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Suggest Treatment For Severe Head Tremors With Depression
I am writing about my mother who is 70 years old. She has had a hx of bipolar and has been lithium x 40 years. She recently was hospitalized for severe depression, difficulty sleeping. Lithium CR 300 increased to 450 mg. She was started Remeron which caused extreme groginess and was dc'd after a week. Wellbutrin XL 300 mg q am added. A week later, Celexa 20 mg qd. and Temezepam 30 mg qhs. added. She was discharged after a total of 2 1/2 weeks. She has been out of hospital x 1 week. About 3 days after discharge she began having severe hand tremors (she has had mild ones for years). The tremors are so severe that she cannot use utensils to eat her meals. She only weighs 90 lbs as it is. She is at an assisted living faciltiy and has isolated herself due to embarrassment. The problem is that her psychiatrist quit his practice recently and she has been referred to another. Her appt is not for another week but I feel something needs to be done now. The attending psychiatrist at hospital is not able to help nor is her primary MD who is not comfortable dealing with psych meds. I want to know which med is the likely culprit and how to decrease it in a way which will not cause her further problems. I am an RN. Thank you
I am sorry to hear about your mother who is having side effects from her anti-depressant medication. Both the Lithium and the Wellbutrin can cause increase in tremor and shaking. Since she was started on both it is impossible to tell which one is the cause. I would recommend stopping the wellbutrin and there is no weaning required with wellbutrin. If that does not stop the tremor then perhaps reducing the dose of lithium back the original dose of 300
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Suggest Treatment For Severe Head Tremors With Depression
Thanks for contacting HCM I am sorry to hear about your mother who is having side effects from her anti-depressant medication. Both the Lithium and the Wellbutrin can cause increase in tremor and shaking. Since she was started on both it is impossible to tell which one is the cause. I would recommend stopping the wellbutrin and there is no weaning required with wellbutrin. If that does not stop the tremor then perhaps reducing the dose of lithium back the original dose of 300 Hope this answers your question. If you have any further issues please feel free to contact us