Antipsychotic side effects or adverse reactions

[Lilu]

Antipsychotics side-effects check list

 

http://www.cqaimh.org/pdf/tool_asc.pdf

 

I think a lot of these also apply to antidepressants as well.   I developed some of these symptoms even after 4 years on Pristiq. Doctors refused to acknowledge that it was a side effect, saying that you cannot develop new side effects after such a long period of time.

 

I tried to cut and paste the file, but it's password protected.

 

 

antipsychotic side effects checklist.pdf

[Altostrata]

Thanks, Lilu.

 

Here are a few adverse effects I was able to copy from the checklist:

 

Extrapyradmidal Symptoms (EPS)

- Refers to the movement disorders that occur when there is a disruption of the brains extrapyramidal system

- Can be caused by antipsychotic agents, both 1st and, to a lesser extent, also by 2nd generation agents

- Akathisia: a motor restlessness; inability to resist the urge to move; pacing and inability to sit still are common

- Drug-induced Parkinsonian symptoms: tremor and muscle rigidity; also with extreme slowness of movements

 

Severe Extrapyradmidal Symptoms not captured by the ASC-C:

- Acute Dystonia: sudden muscular contractions; often produces neck or jaw spasms or

cause eyes to roll up

- Tardive Dyskinesia: spasmodic involuntary movements; writhing-like movements are

common in the face, mouth, tongue and hands. Assess dyskinesia using the Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS) (available in STABLE Resource Toolkit)

The checklist also contains definitions of many symptoms, such as akathisia.

[calithebold]

I have been taking chlorpromazine for four weeks and started getting a constant burning sensation on my skin in the middle of last week and I was told by my pdoc to go off it but instead I reduced it by 25% two nights ago after advice, then by 50% last night when the burning continued. I still have the burning at 50mg and I told the pharmacist that does all my meds up and she got very worried and told me to go off it tonight as she is worried about a toxic reaction if I hold or continue to just taper, that she said could cause severe issues, even death. Kind of freaked me out. Caught between differing advice, not sure what to do, certainly don't want anything awful to happen. I have had little withdrawals, a bit low for a short period yesterday afternoon and bounced back within a couple of hours and then a headache this morning which went away with some paracetamol and some dizziness this morning. I also, naturally, found it hard to get to sleep last night. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Cali

[degen12]

Your pharmacist might be thinking of Steven-Johnson Syndrome. Do you have any skin eruptions? Chlorpromazine is an anti-histamine and can cause allergic reactions when tapering (I imagine, as other anti-histamine's do as well).

 

I don't know whether you are having a reaction to the drug or the withdrawal of it.

 

Maybe someone here has more knowledge about a burning reaction than I do.

 

In any case I would try and get a third opinion from a medical professional if you can, and go to the ER straight away if you have any signs of Steven-Johnson Syndrome.

[calithebold]

Chlorpromazine Is the same as largactil in Australia which is a typical antipsychotic. I believe it's what is called Thorazine in the US. It causes sunburnt skin as a side effect. I have what feels like an awful case of sunburn without the sunburn. Since I feel the burning all the time even with the 50% reduction in the drug, the pharmacist is worried that this adverse reaction could get worse if I don't stop it now.

[Altostrata]

Yes, it sounds like the pharmacist is concerned you are having an allergic reaction, such as Stevens-Johnson.

 

About symptoms of Stevens-Johnson http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1197450-clinical Is the burning sensation on your face and chest?

 

http://nihlibrary.ors.nih.gov/jw/POC/USJS.htm

 

HISTORY AND CLINICAL PRESENTATION — Drug exposure commonly precedes the onset of symptoms by one to three weeks (average 14 days) in medication-related cases [34]. Reexposure may result in onset of symptoms in as little as 48 hours [35].

 

Signs and symptoms

 

Prodrome — SJS and TEN typically have a prodrome of fever and influenza-like symptoms one to three days before the development of mucocutaneous lesions [36]. Fever is usually higher with TEN, and often exceeds 39 degrees Celsius [34]. Skin tenderness, photophobia, and conjunctival itching or burning may be early symptoms in both conditions.

The following signs and symptoms, when present early in the course of a drug reaction or illness, should alert clinicians to the possibility of SJS/TEN [36]:

• Confluent erythema (erythroderma)
• Facial edema or central facial involvement
• Skin pain
• Palpable purpura
• Skin necrosis
• Blisters and/or epidermal detachment
• Mucous membrane erosions and crusting
• Swelling of tongue

Skin — The skin lesions typically begin as ill-defined erythematous macules with purpuric centers, although about 50 percent of cases of TEN begin with diffuse erythema [1,5,6]. In SJS, the lesions are often quite targetoid, while in TEN, the targets may be more atypical and less well-demarcated. A burning sensation or other paresthesias may be noted. In the early stages, skin pain can be prominent and out of proportion to clinical findings, particularly in TEN [7,34]. Lesions are symmetrically distributed, and start upon the face and thorax before spreading to other areas....

 

 

 

An adverse reaction justifies a fast taper, severe adverse reactions, such as Stevens-Johnson, can call for abrupt discontinuation regardless of the risk of withdrawal syndrome.

 

 

[calithebold]

Thanks Alto. I have the burning sensation over my whole body. It's on my face and back of my neck and arms and legs. If someone touches my skin it's awful. I have no rash or lesions that I can see. I thought the symptoms had gone this morning but they started again about an hour later. I have a headache and feel hot. I don't have any way to check my temperature. I do have nausea that comes and goes. I have some maxalon for the nausea but don't know whether to take it or ride it out. I think I'd prefer to ride it out. When I spoke to the pharmacist, she spoke to me very urgently and said I had to go off it immediately because of it being life threatening.

[Altostrata]

It sounds like it's making you very sick. If I were you, I'd go off it. I hope this doesn't cause withdrawal symptoms.

[calithebold]

I've only been on it four weeks. So hopefully not. A nurse is coming to see me.

[Risperdrawlin]

Hello,

 

I'm currently coming off Risperdal and I'm wondering how I might feel and act once I'm off the drug compared to how I am now. If you have been on Risperdal and are now off it, what is different? How do you act and feel different off the drug? I would especially like to hear from people who have tapered off Risperdal safely.

 

I'm still on Risperdal, but I imagine when I'm off it I will have more affect. I don't really know what else.

 

Thanks!

[Jim24]

When I was on Risperidone I felt heavily sedated I was on 4mg a day 2mg in the morning and 2mg at night It was to high of a dose for me but I didn't know that,

I would also sleep way to much, couldn't cum after an orgasm and it made me wet the bed a few times and I never did that before. One day I felt this overwhelming shock feeling followed by a panic feeling in my chest it was really bad felt like brain damage or something or like someone hit me in the head with a brick, I took this "med" for 3 months and stopped it I did tapper for like 4 weeks from 4mg to 2mg then to 1mg and finally .5mg I have been off it for 4 months now and am experiencing no emotions besides worry, fear and guilt (anhedonia) I cant get pleasure from anything (apathy) my world just feels dull or like my souls been ripped out of me, im like a zombie constantly in a daze, cant think clearly like I used to, unmotivated, an inability to communicate in the real world, memory loss, insomnia, I have wild dreams every night,dont get excited about anything, slow thinking, feels like I lost IQ points, very low energy and fatigue, cant have fun, I am only existing, I dont enjoy anything,the only memories I have are memories and feelings from the time before I took the medication, it is the worst feeling to feel like you are a stranger to yourself . I feel like I am a walking dead person, I would give anything to feel the feeling of physical tiredness and actually take a nap, nonexistent, sex drive gone so ya its hell to say the least, before I took these "meds" I was very happy, cheerful, very creative, bubbly, could listen to music for hours, loved taking showers and driving into town, funny, could think of things to say on a dime and make anyone laugh, talk to girls, do hard labor no problem, had abs and a muscular structure, I was charming, had a care free zest for life, was healthy as a horse, did all kinds of activities, had loads of energy, my cum could hit the ceiling, went to bars/clubs, could party all night, and enjoyed every waking moment of my life, so ya Risperidone ruined my life and now im praying alot and hoping all the bad things are just withdrawals and will go away within a year or so...if not, shotgun sorry...and thats what its like for me feel free to ask me questions??       

[Risperdrawlin]

Jim, I'm so sorry this is happening to you. Did you read this: http://www.dbtselfhelp.com/html/radical_acceptance_text.html? Have you tried meditation? http://practicingmentalillness.blogspot.com/2013/03/how-to-begin-meditating.html

[westcoast]

Jim, I know what you mean about being a zombie who doesn't ever get tired enough to need a nap. If only my mind would get tired like it used to. One night not long ago I ended up staying up all night reading stuff on the internet. The following night I was able to fall asleep. But that is a high price to pay.

[Miko789]

Can someone work while on neuroleptic medication, Risperdal, Is it possible?

I'm thinking on moving to the UK for work.

[Risperdrawlin]

Miko789, YES, you can. Not sure if you're trying to come off. I found that after I came off Risperdal I felt better. I think I had more energy and emotional expression.

[LucaDiProspero]

ypu are very lucky guy risperdrawlin! risperdal killed me many months ago

[Risperdrawlin]

Thanks Luca. If I were you, I would not be so quick to dismiss your experience as having "no emotions". You've had a lot of med changes and a lot of stuff go on. I think if you had no desires you wouldn't be trying to change anything. You're also currently taking Valium which might have a numbing effect. You should check out DBT, it's helped me. So have meditation and regular (Monday-Friday) work in a fast-paced, social environment. I got exercise and interacted a lot.

[Miko789]

Miko789, YES, you can. Not sure if you're trying to come off. I found that after I came off Risperdal I felt better. I think I had more energy and emotional expression.

 

 

Yeah I try to come off but first I have to taper off seroxat.

 

How long did it take u to taper off completely?

how long have u been taking it?

[antidepressantsNoMore]

I'm coming off saphris right now, was only on it for 2 months and my anxiety is bad. I am barely sleeping at night. Insomnia was listed as the number one w/d symptom of saphris. But the anxiety thing is bugging me out even more. A good drug you can buy online to help wd is picamilon.

[Risperdrawlin]

Hey Miko789, sorry for the late response, I hadn't checked the site in awhile. I'm off Risperdal. I'm currently tapering off Lamictal. I'm at 1.5625 mg of Lamictal per night. You can see how long it took me to taper off Risperdal and everything in my signature and intro thread. This post here (http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7656-risperdrawlin-trying-to-come-off-all-psychiatric-medication-eventually/?p=163397). I stopped Risperdal June 20th, 2015 and haven't taken a dose since then. I had started taking it March/ April 2013, and I started tapering it early October, 2014. The taper took about 8 and a half months. I had been on the drug for about a year and a half before I started tapering.

[Miko789]

Hey Miko789, sorry for the late response, I hadn't checked the site in awhile. I'm off Risperdal. I'm currently tapering off Lamictal. I'm at 1.5625 mg of Lamictal per night. You can see how long it took me to taper off Risperdal and everything in my signature and intro thread. This post here (http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7656-risperdrawlin-trying-to-come-off-all-psychiatric-medication-eventually/?p=163397). I stopped Risperdal June 20th, 2015 and haven't taken a dose since then. I had started taking it March/ April 2013, and I started tapering it early October, 2014. The taper took about 8 and a half months. I had been on the drug for about a year and a half before I started tapering.

 

No problem, I too don't log in to the website too often.

Have you been taking the long acting injection 25mg ? and then you stopped and start tapering with liquid Risperdal the last 8 1/2 months?

I am now taking the injection 25mg every 15 days. I start taking it from October 2013.It's about 1,66mg/day. what's the liquid Risperdal called? My doctor doesn't agree to reduce gradually the drug, I have to convince him.He says to continue taking it for a year more

[Risperdrawlin]

I never took a long-acting injection. I took a pill or pills every day. I'd do some research; I think some people might have experienced withdrawal effects when switching, even if the supposed dose per day did not decrease.

 

I am going to write something about my own approach to/ experience coming off these drugs (a separate post). I think you should consider a new psychiatrist (and I mean consider, not switch to-- consider). I would be wary of committing to being on the drug a day longer, let alone a year. Supposedly the longer you are on it the more it affects your brain chemistry.

 

I have come off these drugs while doing DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) and meeting about every month to month-and-a-half with a psychiatrist. I go to a DBT group once a week where we learn skills from a program intended to help people manage emotions and related things. Mindfulness is the core skill, the most important one. DBT is intended for people with Borderline Personality Disorder or a history of suicide attempts or self-harm. In addition to the group, I attend individual therapy twice a week with a therapist trained in DBT and we talk about a lot of stuff. So that's 3 "therapy" appointments per week, sometimes "4" if you count the psychiatrist some weeks. Along with the appointments I fill out a DBT diary card every night which tracks what I did that day, how I felt, my desire to self-harm or commit suicide or escape etc, my desire to quit therapy, and which of the DBT skills I used that day. I also meditate or do a meditation-like activity for 10 minutes each night before bed. I also keep a notebook of the drugs (what dosage I took each day and I make sure to check off that I took the drug), what times I wake up and go to sleep, and the vitamins/ other prescriptions I need to take, and if there's something else I need to do every day like homework for the DBT group I can or do throw that in there as well.

 

As far as coming off the drugs, I have been basically completely in charge since the beginning. I have kept track of my symptoms and reduced my doses when I've felt ready. I've had my own way of looking at coming off the drugs and my own method I've followed. I will write about it in the post, which I plan to link to. If I forget to leave a link here just post here reminding me.

[manymoretodays]

I never met an antipsychotic I liked.  With Risperdal.......I took the first dose and I could hardly move my legs, like they were asleep or something.  It was terrifying.  I think that was it for that one.  One dose.  I don't remember the amount that I was prescribed.

[Risperdrawlin]

Word, thanks for your response manymoretodays.

 

Here's the post I just made about tapering (http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/10320-risperdrawlins-cut-big-hold-long-taper-principle-for-drugs-you-have-been-on-less-than-15-years/), Miko789 and anyone else who is interested.

[ppppp9]

I'm currently tapering off Risperdal from 2mgs. now at .05 mgs.  I hope to be off completely by Christmas.  I've had no withdrawals symptoms so far, doing a very gradual taper so I'm sure that's why.  I'm wondering how others felt getting off this drug after a slow taper.  Although you might not have had many symptoms from tapering, did any symptoms emerge once you stopped taking Riserdal keeping in mind you did a gradual taper?

[KarenB]

Welcome PPPPP9,

 

Congrats on getting so far on your taper - and with no w/ds!  You will be the envy of many here, but also an inspiration to take things gently.

 

Would you like to start yourself an intro in the Intro forum?  That way more people will 'meet' you and we can follow how things continue to do for you. 

 

I'm not on Risperdal, so I'll let others jump in to answer that question.

 

Karen

[Miko789]

Welcome PPP9 to s/a.

 

I'm also tapering off Risperdal. I'm on long acting injections. From March 2015 I tapered from 50mg/every 15 days to 25mg .without considerable withdrawal symptoms. Its 1,66mg /day. Don't know how it'll go from now on. Have to switch to oral to taper from here I suppose.

 

Forgive me for any grammatical errors as I'm not a native English speaker.

[canboy]

Yes yes, I know its an antidrugs forum, but really. ,if someone is suffering severely from withdrawal, wont it be better to resort to some [antipsychotic] to get some relief? And APs can be withdrawn after a few months and their withdrawal effects are not as severe as those from ADs and benzos.

Edited March 26, 2016 by Altostrata
merged topics

[compsports]

Yes yes, I know its an antidrugs forum, but really. ,if someone is suffering severely from withdrawal, wont it be better to resort to some AP to get some relief? And APs can be withdrawn after a few months and their withdrawal effects are not as severe as those from ADs and benzos.

Canboy,

 

As one who was open to taking sleep meds on a temporary basis due to severe insomnia, h--ll would have frozen over before I considered taking an AP for sleep.   Those drugs usually have the worst side effect profile even when taking them for a very short time.   And there is no guarantee that the withdrawal effects would be any better.  My guess is they would be just as bad.

 

49er

[InvisibleUnless]

1. adding more psychotropic drugs is not usually a helpful approach for people withdrawing.  you may or may not benefit, and your risk of side effects, interactions, or withdrawal seem heightened.  unless you will not survive without taking more drugs, this is generally asking if you should kick a man while hes down.

 

2. antipsychotics do not have an impressive track record of dealing with symptoms very well.  you didnt mention why you wanted to take them in this thread, but in your personal thread you mention insomnia and compsports comments on insomnia as well.  antipsychotics, like other psychotropic drugs used on-label or off-label for sleep, disrupt your natural sleep cycle.  you may not find them useful in gaining sleep, restedness, healing, or freedom from insomnia-related symptoms.  as an emergency measure, they are a very strong and risk-fraught option that some people do find useful, but i have never heard of any of those people being people already in withdrawal.  i am not saying it cannot help you, just that it carries a lot of risk and might be ill-advised.

 

3. antipsychotics, arguably, have worse withdrawal syndrome(s) than antidepressants.  that is not a very meaningful thing to say, though, because different drugs impact different people in different ways, and we may be fine or barely bothered by one discontinuation but highly disabled by another.  personally, in withdrawing from many different classes of medications, i place antipsychotics at the top of the list for worst symptoms in my own life, with anticonvulsants coming in before antidepressants as well.  people in the benzo PAWS (post-acute withdrawal syndrome) crowd often profess that benzodiazepines are the hardest drug to quit, surpassing illegal substances and other psychiatric meds alike.  they do not usually have the same severity of antidepressant discontinuation symptoms as some of the members on here (and elsewhere), so any sort of comparison is very subjective and context-driven.  perhaps you wouldnt find antipsychotic withdrawal as bad as antidepressant withdrawal, but i dont think the chances of that are good enough to entail risking it---and that is in addition to how points 1 and 2 already make antipsychotics a dim option for treating your symptoms.

[Altostrata]

There are no easy answers to dealing with withdrawal syndrome. If there were, we would be happy to give them.

 

Antipsychotics have many adverse effects, one of them being disruption of the sugar balance, causing weight gain and diabetes. They are truly dangerous drugs.

 

They are also difficult to taper.

[alenka9]

Hi everyone,

 

I have read that tianeptine helps with AD withdrawal. Has anyone tried it? I was originally planning to do Prozac bridge to come off Effexor, but now I'm thinking about adding tianeptine (Stablon) and making a jump from 150 to 75 Effexor.

 

 

[SquirrellyGirl]

Before you do that, I think a bit more research is in order.  Take a read of this thread, for starters:

 

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/9954-rainbowsmilingrock-stuck-on-cipralex/?p=192228

http://survivingantidepressants.org/index.php?/topic/7467-alwayslookup-thomas-introduction/?p=150116

 

In the first one, the OP said it helped initially with anxiety but that sleep suffered because of it, and after a few weeks they went off of it, so clearly it wasn't helping enough to stay on it.

 

I'm just not entirely sure how lowering synaptic serotonin with this drug would help when, upon withdrawing, there is already a low level in the synapse.  Maybe I'm not understanding this correctly.  My understanding is that SSRIs and the like increase the level in the gap, but then the nervous system DOWNREGULATES  serotonin production and receptors to restore homeostasis, meaning production is reduced and receptors are pruned back.  Remove the plug of the SSRI, so to speak, and now what serotonin is there gets taken back in the nerve cells since the receptors are no longer blocked, so presumably the level in the gap lowers more.  Serotonin production was downsized, meanwhile, and must be ramped back up along with building more receptors, which takes time.  Seems like a confusing mess to come off of a fairly high dose of Effexor while starting tianeptine at the same time.  Have you read how it is supposed to help, the mechanism?  If so, please share :-)

 

Jumping off from 150 or 75 while adding this drug is a huge gamble.  Besides, you've got the norepinephrine aspect of Effexor to contend with, that the taneptine wouldn't affect, far as I know.

 

I would do a lot more research on this before proceeding.  I think we would all love it if there were a drug that could safely mitigate psych med withdrawal, and there'd be flares going off alerting everyone to its existence!

 

I'm glad you brought this up, alenka9, since we can all learn from this investigation!

 

SG

[brassmonkey]

There is also the fact that  it has one of the worst records for liver damage and heart damage of all ADs.  Then you get into the actions on the opioid receptors which can cause physical addiction that needs to be addressed along with the taper it would require to get off of.

 

Despite the positive sound responses that the drug has, there is still the fact that nothing is going to replace the original medication. So once there is a switch of medications has been done there is still the fast taper/CT WD symptoms that have to be contended with.  At best the new medication will make you not care about them at worst it will accentuate them, but it will not make them go away. 

[alenka9]

SG, Brass,

 

Thank you so much for your warnings. I've done more reading and decided not to make a switch. The tought of being able to withdraw from Effexor quickly and in a painless way by using tianeptin was just an empty dream and you guys have most likely saved me from a nightmare that would most certainly follow!

 

I will now start a proper slow taper from Effexor.

 

Thank you very much again

 

Alenka

[SquirrellyGirl]

It's a tough pill to swallow, I know!  We are all in the same boat of holding out hope that there's something out there that would allow us to get off these meds faster!  We're in this together, my dear!

 

SG