Schizophrenia Medications

Schizophrenia Medications

What is the Pharmacological Treatment for Schizophrenia?

There are now effective medications that are designed to restore the biochemical imbalance and therefore reverse the thinking disturbances earlier described for the person with Schizophrenia. These medications relieve symptoms like agitation and restlessness, anxiety, hallucinations and delusions, or confused thinking. With the improvement on the thought processes, the person not only starts to think relevantly and coherently, he also expresses emotions and behaves appropriately. It is important that these medications are taken regularly because relapse will surely happen with non-compliance.

Medications play a significant role in the treatment of Schizophrenia. It causes relief from symptoms, as well as prevention of relapse. If helps the person feel better and appropriately. Hence, it is important that patients and families understand how the medicines work. It is especially important for them to know the possible side effects and how to manage them. More importantly, they should remember that the regular intake of medications is crucial to control the symptoms and in turn, to recovery.

Medications:
1. Typical Antipsychotics
2. Atypical Antipsychotics

How do these medicines work to relieve symptoms?

These medicines work by adjusting the imbalance of chemicals in the brain. Brain chemicals, known as neurotransmitters, are responsible for carrying information from one brain nerve cell to another nerve cell so one can receive information from the senses, process, and act on it. Medicines work to correct brain chemical imbalance and restore clear thinking, appropriate emotion, and overall behavior.

How are these medications taken?

Medication for Schizophrenia (psychotropics) comes as tablets, capsules, or syrup. We can all find it hard to remember to take tablets several times a day, so there are now some that you only need to take once a day.

If the person finds it hard to take tablets everyday, he may find it easier to take anti-psychotic medication as an injection. These are called depot injections and are given weekly or every 2,3, or 4 weeks. On the other hand, taking tablets gives the person more control over his medication and its effects. At the moment, depot injections are only available using the older typical antipsychotics.

Is it safe to take other medicines together with Schizophrenia medications?

Some nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicines can interfere with the medicine(s) for Schizophrenia. For example, some cold preparations can worsen drowsiness and tremors side effects. Some can make the illness worse. If one needs to take the medicines for another health problem, consult first with a doctor, who will prescribe the appropriate medicine that will not interfere with the symptoms of Schizophrenia.

Can the person drink alcoholic beverages while taking medicine(s) for Schizophrenia?

Alcohol and street drugs are especially dangerous when combined with medicines for Schizophrenia. These substance block the mechanism of action of these medicines and may cause serious side effects such as drowsiness, tremors, and low blood pressure. Since alcohol and drugs have direct effects on the brain, they may cause relapse or worsening of the mental symptoms like hallucinations, delusions, restlessness, and agitation.

What are the common side effects or unwanted effects of these medications?

Like any medicine, there are side effects that should be recognized. Always consult the doctor if side effects are noted.

The following are the known side effects: blurry vision, dizziness, drowsiness, restlessness, feeling slowed down, sexual dysfunction, dry mouth, abnormal body movements, constipation, difficulty urinating, weight gain, sun burn, skin rash.



What are the serious side effects that should be watched out for?

The occurrence of the following side effects are considered serious. Fortunately, they are not common and they occur at different rates with various medicines and in different people. Although these rarely occur, it is important to be familiar with them so that appropriate action can be taken immediately:

1. Low White Blood Cell Count (Agranulocytosis)
-     Without enough white blood cells, the body may not be able to fight infection. Since this side effect can be dangerous, be sure to report high fever and sore throat to the doctor as soon as possible.
2. Overheating (Hyperthermia)
-     These medicines may make the person feel overheated, especially in hot weather. Drink plenty of water when this is experienced.
3. Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
-     Muscles get very stiff over one to three days, high fever develops, and there is a feeling of confusion. If these symptoms start to be felt, seek medical help immediately by going to the emergency room of a hospital.
4. Seizures
-     Some medicines make people more prone to having seizures. If the person has a seizure, he must seek medical help immediately.
5. Involuntary Muscle Movements (Tardive Dyskinesia)
-     It usually occurs after months or years of taking antipsychotic medicine. This includes involuntary movements of the tongue and mouth, like chewing and sucking motions, or lip smacking. Sometimes the arms and legs can be affected. Tell the doctor immediately if the person has any of these symptoms.
6. Uncontrolled Muscle Spasms (Dystonia)
-     This side effect feels like a charley horse or writer's cramp. It may start with a neck spasm that leads to a stiff neck and stiff tongue. The eye muscles may be involved, causing the eyes to roll up and back. If this side effect occurs, call the doctor immediately or go to the emergency room. The doctor can prescribe another medication to prevent this reaction from occurring.

"Side effects" associated with treatments for Schizophrenia should be reported right away to the doctor who will determine prescription. The doctor might also adjust the dosage or change the medicine.

How well does Schizophrenia medications work?

These medications, although they work well for many people, are NOT a cure. The symptoms of Schizophrenia often come back. This is much less likely to happen if the person carries on taking medication even when he feels well. this is why a psychiatrist will usually suggest that medications be taken for a long time. If the person wants to stop his medication, he needs to discuss this with his doctor. He should usually reduce his medication gradually.

What happens if medications are stopped?

If the person stops taking the tablets, the symptoms of Schizophrenia will usually come back - not immediately, but usually within six months.

Next: Psychotherapy and Psychosocial Rehabilitation for Schizophrenia