Treatment of chronic tension type headaches with prozac

The paper summarizes the experience of therapy of chronic tension type head ache (TTH) with prozac (fluoxetine) a selective serotonine reuptake inhibit or. The data are presented concerning clinical psychologic examination of 2 0 outpatients with chronic TTH both before and after therapy with prozac in daily dose of 20 mg during 6 weeks. Background study of the patients revea led severe depression (according to Beck's and SCL-90 scares), anxiety (Spi lberger scale) and alexitimia ( Toronto scale). Before the treatment, a fre quency of TTH attacks was at least four times a week, the intensivity was e qual to 8,9 scores according to visual analogous scale. Together with a hea dache there were psychopathologic and psychoautonomic manifestations. After the course of therapy the headaches disappeared completely in 25%, white c onsiderable improvement was observed in 75% of the patients. The levels of depression, anxiety, somatization have decreased significantly too. Side ef fects as well as withdrawal syndrome weren't found. The role of depression in formation of chronic TTH, as well as the role of aliextimia in Formation of somatizated variation of the depression were considered.