[*Beth*]

My pdoc just prescribed Cogentin because I had a miserable episode of akathesia. And although that heightened episode de-escalated I still feel "itchy", like I'm on the verge of having to "do something besides this."

Also, I have a hand tremor that is quite severe. I'm not sure which med causes it - seems that they all do.

For those who have been on, or take, Cogentin- has it helped you? If so, in what ways?

[~Christina]

It helped me , I was unable to sit still, I was itchy feeling , just miserable all the way around, but I honestly decided after a few weeks that if I needed a second Med to allow me to take original Med , then well ... that offending medication had to go.

I hope you find relief, Akathesia is hell on earth.

[*Beth*]

Thank you so much, Christina. Your experience is exactly what I was hoping to hear...that yes, Cogentin can help with the hell of akathesia, but it is also yet another med to take. I'm really torn, because the Abilify might be helping some, but if it is, it's not a dramatic change.

[still_crazy]

id try something besides Abilify, if possible. maybe not even an antipsychotic. back in the day, cogentin was routinely prescribed with the neuroleptics, because back then they used handfuls of the old drugs on a regular basis. anyway...some data showed that the people who were kept on cogentin and maintained on cogentin developed tardive dyskinesia more often than people who just took the antipsychotics. kind of like...for a while, it was fairly normal for people on the high doses of antipsychotics used back in the day to be given ritalin or something to counteract the sedation, and then research showed that combining stimulants and neuroleptics=more problems, long term. fun. :-(

[Desoxyn]

Originally Posted by still_crazy

for a while, it was fairly normal for people on the high doses of antipsychotics used back in the day to be given ritalin or something to counteract the sedation, and then research showed that combining stimulants and neuroleptics=more problems, long term. fun. :-(

I've been on stimulants and antipsychotics for 7 years. What are the long term effects?

I took Cogentin for akathisia on Abilify but it gave me blurry vision and made my pupils massive. I had to buy reading glasses to see close but I don't need them anymore. I'm on Invega Sustenna now...

[still_crazy]

a former psych told me that stimulants+neuroleptics=more TD and other stuff. but then again...ive kinda noticed that psych docs make stuff up, or they have their own rules they go by. maybe she didn't want me on the stimulant she was prescribing? but...

for a time, 'goof balls' were common. most were a sedative and an amphetamine, but some were a neuroleptic and a stimulant, usually an amphetamine, now and then Ritalin. the sedative+stimulant goof balls were removed from the market because it dawned on the DEA that there might be some addiction potential...after about 30 years of good sales. The ones with neuroleptics in them I think lingered a little bit longer, less addictive and all that, but...TD was an issue, blah blah blah.

[*Beth*]

I like that: "blah, blah, blah".