Haldol

So many people still take this drug?
I’m on 12 mg a day bc my dr says I have psychosis

It's an old one, but from what I have seen of the new ones, it's better. The new drugs cause weight gain in everyone I saw. I didn't see much weight gain in people on Haldol.

I only ever had a couple emergency Haldol injections at the hospital when in manic and psychotic crisis. It helped. The doctors did not continue it as a regular med, for me. I have taken two other 1st Generations as regular meds, though: Navane (Thiothixene) and Trilafon (Perphanazine).

I was put on haldol a few times. Up to 10 mg. Right now im on 2.5 which is the tiniest dose but it does seem to help. Haldol really takes away my psychosis- visual and aural. Never had an emergency shot though.

My sister who has paranoid schizophrenia and violent Satanic delusions and was permanently institutionalized was on Haldol in 1971 at the age of 11 and stayed on it till Clozaril became available.. It is a very old drug. Its a very common drug. Newer generations of antipsychotics are just as effective and have a much better safety profile. The risk of TD with Haldol is quite high and far less than with second generation antipsychotics. Second generation antipsychotics cause weight gain, which is a manageable side effect, but most people would rather stop the drug. I take high dose Risperdal for bipolar 1 disorder psychosis, trauma psychosis, and treating a psychotic DID part. Risperdal saved my life. Haldol just couldn't do the job.

Haldol was the first drug I was given in a psych unit. I was being transferred from ICU to the psych unit and was very very freaked out. Instead of talking to me and reassuring me that a psych unit was an ok place they gave me a choice of drinking the liquid or getting a shot. I passed out. It's strong and they gave me the same dose they would have given a 200 pound guy. At the time I was under 100 lbs had come from ICU where I'd been for three days nothing by mouth. The next day my head jerked involuntary and I thought this was it. My life was over. I've never taken it again.

Do you get weight gain from Risperdal? Everyone I saw on it gained at least 20 pounds and some much much more.

I had some weight gain but it was worth the price to not be psychotic. I can live with a few extra pounds. It's the psychotic symptoms I can't live with.

I have been on and off it numerous times. It was helpful. I was always on a low dose and we often skipped days as the half life played into things and I was worried about TD

If I’m full of an ugly rage-y mania and not able to keep myself safe I’d agree to take it again, short term only tho.

My pharmacy can’t get my dose in stock for the noon time
Dose. I’ve been taking the 10mg at night but no second dose for five days now

injected in a hospital, once. then treated to a lovely "b-52"--benadryl, 5mgs Haldol, 2mgs/ativan. Akathisia like whoa. switched to risperdal+perphenazine the next day, thank goodness. now on Abilify.

I had the same problem with my lithium. The pharmacist called it a "weird dose" just because he didn't happen to have it in stock at that moment.. My psychiatrist rolled his eyes and said it's a common dose for people who need a higher blood level of lithium for mania. My dose is 1125 mg. I went to a different pharmacy. Like magic, they had my lithium. Lithium is old, common, and cheap, like Haldol. Despite it's age, lithium remains the gold standard for treating severe mania.

Check out another pharmacy. Other pharmacies will have it. There's no need to tough it out.

You could also go to the urgent care you visit regularly. I'm sure they would have a way to get you your meds. It's more efficient for them to get meds than treat symptoms.

No pharmacy in my area has it

Every pharmacy in your entire area is out of stock? Very, very odd. Maybe there was a run on every pharmacy for Haldol.

As I suggested as a back-up earlier, go to the urgent care center or call them first. Tell them you are out of Haldol and you don't want to be symptomatic. I'm trying to help you problem solve. I don't want you to needlessly suffer.

Yes every pharmacy. We called them all. It’s the distributor that is out. They’re gonna call tomorrow and get my dr to change the dose of the pill so I can just take two

I also live in a rural area so there’s not many close pharmacies

My pdoc says there's a national shortage of certain doses of Haldol. That's why my 2.5's are 5's cracked in half.

I think they’re
Gonna do 1mg and take two.

I was just placed on haldol in the hospital. I was taking 7mg/day but then they gave me the shot so now I take 4mg a day for a week, then 2mg next week, then nothing. I have to take cogentin with it for akathisia but it helps with my psychosis very well and I am so happy it doesn't have the weight gain that so many other meds have.

The bugs crawling feeling is very bad today

I'm sorry to hear that Halliebeth, is there anything that helps distract you from that feeling?

I’ve kept myself busy all day. Now I’m gonna bake a cake