Cogentin, benztropine

How long does it take for this to start working? Thanks.

If it's oral, a couple of days; if injectable then sometimes just 10-20 minutes.

Thank you! Yes, it's oral. I wondered if it had any noticeable affect. I just started taking it again, I quit after a couple of days a few weeks ago but I don't remember why. Oh, I think I became irregular and wasn't sure why. So I stopped the Cogentin. But I just took a pill a little while ago. I need the help from the Akathisia which is driving me crazy, and the tremors and jerking arm.

The oral tablet; for me, worked in a matter of hours. I noticed a distinct decrease in my akathisia the same night I took it. It works beautifully, but dry mouth is a huge issue I have from it.

Thank you, ThingwithFeathers. I noticed a lessening of my Akathisia last night after I took the first pill but I wasn't sure if it was the placebo effect or really working.

What I'm noticing is a sedation affect and less appetite. It is helping with the Akathisia too. Not as much with the hand/arm tremors.

How's it going for you now - Any reduction in in your hand/arm tremors? I didn't have those. is your doc monitoring you? Maybe an increase is needed.

Thank you, Yes, I think there is reduction in my hand/arm tremors now. I have another pdoc appointment this month. He said he wanted to increase my Abilify dose and add anti depressants and I'm dreading that because of a prior bad experience. But the Akathisia is a lot better now on the Cogentin.

Best of luck with the med change! I sincerely hope it goes well for you.

Thank you! Well, it might be premature but I think the Cogentin is helping my anxiety. But the hand/arm tremors are not improved as far as I can tell. Still, if it's helping my anxiety, that's a miracle!

I get really sedated and out of it when I take my cogentin.

Yes, I'm getting sedated too. It's helping with the anxiety!

I don't think this is supposed to be the case, but now I'm getting tremors on my right side too (before it was only the left side). I guess I'll have to tell the pdoc. It does still help some for the anxiety so I don't know if I want to come off of it.

I hope you and your doctor are able to figure this out and find a combination that works for you.

Thank you! I guess I'll tell him at my next appointment.

I just discovered that Cogentin is one of the z drugs, included within the benzo category along with drugs like Ambien.

If you have ever had a horrible experience getting off benzos, you probably would want to steer clear of the z drugs too, because coming off them may be similar.

I knew it was helping some with my anxiety. Now I probably should stop taking it though. I nearly died coming off Klonopin too fast and I know I can never go through that again. I can't understand why, with my history, he prescribed a z drug. I guess like a lot of docs, he's just oblivious.

What's a z drug?

I think it shares some sort of chemical structure as benzos. I don't really know but I've seen the z drugs bundled in with benzos in searches for withdrawing from Benzos.