One of my diagnoses is ADHD. I can't tell if what I'm experiencing is akathisia or ADHD's restlessness symptom.

Can someone describe their akathisia? I know the definition of akathisia and I can google it, but I want personal experiences. Thanks!

[rwwff]

Mine's pretty mild, but meds are recent enough that I remember that change. When I sit, I feel I *must* allow my legs to tap and there's an active tightness across my lower back that wants to scream, "walk ya lump!". I feel quite relieved when I wander the house or walk up and down the street, but its impossible to do my job while walking, so, sit I must.

I can overpower the feeling and stay seated for an hour or two, thus, "mild" I think.

[Wild Coyote]

When I experience it, I have very restless legs, they want to keep moving rapidly 24/7. I also feel like I want to crawl out of my own skin. Sometimes, my arms/hands also get restless and want rapid movement, too.
it's very uncomfortable.

I hope you don't have it; yet, it would be good to know if you are experiencing this type of a side-effect.


WC

[99fairies]

I have never experienced this. But it sounds like hell. I'm very sorry you are feeling this way. Hope it passes soon. Big hugs.

[HALLIEBETH87]

It's awful! I feel restless all over my body. Causes extreme irritability

[Northchild]

I had it for a week or so before I switched meds. For me, it was like being trapped in a small room with no windows or doors that also happened to be on fire.

[raspberrytorte]

It is awful!

Forcing myself to sit still is so horrible it's almost painful. Yet walking doesn't help all that much either. It's just this awful internal restlessness. It's the worst side effect I've ever experienced.

Mine was a lot like HallieBeth described. It was inner restlessness that made me miserable. I could hardly concentrate because it was like a pain-free yet tortured feeling. Strangely, despite the inner restlessness, I almost felt tired by it even though I'd rock my lower body back and forth. It sort of reminds me of the horrible feeling you get when you're sitting at the phlebotomists office with the needle in your arm, with the phlebotomist slowly changing the cartridges to get more and more blood.

I was on Propranolol for something else, but that didn't help enough even though it is known to be helpful for akathisia. I tried Cogentin, but it gave me such extreme constipation that I couldn't take it anymore. So in the end, I took Ativan. That helped, but I ended up taking it every day for 3 years, so I am going to have to eventually be weaned off of that since it is a benzo.

My doctor has been very very very slowly taking me off Geodon since November 2016. The Geodon withdrawals have been horrible and the weaning off caused me mood disruption. But Geodon was the culprit for my most recent akathisia. I don't believe I have akathisia anymore, but then again I've been taking the Ativan every day for all of this time. But at high doses of Geodon the akathisia would start up again before my next dose of Ativan. I tried very hard to just white knuckle it until the morning Ativan kicked in. Otherwise, I would have had to have taken Ativan twice per day. I really didn't want to take that much Ativan.

[~Christina]

Horrible ! I want to crawl out of my own skin and I can not sit still, at all Ugh

[Gabyunbound]

Per pdoc, mine was from Abilify. Mostly, my hands would shake. If I had a piece of paper in my hand, it would shake, if I were typing on my phone, my hand would shake. Standing, my legs would shake.

Abilify has been the crux of my treatment regimen that has kept me stable for 2 years now and I haven't wanted to give it up. So my pdoc prescribed Propranolol twice a day and it has been a god-send. That stuff works, at least for me.