Tardive Dyskinesia IV: Antipsychotic Interactions © Megan Snider

This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.What falls away is always. And is near.I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.I learn by going where I have to go.
--Roethke "The Wakening"

ALL antipsychotics can cause Tardive Dyskinesia

--Even the new, "safer" ones.

The only antipsychotic shown that has a low risk of Dyskinesia is Clozapine.

Here is a list of common antipsychotics:


Amisulpiride (Solian)

Aripiprazole (Abilify) "New" and "safer"?

Clozapine(Clozaril)

Olanzapine (Zyprexa)

Quetiapine(Seroquel)

Risperidone (Risperdal)

Zotepine (Zoleptil)

Chrlorpromazine (Largactil)

Flupenthixol (Depixol, Flupenthixol,Fluanxol)

Fluphenazine (Moditen)

Haloperidol (Serenace, Haldol) -- This is what got me.

Loxapine (Loxapac)

Pericyazine (Neulactil)

Perphenazine (Fentazine)

Pimozide (Orap)

Prochlorperazine(Stemetil)

Promazine

Sulpiride (Sulpitil, Sulpor)

Thoridazine (Melleril)

Trifluoperazine (Stelazine)

Zuclopenthixol (Clopixol)

© Megan Snider

Tardive dyskinesia III: Symptoms © Megan Snider

This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.What falls away is always. And is near.I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.I learn by going where I have to go.
--Roethke "The Wakening"

Every case of Tardive dyskinesia looks different.

The common symptoms of Tardive dyskinesia are as follows, but please note that there may be other unique symptoms not listed here. Also note that ALL of these symptoms are painful and uncontrollable.

When the E.R. doctor asked me to rate my pain on a scale of one to ten, I said, "Eight."
I will highlight in yellow, for the sake of my memory (in case I forget), what I experienced.

Common Symptoms:
Involuntary, repetitive movements
Grimacing or "smiling" (fake facial "expressions")
Tongue protrusion
Lip smacking
Lip puckering
Pursing of the lips
Rapid eye blinking
Rapid movements of the extremities/ convulsing or jerking
Impaired movements of the fingers
Rapid movements of the fingers

Unique, Unlisted Symptoms not listed that I experienced:
Sneering (fake facial "expressions")
Grinding of the teeth
Thumb paralysis or twitching/flexing/ holding thumbs "outward"
Claw-like posture of hands
Uncontrollable blinking (see rapid blinking above)
Neck stiffness and pain
Arching and spasms of back
Extension of arms
Eyes in a locked, upward position
Impairment in speech (see tongue protrusion above)
Locked position of muscles for long periods of seconds
Contractions of muscles
Movement of brow, eyes, and eyebrows (fake facial "expressions")
Pinching, claw posture of fingers

© Megan Snider

Tardive Dyskinesia III: Causes © Megan Snider

"This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.What falls away is always. And is near.I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow. I learn by going where I have to go."
--Roethke "The Waking" (click to read)

This is the most important part of the blog for those on antipsychotics. Please, read this very carefully.

Tardive Dyskinesia is caused in two ways:

1.) AN INGESTION OF A LARGE DOSE OF ANTIPSYCHOTICS.

2.) INGESTION OF DOSAGES OF ANTIPSYCHOTICS OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

Tardive Dyskinesia can manifest itself at any time it chooses to do so.

One dose may trigger it or 2,000 may trigger it.

© Megan Snider

Even after you stop the antipsychotic it may remain permanently.

Even after you stop the antipsychotic it may recur periodically.

Tardive Dyskinesia II: What it Looks Like © Megan Snider

"This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.What falls away is always. And is near.I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow. I learn by going where I have to go."
--Roethke "The Waking" (click to read)

First off, let's start with what it looks like.

Here are some videos exposing the effects of dystonia and dykinesia. Dystonia and dykinesia are related movement disorders. Dykinesia is usually in the face and is caused by either prolonged ingestion of antipsychotics over the years or in response to a high does of antipsychotics in one ingestion, but it can also affect the body in a way similar to Dystonia. (It happened to me.)

If these videos disturb you, then I have done my job well.

Tardive Dystonia-- In Body and Face (click to watch.) PERMANENT. ***Disturbing***
Dystonia-- In Body and Face (click to watch.) PERMANENT. ***Disturbing***
Dystonia--In Body and Face (click to watch.) PERMANENT. ***Disturbing***
Tardive Dyskinesia-- In Hands, Face, and Mouth (click to watch.) PERMANENT. ***Disturbing***

The muscle rigor, extensions, movements, and convulsions you see here are INVOLUNTARY.

With Dyskinesia, when you see someone bearing their teeth, grinding their teeth or moving their mouth it is involuntary and it is painful.

When I had Tardive Dyskinesia, I remember my mother once asking me if I was smiling in the E.R.

No, I wasn't.

© Megan Snider

IT HURTS BEYOND EXPLANATION.

Tardive Dyskinesia I: An Overveiw © Megan Snider

"This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.What falls away is always. And is near.I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow. I learn by going where I have to go."
--Roethke "The Waking" (click to read)

I'm sorry to write this blog because I've mentioned this before at least three times and I don't want to bore anyone. But, I have to write this before I start working on anything else today.

Since the blog has a maximum number of characters I am allowed to type in one post, I will write this in installments.

I will cover symptoms, causes, video links, drug reactions, and treatment issues for the condition of Tardive dyskinesia (click to read.)

You do not have to read this blog. If you or someone you loves takes ANY antipsychotic, you had better read this because it is extremely important. This CAN happen to you. It happened to me.

This is not for sympathy. This is a warning. Tardive dyskinesia CAN be PERMANENT.

Watch the videos I post and see if you want to watch yourself or someone you love go through this.

Please, take your treatment into your own hands. Research, read, understand and learn.

I don't want this to happen to anyone.

The videos made me cry-- not for myself-- but because I know what Tardive dyskinesia feels like and the only way I could deal with having it permanently would only be by brain death or morphine or suicide.

That's not an embellishment.

I will give you the facts you need to stay safe and help yourself.

I will tell you as much as I know.

© Megan Snider