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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by JACJ on November 25, 2004, at 7:08:42
I am new to this board and would like to know more about the drugs I was on. I have done vasts amounts of research and just want to ask more about them since this board seems to know quite a bit. I was on drugs 2 years and 10 months. Was on 13 meds ( not all on at the same time)
The ones I am afraid of were the AP's. I was on Zyprexa first. My doseage was 5 mg and I think I was on that for several months and then I went onto Seroquel and I was on that for almost a year and I was on 50 mgs and then I went onto Geodon and I was on 80 mgs. I was on AP's for a total of 2 years and 4 months. Are these low dosages? I was wondering if anyone had movement side effects while on the drug or coming off of them?
Did anyone ever come off them cause they knew about the side effects? I found out at the last minute how bad they were and came off them cause drugs didn't work for me. Anyone done research on tardive dyskinesia? I am very interested in this. Thanks for reading.
Blessings,
JACJ
Posted by ed_uk on November 25, 2004, at 14:10:45
In reply to AP Use, posted by JACJ on November 25, 2004, at 7:08:42
Hello,
What would you like to know about APs?
Why were you prescribed Zyprexa and Seroquel?
Did you suffer from side effects while you were taking them?
Now that you have stopped, do you have any persistent problems which you believe are related to your use of antipsychotics?
What would you like to know about tardive dyskinesia?
5mg Zyprexa is quite a low dose. 50mg Seroquel is also a low dose.
Regards,
Ed.
Posted by Sebastian on November 25, 2004, at 20:16:57
In reply to AP Use, posted by JACJ on November 25, 2004, at 7:08:42
Lots of people stop AP's because of side-effects. They make you tired, generaly, especialy the ones you took. The zyprexa was a low dose, 20 mg would be high. I've been taking zyprexa for 7 years at 10 mg, I stop it for a while when the side-effects are more bother some. 80 mg Geodon is about mid range, a high dose would be 80 mg 2 times a day. 50 mg seroquel is a very low dose, they have a 300 mg pill also, normaly you might take this drug 2 times a day.
"tardive dyskinesia" is repedative uncontrolable body movements, like swalowing over and over again with out the ability to stop, untill you stop taking the medicine. Usualy if you stop the med it just goes away. I had it once, where I could not stop swalowing, so they put me on a different drug and it went away.
There is a difference between uncontrolable and just nervous energy, where you can stop it.
Do you have a diagnosis? I'm schitzoaffective. Which is sort of a mix between bi-polar and schitzophrenia. But more acuretly, major depresion with psychotic features. I went psychotic about 8 years ago, reciving treatment with meds and ECT and hopital stays. Just taking a med is usualy a good sign.
If I'm not mistaken, tardive dyskinesia, is not something you develop over time, but some thing that is usualy instant. And most go away imedialtly.
Sebastian
Posted by lostforwards on November 27, 2004, at 16:59:35
In reply to AP Use, posted by JACJ on November 25, 2004, at 7:08:42
Your chances of developing TD increase with your total lifetime dose. That's what I've heard.
From my experience and some reading:If you're concerned, you can do a few tests. One would be to check your tongue. Stick it out and look at it in a mirror: check for high frequency twitching( my desc.) or other large slower movements. You may want to move your fingers very quickly while looking at it in the mirror.
If movements start to appear, or if they get worse, then I'd say it's a side-effect.Just as a test you can drink a lot of coffee and see if any movements get worse.
A symptom of tardive dyskinesia is eyebrow arching. Mine didn't arch, but it did twitch. You know what I noticed though? When I winked the other eyebrow, it would arch. This didn't happen the other way around.
Another person I was talking to reported that one of their pupils was smaller or larger than the other. I'm not sure if this is an extension of the eyebrow thing.
You also want to look out for subtle things like crossing one of your legs when you sit down. If you didn't normally do this before and it just happened to appear with the use of the drug, be suspicious.
Sterotypies and postural TD are often not talked about.
Finally, check for the movements in the evenings. Mine are usually worst at this time of day. Interestingly enough, when I was untreated the evenings were also the times I felt best.
I believe the antipsychotics mask supersensitivity by keeping dopamine levels low. A good length drug holiday is a good test.
I've had various symptoms in the extreme when I was on the medication, and some of them went away after discontinuing use of the drug.
It is possible to have dyskinesia or dystonia that may go away. If it persists or develops after a few months off the AP then it's more likely a permanent side-effect.
Posted by JACJ on November 27, 2004, at 20:16:03
In reply to Re: AP Use, posted by lostforwards on November 27, 2004, at 16:59:35
Thanks Ed, Sebastian and Lost forwards for replying. I have done alot of research on TD and it just really interests me. I am so mad that I was put on them in the first place but happy to be off them. I am off them for 8 months now and had no side effects (physical) on or off them. I think my risk of developing TD now is none but I still get scared that it might start up. What do you think? I am also scared to take other medication b/c what if that triggers something. I will never go on psychotropic drugs, ever!!!!
Posted by ed_uk on November 27, 2004, at 20:29:56
In reply to Re: AP Use, posted by JACJ on November 27, 2004, at 20:16:03
Hi Jacj :-)
If you don't have tardive dyskinesia now, you never will.
Regards,
Ed.
Posted by JACJ on November 27, 2004, at 22:54:04
In reply to Re: AP Use » JACJ, posted by ed_uk on November 27, 2004, at 20:29:56
Thanks Ed for the reassurance. I am just afraid to take any meds now cause of my experience. Does the brain heal and go back to its original state? That is an impossible question but these are the questions I want to ask epxerts. I have so many and am just frustrated.
Posted by ed_uk on November 28, 2004, at 6:45:01
In reply to Re: AP Use, posted by JACJ on November 27, 2004, at 20:16:03
Hello,
If you never suffered from TD, what makes you think that your brain was ever damaged at all? Perhaps your brain doesn't need to heal, perhaps it is healthy already.
Regards,
Ed.
Posted by JACJ on November 28, 2004, at 10:10:25
In reply to Re: AP Use, posted by ed_uk on November 28, 2004, at 6:45:01
Hi Ed,
I was on alot of drugs. Granted they were high doses but any dose to me is not good IMO. I don't know if my brain is changed permanately or what happened. I just have so many questions. I will go on to a good life but my scare with these drugs have left me scared and no trusting of doctors. I am afraid to take a asprin now cause I don't know how that is going to react with all the drugs I have taken in the past.
Posted by ed_uk on November 28, 2004, at 11:11:15
In reply to Re: AP Use, posted by JACJ on November 28, 2004, at 10:10:25
Hi,
Do you have any symptoms which suggest that you have suffered any permanent damage? It sounds like you are experiencing a lot of anxiety and will need a lot of reassurance. I am not dismissing your anxiety, I know how bad anxiety can be.
I understand that your trust in doctors has been reduced, but remember... just because you were on a lot of drugs does not mean that you have suffered any permanent damage. You will not develop TD now, if you were going to develop TD you would have had symptoms of it many months ago.
Ed.
PS. Don't worry about the aspirin. If you haven't taken any medication for months there will not be a drug interaction.
Posted by ed_uk on November 28, 2004, at 12:06:07
In reply to Re: AP Use, posted by JACJ on November 28, 2004, at 10:10:25
Hi, :-)
You said...'I just have so many questions'.
What would you like to know?Ed.
Posted by ed_uk on November 28, 2004, at 12:10:45
In reply to Re: AP Use, posted by ed_uk on November 28, 2004, at 11:11:15
I see that you used to take lorazepam. Were you prescribed it for anxiety? Do you think that your current anxiety could be due to withdrawal? Do you have any symptoms at the moment apart from anxiety?
Ed.
Posted by JACJ on November 28, 2004, at 20:30:19
In reply to Re: To Jacj, posted by ed_uk on November 28, 2004, at 12:10:45
Hey Ed,
I will come up with list of questions soon. Does any experts come in here to answer questions? I just wouldn't want to have incorrect info. I am concerned about damage simply b/c the medical community doesn't know everything about these meds. Look at Vioxx now. How do I know I won't suffer down the road b/c of these meds. I have gotten so much better. I always suffered from anxiety and worry but it got worse when I was on the drugs and now that I have come off them. I can tell the difference when it is w/d and normal anxiety. I am going to try DBT and see how that works.I was on ativan for 2 years and 4 months and yes it did help it begin with but I quickly developed a tolerance to it. Benzos should not be prescribed for more than a few weeks yet people are on them for years. The longest time I knew someone on them was for 41 years. My god!! I know meds help alot of people but they also hurt alot too. I just wish the medical commmunity would shape up on their knowledge of drugs.
Thanks for listening.
JACJ
Posted by ed_uk on November 29, 2004, at 5:42:32
In reply to Re: To Jacj, posted by JACJ on November 28, 2004, at 20:30:19
Hello,
I look forward to hearing your questions. Don't worry, I won't attempt to answer your questions unless I believe that I'm capable of giving an accurate answer.
What sort of expert would you like to speak to?
Regards,
Ed.
This is the end of the thread.
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