Tardive Dyskinesia

Question: Does anyone know of a case of someone taking Abilify and getting tardive dyskinesia? It is the next Bipolar medication for me to try but I am terrified of getting tardive dyskinesia. I want to know the odds.

Answer: Your doctor can tell you. I have been on a drug now for seventeen years and my doctor test me every six months and so far no problems. You do have warning signs before you get it.... Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) is an involuntary neurological movement disorder caused by the use of neuroleptic drugs that are prescribed to treat certain psychiatric or gastrointestinal conditions. Long-term use of these drugs may produce biochemical abnormalities in the area of the brain known as the striatum. The reasons that some people who take these drugs may get Tardive Dyskinesia, and some people do not, is unknown. Tardive Dystonia is believed to be the more severe form of Tardive Dyskinesia.

Question: Does anyone have the side effect of Tardive Dyskinesia from an antidepressant? I think I am having this problem from taking so many different drugs over the years and I'm afraid it may be permanent. I believe it started when I was taking a simple antidepressant and the effect is that I am making unnecessary mouth movements all the time, particularly biting my lip and stuff like that. I had no idea I was doing it until someone mentioned it and now I am a little self conscious about it, although it is minor. I am just realizing what this is and I was wondering if anyone had this syndrome and did it go away when you changed medications?

Answer: Sorry to hear about this Birdie. First please ignore Simon W. I'm sure he's well intentioned but a little bit misinformed. I've seen patients with tardive dyskinesia. It used to happen a lot with older meds. It is rare these days with newer line medications. I've never seen or heard of a case where it was reversed. If it has an on again, off again quality to it, it just hasnt' become permanent yet, but it will unless the meds are stopped. Have you talked to your doc about changing meds. Really there are newer meds that don't have that as a side effect. So no it does NOT go away unless you change meds, and to the degree it progresses, that will be its permanent state even after you stop the med that brought it on. If you are having any symptoms of it, it is definitely time to call you doc and get a med eval, and in my opinion, a med change, because it will get worse, and it is permanent. Good luck getting it sorted out.

Question: After taking the medication Reglan for 2 years, I think that I am developing Tardive Dyskinesia.? I am having uncontrollable movements in my face, jaw, and neck. They are making things very uncomfortable. Is this a serious condition? I haven't been diagnosed with the condition yet, but I want to get more information on it. I am 18 years old and already developing this condition. Is it serious? What are effective treatments?

Answer: The FDA has just (in February) black-boxed Reglan as being high-risk for tardive dyskinesia http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/news/20090227/metoclopramide-drugs-get-black-box-warning. It's my understanding that no one should take Reglan for more than 12 weeks (3-4 months), so you should immediately (as in right now) contact the physician who prescribed Reglan for you. This physician will be able to diagnose the dyskinesia, or refer you to another physician who can diagnose and treat it. You should probably stop taking the Reglan immediately (ask your physician). I expect to see a huge inflow of class-action lawsuits against Reglan's manufacturers. I am already seeing on television the ambulance-chaser attorneys' offices advertising for this.

Question: Is uncontrolled mouth movement a sign of tardive dyskinesia?

Answer: It could be and needs to be ruled out.

Question: I have the symptoms of Tardive dyskinesia. What should I do? I have been taking Seroquel of & on for a couple years, Itook Risperdal when I wasn't taking Seroquel. I also take Klonopin. I have had these syptoms for awhile but did not know why I was doing it.

Answer: Hey!! It may or may not be tardive dyskinesia, but it COULD be, and it is a serious condition. So like others have already mentioned, I'd suggest you talk to your doctor ASAP. Better safe than sorry! Good Luck! :)

Question: is there anyone else suffering from tardive dyskinesia and how do they cope?

Answer: I know, it's not an easy syndrome to live with or try to explain to others, is it? I was a very small child when I began suffering from asthma and back then the medications weren't as finely tuned as todays, so I shook all the time. When I began experiencing mental and emotional problems around 30, I was prescribed an antidepressent for over a year that proved to be exactly the wrong medication for my illness. I am bipolar and was in an extreme manic state and the antidepressant just accelerated the whole scene. It was about 4 years after taking it that I went to a new psychiatrist and he immediately examined me physically and told me about tardive dyskinesia. He was very straight forwarded and didn't mince words. I was stunned and scared to think that I might have to live with this problem indefinitely. I was really bad too, even strangers at a store would ask me what was wrong and why I was shaking so hard. But after talking to my doctor about it, I realized that at least now I knew what was really wrong with me, that it had nothing to do with my other asthma medications or God knows what else. It had simply affected my central nervous system and I told this to whoever asked me about it. I coped well by not focusing on it; after all, it did no good and I knew the reason for it and it wasn't my fault. The years have passed and you know what--so have nearly all the symptoms. I hoped this helped you.

Question: Do Tardive Dyskinesia symptoms vary in intensity over the course of the day?

Answer: Yes. Tardive dyskinesia(s) are a nervous sytem disorder, and like all other tissues in the body, nerves need fuel. (Actually, nerves need fuel [glucose], oxygen, and activation.) As the day progresses you experience rises and falls in blood sugar levels and thus usable fuel. The nervous system may subsequently alter in its' ability to 'fire' leading to increases or decreases in neurological symptoms (depending on whether excitatory or inhibitory systems/pathways are involved). Try looking up "central integrative state" on the internet. This is a very simplistic answer, but the short version is that yes, symptoms may vary. Hope this helps some.

Question: Which antipsychotic medication has the lowest risk of Tardive Dyskinesia as a side effect?

Answer: The atypical neuroleptic clozapine (trade name Clozaril) has very low incidence of extrapyramidal symptoms and TOTAL lack of tardive dyskinesia, though it is not commonly used.

Question: can serouel cause Tardive dyskinesia is there any anti physcotics or meds for bipolar that dont run the risk of tardive dyskinesia?

Answer: All the anti-psychotics have some risk of TD. BUT, the newer, atypical anti-psychotics like Seroquel have a very low risk. Medicines that are used for Bipolar that do not cause TD include: Lithium, Depakote and Tegretol (Anti-epileptics), Lamictal (Anti-epileptics), and Neurotin. These are mood stabilizers are are traditionally used for Bipolar disorder as a first line of defense.

Question: Tardive dyskinesia - why does lowering dosage make symptoms worse! PLEASE HELP!? Please if your a doctor, why exactly does lowering antipsychotic drugs make my tardive dyskinesia temporarily worse?

Answer: That is just your body trying to adjust to the new drug level in your blood stream. It happens when you have too much, or when you suddenly stop the medicine as well.

Question: Tardive Dyskinesia? Hello all! I was wondering if any kind souls out there in Answers Land could point me in the direction of some good information regarding Tardive Dyskinesia? I'm after statistics and ideally, some client/patient side of the stories!! In advance of your answers I thank you x

Answer: I found these. Perhaps they may be of use. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tardi… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardive_dys… http://mentalhealth.about.com/cs/psychop…

Question: Is this Tardive Dyskinesia? I'm on two 'anti-psychotics' one typical and one atypical.. Anyway.. my legs or arms or even whole body just jumps/twitches outside of my control.. sometimes just once or in quick procession of each other. It's been happening for a long time now. Someone said it could be Tardive Dyskinesia.. But I thought that was to do with your mouth? Or could it be Dystonia? A few years ago I had a very distressing (and physically painful) incident with that where my muscles took control of themselves over a very short period.. which due to medication I no longer have trouble with. I told my psych.. he didn't really say much.. so I assumed it didn't matter.. Anyway.. I don't mind it much.. it's a fair trade for not being ill, I just don't want it getting much worse.

Answer: I think the tardive dyskinesia is like a twisting of the same muscles that are affected by dystonia. Parkinson's patient, Michael J Fox did a video where the medicine was I feel, loosening up the tremor or dystonia and converts it to a less locked twisting, a step better than tremor or dystonia. I had dystonic or spastic symptoms worse from pesticides and I was forced on antipsychotics more than once. The last caused my tongue to curl and after drinking coffee the body cramping would convert to wrist twisting, etc. Coffee is protective against parkinsons and such related disorders, but sometimes the better is temporarily more noticeable. If interested, there's info on non drug approaches. The book, "Back to Eden" lists herbs for mental problems and the human rights commission against psych drug use has doctors who both prescribe or don't prescribe psych drugs, but try to find what may help a person so they can try to be able to get off the drugs. Reasons like environmental sensitivity or organic and amino acid tests, etc may show a treatable problem and most mental health professionals don't know much on this nor adress this themselves directly.

Question: About Tardive Dyskinesia? I've just started taking Haloperidol 0.5mg, and my doctor says to increase the dose very slowly. He says after twelve days, I can take one 5mg tablet in the morning and one 5mg tablet at night. I'm happy with this, but there is something that concerns me. I was wondering if there is anybody out there who has Tardive Dyskinesia. Or, if you know of anybody that has it. If I only use Haloperidol short-term and at a low dose, can I still get Tardive Dyskinesia? Th following questions are for anybody that has it, is getting it, or has got it: How does it affect your life/everyday living What can you take to control it? Like muscle relaxants What are the first signs of it? So I know to stop the drug. How long does it take to develop it? How many weeks or months or years can you go before the problem starts? I ask this because I'm only on this drug until I can get put on Clozapine. Do you still have quality of life/or is it a 24 hour round the clock illness? Do you get it in the face before you get it in the limbs? Well, I think thats enough questions for now. But, don't refer me to Wikipedia, because I've already done that. I would like some responses from real life people. Somebody/anybody can you please add as much detail to your answers. I really, really need help with this. I don't want to end up in the nut house. So, if there is anything you think I should know, tell me. I've heard you can get Tardive Dyskinesia from the new anti-psychotics too. Thats alarming, because I've been on Seroquel for 2-3 years. Anyway, looking forward to your responses. Everybody is welcome to put their bit in. Thanks.

Answer: Here's a reference: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tardi…

Question: Tardive Dyskinesia after Geodon? I was on Geodon for a few weeks and then one day decided to just stop taking it. Ever since then I've been clenching and unclenching my jaw and its not something i can control. It's to the point now where my jaw is sore and I'm getting frustrated that I can't just stop doing it! There's no pattern to it. It's not a nervous/stress thing. I have no history of this at all. I was doing some research and it sounds like tardive dyskinesia. I know a lot of people have experience negative symptoms after going off Geodon. Could this be what I'm experiencing? What is the prognosis/treatment for Tardive Dyskinesia?

Answer: It is possible, however TD is generally a side effect of *taking* medications like Geodon, not a withdrawal symptom. I would make an appt to see the psychiatrist who prescribed the medication as soon as possible, both for this problem as well as possible alternative treatment for whatever caused you to be on Geodon in the first place. Benadryl helps some people, as does marijuana, but if you choose to medicate yourself be advised that you may actually make things worse. Your physician will likely prescribe a low-dose medication and monitor you closely. It's not unheard of for TD to progress or become permanent without treatment, so again please consult your prescribing physician and not just an anonymous webpage.

Question: Tardive Dyskinesia from Haldol? I'm on Haloperidol and I was wondering if there is anybody out there who has Tardive Dyskiesia. If its short-term low dosage Haldol, can i still get it? How does it affect your life? What can you take to control it? What are the first signs of it? How long does it take to develop it? How many weeks or months or years can you go before the problem starts? And do you still have quality of life? Thanks. And by the way, I've been on Seroquel for 2 tears.

Answer: Tardive Dyskinesia is associated with long term and high doses of antipsychotics and dopamine use. There is a 4% with Haldol of Tardive Dyskinesia but this dropped after 45. It is quite similar to the kind of tics you would expect in tourettes syndrome, There are medical treatments that can help or changing to things like risperidone or clozapine have less risk of the symptoms. In terms of control there are some medications that can be taken but how affective these are is under question. When the tics occur is also in debate some say 3 months others say over 4 years. The first signs tend to be involuntary movements like spasms or grimaces or eye blinking. How it affects your life, well the main thing is the social implications of the tics, you can still live a life with quality but may suffer the feelings of embarrasment associated with the tics. The higher level tics such as shaking and finger movements making it harder to function are rarer than the facial tics . Seroquel is known for not producing Dyskinesia as easily as Haldol but on a low dosage Haldol may be ok.

Question: are there any signs that tells me that my tardive dyskinesia will be permanent or it will subside by time?

Answer: Go to WebMd.com and look for yourself. This is a complicated and varying answer. It's best you do it and decided for yourself what's the best answer.