WARNING: Dendritic Spreading

[Support Coalition - David Oaks]

Dear Thomas, 

I can't speak on the *likelihood* that your neuroleptic injection is the
cause of involuntary movements, seven years later. However, it is known
that a single dose of a neuroleptic has -- from time to time -- resulted
in such permanent twitching (tardive dyskinesia). The first signs tend to
be fine twitching movements of tongue, eye blinking, etc. Of course, most
TD is the result of longer-term dosing; one rule of thumb is a cumulative
five percent risk per year (so after 10 years of neuroleptics, a typical
person would have a fifty-fifty chance of TD). This varies widely.

Best would be to shop around for a KNOWLEDGEABLE neurologist, etc., one
with some experience with TD, and with the guts to love the spirit of 
science and medicine (instead of corporate "normality"). 

Stay in touch!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In support & struggle,        David Oaks        <dendron at efn.org>

Support Coalition, Co-Coordinator / Dendron News, Editor
PO Box 11284     Eugene, Oregon      97440-3484      USA

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On Wed, 24 Jul 1996, Thomas R. Gregg wrote:

> Hi.  A question about the permanent twitching caused by neuroleptics:
> 
> I am not schizophrenic.  I was given an injection of Haldol (haloperidol)
> about 7 years ago (at age 19). I have noticed minor involuntary muscle
> twitches since that time, but I can't find a cause for them.  (The
> twitches seem to have abated over time, though).  Is it likely that the
> injection caused them? 
> 
> thanks,
> Tom
>