Can Akathesia cause mucsle tension/ headaches?

[Alpam]

Around two or three times a year I get these really bad tension headaches that last between 2-6 weeks which I have to take Fentanyl and the occasional cortisone injection for. I also sometimes go to the physio, but it only helps a little.

I also suffer from really bad akathesia, and I was talking to a nurse the other day and they mentioned that akathesia can cause muscle spasms like the ones I am having.

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with this or could shed some light on what I can do.

I am currently taking 50mg of Dexamphetamine, 1mg Cogentin at night (only been on it for around 2 months) 300mg Pristiq and 300mg of Seroquel, plus PRN Valium, Voltaren and Largactil 25mg for nausea. Over the past 9 years I have tried pretty much every anti-psychotic on the market (to treat chronic med resistant insomnia/depression/anxiety) and recently found that if I mix my Seroquel with cannabis at night I can actually sleep with reduced medication (I was taking between 3000mg - 4000mg of Seroquel at night to get to sleep for around 4-5 months).

I also used to be prescribed Phenobarbitone for headache prevention/tremor but stopped it when I started the Cogentin as the Cogentin also stopped my tremor. Would going back on it help at all?

[Sloane]

How long have you had Akathisia for?? Akathisia is most often a psychiatric med side-affect, which can be treated by eliminating or reducing the medication that causes it. Have you/your doctor figured out what causes your Akathisia? Is yours a chronic form or unrelated to medications? 

I had Akathisia twice, both medication induced (once because of Abilify, once withdrawing from Clonazepam). Neither time I remember tension headaches (although both times were years ago). Both times I just remember horrible restlessness, physical and mental anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, and the complete inability to sit still. However I can see how all of these could cause tension headaches.

If your Akathisia is medication related, treating it first would most likely be your first step in seeing what causes your headaches, tremor, and muscle spasms.

 

 

[Alpam]

I am not really sure how long I have had it for, I have always been a restless and fidgety person. But I have noticed it more in the past 5/6 years now. I am pretty sure my akathesia is med related or at the least exacerbating the problem. I have dramatically reduced the seroquel I take at night which I am hoping will help, plus I now take Cogentin 1mg at night. I was also wondering if I should restart my phenobarbitone that I was prescribed for headache prevention and to stop my hands from shaking too much. Does anyone know if it helps?

The only other real problem I have had from antipsychotics is with a bit of TD I got from taking 40mg of Neulactil (Pericyazine)

[RoadToRecovery]

I don't want to sound like a Dr or anything but 3000-4000mg of seroquel a day is an over-dose edging closely to the LD50. Did your doctor really approve of that? Good call on the cannabis and seroquel combination, that will keep you on the planet a lot longer :).
 

Muscle tension and headaches could be a result of almost anything. Stiff muscles can be a result of too much antipsychotics, that's called Dystonia. Definitely they can be painful!

[San]

On 11/8/2015, 12:44:50, RoadToRecovery said:

I don't want to sound like a Dr or anything but 3000-4000mg of seroquel a day is an over-dose edging closely to the LD50. Did your doctor really approve of that? Good call on the cannabis and seroquel combination, that will keep you on the planet a lot longer :).
 

Muscle tension and headaches could be a result of almost anything. Stiff muscles can be a result of too much antipsychotics, that's called Dystonia. Definitely they can be painful!

Unless OP is 3kg, that is nowhere near the LD50 of Seroquel.

[Alpam]

Yes I was taking between 2-4g seroquel at night, and even then some nights I couldn't sleep. I dropped the seroquel down to 200mg a night and when combined with cannabis it worked well. However I am starting to get a bit of paranoia from the weed so I had to stop it, already I am back up to 1200mg of seroquel and I cant sleep.

And just for reference I am currently on 300 pristiq 1mg cogentin 90 ritalin 20mg paroxetine and 600mg seroquel (plus prn consisting of:200mg voltaren valium panadine forte metoclopramide, largactil nexium) . I am starting to drink alcohol again which I don't really enjoy but it helps sleep. I manage to get access to large amounts of seroquel as I stockpiled in the past and have been prescribed different strengths, plus I was getting my meds for free end of last year so I was getting as much as I could.

Also valium did nothing to relax muscles.

I personally believe that these spasms are caused by an external stressor amplified by akathesia and go down hill from there. Most reason stressor was the champix my pdoc prescribed, I lasted 5 days before going batty

[Sloane]

FWIW, Seroquel is often more sedating at lower dosages. 50mg of Seroquel knocked me out, but 600mg didn't.

When/how often/how much do you take the Ritalin? Depending on how much Ritalin you take and when you take, it can interfere with sleep. Ritalin, or any stimulant, can also cause physical and/or mental agitation.  Ritalin gave me headaches and caused restlessness when it wore off, its actually why I had to get off of it, and might be something to look into.

Besides the akathasia/muscle spasms and insomnia, how is your MI? If your depression and anxiety are under a good amount of control, it might be time to revisit your medications. Until you can find what medication is causing the akathasia... adding medications and changing the same medications will only add to your mental and physical health symptoms. Akathisia blows, I can't imagine having it for so long when it can be treated.