would like info on use of haldol in treating schizophrenia in 45-50 year old woman...she has been on treatment with various drugs for last 25 years
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3/11/10 10:40am
Hello barney,
Haldol is what's commonly referred to as a "traditional neuroleptic" as it was one of the original drugs discovered and used to treat schizophrenia in the past five decades. The newer drugs developed in the 1990s and that are continually introduced to the market today are called "atypicals."
The atypicals and the traditional neuroleptics have their own set of side effects. Though there is the belief that the atypicals are better the earlier drugs, the newer drugs can cause weight gain, leading to metabolic syndrome that can cause heart disease, diabetes and stroke. The traditional neuroleptics are thought to cause a higher risk of tardive diyskinesia, an involuntarily movement disorder that results in tongue wagging and other tics.
As with any drug, whether it is a newer one or an older one, the psychiatrist will examine the benefit of taking that particular drug versus the types of side effects that are possible and he or she will also consider any other meidcal conditions or histories the patient has which would affect the kind of antipsychotic used.
For some people diagnosed with schizophrenia, an atypical might not work. I know one woman in her sixties who is taking Haldol and it works for her just fine.
As you've seen it is sometimes trial-and-error to find the right drug or combination of drugs that will be work to alleviate a person's symptoms.
Please feel free to ask another question or write a SharePost . You have come to the right place for support and information.
Regards,
Christina
3/11/10 10:44am
Hi barney,
One last thing:
It is also not uncommon that a drug a person was on for a number of years ceases to work as effectively as it used to and so a new drug is used instead.
I was on Stelazine for 20 years and in April 2007 my psychiatrist switched me over to Geodon. Stelazine was a traditional neuroleptic and Geodon is an atypical.
So I wouldn't be alarmed necessarily if someone has been on a number of drugs throughout the years.
The key thing is for the doctor and patient to be proactive and work together in adjusting the treatment as new symptoms or challenges present themselves. I wrote in a magazine article last year that we cannot expect to put our recovery on autopilot and do the same thing for 50 years.
Sometimes a change is warranted.
Regards,
Christina
3/19/10 11:35pm
I recommend you read about orthomolecular pschiatry. It invloves the use of vitamin supplements and niacin (the vitamin B3). It was founded by the psychiatrist Dr. Michael Lesser who is still in practice in the San Francisco bay area. Dr. Lesser has even made speeches to the US congress about his work. He got his degree from Cornell University. He even wrote a book called "The Brain Chemistry Diet" where you can learn about your brain personality and find out what foods you should eat and what specialty vitamin supplements you can take depending on your brains personality type. If you dont like your medications this diet and vitamin therapy specialized to your case will even completely get rid of your need for debilitating drugs that a lot of people say you will need for the rest of your life. Dont believe that bullshit. You dont need those bogus medications (drugs) at all with the help of orthomolecular pschiatric vitamin medicine. I hope you read into this field of psychiatry because it sounds like you could use it.
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By barney— Last Modified: 12/26/10, First Published: 03/10/10
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