Has anyone experienced akathisia?

Akathisia is an awful thing to experience. It's a sensation of restlessness that won't let you sit or lie down for long. Some people call it Restless Leg Syndrome. In bed, you toss and turn and can't find a position to relax in. You can't sit still in even the most comfortable recliner chair. You can't sit and watch TV. You want to keep moving, but you can't enjoy going for a walk. Nothing feels satisfying, but you desperately want to find some way to feel okay. I think it's awful.

I seem prone to it. When my dose of amitriptyline was boosted up by a lot without doing so gradually, I got this syndrome. I also got it when I was taking Librium (a benzo) and stopped taking that med suddenly. I also got it twice from cold medication that I took too much of. I also got it from being anemic. I live in fear of getting it because it can feel intolerable . . . like I'ld do anything to escape it.

Has anyone out there experienced this? Doctors know that people on psych meds can get it from two possible causes. One is from suddenly stopping some psych meds. Another is from rapidly increasing certain psych meds. Has anyone been treated for akathisia or Restless Leg Syndrome.

I think I've heard that cogentin is a med given for something like this. I'm wondering if there are any good antidotes to akathisia.

Yes. I'm particularly prone to akathisia as well. Cogentin is usually first line of treatment, but I can't take that. I'm currently on Haldol which gives me wicked nasty akathisia but I take valium for it and it works. I'm not too happy about being on a benzo indefinitely, but it's better than the torture of akathisia and it's better than the torture of schizoaffective d/o.

Btw, Restless Leg Syndrome is usually in your legs only at night, akathisia is your whole body and all day long.

Propranolol or Requip are some other meds you might want to look into

@MuddyBoots - "torture" is a good word for this syndrome. Thanks for distinguishing it from RLS. I've been confused about that. Thank you, also, for sharing about the meds that can be helpful for akathisia. I hope you have continued success in keeping this side effect at bay.

It’s misery!!!!
Requip took care of my risperal
Akathesia!

Good luck

Thanks for the tip. I was given pramipexol, which might be similar. I'm glad to hear something worked for you.

Yes, "misery" is the word. I don't see how anyone could tolerate living with akathisia or RLS. But I read that it's quite common as a side effect in persons taking anti-psychotics.

Yes to RLS no to akathisia (I just learned a new word thanks.

To me RLS can be like a jolt sometimes from my low back, it was worse when I had anaemia. My mum has/had it and I think there’s a hereditary link.

Anemia definitely can cause it. That's how my anemia got diagnosed in 2016. I went to a pdoc complaining of fidgetyness from my hips down. Blood work showed I was seriously anemic.

I think you're right about genetics being a factor. A sister of mine has had it too.

I agree that akathisia is like torture. I have had it on different antipsychotics, am prone to it and having tried different medications to ameliorate it have found success with gabapentin. I take 900 mg - 1200 mg at bedtime. Try it!

I'll keep gabapentin in mind. I waa on it in the past. It made me very hungry at night.

Yeah. I was only on Seroquel short term, low dose but I had to stop because it started up and was painful. That was the first med I had that pain sensation. I have to be careful with other sedative meds because it will ramp right back it up to max pain for a night - certain muscle relaxants, certain allergy meds.

I actually didn’t know there was medicine options to counteract it, I didn’t get much advice about it. I was taking more B vitamins to try to get past it but it took time more than anything. Took some months to get it manageable, i think I might still have a little weakness that remains today but it’s not painful or irritating anymore.

I didn’t know this for the longest time I’d been calling it RLS for years. It started off in the legs for me, lower legs especially, and those extreme night pains came first. At some point, kinda rapidly, it became a constant all day thing and all encompassing. The lingering effects after meds were in the legs and arms.

I'm prone to it too! It's awful, isnt it. So uncomfortable, I dont last long on a new med with it. I've been told that it could eventually go away, but that most dont last.
I dont feel it's the same as restless leg syndrome though.

I read an article once that said RLS was a form of akathisia. Maybe that's wrong and got me confused.

I've had the RLS from severe anemia. It was just the legs and only at night. It's supposed to be due to a low iron level in the brain.

I've had the all-over thing around the clock from drug withdrawal. Drugs were Librium or hydrocodone.

I've also had it from too much cold medication or a too rapid increase in dose of amitriptyline.

I had akathisia the time I tried Latuda. Both my mom and myself cant take anti-psychotics, tho.

Anti-psychotics are well known to cause akathisia in some people.