I have come to a big realization this year - Antipsychotics mess with your heart too much!
When I increased the Risperdal dose to 4 mg, my heart started pounding so fast, thought I was going to have a Heart Attack!
The problem is that my pdoc wants me to take more Antipsychotics - Giving me an add on drug like Zyprexa or another drug.
I honestly do not know if my heart can take all these meds! Im already on a Beta Blocker that slows my heart rhythm down.
I am still experiencing some cardiac issues with the 2.5 mg Risperdal - so it seems, something does not feel right - I will get some occasional pains in my heart area or experience some rapid heart beats at times.
I want to go to lower doses - or preferably switch to a safer Antipsychotic like Rexulti, but am afraid of potential cardiac issues! I am so tired of this ■■■■!
You may have a pre-existing heart condition (says Dr. 77nick77). But seriously go in somewhere and have your heart examined and tested. The meds may be aggravating a problem with your heart that’s already there.
Get checked out. It’s important.
You may have a pre-existing heart condition and the meds may be makeing it worse and even tip you over the edge into serious pemenant heart problems. Get it checked out.
I had a couple of EKG’s done over the years - I was fine - I went to my family doctor recently - blood test was OK - he listened to my heart, it was fine.
I dont know, Antipsychotics can play around with your Heart Rhythm it has nothing to do with a “bad heart”
I may get another EKG done, just for the heck of it
**Sorry @Wave!
I wish you could just be on 1 AP.
Sometimes I wonder if OCD or anxiety symptoms are the real culprit.
Not going to like this-but what about klonopin? Not sure if you have ever had that before?
I know that they are addicting, but if you have to be on meds anyway, I cant think of anything else that might help. People take all kinds of treatments that are unhealthy, but the alternative would be worse. Cancer treatments are horrible-but the cancer seems to come back sooner or later. Quality of life is everything. Hope Im not giving you some bad advice… **
Sorry to hear you’re having concerns with your heart. I know the meds can adversely affect the heart, but it sounds like everything may be ok according to the tests you’ve had.
When son had his first psychotic break in 2009, I recall one of the emergency room personnel remarked that his heart rate was extremely high and he was not even medicated then. I do worry about his meds and his heart too.
Sounds like you have a good pdoc. I suggest go with what she advises to better your quality of life, but at the same time have your heart closely monitored, to give you peace of mind.
I don’t know anything about Rexulti, will have to educate myself on that one!
@bridgecomet @lovemyson
My doctor decided on just giving me the Risperdal, not adding the Zyprexa - At doses above 3mg especially the Risperdal gave me Tachycardia, a fast Heartbeat, now at 2.5 mg I’m better it seems.
Eventually my doctor may lower the dose a bit more. @bridgecomet Yes OCD and Anxiety is a big part of what I have - I take Klonopin everyday- it seems to help a bit.
My doctor feels that Anxiety added on to my fast heart rate issues - I will closely monitor my heart from now on.
Thank You both for your concerns - it means a lot to me
I hope you remember the little tip I gave you about monitoring your resting pulse: Take pulse at 8am, noon, 4pm and 8pm without having exercised two hours prior.
I’m taking a beta blocker and Hexarone for my cardiac dysrhythmia. I had to wear a 24 hour Holter ECG to pick up the dysrhythmia. My doctor said I probably got it from a virus but I think it’s from the AP’s. I use Abilify at high dose. …have been on 30mg now I’m on 25mg
Bingo. All benzos have the potential to set off a sine wave that may induce tachy-c when the user is in the withdrawal phase. (I used to take Klonopin.) I get that you like what it does; I did, too. But after a few weeks, it wasn’t getting much done, and it was causing problems the doc wanted to deal with with the same kind of cardio meds that beat me to the ground in '97. So I just eased off.
For me, at least, the sedating anti-Ps like 'quel, Haldol and Zyprexa will knock down a panic attack, and I’ve learned how to keep my ANS in a lot better balance so I almost never have them anymore.
Herbert Benson, Joseph Wolpe, Hans Selye, Robert Sapolsky, Bruce McEwen, Sonya Lupien and Peter Levine taught me enough about how the autonomic nervous system works in depth that I can use the knowledge – along with Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction – to keep it from going into tilt most of the time now.
