Akathisia and NAC

Has anyone tried NAC?

We decided yesterday that what my son is calling anxiety is probably actually akathisia. He only has it when he's taking an antipsychotic, and when he describes the physical sensations to me, it doesn't sound like anxiety.

I found a study that showed NAC can help for akathisia, so we bought some yesterday and we're giving it a try. Any other ideas on how to deal with akathisia?

He hates this sensation worse than anything. The pdoc is in the process of lowering the dosage, but I'm worried that my son will stop the med altogether and suddenly. I don't want him to have a rebound psychosis.

We have an appt with his pdoc on July 2.

Well, my son had another attack of what we think is akathisia yesterday. It started around 1 he says. I picked him up at about 6:15, so it had been going on for some time. I bought some benadryl - reluctantly, because he'd abused it so badly before - and gave him 50 mg at about 6:45. When we got home at about 7:15 he also took an NAC capsule. A little after 8 he took 25 mg of Zyprexa.

At about 8:30 he announced that the akathisia was gone. He looked far calmer than he had, and he said the voices had stopped. (They had been tormenting him something awful during the fit of what we're thinking is akathisia.)

So what helped? The benadryl, the NAC, or the Zyprexa?

It seems unlikely it was the Zyprexa, because it's never had this effect before. Every other time he's continued to suffer until he's fallen asleep even though he always gets the Zyprexa at 8. And it's usually very difficult for him to settle down to sleep when he's suffering this way. Last night he had no such difficulty.

That leaves the benadryl or the NAC. He's attributing it to the NAC. We've agreed that next time it hits, he's taking the NAC only and seeing if it helps.

I'm also buying some vitamin B6 today, because I've seen recommendations for that to use for akathisia.

I am sorry to hear about your son. I am of no help but wanted to you to know I wish you both to find the answer. Is there any other suggestions that your sons pdoc can tell you to do before the appointment?

We see the pdoc in two days. My son didn't have one of these episodes yesterday - in fact he was pretty cheerful when I got home from work. I had him go ahead and take the NAC capsule in the evening anyway. It's meant to be taken daily, I think, not as needed.

Today he's much gloomier. He's called me at work several times now. But it isn't one of these attacks we think is akathisia. It's just the general depression that goes with having to cope with a chronic problem.

Hopefully we'll make it through the next 48 hours without incident.

What is NAC??

NAC is a nutritional supplement - N-acetylcysteine.

It was found to be helpful with schizophrenia and bipolar by researchers in Australia. I'm not clear on whether it helps directly with the sz, or if it's just useful against the side effects of the medication. At any rate one of the things it helped with was akathisia.

Thanks for the reply!

We saw the pdoc on Saturday and discussed the "akathisia" and the supplements. The pdoc wasn't sure it was really akathisia, but it might be. He's okay with trying the NAC and B6. He also gave us a prescription for something to help with akathisia.

I'm beginning to doubt the akathisia theory because he's having a couple of other issues along with the akathisia/anxiety/panic/whatever.

He says when he has these attacks his visual perception changes. Things appear sharper, especially faces. He also says letters and numbers leap out at him and he feels like they're trying to give him some sort of message. He hears more voices and the voices "make sense." Apparently the fact that the voices make sense is important. He says that if he makes them say nonsense it's easier not to believe in them. (I pointed out to him that it's interesting that he can "make" the voices say things.)

So... akathisia? Maybe not.

I had akathisia on Risperdal (it felt like the worst thing ever!). Because of it I took long walks with my parents, which helped, sometimes 3+ times per day. I've heard that exercise really helps. Also, there are meds for it but my pdoc never prescribed me anything even though I was suffering a great deal.

If it wasn't for akathisia, Risperdal would have been a very good med for me.