Reader’s Question

My wife was given Invega (antipsychotic drug) for 7 days while in a psychiatric hospital.
She stopped taking it when she was released from the clinic. She’s now experiencing a feeling of internal restlessness as well as shakiness (tremors in her hands or involuntary movements in both her hands) — symptoms she did not have before or during the time she was taking the drug.

From what I’ve read, these seem to be side effects of taking this drug. My question is do these side effect go away? How long does it take for the drug to be completely out of her system?

Our Clinical Psychologist’s Reply

As you describe, Invega is a new antipsychotic medication. Like most antipsychotic medications, it has an influence on the brain neurotransmitter Dopamine, a neurochemical also known to be related to movement disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease and Tourette’s Disorder.

The symptoms you are describing are very likely related to the use of or withdrawal from the medication. The sense of internal restlessness is called “Akathisia” with additional symptoms of restless legs, pacing, inability to sit still, and rocking when standing or sitting. Tremors of the hands may be related to Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS) which can also be a side effect of antipsychotic medication.

Your wife should be seen by the prescribing psychiatrist as soon as possible. Medications are available to deal with those symptoms. If the symptoms persist — without the presence of the medications — you will need to immediately pursue neurological studies. Importantly, these are not anxious tremors or “the shakes” — it’s much more serious than that.