Cogentin?

I'm on 2 antipsychotics, risperidone and seroquel, and as a result have significant muscle stiffness in my legs and arms. This makes walking difficult.


I've recently moved to a new place that requires a lot more walking. I know this will be good for me, once I get more used to it, and into better shape, but at the moment it's quite painful.

I'm wondering if anyone has experience with taking cogentin to offset the muscle stiffness associated with AP use, and if it was effective.

Thanks in advance.
splitimage

Cogentin has been a lifesaver for me. It lessons tremor and does offset muscle stiffness (mine was the worst at the back of my neck and shoulders).

I'm on Cogentin for all the EPS from antipsychotics (I'm on thorazine, vraylar, and invega) and it definitely helps. I can tell if I miss a dose because it becomes unbearable.

asked my pdoc about it yesterday and he was reluctant to prescribe it. Instead he wants me to try reducing my risperidone dose. I don't have a lot of faith in that strategy, as I've had the muscle stiffness on lower doses.

Oh well I'll try it and talk to him again in 3 weeks.

I'm not totally sure on the specifics, but Cogentin was prescribed for me due to shakiness (tremor) from antipsychotics such as risperidone - that was when I was taking risperidone and Abilify at the same time. I'm not sure that Cogentin is supposed to help with muscle stiffness - your pdoc may be right about the fact that reducing your antipsychotic dose might help. There are also other drugs to help with tremor and EPS. I don't know how else to help, but Cogentin gave me nasty dry mouth - like to the point where I couldn't talk basically without swallowing a ton of water. That may have been specific to me, of course, but sometimes its anticholinergic effects are too much for people (at least I think that is the receptor involved). Anyway, I hope that the antipsychotic reduction goes ok for you, if that's what you decide to do.

Thanks for the responses everyone. I decided to look up cogentin on the Mayo clinic site, which is my go to site for meds info, and it said that cogentin and seroquel can't be prescribed together, so I'm guessing that's why my pdoc said no.

I've dropped my risperidone dose down to 4 mg., and so far I'm not noticing an improvement in my muscles. But on a positive it's not negatively affecting my mood, when dosage drops in the past have.

try also Gabapentin (Neurontin) for amelioration of EPS.

thanks but Im already on gabapentin, and its not helpimh with ky EPS at all.