I was wondering if some of you take or had to take neuroleptics in the past (also called antipsychotics) ?
I have been taking these ones for many years for KLS associated with bipolar disorder. They help a lot to avoid hallucinations too which are common symptoms in KLS and must be prescribed by a physician.

The first one I tried when I was 18 was, under the trade name, Haldol (haloperidol). It helped but there were annoying side effects. Then I stopped it and was better, my last episode happening when I was 30. But I still have been taking other neuroleptics the years following even that KLS has gone away for 9 years now :

Zyprexa (olanzapine) : had to take it for a while in the past.

Risperdal (risperidone) : I am taking it for a few years, it is working well, but have stopped it recently because I just started Abilify instead.

Seroquel (quetiapine) : had to take it for helping sleeping at night, annoying side effects, have stopped it. Would not recommand it.

Abilify (aripiprazole) : I am currently taking this since April, 2007 and I must say I am very satisfied so far. Almost no side effects (except a little bit sleeplesness sometimes).

What about you ? Do you have any good or bad experience with neuroleptics ? I have always been worried every time I had to start taking a new one, but they usually help a lot and allow me to keep busy working and maintain a social life every day.

Nicolas

My daughter was put on atypical neuroleptics since right after turning 12 until recently (she is 21). It was for “schizoaffective.” In spite of the neuroleptics, she had “residual” symptoms, and was living a half-life. She is no longer on them, and has NO symptoms of the schizoaffective. Instead, each biological problem we could find was addressed. She had a lot if issues that the doctors were chalking all up as part of her “mental illness”.  As if they were not REAL and PHYSICAL. Also, the neuroleptics affect the endocrine system which can cause yet another set of symptoms and problems. For instance, lowering Cortisol. Well, that’s fine if, as in many psych patients, your cortisol (the stress hormone) is high to begin with. But if not - that low cortisol can cause lower stress tolerance, dizziness, aching, and fatigue. Which she had. Great. On top of everything else. She had to taper off the Serqoeul so slowly due to severe withdrawal symptoms. We have been watching her cortisol slowly inching up towards normal.

Yes, the meds HELPED control symptoms, but did not treat the underlying problem causing her symptoms. Oh… and they only worked in conjunction with nutritional supplements (she was on EMPowerPlus) - neither worked alone. Now we understand better since she had an intestinal malabsorption issue (among pother things). Raising hormone levels went a long way to “stabilize” her, too.  In fact, raising hormones (T4/T3) helped my older daughter with circadian rhythm sleep disorder and bipolar, too.

As for Seroquel & sleep…. my daughter’s doctor substituted tryptophan for some of that Seroquel. You might want to see here about that).

-Naomi