[Amy3boys]

I take a cocktail of meds but recently started having akasthesia in the middle of the night. Last night I woke up sweating at 4 am and then had horrible akasthesia for the next three hours. It was unbearable. It's become clear that it's my Geodon causing it. I'm in the process of titrating onto a new antidepressant for sleep and depression so I'm not feeling too well overall. Anyways, my doctor says I should stick with the Geodon and see if the akasthesia stops. I've had it five times in the past two weeks and I can't bear to think about going through it again. What would you do if you got this intolerable side effect and your doctor didn't advise you to wean off of the medication? I'm feeling pretty upset about it.

[still_crazy]

sadly, its kinda how...psychiatrists roll, all too often. you're correct to want to taper off, I think, especially if you don't have Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective, or a psychotic 'issue.' what's your insurance situation like? can you get a new doctor? maybe a friendly pcp can take over, at least for a while?

[TicTacGo]

I am sorry you are dealing with this.

I have experienced akathisia with some of the antipsychotics. Abilify... I could not even stick to for a week because of how horrible the akathisia was.
Extrapyramidal Side Effects (EPSE) are unfortunately quite common in many of the antipsychotics. Seroquel is of few to not induce any EPSE like akathisia.

You could wait it out to see if it subsides, but you do express it as unbearable, so you could perhaps express this to another doctor, as still_crazy has said? An alternative is the possibility of something to help calm the akathisia- I have read that there are medications that help settle that restlessness.

The question of what I would do: I had experienced this before and my doc is thankfully very understanding. If my doctor did not advise me to stop taking it, I would seek the guidance of a different doctor.

I hope things get better.

[Amy3boys]

Originally Posted by still_crazy

sadly, its kinda how...psychiatrists roll, all too often. you're correct to want to taper off, I think, especially if you don't have Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective, or a psychotic 'issue.' what's your insurance situation like? can you get a new doctor? maybe a friendly pcp can take over, at least for a while?

Thanks for your reply! I forgot to mention that when I have the akasthesia, I also have trouble breathing/shortness of breath. I just read somewhere to seek emergency help and stop the meds if you have trouble breathing. And I don't have psychotic issues...just depression/possibly somewhere on the bipolar spectrum although I don't get manic, just irritable at times. My doctor saved me from my deepest depression several years ago; she has a good reputation but now I'm thinking about getting a second opinion. I have Blue Cross Blue Shield.

[Amy3boys]

Thanks! I forgot to mention that along with the akasthesia comes shortness of breath, which is really scary. I just read on a medical website that you should stop the medication and seek emergency help if you have shortness of breath. I really hope she calls me back and advises me how to taper off.

[still_crazy]

that's actually quite scary, to me. and not to sound like a "bitter mental patient," but it never ceases to amaze me, how unbelievably slack some "well regarded" psychiatrists can be, at times...and its apparently OK, somehow. weird.

im not here to tell you what to do, obviously, but...if there are other, reputable psychiatrists in the area who are in network, i'd -personally- think about a 2nd opinion. :-)