my son was diagnosed with sz and takes zyprexa and risperdal. he is always cold . any ideas why?

Hi sueshulo,

I haven't heard that being cold is a side effect, your son could ask the pharmacist.

Some people aren't warm-blooded.  Has your son always been cold, or only since starting the zyprexa and risperdal?

Another suggestion:  when I was younger, I told my mother I "was cold," and maybe I was, or maybe I wanted attention and to feel protected.

I've noticed that my whole life I've tended to feel colder than most people around me.  Year-round, my wrists and ankles are always colder than the rest of my body.

Being cold is not a symptom of the illness, so check with the pharmacist as to whether it's a side effect of the medications.

One consideration: as long as he's well-dressed, it should be fine for him to dress in layers year-round unless of course he looks ill-groomed and others would tend to form a false impression.

I say it's fine to dress in layers if that is what your son needs to do to feel warm or safe.

Best regards,

Chris

I'm not sure why 'cold' would be a symptom, but if you look at a sight specific seritonin re-uptake inhibitor like MDMA (street name extacy) which affects areas of the thalamus and hypothalamus, there is deregulation in body temperature due to the drugs activity.  Antidepressants that control seratonin re-uptake are not sight specific, and function over large areas of the brain.  The only reason I could see for the feelings of cold would be a deregulation caused by the activity of his medication in the hypothalamus.  It would be a rare, a very very very rare side effect indeed, and the more prosaic response would be that it is a psychological reaction to the expectation of negative side effects.  If he is experiencing 'cold'  it is in response to an increase in body heat which, if it is not psychosomatic, could be gauged by a simple thermometer.  Less likely would be an interference with the brains subjective response to variations between core temperature and the surrounding environement.

I have had the problems of being both too cold and too hot during my lifetime.  I was always extremely cold when I was thin.  Is you son thin?  He may not have enough fat to keep him warm.  Another time when I always covered my arms was when I was cutting on myself and didn't want anyone to know.  Hopefully your son isn't doing that.  It could even be a response to commands he hears, if he has auditory hallucinations.  And yes, you may be right about feeling safe.  He may feel that if he covers everything, he is protected.

You might suggest exercise as a way for him to warm up.  Or drinking hot green tea, which is good for you.

Zyprexa made me gain a lot of weight at the same time I was going through menopause.  So I am plenty warm/hot now, all the time!

Carolyn

Agree with all the other responders, particularly about the thalamus axis, if your son moves less his BMR wil be slower and he won't generate so much warming heat energy as others so feeling the cold. 
It would also be worth checking blood test for an underactive thyroid though.I know lithium can affect thyroid function and think it possible other drugs might too. In any case it sometimes just happens!

Best wishes

Chris,

retired doc