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Tardive dyskinesia on Prozac....stop taking it?.. (and treatment advice pls)

streetsurfer

streetsurfer

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Joined
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I have been back on prozac for about a month gradually working up to a full dose. I have had pretty bad tardive dyskenesa which I have been treating with propranolol.
"Now I have been reading that it is related to oxitive damage!! Should I stop taking it or as long as it is surpressed does that make it ok?

Also have no labido, can't get a hard on...... fucking drug.

I started taking it again because the litereture says it is the most effective treatment for borderline/bipolar illness even though I am diagnosed ADHD and am on Dex.

Have tried EVERYTHING the only thing that worked was selegiline but I couldn't get a constant effect out of it, think I was dosing to high... (and abusing stims) .

I had a very good response to effexor but again, tardive dyskenesia.

At the moment I am wanting to ditch the dex as I get odd chest pains and tingling in my face and arm (I know, not a good sign)

Nootropics maybe?

My Symtoms are

Insomnia/hypersomnia
waking up in the morning gradually over an hour, feeling good for about 45minutes, then this lethargy just decends on me.
Depression
Bad social anxiety
Inabilty to concentrate
Ex smoker - 10 years (I am 28yo)
Ex Pot addict
Almost was a meth addict
chaotic interpersonal relations
restless legs
generally lots of aches and pains, strange chest pain of uncertain origin
Mild COPD
I am sure my vision is variable???
Tendency to isolate,
internet addiction
Very emotionally sensitive

Any advice would be very appreciated
 
I suggest u try Cymbalta. Structurally speaking, its in the same catagory as Prozac. But any medicine u try is likely to possess side effects. If u cant handle that then u shouldnt be taking the meds.

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tardive/tardive.htm

Prozac is tried and tested, its not like are conducting a clinical trial. I doubt u have anything to actually worry about.
 
beta blockers can in many cases, be used to control tardive akathisia arising from neuroleptics.
 
Libido/ ejaculation problems seem to be quite common with prozac. The strangest case I know of involved a local guy in his late 20's who was prescribed prozac when it was first released. He suffered a most embarrassing side effect; he spontaneously ejaculated every time he sneezed.

What physiological mechanism is going on here?
 
I can't find much, but I suspect sneezing is one of those things like itching, everyone understands it so personally, that no one has felt the need to do much physiological research into what actually causes it. But from the nature of both of them, I'm blaming the sympathetic nervous system.

Ejaculation is finally caused by sympathetic activity, and have you ever noticed, that even if you nose is massively blocked, just when you sneeze, it clears up for like 5-10seconds, so that much be sympathetic activity again (and you're heart rate goes up)...

Somehow, there must sympathetic spill over.
 
I had TD and tremor problems on prozac. I took it for quite a few years, with NO side effects other than severely delayed orgasm, and then BAM started getting the TD effects noticeably, which eventually led to me going off the prozac.

I tried various things to counteract the TD (including propanalol) but to no avail. I have a script for fluvoxamine, another SSRI, which I plan to try, although currently I'm trying to be med free (I have OCD).

So, IME, stopping it was totally necessary. Switching to another SSRI is the best idea.
 
As for the dex, I *personally* think long term treatment with amphetamines is seriously harmful, and would recommend you try methylphenidate or a NARI like atomoxetine or reboxetine.

I also loved Effexor and responded fabulously to it, but I have to take SUCH a high dose and within weeks at the max dose it simply stops working for me. Such a shame as it's a lovely med when it works!
 
streetsurfer said:
I have been back on prozac for about a month gradually working up to a full dose. I have had pretty bad tardive dyskenesa which I have been treating with propranolol.
"Now I have been reading that it is related to oxitive damage!! Should I stop taking it or as long as it is surpressed does that make it ok?

Also have no labido, can't get a hard on...... fucking drug.

I started taking it again because the litereture says it is the most effective treatment for borderline/bipolar illness even though I am diagnosed ADHD and am on Dex.

Have tried EVERYTHING the only thing that worked was selegiline but I couldn't get a constant effect out of it, think I was dosing to high... (and abusing stims) .

I had a very good response to effexor but again, tardive dyskenesia.

At the moment I am wanting to ditch the dex as I get odd chest pains and tingling in my face and arm (I know, not a good sign)

Nootropics maybe?

My Symtoms are

Insomnia/hypersomnia
waking up in the morning gradually over an hour, feeling good for about 45minutes, then this lethargy just decends on me.
Depression
Bad social anxiety
Inabilty to concentrate
Ex smoker - 10 years (I am 28yo)
Ex Pot addict
Almost was a meth addict
chaotic interpersonal relations
restless legs
generally lots of aches and pains, strange chest pain of uncertain origin
Mild COPD
I am sure my vision is variable???
Tendency to isolate,
internet addiction
Very emotionally sensitive

Any advice would be very appreciated
Click to expand...

You are Bi-polar 100 %
You got every symptom.
You doctor/Psych should loose his licence for not picking it up.

And the worse thing to prescribe Bi-polar people are SSRI's.

You should be on Sodium Valproate, which works very well with Dex-amphetamine.

All your negative symtoms will disapear on the Sodium Valproate.
 
Hey Dr Beat, yeah you have told me that before, masked bi polar and I got sodium valproate a few days ago and I have responded positively to it but I am in the middle of a break up and coming off prozac so I am unsure what is doing what... is sodium valproate better than lithium you think? Can you advise me of a dosage regime? I can't find a decent doctor...
 
streetsurfer said:
Hey Dr Beat, yeah you have told me that before, masked bi polar and I got sodium valproate a few days ago and I have responded positively to it but I am in the middle of a break up and coming off prozac so I am unsure what is doing what... is sodium valproate better than lithium you think? Can you advise me of a dosage regime? I can't find a decent doctor...
Click to expand...

My ex-girlfriend has full on bi-polar (type I) and takes 1000mg of Sodium Val in the morning after breakfast, and 1000mg after dinner. She has almost all the symptoms that you listed at the start of this thread, and the only drug i have seen help her IN THE LONG TERM is Sodium Valproate.

A good mate has full on ADHD and mild Bi-polar and takes the same dose.

I have much milder symptoms than them (mild ADD and mild bi-polar), so i take 500mg after dinner and that works for me, and helps me sleep well on the dex, and stops me binge drinking (which is very important to me - i used to drink to feel calm - now i take sodium valproate to feel calm - much better for my brain and liver).

Every one is different, and will need a different dose.

If you feel too wound up or too emotional take a bigger dose - if you feel too flat and dull take less.

And remember dont keep looking for the high - aim to be calm and stable - because every time Bi-polars get manic (high) they ALWAYS crash into depression later - ALWAYS.

That is why sodium valproate is so great - it takes away the manic highs, but it also takes away the crushing lows. At first you will miss the manic highs, but after a few months you get used to being like a 'normal' person, and having little ups and downs each day.

Bi-polar people are totally hopeless at keeping long term relationships going - Sodium Valproate will make it possible to have a steady long term HAPPY relationship, which is very important to ALL humans. Without relationships we are empty inside.
 
As for the dex, I *personally* think long term treatment with amphetamines is seriously harmful, and would recommend you try methylphenidate or a NARI like atomoxetine or reboxetine.

I also loved Effexor and responded fabulously to it, but I have to take SUCH a high dose and within weeks at the max dose it simply stops working for me. Such a shame as it's a lovely med when it works!
Click to expand...

I was just reading some real bad stuff about atomoxetine the other day, about suicide rates and whatever (dunno where, surfing). Methylphenidate sure might be safer but god damn most people i know (me included) hate the side effects (makes me paranoid, anti social, jittery). Its a shame the pharm companies don't have a much wider choice of better stims, MDPV comes to mind.. a very selective DA reuptake inhibitor, at a reasonable dose lacks the peripheral effects, has me focused and calm much better than amphetamines (ok maybe not meth.. dunno) or ritalin, and.. its not really euphoric.

Thats just one chemical out of a billion possible good ones though.. too bad the pharm companies are pumping out crap like Strattera (i mean, when someone is used to Adderall, and their doc puts them on Strattera, obviously usually they are going to say this doesnt work and go back on amphetamines.. / actually Strattera sometimes, not just me, would put me to SLEEP, sometimes it would work, erratic, IMO not a good substitute for the amphetamines/ritalin).

Actually as long as you didn't try and abuse MDPV, it was great. The lack of euphoria and other things, and such a soft, slow comedown, you don't even notice it wearing off. Of course there's so many molecules or ways to alter this one to change some things (taking way too much = bad!), i mean, if they really want to switch to more 'non stimulant'/'non euphoric'/'non neurotoxic' ADHD meds I think a more gradual approach is better. Kids don't wanna stop their amphetamine pills for some crappy shit..

Modafinil.. I like it, but it feels like "it could use some work". A little tweaking with the molecule.. but for my "ADD" (hate labels really) modafinil really does help me focus extremely well without the tweaked out stimulant effect. I think its much better for 'ADHD' than either of those NARI's - for most people..just my guess though.

----

Yeah fairnymph your the first one I knew with this prozac problem now I see another post about it. Its the oldest SSRI, I mean all these new drugs coming out really don't have to be tested in the long term (that long) before the Doctors get their donuts/dinners/money to push the new drugs (whether they are even proven to be very good or not - PAXIL - fucking horrible why is that still prescribed?? argh..)

(well due to lots of $'s and politics etc its full of a lot of the same shit as the illegal drug market, regulations? throw the FDA some $'s and hoes behind the scenes to shut up and..)

Anyway as long as King Bush doesn't blow up the planet first i'll be looking forward to the days when we'll hopefully be able to just pop a capsule of nanobots that'll fix everything..

-- end rant.. (i swear.. only modafinil today..)

%)
 
If you are predominantly someone who experiences manic symptoms (little sleep, much energy, racing thoughts, etc.), Lithium may be more efficacious. If you are someone who predominantly experiences depression something like lamotrigine may work best. At any rate, valproate generally works well for mood stabilization in persons with Bipolar disorder… unfortunately weight gain is often a common and possibly serious side-effect. This is also true of olanzapine, which is also quite effective in the treatment of Bipolar disorder.

Regarding TD, there is a difference between EPS (ExtraPyramidal Side effects) and TD (Tardive Dyskinesia). The latter is rather permanent, akathisia and EPS can be temporary and may abate with discontinuation of medication(s). In either case some beta blocking and anticholinergic agents will greatly reduce the appearance of symptoms.

Needless to say all of this advice is probably worth the price paid for it.

I B
 
your symptoms fit bipolar disorder to a T (of course check with your doc). antidepressants (like prozac, effexor, cymbalta, etc) and stimulants are NOT first line treatments for bipolar disorder. in fact, they are usually contraindicated unless a person is already stabilized on mood stabilizers and/or antipsychotics. mood stabilizers include lithium, depakote, lamictal, trileptal, tegretol, topomax, neurontin, keppra, gabitril, zonegran (the first five are more commonly effective but your mileage may vary.) antipsychotics include risperdal, seroquel, geodon, abilify, zyprexa (the newer antipsychotics with lower likelihood of tardive dyskinesia)...there are also older "typical" antipsychotics but those are more likely to cause TD. clozapine is another option as it has the lowest likelihood of causing TD but it requires weekly blood draws to check white blood cell count.

i know that's a lot of medications to be thrown at you at one time, but you should ask your doctor if he thinks a mood stabilizer and/or antipsychotic would be effective. he/she can help you narrow down the options. i guess the antipsychotics will be dicey with a history of TD.

what caused your TD initially? effexor? antidepressants do cause TD but it is not widely known. how long have you had TD and how severe is it?
 
I have had it from various ssri drugs but never realised it for what it was, I thought it was part of my condition and it scared me, it made me feel like I was utterly insane.

Effexor (aka Side Effexor) did it bad especially coming off, prozac was terribble though.

I am still in need of something for my depression, I know its unconventional but how about say 2mg selegiline in the evening? I have tried it before and it just puts the brakes on the dex and makes me sleepy rather than potentiate it.... thoughts?
 
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