What do antipsychotics feel like

Antipsychotics may interact with other medications prescribed by your doctor or dentist or purchased at a drug store, and with herbal remedies or street drugs.

Make sure you tell your doctor about all drugs you are taking. Always ask your doctor or pharmacist about potential interactions before taking any medications or herbal remedies, including cold or allergy tablets or cough syrups.

Antacids can interfere with absorption of antipsychotics and decrease their effect. If you are taking antacids, you can avoid this by taking them at least two hours before or one hour after taking your medication. What if I smoke cigarettes or drink coffee or alcohol while taking antipsychotics? Smoking cigarettes can increase how quickly some antipsychotics are broken down by the body, meaning that people who smoke heavily may need more medication than those who do not.

Drinking coffee has the opposite effect, slowing down the breakdown of antipsychotics. If you change how many cigarettes you smoke or how much coffee you drink, let your doctor know as he or she may need to adjust your dose. Antipsychotic drugs may increase the effects of alcohol, making you more sleepy, dizzy and lightheaded.

Having one or two drinks on occasion should be okay—but remember that one drink may have the effect of two or even three drinks. Smoking and problems with alcohol are more common among people with schizophrenia than they are in the general population. The reason for this is unclear; what is clear is that smoking reduces life expectancy, and alcohol can make it even more challenging to manage the symptoms of schizophrenia.

Being open and honest about your smoking and drinking lets your doctor know how you are doing and helps him or her to determine whether your medication needs to be adjusted.

Talking to your doctor can also give you a chance to think about whether you want to cut down or stop smoking or drinking. What if I use street drugs while taking antipsychotics? Some street drugs, such as marijuana, cocaine and amphetamines, may have effects that feel good in the short term, but they can cause symptoms to return or worsen. Using these drugs increases the risk of psychosis, even in people who do not have schizophrenia or another mental health problem.

Street drugs may also interfere with your medication or worsen side-effects. Will taking antipsychotics affect my ability to drive safely? Will taking antipsychotics affect my sex drive and function? People who take antipsychotics can experience decreased sex drive or even problems in sexual functioning.

Men may have difficulty getting or keeping an erection or ejaculating. Women may be unable to have an orgasm. Let your doctor know if you experience these side-effects. Often an adjustment in dose or change of medication can help.

These drugs can also cause irregular periods and false-positive pregnancy results in women. Is it safe to take antipsychotics while pregnant or breastfeeding? For any pregnant woman with a history of psychosis, the question of taking antipsychotics during pregnancy usually comes down to a risk-benefit analysis. When treatment with an antipsychotic helps to avoid a relapse or to reduce distress, the benefits of continuing the medication may outweigh the risks.

Antipsychotics are relatively safe to use during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Antipsychotic medications pass into breast milk and, depending on the dose, may cause drowsiness in the baby. There are ways, however, to minimize and manage the short-term symptoms that may occur.

Your doctor can help you to choose the safest type of medication to take during pregnancy and breastfeeding, and to find a dose that will provide the maximum benefits with the minimum risk.

If you decide to stop taking medications during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, it is a good idea to see your doctor more often to help you monitor for a return of symptoms. Is age an issue when taking antipsychotic medications?

The effectiveness and risks of antipsychotic medication can vary depending on the age of the person taking it. Can children and teens use antipsychotics?

Antipsychotics can be used to treat children and teens with severe psychiatric disorders such as psychosis, bipolar disorder, Tourette syndrome, autism or severe aggression. Most often, psychotherapy also has an important role. Children and teens are more likely than adults to experience side-effects from these medications, especially the second generation atypical antipsychotics. Can older adults use antipsychotics?

As people age into their 60s and older, they become more sensitive to medication and may require a lower dose. Being more sensitive also means that older people are more likely to experience side-effects than when they were younger. They are also more likely to have other medical problems and to be taking other medications, which could interact with antipsychotic drugs. Antipsychotics can increase the risk of falls, especially when taken with other drugs.

Tardive dyskinesia and other movement-related side-effects can develop in older adults who have used antipsychotics over a long period. Women are twice as likely as men to experience these effects. Antipsychotic medications are sometimes used to calm older adults with psychosis related to dementia.

However, use of antipsychotics by older adults has been associated with an increased risk of stroke. Other ways of calming the person should always be tried first, and when antipsychotics are needed, they should only be used until symptoms are relieved. For more information on medications, contact your doctor, nurse or pharmacist. For information on using medications while pregnant or breastfeeding, contact MotherRisk at or visit www. Back to top. Your donation will fund the groundbreaking mental health research that is helping people on the path to recovery.

Keep your finger on our pulse — latest CAMH news, discoveries and ways to get involved delivered to your inbox. To unsubscribe at any time click the link in our mailing or email: unsubscribe camh. Overview Antipsychotic medications can reduce or relieve symptoms of psychosis, such as delusions false beliefs and hallucinations seeing or hearing something that is not there.

Do I need this treatment? What does Antipsychotic Medications do? Side effects of Antipsychotic Medications Antipsychotic medication can cause unpleasant side-effects, especially when the symptoms are severe and a higher dose of medication is used. You should consider stopping driving during this time if you are affected. You have to tell the DVLA if you live with certain mental health conditions including psychosis, paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Sexual problems have been reported as a side effect of antipsychotics. Evidence shows that many people taking antipsychotics experience sexual problems. But some antipsychotics have less sexual side effects than others. This seems to be why antipsychotics can cause sexual side effects. The following side effects are common.

Higher levels of prolactin can cause:. If you are experiencing any of these problems, you should contact your doctor. They may reduce the dose or stop the medication. If you are advised to stay on it, you might be able to take medications to help with these problems. You can speak to your doctor about the risks of medication while pregnant or breastfeeding. You could also discuss this with your midwife or health visitor.

Taking antipsychotics during pregnancy may have certain risks. It is thought that there may be a small risk of complications if you take antipsychotic drugs during pregnancy.

If you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant, you should speak to your doctor. If possible, it is best to tell your doctor before you become pregnant so that you can discuss concerns you might have around medication.

And agree a plan moving forward that will be healthy for you and your baby. If you have had relapses in the past your doctor might suggest that you stay on your medication during and after pregnancy. If you have a mental health condition, you may be seen by your local perinatal mental health service.

This is if this team exists in your area. Can I breastfeed if I take antipsychotics? If you are breastfeeding and taking antipsychotics, some antipsychotics could be passed to your child from your breast milk. Many drug manufacturers advise that you should stop breastfeeding while taking an antipsychotic. There is evidence that the presence of some antipsychotics such as clozapine and olanzapine in breast milk may cause harmful effects.

You should be monitored regularly and should stop breastfeeding if harmful effects are suspected. Speak to your doctor about the risk and benefits of continuing to take antipsychotics whilst pregnant. Website : www. Mood Swings Network This organisation provides a range of services for people affected by a mood disorder, including their family and friends.

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Get help now. Advice and information Living with mental illness Medications Antipsychotics. Antipsychotics Antipsychotic medications are generally used to treat psychotic disorders. If you would like more advice or information you can contact our Advice and Information Service by clicking here. Download Antipsychotics factsheet. Share: Contact us:. Overview There are two generations of antipsychotics. The older first generation and newer second generation. Antipsychotics affect people differently.

If you take antipsychotics then you may get side effects. It can take some time to find the right medication. If you are taking an antipsychotic which you feel is not working, or if the side effects are difficult to live with, then you should discuss this with your GP or psychiatrist.

You should not stop taking antipsychotics suddenly. Your antipsychotics can interact with other medications. It is important that your doctor is aware of all the medicine you are taking. Including any homeopathic medication. Need more advice? If you need more advice or information you can contact our Advice and Information Service. Contact us Contact us. About Antipsychotics What are antipsychotics? How do antipsychotics work? You can find more information about: Psychosis by clicking here Bipolar disorder by clicking here Depression by clicking here.

Types of antipsychotics What are the different types of antipsychotics? There are 2 types of antipsychotics. Your doctor might call them the following.

These medications have been used since the s. These were the first type of antipsychotics made. These are newer types of antipsychotics.

How are antipsychotics taken? We have listed below the antipsychotics which are licenced for use in the UK. First generation or typical antipsychotics The following medications are typical antipsychotics. What side effects might I experience from taking antipsychotics? Side effects of antipsychotics can include the following.

Uncontrollable movements of the jaw, lips and tongue. This is known as tardive dyskinesia. This includes shakiness. This can often be reduced by lowering the dose. But, if a high dose is necessary, the shakiness can be treated with antimuscarinic medication.

The antipsychotic medications either block this receptor or reduce its activity. So, they can cause symptoms that reach beyond the main dopamine-related effects. That said, not all antipsychotic drugs are associated with the same side effects. Still, even within the category of atypical antipsychotics, some drugs are more likely to cause certain side effects like weight gain than others. And some people simply respond differently to specific drugs than others. So, no matter what medication you take, your mileage may vary.

Margolis says antipsychotics have a sedative quality that often causes drowsiness. In most patients, the effect is mild and temporary and might even be helpful for those who have difficulty sleeping. But in other cases, this can, of course, be problematic if someone is experiencing excessive sleepiness during the day. If that sleepiness is making it difficult to do what you need to do during the day or interfering with your job, school work, or relationships, your doctor may be able to adjust your dose.

Antipsychotics may cause a side effect known as akathisia , which is a sense of motor restlessness that sometimes feels a lot like symptoms of anxiety. Margolis says that antipsychotics can increase your appetite, possibly leading to weight gain. In fact, a meta-analysis of clinical trials of antipsychotics found that almost all antipsychotics are associated with some level of weight gain after prolonged usage.

Margolis tells SELF. Luckily, these side effects aren't common. This happens, Pandurangi says, because antipsychotics interfere with and diminish the action of insulin on glucose sugar.

That can lead some people to develop hyperglycemia high blood sugar and eventually diabetes. Research suggests that initially, antipsychotic drugs can cause changes in blood pressure.

Initially, you might experience an increase in blood pressure even in just the first three days.