All Entries in the "Trichotillomania" Category

Medication Update

Throughout the year of 2009 I took several different vitamins and supplements.  I began taking many of them during Spring, when the sun was coming out more often.  Because of the timing I was never sure if it was the sun or the medications that were making me feel better.

I was taking the following daily to help with depression:

Vitamin C- 1000 mg
Vitamin D- 1000 iu
Fish Oil- 2000 mg

The sun has now hidden itself away until next year, and so I hesitantly decided to do an experiment.  I am still taking 15mg daily of Paxil, but as of 3 weeks ago I have stopped taking everything else.  Tareak and I haven’t noticed any changes in mood or behavior.  As much as I’d like to think they were helping, it seems as though they weren’t doing much.

About three months ago I started taking 2000 mg daily of N-acetylcysteine, for trichotillomania.  Unfortunately I didn’t notice any changes or improvements in my trichotillomania.  I was very hopeful that it would be the breakthrough I needed, but considering there is no cure for trichotillomania to date, I’m not surprised that it didn’t help.

I plan to start seeing a counselor early next year and may try switching to or adding Wellbutrin.  My depression is currently under control, but I still feel like I am just “surviving”, and not really living.

N-acetylcysteine

A few weeks ago Tareak came across an article describing a treatment for Trichotillomania.  Currently there is no cure for Trichotillomania, but there are some different ways it can be managed.

This article described a small study done with 50 people.  They used an over-the-counter antioxidant called N-acetylcysteine to assist in the treatment of trichotillomania symptoms.  There was an over 50% success rate in comparison to the 16% success rate in the group receiving the placebo. N-acetylcysteine (abbreviated NAC), is a pharmaceutical drug used mainly as a Mucolytic agent and in the management of paracetamol (acetaminophen) overdose, but it has shown to be somewhat effective in treating OCD and is undergoing clinical trials.

The article “theorizes that trichotillomania may be a kind of grooming irregularity that falls into the obsessive-compulsive family of disorders. “Some parrots pull out all their feathers,” he says. “Some mice pull out all their fur.”"

“That may explain why the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine can help prevent it. The compound is thought to work by reducing the synaptic release of a neurotransmitter called glutamate. As Grant told me, glutamate is the communication chemical that “tells the brain, ‘Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it!’ And the rest of the brain can be overwhelmed by this drive state.” Reduce glutamate and you may reduce the drive state. Previous studies have suggested the supplement may also reduce urges to use cocaine and to gamble.”

My trichotillomania symptoms had been getting worse since getting a puppy.  My stress levels have been considerably higher and I’ve been functioning on less sleep.  About 2 weeks ago Tareak and I picked up some NAC and I’ve been taking it daily.  I probably won’t notice any difference for another couple months, but hopefully it will help!

Trichotillomania Research

I was doing some trichotillomania research and came across this article and video featured on 20/20 last year.

The article discusses the mystery of trichotillomania in that the psychiatric community has a hard time classifying the disease.  The article states:
“It’s called trichotillomania, or “trich” for short. Although trich is treated as a psychiatric illness, the latest evidence suggests that it’s not a “bad habit” like biting your nails or cracking your knuckles, or even an obsessive compulsive disorder.
Trich may have more in common with Tourette’s syndrome, a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, involuntary movements or vocalizations called “tics.”
“Trichotillomania is such a medical mystery because we still know very little about the genetics and biology of it,” says Dr. Nancy Keuthen, who heads a trichotillomania clinic in Boston.
According to the Trichotillomania Learning Center (TLC), up to 11 million people in the U.S. suffer from the uncontrollable urge to pull out their own hair, eyebrows, even their eyelashes.
“They may spend hours in front of a mirror in these very odd postures trying to locate that one hair that they know is there that they feel doesn’t belong,” Keuthen said.

While researching this disease, or gene mutation, or whatever it is- I felt very lucky to only have a mild condition.  While it is embarrassing to usually not have any eyelashes I feel fortunate that I am able to control the impulses enough that I don’t need to wear wigs or go to other extreme measures.

I have however started to wear headbands on occasion to hold down the newly grown hairs that were recently pulled out.  Instead of focusing on why I am wearing the headband, Tareak is always quick to comment how cute he thinks my new hair style is.  I am very lucky to have a supportive and optimistic husband.  The video is about 9 minutes long, but shows clearly the pain and embarrasment usually associated with this disorder.  Click Here to watch the video.

Baby vs. Paxil

Leslie and I talked about starting our family last week and it went well.  We were able to talk about it with out all the tears (OK there were a few).  I guess that additional 5 mg of Paxil is helping.  We also talked to her doctor about the effects of her medication on a baby if she were to get pregnant.  she said that Paxil is potentially dangerous and to look into other types of drugs that might not be as harmful.  As Much as I would like Leslie not to be on any drugs I accept that it will take a lot longer then previously thought before that can happen. So a possible compromise will be a low dose of medication thorough the pregnancy.  The question is what is the right drug and how much.  Paxil helps Leslie with OCD, Trichotillomania , anxiety as well as depression.  By switching to something like  Zoloft or Prozac we are going to have to come up with a plan to tackle those other conditions.  For right now I’m doing a little research on the various drugs out their so I can get a better idea what type of direction we want to go in once Leslie is ready mentally for the challenge.