ISSUES
Signs of Unhealthy Self-Esteem
Emotional Behavior Links
o Emotional Support Resources
SECTION 17 - GRIEF
Helping Child Deal With Death
o Grief Addtional Resources
SECTION 18 - ADD/ADHD
ADD & Teens
Conduct Disorders
FAQS & Related Info
Understanding AD/HD
What Is AD/HD?
Research Articles
Resources
SECTION 19 - HD SUPPORT GROUPS
HD Support Groups
National Youth Association
SECTION 20 - HD LINKS
HD Links
Related Resources
Tips For Friends
SECTION 21 - BENEFITS/INSURNACE
HD Disability
Benefits Check UP - See What You Can Get
Medical Insurance Bureau's Facts On You!
Medicare-Medicaid
Medicare Rights-Home Health & Hospice
Medicare Rights Center Resources
No Insurance? Try This!
Prescription Drug Cards Part I
Prescription Drug Cards Part II
Social Security-Children With Disabilities
SECTION 22 - ARTICLES/JHD
JHD and ADD
SECTION 23 - CAREGIVING
Articles-Resources
Caregiver Self-Assessment
Caregiver's Handbook
"First Shift With A Person With HD"
Getting Respite Care/Help At Home
Helpful Forms-Info
Home Emergency Preparations
Symptom Management
Ten Tips
Useful Tools
SECTION 24 - BIO
Our Personal Experience
Coping At The End
Kelly E. Miller
Song & Verse
Letter From My Heart
GUESTBOOK
-Anxiety-Antidepressant

INDEX Page

 
ANXIETY MEDICATIONS
 
Many persons with PD are aware of anxiety as part of their illness. This may be present with or without depression.  Some individuals notice anxiety in the early stages of their disease, and note that it lessens with the introduction of  effective dopaminergic medications.
 
Chronic disabling anxiety can be difficult to treat effectively with medications. Some antidepressant drugs have anti-anxiety
effects, and can be beneficial.
 
Benzodiazapine drugs, such as diazepam (Valium®), are in this classification. These medications must be used with caution
because there is a tendency to increase the dose over time, and over-sedation can be a problem.
 
However, many patients with PD can benefit from these medications in small doses. In addition to reducing anxiety,
benzodiazepines can help alleviate other Parkinson symptoms such as dystonia (muscle cramping), involuntary dyskinetic movements, and insomnia. In situations that call for a longer-acting anxiolytic benefit, a medication called clonazepam (Klonopin®) is sometimes useful.
(above was written for PD)
 
EXAMPLES OF DRUGS USED TO TREAT ANXIETY
 
diazepam (Valium®)
lorazepam (Ativan®)
clonazepam (Klonopin®)
clorazepate (Tranxene®)
alprazolam (Xanax®)
buspirone (Buspar®)
 
As with many other medications, this class of drugs can have side effects such as drowsiness, ataxia (unsteady gait),  confusion, lethargy and memory impairment.
=========================================
From AskJeeves.com
Antidepressants

Non-addictive and non-euphoric, antidepressants are commonly prescribed for treating depression. Just as aspirin eases the symptoms of a headache without curing it, psychotherapeutic drugs do not cure mood disorders, though they do lessen the mentalpain, helping the individual to get on with life.
 
In general, antidepressants work by altering  neurotransmitters - most commonly, serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine. In 60 to  80% of people who take antidepressants as directed for several months, there is a  significant improvement in mood.
 
Though highly effective, antidepressants commonly take  2 to 4 weeks before their full effect is evident. It is often necessary
to test several  antidepressants in various dosages before settling on the one that is best suited to the individual.
 
Antidepressants may cause side effects from dry mouth and fatigue to loss of sexual interest and weight fluctuations.
 
Any person who is using an antidepressant medication should consult a physician regularly The best outcomes result from a combination of antidepressant medication and counseling or psychotherapy (talk therapy).
 
For more specific information on antidepressants, consult a family doctor or mental health professional.
 
Side Effects from Commonly Prescribed Antidepressants
 
 
Aventyl (nortriptyline):
dry mouth; constipation; weakness-fatigue; tremors
Effexor (venlafaxine):
nausea; headache; sleepiness; dry mouth; insomnia; constipation
Elavil (amitriptyline):
dry mouth; drowsiness; weight gain; constipation; sweating
Nardil (phenelzine):
dry mouth; insomnia; increased heart rate; lowered blood pressure, sedation; over stimulation
Norpramin (desipramine):
dry mouth; increased pulse; constipation; reduced blood pressure
Pamelor (nortriptyline):
dry mouth; constipation; weakness-fatigue; tremors
Parnate (tranylcypromine):
dry mouth; insomnia; increased pulse rate; lowered blood pressure; over stimulation; sedation
Paxil (paroxetine):
decreased sexual interest and/or problems achieving orgasm, nausea; sedation; dizziness, insomnia
Prozac (fluoxetine):
decreased sexual interest and/or problems achieving orgasm; nausea; headache; nervousness;
insomnia; diarrhea
Sinequan (doxepin):
dry mouth; sedation; weight gain; lowered blood pressure, constipation, sweating
Tofranil (imipramine):
dry mouth, reduced blood pressure, constipation, difficulty with urination
Wellbatrin (bupropion):
agitation; weight loss, dizziness; decreased appetite
Zoloft (sertraline):
decreased sexual interest and/or problems achieving orgasm; nausea; headache; diarrhea; insomnia;
dry mouth; sedation
 
Lithium
The most commonly prescribed medication for bipolar or manic disorders, lithium evens out the mood swings between high
and low. While lithium diminishes severe manic symptoms,  it takes 5 to 14 days to be effective, and it may be months before the condition is fully controlled.
 
Anti-psychotic drugs may be used in conjunction with lithium in the initial stages of treatment. As well, antidepressants may
be necessary during depressive phases.
 
Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
When antidepressants prove ineffective, ECT is an option. Once known as "shock therapy", ECT is safe and effective, but has
been given a bad name because of films and books like 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'.
 
Many people who could benefit from ECT don't consider it because of outdated or misinformed perceptions. They should. In
treating severe depression, ECT has a success rate of 80 to 90%.
 
Herbal Medicines and Alternative Therapies
For many people, herbs such as St. John's Wort and ginko have proven beneficial in alleviating the symptoms of depression.
 
Like any other medication that is strong enough to be effective, these herbs can have unpleasant side effects, and should
only be used under medical supervision. St. John's Wort, for instance, should never be taken by anyone who is already on antidepressant medication, or by a woman who is pregnant, or suspects that she may be pregnant, or who hopes to conceive while being treated for depression.
 
The Potential Harm of Herbs
Although most physicians and patients will acknowledge that prescription and over-the-counter medications have potentially
harmful effects, many people are not aware of the potential harmful effects of some herbs used in complimentary or alternative medicine:
 
Sassafras
used as a tonic or painkiller - can cause vomiting and paralysis; there are also reports of death from taking a single teaspoon.
Coltsfoot
used as a cough suppressant - may cause cancer and liver problems.
Laetrile
used to combat cancer - is potentially poisonous.
Lobella
used for asthma - can cause vomiting and diarrhea and has been declared a poisonous plant by the FDA.
Mistletoe
used to combat cancer - may be fatal in children after 1-2 berries.
 
Further drug interactions with St. John's wort
Taking St. John's wort has been shown to interfere with the blood thinning properties of coumadin and with medications used
after transplant surgery.
 
If you or your care recipient have had an organ transplant (e.g., heart or kidney) and are on cyclosporin, St. John's wort may
counteract the activity of the cyclosporin and increase the risk of organ rejection.
 
Similarly, St. John's wort may lessen the effects of coumadin resulting in the blood not being thin enough while taking this medication.
This "non-thinning" affect on the blood may increase the risk of certain conditions like strokes and blood clots in the lungs
 
==============
Antidepressants Linked To Sexual Dysfunction More Often Than Expected
NEW ORLEANS (Reuters Health) -
 
Nearly 40% of people taking antidepressants experience sexual problems after beginning their medication, Dr.  Anita Clayton, associate professor and vice chair of psychiatric medicine at the University of Virginia Health Systems in Charlottesville, Virginia, told participants here at the annual meeting of the American PsychiatricAssociation.  This rate is nearly twice what the patients' physicians predicted.
 
Certain antidepressants were more likely to be associated with sexual dysfunction. Compared with bupropion SR (Wellbutrin), sexual problems were six times more likely to be reported by subjects on venlafazine XR (Effexor), five times more likely in patients on paroxetine (Paxil) or sertraline (Zoloft), and four times more common in patients on fluoxetine (Prozac).
===========================================
Antidepressants That Increase Serotonin Reuptake Inhibition Raises Risk of GI Bleeding
WESTPORT, CT (Reuters Health) Sept 20 - Antidepressants that result in a high inhibition of serotonin reuptake further
increase the risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding among older adults who are already at risk, Canadian investigators report in the British Medical Journal for September 22.
 
Dr. van Walraven emphasized that physicians need to take into account overall tolerance and effectiveness when choosing an antidepressant for their elderly patients. "This is just another factor they need to consider when prescribing," he added.
============================
Paroxetine (Paxil) Effective - Adolescent Depression
 
What's interesting, to me, is the following were excluded from this study: diagnosis of bipolar, schizoaffective, eating, alcohol or substance use, obsessive-compulsive, autism/pervasive developmental or organic brain disorders.
 
========================
Landmark Study Finds Paroxetine Effective Treatment for Adolescent Depression
 
Clinical Implications
 
"Major depression in adolescents is an increasingly recognized clinical problem that is remarkably under-studied," say the authors. With very few well-controlled studies of SSRIs, the present study findings are "there-fore relevant to clinicians who are faced with treatment decisions for depressed adolescents and a relative paucity of data guiding therapeutic choice."
 
Keller et al. conclude that "SSRIs are the medications of choice for the treatment of major depression in adolescents because they are the only agents that have been shown to be efficacious in this population; they have a safer side-effect profile than other antidepressants, particularly in overdose; and they can be administered once daily."
==============================================
Venlafaxine Efficacious for Major Depression
A DGReview of :"Treatment of major depression with venlafaxine"
06/13/2001
 
Venlafaxine is both efficacious and safe in the treatment of major depression. Greek researchers conducted a clinical trial of the drug, testing 50 patients diagnosed with major depression under Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV criteria.
 
This was a first depressive episode for 40 percent of participants. A total of 30 percent of the patients were 65 years or older and 60 percent were women.
 
Drug dosage was adjusted by patient age. For those younger than 65 years, dosage was 100 to 150 milligrams per day. For those 65 years and older, dosage was 75 to 100 mg/d.
 
All patients received drug therapy for eight weeks. They were also instructed in behaviour-cognitive techniques. Instruction included activity programming and satisfaction techniques.
 
Researchers assessed the participants using three instruments: the Hamilton Depression Scale, the Hamilton Anxiety Scale and the Mini Mental State Examination.
 
They note that 10 percent of participants discontinued treatment because of adverse events. These included nausea, headache, somnolence, dizziness, insomnia, dry mouth and malaise. Four percent stopped drug therapy because they reported no improvements.
 
Investigators report: "A total of 79 percent of those who completed their treatment showed improvement at the end of the eighth week; 65 percent were clinically improved at the end of the fourth week, and 75 percent at the end of the sixth week.
 
"Higher rates of clinical improvement seen in our study were attributed to the use of behaviour-cognitive techniques not applied in other studies."
 
Encephalos: Archives of Neurology and Psychiatry, 2001; Vol. 38 (2), April-June. "Treatment of major depression with venlafaxine"
Source:  Doctor's Guide