Akathisia

Found this description online. So true. I have had this for days. Pdoc finally gave me ativan for it yesterday. Omg i feel so much better. (Of course i skipped my morning dose so i could go to starbucks - probably a bad plan!)

(1981) describes the sensation:[12]

...[It comes] from so deep inside you, you cannot locate the source of the pain … The muscles of your jawbone go berserk, so that you bite the inside of your mouth and your jaw locks and the pain throbs. … Your spinal column stiffens so that you can hardly move your head or your neck and sometimes your back bends like a bow and you cannot stand up. … You ache with restlessness, so you feel you have to walk, to pace. And then as soon as you start pacing, the opposite occurs to you; you must sit and rest. Back and forth, up and down you go … you cannot get relief …

I was pacing sitting pacing couldnt hold my attention on anything!!! Torture i tell you. From rexulti.

I have a feeling that akathisia is a teeny bit different for people. I've even had akathisia from different medications that I experienced a bit differently.

I suffered so much with akathisia from Geodon. It was odd, unlike the akathisia I had from Zyprexa and Abilify which started almost immediately, my akathisia from Geodon only started about 5.5 years after I started it. My psychiatrist kept me on Geodon for almost two more years. I, too, used Ativan because propranolol did nothing. Cogentin helped, but I had to stop it because of extreme constipation, that others I know never had from it.

I always woke up with akathisia. I'd take Ativan but had to wait 30-45 mins for relief. Those 30-45 mins were horrible!

I relate to this:

"[It comes] from so deep inside you, you cannot locate the source of the pain …" and this "You ache with restlessness, so you feel you have to walk, to pace. And then as soon as you start pacing, the opposite occurs to you; you must sit and rest. Back and forth, up and down you go … you cannot get relief …", but my pacing was more with Zyprexa and Abilify. With Geodon, I most often rocked back and forth in bed lying down. Maybe because I was too tired from Seroquel XR to pace. Akathisia was very tiring for me. Restlessness didn't really equal energy for me even though I had to move for a partial, but never full, relief.

I never experienced anything with my jaw or stiffening spinal cord. For me, the restlessness was more a mental torture in my head. I'll agree that it was a type of pain for me. Severe restlessness is agonizing. My constant movement seemed to be from my hips down.

My psychiatrist did eventually take me off Geodon. That was the hardest medication I ever had to get off. It was a long process with withdrawals. I had been on a large dose of 160 mg for years. Maybe when I reached 60 mg the akathisia started to ease.

My quality of life has improved a lot since getting rid of akathisia.

Sorry you're going through this, but I'm glad the Ativan seems to help.

I hate that we have to be on side effect meds just to take our other meds.

I was put on Rexulti in the hospital a few weeks ago. I could not sit still. The only relief was walking. Sitting was torture. My pdoc put me on clonazepam and it took it all away.

I've been through this with Latuda. It did go away when I stopped, but now I have other behaviors that I need to stop.

Benzodiazepines are not really the best treatment for akathisia, even if they work. Try Cogentin (Inderal) and if that doesn't work or causes side effects then try a systemic beta blocker--usually propranolol is what they prescribe.

Im on propanolol. Its doing zip.

Weird. My pdoc referred to the incredible "want to crawl out of my skin" anxiety I got from Latuda as akathisia.

Brain still zooming at a zillion miles an hour.

Most of what I find on the net is the same sort of thing.

Akathisia is a movement disorder characterized by a feeling of inner restlessness and inability to stay still.

I just woke up from a zillion dreams. Ativan must be working!

The propranolol didn't work until I reached 80mg. Cogentin worked a t 3mg, though I had some side effects with that one. The problem of course with Ativan is that it's a on-going problem for most people unless they determine whatever drug is causing the akathsia and switch drugs. Ativan is not considered the best at treating unending problelms. (And of the akathisia could go away by itself, though I'm not sure I've ever seen that happe.)

Pdoc is thinking its the rexulti

I think i took too long of a nap. I hope i can sleep tonight.

Hi, I too have akathisia, extrapyramidal symptoms and tardive diskenisia from Latuda. I'm curious to know how well did you do while getting off Latuda ?
Thanks

Ugh it’s one of the worst side effects. I have had it before on ability and haldol and something else.

Horrible stuff

Thank you for sharing your experience. I have it too, from Latuda. At first, I thought that I was going through an exitencial crisis and trying to get used to being back home. With time, it gbecame more intense. I'm glad you found a way to not have this anymore. I wonder what solution my doctor will offer.
Take care.

I still have ativan left but dont need it. Exercising (judo) helps me sleep and reducing the rexulti apparently got rid of the akathisia. Or a combo of both. Or exerciserexulti reduction and ativan. Either way I feel better. :-)