I think im a little bit in love with Haldol

[esmereldaskysurfer]

I have a BAD history with AAP's:

 

Risperdal- crazy suicidal reaction, ended up on the psych ward

Seroquel- I call it Sluroquel for a reason, SO tired on it. Plus, was not man enough for my psychosis.

Zyprexa- Works, and works well. However, i gained 50lbs on it (and was still gaining) and was a complete emotionless zombie. I went to visit my family while i was taking it and they barely recognized me, my affect was so flat and i was so drugged out.

Saphris- Akathesia, horrible akathesia. Plus, passing out randomly because it was so sedating.

Abilify- I think i was taking a sugar pill, it did nothing.

Fanapt- See Risperdal, only minus the psych ward part this time

Invega- Just made me straight-up crazy, maybe the dose was wrong or maybe i just cant take anything that is remotely connected to Risperdal.

Latuda- Works decently i guess, lots of breakthrough psychosis and paranoia. Plus makes me randomly vomit and get orthostatic hypotension. I suspect it's been crapping out on me for some time, though.

 

With that in mind, the NP i see started looking at other options. My choices were Clozaril (heard it's more sedating than Zyprexa!), Thorazine (i've taken this in emergency situations and it makes my blood pressure bottom out, plus makes me really sleepy. But it does work, and there's a chance if i was on it long term rather than PRN the side-effects would lessen) or Haldol. I chose Haldol.

 

I started on 1mg a day, alongside Latuda. Immediately began to notice a difference, i could think clearly and rationally, i stopped having panic attacks all the time, i could sleep without being totally drugged out. My voices and paranoia greatly decreased. Can you say, wonder drug?!

 

We're now in the process of DC-ing Latuda. Part of this is, it just doesnt seem to be working any more, i hate being beholden to food to take my meds, and also my insurance company would dearly like to stop paying $1k + a month for me to be on it. So much so that they send me regular letters asking me to please take something else.

 

So, now im up to 2mg a day. Not sure how high we'll go, he's very concerned about side effects etc, but im almost daring to hope that there is actually a drug out there that might work.

[Crazyfroglady]

I used to take 15mg a day

 

I love Haldol

 

i'm trying to get my current pdoc to put me back on it ( I had one bad reaction - one time ugh) she's hesitant

meanwhile

I take currently 10mg of saphris at bedtime - I hate saphris

 

I would go back on injections if they would give me Haldol - or Thorazine

[binaryhermit]

Be careful of extrapyramidal symptoms... Haldol made my legs involuntarily move...

Though either a dose reduction or the addition of Cogentin (or possibly a combination of both) got rid of that.

 

EDIT: Though, other than that, Haldol was great.

Edited February 22, 2014 by binaryhermit

[esmereldaskysurfer]

Not sure how true this is, but he said that a lot of people who dont get along with atypicals generally have very good responses to typicals.

[San]

Glad you found something that works!

I took Artane with Haldol for EPS. That can happen, sometimes does. I took it as a precaution, it was PRN.

Haldol can go up to about 20mg a day. 

It's a good med. I find I don't respond to AAP's that well, and typicals are better for me, personally. I find typicals have less side effects, kick in faster and are more effective.

 

If you find you have EPS, there are a lot of options from OTC Benadryl, to cogentin, to artane. I tolerate Artane the best, with least side effects. I don't notice any from it.

 

Good luck. Glad you like Haldol, I hope it continues to work well for you! You are on a small dose, so EPS isn't a big worry. Many doctors prescribe anti-PD meds PRN.

[forgetmenot220]

I love Haldol...I started it and was like "where has this been all my life??" Except..I can't go past 0.75 mg because I get a tongue tremor. pdoc says I can use 2 mg for a few days when I have these certain "episodes" and while that helps a lot, it takes awhile for the tremor to go away. So, I stay with 0.5 mg of that and 5 mg of Saphris.

 

Cogentin doesn't work for me, blurry vision and it doesn't help, but I've never tried Artane!

[rowan77]

Last time I was manic and in the psych unit (a year ago) I was prescribed Haldol 5mg x3 daily PRN (along with olanzapine) and I have to say I loved it. I felt so calm.

 

I only took it for about 1 month until my mood was relatively stable.

 

Took a lower dose for a while before going off it altogether. I have taken Haldol at varying doses on a PRN basis over the years and it really help

[dancingteapot]

From what I remember Haldol was pretty good to me. My mind was quiet for awhile...not sure why they took me off of it.

[mellifluous]

it's always been my go to when i've been taken in

and i'm now on the depot injections and my head is definitely better than on the prolixin

i still have to take zyprexa though, too

[Siggmin]

Haldol worked really well for me for about a year or so. Now I take Saphris. When it works, it works really well... When I don't accidentally swallow some instead of letting it all melt.