Haldol and Restlessness: What Users Say

• Pet...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 16, 2019

For Psychosis "My side effects of Haldol are restlessness and anxiety. The need to move is coupled with the desire not to. Muscle tension and tremors combined with the inability to walk correctly, heavy drooling at the mouth, nausea, and terrible constipation amounting to the inability to have a bowel movement, as well as the inability to urinate without sitting down. In addition, there is the inability to ejaculate."

• Mic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 29, 2020

For Nausea/Vomiting "Sometime after my same-day surgery to treat a cancer tumor, I was given some unspecified amount of Haldol through my IV line. I was shocked when I heard I was given Haldol since it is known as an antipsychotic drug with very severe side effects. I had no idea it was ever used for the prevention of nausea and vomiting over all standards such as Zofran. Since I had the same procedure several weeks earlier, I was amazed to define the effects of what I thought was just the anesthesia were so much more severe. I had disorientation, restlessness, anxiety, memory problems, tiredness, sleepiness, constipation, and even some depression. I can only attribute the difference in my reaction to the use of Haldol. It's been about 48 hours since I was discharged from the hospital, and I still don't feel right. My advice to any patient who may be given this drug to treat/prevent nausea and vomiting is to request something else that's much safer. I would certainly never take this again."

• D_D...
• January 8, 2018

For Nausea/Vomiting "Went to the ER for uncontrollable vomiting and stomach pain. Haldol was the second try (injection) to improve my symptoms. I am shocked reading all of these other experiences because of the similarity to my case. The Haldol helped with the nausea and vomiting, but oh my goodness, the body cramps and restlessness. My entire body was a giant charley horse contorting all over the table, and I couldn't stop it. Crying in pain. They finally gave me something else, which toned it down some, but no way would I ever want to go through that again. I'm sorry for those who have experienced it. It's horrendous :("

• Red...
• January 12, 2011

For Tourette's Syndrome "The Haldol worked great for controlling my Tourette's, but it came with too many side effects, so I had to switch. I gained ten pounds in the first week of use, which tapered off after around three weeks, but the restlessness was unbearable. I was put on Cogentin for it, but then my vision became blurry and could not see anything within eighteen inches. It was horrible."

• Cya...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 9, 2021

For Mania "Was given this crappy drug last summer at the hospital in the psych ward, and everyone was terrified of me! I got an injection, so I had to go through a MONTH of this horror. I had insanely slurred speech, my voice sounded more high-pitched and tired, I slept ALL DAY, I had terrible akathisia, night terrors, nobody wanted me around, I was more anxious than usual, and I wanted to die for relief. The side effects wore off completely 20 days after I took it on the first of August 2020. Never taking this drug again. I’m on Zoloft and Valium right now, so much better. As for this crap, 0/10. Smh."

• Noc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 10, 2021

For Psychosis "Haldol gave me extreme akathisia that I couldn’t bear, so I had to go off of it. Wasn’t on it long enough to experience many other side effects that could come with it, but I will say it helped with my paranoid thoughts a bit, but also made me feel drunk and not myself."

• Tub...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 19, 2022

For Nausea/Vomiting "I was given Haldol for stomach pain. Why in the heck they gave me this drug I don't know why, I told the nurse it made me feel weird, and I did not like it at all, and she said, oh, it does that to some people. But reading on here, it sure as heck sounds like a lot of people are complaining of this drug with the same effects. Restlessness was the worst one, feeling like your skin is going to crawl out of you. This was the worst experience ever!! And like someone else said, this drug needs to be removed from hospitals, my god, it's horrible and should not be allowed to be given ever!"

• fis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 4, 2015

For Mania "Parent to son with psychotic experiences diagnosed bipolar mania by one doctor and schizoaffective disorder by another. Been on a 3-year roller coaster nightmare. Refusal to take sulpiride and risperidone orally for any time resulted in having depot injections, but our experience to date of the depot injections is more negative given the side effects. Like lost personality, tiredness, restlessness. Bouts of long sleeping followed by walking round and round the room. When standing, rocking from foot to foot. Inability to engage in conversations. Sense of hopelessness. We didn't really clue up on the drug and are concerned about the inability to come off/reduce them because a month's worth has been injected then topped up."

• Roc...
• January 6, 2021

For Nausea/Vomiting "Was in for laparoscopy procedure and was very nauseous after the surgery. Initial treatment with Zofran wasn’t helpful, so they then injected Haldol to relieve the emesis and nausea. It made me feel drowsy and restless at the same time. I can’t tell if I’m thankful it helped as an antiemetic or if I absolutely hate it because of the restless legs, anxious, crawling out of my skin feelings. It made resting and sleep very difficult after a really long day at the hospital. My advice: see if the doctor has exhausted all other medications/solutions first! The side effects may make you regret taking it."

• haw...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 18, 2022

For Psychosis "I have taken Haldol multiple times for schizophrenia. I have also tried most of the atypical antipsychotics. Haldol has the least side effects for me and works the best. Depending on the dose, I can get restless, but I can control that by splitting the dose up throughout the day. Other than that, I have no side effects."

• onl...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 23, 2015

For Psychosis "Best medicine I've been on to treat my psychosis without affecting my lipids! Experienced a little restlessness, nothing major. Great overall experience!"