Posted by OldSchool on January 25, 2002, at 17:25:01
In reply to Movement disorder Old School- Elaborate, posted by cara52 on January 25, 2002, at 16:10:43
> > Hi Ray, just watch out for those nasty movement disorders. Once you get one its hard to get rid of and it aint no fun.
> >
> > Old School
>
> Hey Old school Please elaborate on what a movement disorder is and what you mean by it
> being very hard to get rid of it?Movement disorders are the bane of the anti-psychotic drugs. Movement disorders includes a wide range of drug induced neurological disorders. This can range from EPS "extrapyramidal syndrome" to Tardive Dyskinesia to dystonia to parkinsons type symptoms. Anti-psychotic drugs block dopamine, which when the dopamine blockade is bad enough this can cause movement disorders to develop.
The older "typical" anti-psychotics cause movement disorders the most. Like Haldol, Thorazine, etc. The newer "atypical" anti-psychotics are purported to cause fewer movement disorders than the old anti-psychotics. This is true, however the risk for the atypicals is not zero. The atypicals can and do sometimes cause EPS and other movement problems.
Movement disorders are a bitch to deal with because once they develop, its not a psych condition its a physical, neurological condition. And many times drug induced movement disorders can be difficult to get rid of and be quite chronic. In the case of TD, it can also be quite embarassing and people will stare at you and stuff.
A mild movement disorder scenario might be the following. You go on an anti-psychotic and develop transient mild EPS. You might experience muscle contractions, "twitches" and other very mild parkinsons type symptoms. This will probably go away when the drug is stopped.
A worst case scenario might include the following. You go on an anti-psychotic drug and it induces a terrible condition known as Tardive Dyskinesia or even Parkinsons disease. Hard to get rid of and quite disabling. Quite chronic and longterm.
Treatments for movement disorders includes various drugs like anti-cholinergics, dopamine agonists like Amantadine, high dose vitamin E, klonopin, Buspar. Also, ECT is supposed to be quite effective for anti-psychotic drug induced movement disorders. ECT is used "off label" for parkinsons.
All that being said, the best way to deal with drug induced movement disorders is prevention. Dont let it occur to begin with.
Old School
poster:OldSchool
thread:91461
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020124/msgs/91593.html