somementill Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 I have been through a bunch of different APs. Most recently I have been put on Latuda, which I found to be a great drug for controlling paranoia, and clearing my thoughts. It also doesn't make me drowsy and gives me some energy. However, the second day on Latuda I suffered severe restlessness. I felt like I wanted to jump off a bridge and kept clawing away at my face. This is not the first time I've gotten this side effect, in my fact every AP does this to me. I would love to be on APs but I feel like I want to die when the restlessness kicks in. I have tried to combat it with Cogentin, which gave me psychotic adverse reaction. I also tried propanolol which dropped my heart rate to a dangerous level. I just can't get a break. Has anyone had this same problem, .. and can offer a solution? I feel like I am that rare person that is experiencing these symptoms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamito Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 I get akathisia very easily from APs. I'm sorry you have this issue. I found propranolol just masked the symptoms. Have you tried combining 2 AP's at lower levels? This is what I have had to do to combat the restlessness, and it works, because neither AP is at huge doses. But your mileage may vary. I hear Clozapine does not cause akathisia. Have you tried that? Also Zyprexa and Seroquel are less likely to, as well. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banana Smurf Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Akathisia is so horrible and it really sucks that you have that reaction on each of them. I'm on Latuda and benadry is easing my restlessness. I hope you're able to find something that can help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somementill Posted March 27, 2012 Author Share Posted March 27, 2012 I'm sorry you have the issue also, its a horrible feeling. I know most people dont understand unless you use these drugs how terrible the sensation feels. I have not tried combining before at lower doses, although it is an interesting thought. I have been on Zyprexa and Seroquel before and got restlessness from both. Seroquel was much worse, it didn't happen initially when I took it, it started getting real bad 6-8 months of taking it before I had to stop the drug; I tried taking Seroquel again after being hospitalized again and my body just rejected it, it made me very sick. Zyprexa gave me a milder form of it, very jittery and uneasy, so much that the doctor i was seeing started to think I had ADD instead. I will look into Clozapine, have not heard much of this drug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somementill Posted March 27, 2012 Author Share Posted March 27, 2012 Akathisia is so horrible and it really sucks that you have that reaction on each of them. I'm on Latuda and benadry is easing my restlessness. I hope you're able to find something that can help. Does Benadryl completely cure it? Maybe that's what I should use... The akathisia only acts up for abou 3-4 hrs per night, then it goes away. Does the same happen fo ryou? Just curious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowan77 Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 I had pretty bad restlessness/Akathisia on Abilify and was taken off it. I also had it on Risperdal. No problems with it on Zyprexa. I currently take Seroquel XR and I occasionaly get restless legs with it, usually when i'm very tired, but that's all. No akathisia with Seroquel XR and it works wonders for mr too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 I had it from abilify, but cogentin got it in check Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alien Navel Cord Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 I had really awful restlessness on Geodon. I went off that and went on Abilify and the Abilify didn't do it to me very often. Once in a while I'd feel like I needed to leap out of my skin but not every night like the Geodon did. And it was milder on the Abilify, too, not as big of a deal. But I know that feeling, it is awful and hard to make it stop... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squid Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Clozapine doesn't usually cause akathisia, however, it can be a nasty drug in the beginning, till the side effects go away. Also, you need to have regular blood tests on it due to a chance of it causing a blood disorder. I almost went on it because we thought my AAPs were making me restless. I decided not to, and the restlessness cleared some time later. Anyways, Cloazpine could be a good option if you've exhausted the other possibilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banana Smurf Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Benadryl doesn't completely cure it all the time, but it really reduces the restlessness for me. I don't seem to feel restless during the day, so I guess the akathisia is short lived for me. I take one benadryl about 20 minutes before I take Latuda, then take another with the latuda and I don't get uncomfortable. It would be a pretty cheap and easy thing to try. I actually keep forgetting to mention that I'm having akathisia to my pdoc because the benadryl is helping pretty well, but I don't know if cogentin is better for long term suppression of the akathisia, or if there's any negative effects from long term use of benadryl. I need to remember! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somementill Posted March 30, 2012 Author Share Posted March 30, 2012 Mnamna, thanks for the info. I don't think either drug is good for long term use. Cogentin can cause a psychotic reaction sometimes, which is what happened to me. I didn't know that is what was causing it until I stopped taking it. But I remember that it did work for akathisia. The other drug I remember working very well is Vistaril, which is also antihistamine like Benadryl, but its pretty heavy and knocks you out completely. According to wiki it doesn't have much toxicity or abuse potential, so I guess its safer than benzos. When I was taking Vistaril I had this weird effect where my eyes kept spasming and I couldn't focus. That makes me think, maybe I should look into that drug again, maybe at a lower dose. In the hospital they gave me a huge dose of it. It does have a negative effect on the nervous system just like benzos and antihistamines do.. so these drugs are possibly damaging in the long run altogether. Although Vistaril apparently has no effect on cognition and memory like benzos do. It's worth a shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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