Tardive Dyskinesia question

[greylover]

I've been on Seroquel, an anti-psychotic medicine for many years. I use it for sleep. I started with 12.5mg/night in 1999 and now I'm up to 400-600mg every night. Over the last few months I've noticed that my legs have been twitching (that's the best way I can explain it) constantly. Sometimes my arms do too but not as often as my legs. Sometimes my entire body twitches...it's hard to explain what that's like, but I move so forcefully that if I'm near my husband and he's sleeping, it wakes him up. I have a parrot and if she's on me when my body twitches, she jumps and flies away. It never hurts, it's just annoying. I'm wondering if this is a form of Tardive Dyskinesia? From what I've read, Tardive Dyskinesia is involuntary movements in your face, not the rest of your body.  Does anyone know if this is from the Seroquel or if it's Tardive Dyskinesia?

Thanks

[Jen84034]

I took a single dose of serequel (prescribed to me for sleeping) and I had an immediate reaction to it.  I could not sit still and couldn't stop rocking and fidgeting.  I went to the hospital and I think they thought I was crazy.  This was in 2003 and I can't remember exactly what they did for me.  I think they sent me home and told me to take benadryl because it calms you down.  Anyway, the inabililty to sit still went away after a few hours but then when I went to sleep, I started having involuntary movements that would wake me up.  My fingers and hands would move as if a ghost was possessing them.  I had no contol over it and no idea when it would happen.  My jaw also started clacking shut like a single chatter like when your teeth chatter when you are cold.  It is now 2012 and I still have these involuntary movements but only when I'm asleep.  I video taped myself sleeping and saw them.  I wake up with sores in my mouth from biting my cheek from jaw clacking.  I have other involuntary movements, too, like any part of my body will suddenly move on it's own, but mainly it is my jaw, face and hands that move.  I believe this is a form of tardive dyskinesia and seroquel is a very dangerous drug.  I believe the TD while I'm asleep has ruined my health by making me unable to get quality sleep.  Since 2003 I have become completely disabled and unable to work or have a social life.  I have chronic fatigue syndrome and feel like I have the flu most days, migraines, IBS, all kinds of pains and weaknesses.  My life is miserable.  I told the doctor who prescribed the seroquel what it did to me and he didn't seem to care.

[supermum_ms]

I'm pretty sure the culprit is the seroquel, your on a high dose and have been on seroquel for over 10 years so please please do not take your self off this type of medication with out medical mentoring, it could be dangerous, always seek medical advice before stopping!!!!

A young man who's a close family friend, was also put on seroquel to help him sleep, he immediately had adverse reactions, actively became schizophrenic even though he had not ever been a schizophrenic. His dr instead of recognising his newly acquired symptoms as being an adverse reaction, instead substantially increased his dose and his life turned to a living hell. Along with the delusional behaviors, he also experienced muscle spasms, and difficulty controling his limbs, balance, bladder and total sexual dysfunction, just to name a few.

A new dr and many many months later, he is only now in a position to get back a part of his life, being psychotic, unemployed, and a danger to him self and others was not enough for his original dr to see seroquel as being the problem. All his ticks, tremors and limb control problems disapeared once the seroquel had been out of his system, oh and all the schizophrenic symptoms are now also gone.

It probably sounds like i'm anti seroquel, i'm not anti anything really, it's just too many people are taking these type of drugs to help them sleep, and they are clueless to what could and can happen because its being perscribed 'off label' and not for its indended and approved usage. I believe in informed consent, and i really dont think anyone would knowingly want to add to the problems they already have, if they had a choice.

Cheers..........JJ

[malo1]

I took seroquel for years (also for sleep) and I began to develp twitching, imbalance, bladder hesitancy.  It took a 2nd neruologist to realize all these symps were from Seroquel.  (It was suspected all these symps showed MS.)  After weaning off (not easy, do it real slow over a long period of time) symps went away.  I was bothered that over the years not one doctor warned me that seroquel shouldn't be taken for years.

[Dr_Smita_S]

Hi
Tardive dyskinesia is repetitive and involuntary movements of the limbs. It can also present as abnormal tongue protrusion and eye blinking.

It is a known side effect of antipsychotic medications (seroquel) and risk of developing tardive dyskinesia is more in patients with prolonged duration of treatment with seroquel.
If the symptoms worsen or are intolerable, you can discuss alternate therapies with your doctor.

Regards