Involuntary finger movements when going to sleep

[delphinen]

Hello, first, excuse me if this isn't the proper board to make this thread, I honestly don't know where to post this.
I have been literally on and off of anti psychotics, mainly Seroquel(Quetiapine) and Risperdal(Risperidone) for almost 2 years since my dad passed away. In the beginning I didn't want to take them, but with the time I began to appreciate the sedating effects, thus making a better/proper use of my benzodiazepines.
After some months, 4 or 5, I began having strongly involuntary finger movements when taking Risperidone, and never experienced this before with the Quetiapine, so although I didn't tell my doctor about this, because, I don't know, I'm stupid, at least I stopped taking the medication.
A month or so later, eventually I began to take it again for sleep, and the first month I didn't have any problems, but then some nights the involuntary movement started again, so, I switched myself to Quetiapine, and was alright for a week.
Yesterday, after having lots of problems to sleep and taking a high dose of Clonazepam (I just write this because it may be related) the involuntary movement began again, but this time NOT on Risperidone, but on Quetiapine.
I don't want to tell my doc this because I just had a grand mal seizure a month ago and I REALLY need to sleep, my tolerance to benzodiazepines is sky high, so the only thing that makes me sleep are anti psychotics.
edit: I forgot to mention that lately I have been taking massive doses of Coffee

Thanks in advance.

 

[PriestTheyCalledHim]

It's probably because you drink massive doses of coffee which has a lot of caffeine in it. But you should still talk to your doctor that prescribes the medications to you and tell him or her about this and ask if it's a side effect of the medication you take. Also tell them if you use any other drugs either legal or illegal ones, or if you get benzos from a dealer and take them. Stay safe.

 

[Ligaturd]

Anti-psychotics can cause parkinsonian side effects as well as tardive akesthesia and dyskenesia, involuntary movement disorders. It is important to bring this up to your doctor as they can turn into long term problems for you. If you are getting these, some people find that anti-cholinergics can get rid of it. Try taking a low dose of diphenhydramine (unisom (over the counter sleeping pills) or benedryl) and see if that helps.

Make sure to give your doctor the side effects I listed and have that discussion. I know you are scared of not having any sleep aides, it could turn out that you just have to take diphenhydramine to lessen this side effect. If you do have to come off of these medications, it might be worth it to look into tapering down on the clonazepam so that a lower dose holds you and it will take some time and be really uncomfortable but it will be worth it when things are more manageable.

 

[delphinen]

Thanks for the replies. I doesn't seem to be the coffee the reason of the focal hand dystonia (I googled the proper term), I haven't drink any since yesterday, and I just only managed to sleep 4-5 hours (after taking only 12mg of Quetiapine, half a pill of 25mg), waking up with a strong involuntary finger movement (oh, and it's always the same finger).
I was so nervous because it didn't stopped or at least calm a little, that I went out in the middle of the night to take a walk to move my entire body; the cold, the street, the movement in general seemed to work at least a little, given that currently, at the time of writing this, the dystonia has stopped; but this doesn't surprise me, it's mostly when I lie down to sleep that the involuntary finger movement starts, I'm pretty sure that if I try to sleep again, it will start again.
This is making me nuts, and I really doubt any "normal" doctor can help me, aside from stopping any antipsychotic which I will do on my own anyways.

 

[tightlywound]

12mg quetiapine is an EXTREMELY low dose (I've known people who were prescribed up to 600mg just at night and more throughout the day and 100-150mg seems to be a common dose for sleep in folks on it I've run into). I find it highly unlikely that you are experiencing EPS (extra pyradimal symptoms, ie psuedo-parkinsonianism) at that dose but if you're unusually sensitive to antipsychotics it could be the case. what was your dose of risperidone? less than 1mg I'd presume?
it's also unlikely that you've been exposed to antipsychotics for a long enough period and in sufficient enough quantities to be developing TD (tardive dyskenesthia).

if you are convinced that the antipsychotics are the culprit it is possible that you have a sensitivity and are suffering EPS side effects ...or there is even a possibility that you are in the small percentage of people that develops TD after relatively minor exposure to antipsychotics and your symptoms could worsen and/or become permanent.
TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR. perhaps mention mirtazapine as an alternative non antipsychotic med that may work for you for sleep.
best of luck.

ETA: why did you have a seizure? do you have a seizure disorder such as epilepsy or something else? could these involuntary movements be related to that? or was the seizure due to benzo w/d?

 

[delphinen]

12mg quetiapine is an EXTREMELY low dose (I've known people who were prescribed up to 600mg just at night and more throughout the day and 100-150mg seems to be a common dose for sleep in folks on it I've run into). I find it highly unlikely that you are experiencing EPS (extra pyradimal symptoms, ie psuedo-parkinsonianism) at that dose but if you're unusually sensitive to antipsychotics it could be the case. what was your dose of risperidone? less than 1mg I'd presume?
it's also unlikely that you've been exposed to antipsychotics for a long enough period and in sufficient enough quantities to be developing TD (tardive dyskenesthia).

if you are convinced that the antipsychotics are the culprit it is possible that you have a sensitivity and are suffering EPS side effects ...or there is even a possibility that you are in the small percentage of people that develops TD after relatively minor exposure to antipsychotics and your symptoms could worsen and/or become permanent.
TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR. perhaps mention mirtazapine as an alternative non antipsychotic med that may work for you for sleep.
best of luck.

ETA: why did you have a seizure? do you have a seizure disorder such as epilepsy or something else? could these involuntary movements be related to that? or was the seizure due to benzo w/d?

Yes, my dose of Risperidone was 0,5mg, and the seizure was most likely to benzo withdrawal. And yes, I'm very sensitive to antipsychotics, I used to discuss with my doctor how it was possible there was people out there walking on the street on 300mg Quetiapine (for example).
Because this is not the first time I am experiencing finger involuntary movements, and it went away when I stopped taking Risperidone (at that time it happened only on Risperidone) I can only hope it will go away by tomorrow so I can get some sleep... lack of sleep also can cause me seizures...
thanks for your input.

 

[delphinen]

Well, I talked with my doctor and she told me it was all in my head; I don't buy it, I was able to sleep a few hours today (with little to nothing finger involuntary movements) probably because the little Quetiapine I took was almost out of my system.
Doctors love giving people antipsychotics, they defend these drugs as a novel concept, my doctor even said that Risperidone was a wonderful drug with practically no side effects (???)
Right now I was giving a bunch of lovely Pregabalin, Lorazepam and Clonazepam, and I am feeling really good, but I swear to god, I won't ever take any antipsychotic ever again, even if I don't sleep for days.

 

[tightlywound]

Well, I talked with my doctor and she told me it was all in my head; I don't buy it, I was able to sleep a few hours today (with little to nothing finger involuntary movements) probably because the little Quetiapine I took was almost out of my system.
Doctors love giving people antipsychotics, they defend these drugs as a novel concept, my doctor even said that Risperidone was a wonderful drug with practically no side effects (???)
Right now I was giving a bunch of lovely Pregabalin, Lorazepam and Clonazepam, and I am feeling really good, but I swear to god, I won't ever take any antipsychotic ever again, even if I don't sleep for days.

ask your doctor about mirtazapine (trade name remeron). it's an extremely sedating antidepressant w/ a unique mechanism of action. many people who struggle w/ insomnia find it very helpful and it can be a good alternative sleep aid to antipsychotics.
alternatively or in addition -- perhaps look around for a new doctor.

 

[delphinen]

Even better than Diphenhydramine? I am not fond of antidepressants honestly, tried Sertraline and made me feel "fuzzy" but very artificial, if you know what I mean