[SpiritRunner]

Am on Abilify 15 mg, my pdoc put it to 23 recently, thinking I was having breakthrough mania. I thought it was mixed, but he didn't agree. Anyway, mainly I having been having terrible restlessness, with aching knees. I feel like I need to move, but when i move, then my knees get weak feeling and I have to sit. But when I sit, then I am so jittery and my knees so uncomfortable, I have to lie down and press them against the floor. I can hardly stand this. It makes it difficult to function. Makes my brain feel restless and unable to focus too, I feel like my thoughts are in molasses, the ones I can get a hold of that is.....
Have others experienced anything like this? What did you do about it? Is there an add-on med that is supposed to help with severe akathisia?
On the advice of a nurse friend I went back to the 15 mg dose because the akathisia is more bearable at that level than the 23......

[pgrundy]

Wow, I had akasthisia when my GP up-ed my Prozac dose. It got so bad I couldn't sit, I was having nonstop panic attacks, and having these paranoid delusions that I look back at now and feel ashamed of, like whoa. What was I thinking? But I couldn't think, that was part of it.

I went to the GP after three days of it. I was such a mess they sent me to the ER and I ended up in hospital for eight days.

Nobody even explained to me what akasthisia was until I got out and saw a psychiatrist for follow up. He said the only way to stop it is to go off the med that causing it and find a new one, which is what they did for me in the hospital.

I have to say, that was the worse feeling I have ever had bar none--manic and suicidal and delusional at the same time all without being able to sit or stop moving.

Can you go to an ER or get to your doc ASAP? I researched akasthisia when I got home and was amazed. Apparently it can get pretty bad and is often missed because non-psych personnel aren't aware of it either.

Good luck. Please do call someone and do come back and post how it got resolved.

[SpiritRunner]

I told pdoc about it some a few days ago and he did not seem to be too concerned, hence raising my dose, thinking the mania isn't being touched enough yet. I didn't tell him about my knees aching so bad, I should have. I called my T and left her a message today.
I feel some better with the dose lowered and maybe can make it till my Tues appt or until T calls back and recommends something else. I hate to go to the ER! Do you really think I should seriously consider that?!
Forgot to say, I also notice vision change in my right eye, too, unless I am imagining it. It sure is acting a little funny!

[pgrundy]

I'm probably generalizing and assuming you are feeling as bad as I did. If you feel like reducing the dose helped a bit, please do use your own best judgment! I don't know if its the same for you or not--I know some people on antipsychotics get it and they just pace, but I wasn't on an antipsychotic, my issues are depression and PTSD. I did read in one article that by the time people with drug-reaction akisthisia show up in an ER they're so freaked out they often run out of the ER and out the door in their bare feet. That's how it felt for me--like it just kept ramping up, like when your car accelerator gets stuck.

I do think if you are feeling 'not right' that should matter. If it doesn't bother your pdoc too much, I'd ask him why not. Does he think it will go away? I mean, it seems to me you deserve to feel your best and if that's not happening you need either an explanation of why you should put up with it or you need some help fixing it.

If you start getting that 'stuck accelerator' feeling, I'd go to the ER, yes. But maybe I'm overreacting. I'm not a doctor, just relaying my own experience with it.

[SpiritRunner]

Originally Posted by pgrundy

I'm probably generalizing and assuming you are feeling as bad as I did. If you feel like reducing the dose helped a bit, please do use your own best judgment! I don't know if its the same for you or not--I know some people on antipsychotics get it and they just pace, but I wasn't on an antipsychotic, my issues are depression and PTSD. I did read in one article that by the time people with drug-reaction akisthisia show up in an ER they're so freaked out they often run out of the ER and out the door in their bare feet. That's how it felt for me--like it just kept ramping up, like when your car accelerator gets stuck.

I do think if you are feeling 'not right' that should matter. If it doesn't bother your pdoc too much, I'd ask him why not. Does he think it will go away? I mean, it seems to me you deserve to feel your best and if that's not happening you need either an explanation of why you should put up with it or you need some help fixing it.

If you start getting that 'stuck accelerator' feeling, I'd go to the ER, yes. But maybe I'm overreacting. I'm not a doctor, just relaying my own experience with it.

I think pdoc thought it might just be the mania and not necessarily so much the akathisia stuff, so he wanted to see if it was me or the meds. And I think it is clear that it is the meds. Lowering the dose back does seem to have helped. Yesterday I DID have that stuck accelerator feeling and somehow made it through the day w/out going bonkers though I sure felt like I might. SO today is certainly better than that, not that the restlessness has gone all away; my knees feel better, oddly enough, but thankfully.
Thanks for your answers to my questions. It helps to know someone else has experienced this and understands what I am going through and can help some!

[Binti1962]

Cogentin is the drug they give for the side effects you are talking about. you should ask your pdoc about it. I' m sorry you are going through this and hope you feel better soon. I'm only on 10 mg of Abilify and did experience some restless feelings in the beginning, but they went away.

[SpiritRunner]

Originally Posted by Binti1962

Cogentin is the drug they give for the side effects you are talking about. you should ask your pdoc about it. I' m sorry you are going through this and hope you feel better soon. I'm only on 10 mg of Abilify and did experience some restless feelings in the beginning, but they went away.

the restlessness and the feeling of hurt in my knees comes and goes......I wonder why pdoc didn't mention cogentin to me this time. probably because he was thinking most of the symptoms were manic breakthrough, and not a result of the med, I think it is clear now that it is a result of the med. since they got worse when it was upped and feel a bit better now that I went back to the regular dose. still very frustrating though. I would like to feel normal and happy, not like I am stuck in revved up mode.......with aching knees to boot. (I read severe akathisia does that.....)

[SpiritRunner]

pdoc said to stop taking it until the symptoms go away and then try it at half the dose I am on now for 3 days, then call him again. I thought simply stopping would make me sick, but the nurse I talked to said, no, abilify isn't supposed to be like that. any thoughts on this?!

I was able to stop abilify without decreasing the dose first without any problem.

[SpiritRunner]

Originally Posted by farmergirl

I was able to stop abilify without decreasing the dose first without any problem.

that is reassuring, thank you!

[buttrfli42481]

I have been on Abilify for about a year (switched to risperdal for a month). I started on 2.5mg and had the akathisia at that dose. My pdoc added .5mg cogentin and it helped drastically. When I went back on it the akathisia came back. I am now on 5mg Abilify and 1mg of cogentin. I still have breakthrough tremors and muscle spasms, so I am probably going to get my cogentin upped when I see my pdoc again. I don't want to go off the Abilify because it is really helping.

[SpiritRunner]

Originally Posted by buttrfli42481

I have been on Abilify for about a year (switched to risperdal for a month). I started on 2.5mg and had the akathisia at that dose. My pdoc added .5mg cogentin and it helped drastically. When I went back on it the akathisia came back. I am now on 5mg Abilify and 1mg of cogentin. I still have breakthrough tremors and muscle spasms, so I am probably going to get my cogentin upped when I see my pdoc again. I don't want to go off the Abilify because it is really helping.

glad the cogentin has helped you and that the Abilify has helped you, too.
I am not so sure that the Abilify has really helped me so much......I can't really tell with the mental/emotional upsetting I have had from these side effects whether it has helped or not with my BP1! But I have had other side effects too the whole time I have been on it so maybe just need to try something else!

[SpiritRunner]

so far, so good with the stopping Abilify cold......I felt sick this morning and a little headache, but knees and restlessness much improved already. thank goodness! whew........

[pgrundy]

Awesome! So glad you are doing well.