[xRavenx]

Hi,

I have been on Latuda for a few months. Out of nowhere beginning a few days ago, I started experiencing muscle spasms in my one thigh that are uncontrollable. It is very annoying. At first, I did not think of it being medication-induced, but now I am wondering if it could be. I did not think I would develop a side effect like that all of the sudden, since my body has been used to it. I am also super worried it is permanent. This makes me want to see how I am without Latuda. Has anyone else here experienced this or something similar from Latuda? If you discontinued the medication, did it go away?

[Jedi67]

Originally Posted by xRavenx

Hi,

I have been on Latuda for a few months. Out of nowhere beginning a few days ago, I started experiencing muscle spasms in my one thigh that are uncontrollable. It is very annoying. At first, I did not think of it being medication-induced, but now I am wondering if it could be. I did not think I would develop a side effect like that all of the sudden, since my body has been used to it. I am also super worried it is permanent. This makes me want to see how I am without Latuda. Has anyone else here experienced this or something similar from Latuda? If you discontinued the medication, did it go away?

Hi xRavenx, I haven't used Latuda but would definitely bring it to your PDoc's attention. Do you know of any other side effects besides the spasms? are they painful? also check in with your GP as well. you probably wouldn't want to discontinue the meds until after you see your PDoc imo. hope it all works out. sending best wishes.

[xRavenx]

Hi Jedi,
Thanks for responding. The muscle spasms aren't painful. They are just super annoying and have become frequent. I see my pdoc in about 2 weeks, but I am thinking about calling her. I am very anxious about this and keep thinking that I must stop this medication fast, so that this doesn't become permanent. I know this is probably irrational, and I am not a medical doctor, but I also realize it isn't a good idea to stop the medication suddenly (although I am not on a high dose). It's just stuck in my head. I'd be able to cope with this better, if I had reassurance that this will not be permanent. I have no other side effects from it.

It scares me when I hear about Parkinson's-like side effects from these antipsychotics. I am also on Seroquel to help with sleep and mood stabilization as well, as far as AP's go. I experienced something similar on 600mg on Seroquel, but I am on a lower dose than that, and it went away when my pdoc lowered it.

[Nammu]

I'm on latuda and have not had those issues.

[*Beth*]

Hi xRavenx, I was on Latuda for about a year. I did not have muscle spasms, but one day I developed trembling and slight spasms in my jaw. It was weird. Not painful at all, but definitely not okay. My pdoc stopped the Latuda right away and within 3 days I had no more trembling/spasm.

Since the spasm is in your leg (thigh) I just don't know if it's related to Latuda, or not. I really hope you will check in with your pdoc tomorrow. I think it's important to do that.

[downandlonely]

I would check with your pdoc before you make changes to your medication. Let the pdoc know you are worried that the spasms are caused by the Latuda. I'm no expert, but I don't think they will be permanent even if they are caused by the Latuda.

Hi xRavenx. I'm sorry to read that you have such a concerning thing happening to you. I hope you get in touch with your doctor asap tomorrow.

I am still only taking 20 mg of Latuda, and am also on 500 mg Seroquel XR and a couple anticonvulsant moodstabilizers. I have no experienced any side effects from Latuda, to date, and my side effects from Seroquel XR are barely an issue. I have experienced what my psychiatrist said was likely a dystonia, from the 1st generation antipsychotic Navane (thiothixene) at 10 mg. That was more of a lip spasm than any major muscle. It was only a few times, then my psychiatrist lowered my dose to 5 mg and it stopped. At the time I was on 10 mg Navane, I was also taking 160 mg Geodon (a usual maximum dose of Geodon).

My husband and father have leg spasms every so often, but neither take an antipsychotic. Their spasms are only occasional.

[xRavenx]

Thank you everyone. I am hoping that perhaps this muscle spasm is only due to exercise or other causes that are temporary. I've only experienced this for a few days, although it has gotten worse today. I'm still anxious and concerned, but your comments have helped me feel a little bit better. I do not want to think the worse possible scenario, but I was feeling that way 100% earlier. Hopefully this will go away on its own, although I will definitely talk to my pdoc about it. I hope I do not have to stop taking Latuda, since I have not had other side effects. It helped lift a really bad mixed episode that I had, although I'm still finding my way.

[~Christina]

I never had that trouble on Latuda. Maybe your body is lacking potassium,? that certainly can cause this, but it’s probably exercise since it’s just one area . Definitely tell your Pdoc about it.

[xRavenx]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

I never had that trouble on Latuda. Maybe your body is lacking potassium,? that certainly can cause this, but it’s probably exercise since it’s just one area . Definitely tell your Pdoc about it.

True, maybe since this is only occurring in one area (not even both thighs...just one, which is strange), I'm hoping this is something that maybe diet changes could help with. Plus, after hearing from various people in this thread who are on Latuda (like you), it sounds like most people do not have a problem with spasms on Latuda.

I should definitely see if this goes away with some diet changes, like increasing potassium. It is possible I am lacking it, although I am not sure. My diet is just so-so....it could be better. Thanks for the suggestion.

Originally Posted by xRavenx

Thank you everyone. I am hoping that perhaps this muscle spasm is only due to exercise or other causes that are temporary. I've only experienced this for a few days, although it has gotten worse today. I'm still anxious and concerned, but your comments have helped me feel a little bit better. I do not want to think the worse possible scenario, but I was feeling that way 100% earlier. Hopefully this will go away on its own, although I will definitely talk to my pdoc about it. I hope I do not have to stop taking Latuda, since I have not had other side effects. It helped lift a really bad mixed episode that I had, although I'm still finding my way.

Have you been exercising a lot or intensely lately? Maybe with a lot of sweating and/or quick body temperature changes? In conjunction with some mineral depletion? Could what you're experiencing be a form of Charley horse? There are several risk factors.

When I was a young teenager doing ballet intensely, I used to get Charley horses a lot. They could be extremely painful, at times. I would literally feel the muscle spasm. It was not within my control. They are most common in the legs - thighs or shin muscles.

If you think they could possibly be Charley horses, let me know. I remember how I used to go about easing them, especially ones that lasted more than a second. The only reason this popped up in my head was because of your mention of exercise. I could be totally wrong mentioning this.

Add on: I only now just noticed Christina's post. We're both thinking the same thing. Consider googling Charley horse.

[xRavenx]

Originally Posted by BirdDancer

Have you been exercising a lot or intensely lately? Maybe with a lot of sweating and/or quick body temperature changes? In conjunction with some mineral depletion? Could what you're experiencing be a form of Charley horse? There are several risk factors.

When I was a young teenager doing ballet intensely, I used to get Charley horses a lot. They could be extremely painful, at times. I would literally feel the muscle spasm. It was not within my control. They are most common in the legs - thighs or shin muscles.

If you think they could possibly be Charley horses, let me know. I remember how I used to go about easing them, especially ones that lasted more than a second. The only reason this popped up in my head was because of your mention of exercise. I could be totally wrong mentioning this.

Add on: I only now just noticed Christina's post. We're both thinking the same thing. Consider googling Charley horse.

Hi BirdDancer,

I've been doing yoga 1-2x weekly. Some of the poses/sequences require some leg strength where perhaps a nerve could potentially get irritated in the leg/thigh area. The exercise isn't super intense though, but looking back, it is possible that it could have played a role in the spasms.

I looked up Charley horse, and I think I would get those at night when I was young. The difference though, is that those used to be very painful for me. This is a little different. What I am experiencing now isn't painful, it's just bothersome, but I am experiencing this almost constantly. Is it possibly it is still a Charley horse, even if there's no pain...just uncontrollable spasms and twitching? I just took some ibuprofen. Maybe that could at least relieve it a little bit.

Originally Posted by xRavenx

Hi BirdDancer,

I've been doing yoga 1-2x weekly. Some of the poses/sequences require some leg strength where perhaps a nerve could potentially get irritated in the leg/thigh area. The exercise isn't super intense though, but looking back, it is possible that it could have played a role in the spasms.

I looked up Charley horse, and I think I would get those at night when I was young. The difference though, is that those used to be very painful for me. This is a little different. What I am experiencing now isn't painful, it's just bothersome, but I am experiencing this almost constantly. Is it possibly it is still a Charley horse, even if there's no pain...just uncontrollable spasms and twitching? I just took some ibuprofen. Maybe that could at least relieve it a little bit.

I see. I hope you'll consider calling your psychiatrist tomorrow. If it is some kind of movement disorder, you definitely want to know asap. Hopefully your doc will have a good sense for the possibilities. I know that some do stop medications quickly on the side of caution. That's totally understandable.

[Tucson]

Look up the list of side effects Google is your friend There is also www.rxlist.com which is pretty comprehensive. I have had a series of muscle spasms that had nothing to do with meds. After some time, they go away. So I would not jump to the conclusion that it is your meds. Leave that to a trained and experienced professional.

One time in the past, my body started to shake quite allot. I was on a new med, so I thought that was causing my problems. I still had waited for my pdoc appointment over this. He immediatey recognized what med was causing this. Guess what? It turned out to be another med which I had been on for several months. Go figure.