Ask a doctor on the topic of General medicine

Depression blood test

July 27, 2012 | 30,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Frauke Gehring

Dear Sir or Madam,

My husband has been receiving treatment for depression for 10 years, which was triggered by severe stress at work. The depression manifests itself through chronic headaches that my husband experiences. He takes Zyprexa to help him sleep at night. The intensity of the headaches varies depending on how well he has slept. They tend to improve when he has had a good night's sleep. Some time ago, he mentioned that if I made him a minced meat and zucchini pan for dinner, his headaches would improve.

Ten years ago, he suffered a breakdown and spent a week in a psychiatric hospital. A blood test was conducted at that time, which came back normal. It is important to note that he was a new employee at the time, working 40 to 60, if not 70, hours a week (mental work!). He didn't have time to eat during the day and usually had pizza, cheese sandwiches, and beer for dinner. He took a maximum of 17 days of vacation and let the rest expire. He let himself be completely consumed by his job due to insecurity.

By chance, I came across the term biogenic amines in a children's nutrition book. It seems that sensitive individuals may have headaches in response to the breakdown of amino acids. The minced meat and zucchini pan has been on my mind ever since. My husband has noticed that he can somewhat control his headaches through his diet. Eating pasta and potatoes in the evening gives him headaches, while rice, minced meat, and chicken don't. However, pork chops give him headaches.

Now my question: Are there blood tests that health insurance does not cover but could help investigate the cause of the headaches further? Which doctor would conduct such tests? Would it be our regular physician? We are willing to pay for the tests if necessary.

Dr. med. Frauke Gehring

Hello,

Unfortunately, there are no such investigations available. Otherwise, the health insurance would cover them because it is much cheaper to conduct such an examination than to finance expensive tablets! All chronic headache patients do the same as your husband: they see what they can tolerate and eat accordingly. Often, red wine and cheese also trigger headaches, so it's best to avoid them.

However, I think you are simplifying things by assuming that the depression is only caused by the headaches! If the doctor prescribes Zyprexa, a potent antidepressant (and certainly not a sleeping pill), then he is already considering a more serious condition than just a reaction to the headache burden.

Therefore, I suggest that you both attend a doctor's appointment together to be better informed about the diagnosis and treatment plans. At the same time, I would recommend inquiring about psychotherapy, which is often very helpful in such a combination. I advise your husband to learn autogenic training, as it can help him relax wonderfully after a hard day and also influence headaches.

Best wishes,
Dr. Höllering, Specialist in Internal and General Medicine