Haloperidol and Muscle Spasms: What Users Say

• Bip...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 3, 2019

For Mania "This haloperidol is the worst drug I have ever been given in my life. After the injection, I was immediately not able to speak. My feet started tapping and kicking uncontrollably. Twelve hours later, I had extreme tightening of the jaw, the tightening went down my neck. I couldn’t swallow my spit, and me trying to say my name and birthdate sounded like when a deaf person was trying to speak. Very rapidly, my neck and spinal muscles contracted backward, eyes were stuck rolled behind my head, completely locked up and painful, apparently, this is a side effect called dystonia. I couldn’t get a word out. Thankfully, a doctor gave me the antidote to cure this reaction (Benadryl!!!), and within a minute, my body started to go back to normal, and I started sobbing happy tears. Scariest medication of my life. Please be careful with this one."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 13, 2017

Haloperidol for Nausea/Vomiting "Went to the ER after experiencing chest pain following advice from my surgery nurse. While being there, I mentioned being slightly nauseous. I am extremely allergic to most anti-nausea medications, going into anaphylactic shock, so I was given Haldol. Immediately after injection, my heart began beating faster and my anxiety level flew off the chart. Every muscle in my body wanted to move and spasm, I was practically vibrating in the bed. Seeing as it was only days after having my abdomen cut into, it was pretty intense. It was the closest I have ever felt to being out of my mind. I had to be given another medication to counteract the effect of the Haldol in my system."

• zom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 7, 2023

Haloperidol for Mania "I was homeless and sleeping on a park bench after dropping out of college. Woke up one day in a psych ward. I had slept a good 10 hours, having been in a bed for the first time in months. Then a younger nurse walked into my room, waking me with a pill and a Dixie cup of water, saying, 'Here, this will help you feel better.' I took the pill and fell back asleep for two hours. When I woke, I tried to speak, and my lower jaw went into spasms, and I lost control of my tongue as it started lolling on my chin, almost like a dog's. I was unable to form words without a working tongue for two hours. 1995"

• Sno...
• August 14, 2016

Haloperidol for Nausea/Vomiting "I went to the ER for stomach cramping and tenderness after a bout of stomach flu. For some reason, they used this instead of Zofran or Phenergan first. I had horrible side effects. Every muscle in my body spasmed to the point of nearly dislocating my jaw. It took a full 36 hours to leave my system. Benadryl helped, but did not reverse the effects. I was disoriented and screaming in pain only a few seconds after receiving it. Use caution. The side effects were not worth it."

• van...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 16, 2019

Haloperidol for Psychosis "I had an involuntary psychiatric hospitalization. This Haldol felt the same as Risperdal Consta, only it felt more tolerable. Still the same mind freeze and dyskinesia and extreme fear from dyskinesia, as if you are losing your mind. Also, permanent changes to normal only began happening 6 months after stopping. Permanent rise in phosphorus levels in my blood, as well as more inflammation of the parathyroids. After that, my osteoporosis became unmanageable. Putting people on these substances is only justifiable if there is absolutely no way to restrain them or make them think and behave in our normal everyday human reality. Since reality is hard to judge when you are working, supposedly, then all the shy and outspoken kids who are not Black get put on these meds first."

• My...
• September 14, 2011

For Psychosis "My son had a severe acute psychosis and was put on haloperidol for about 2-3 days. He had quite a bad reaction of dystonia (muscle stiffness), which is more common in young people and males (he was 17). He had trouble swallowing, drooled, arched his back involuntarily, etc. It was awful. I do think it helped the psychosis somewhat, but he could not tolerate it."

• Suf...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 15, 2018

For ICU Agitation "When I was injected with haloperidol in the hospital, it made me feel stupid at first, which was not that bad, but 15-16 hours later I had the most severe extrapyramidal symptoms. I had double vision and I could not move my eyes, and then I also had severe muscle spasms that hurt a lot. Haloperidol is literally more dangerous than most illegal drugs!"

• Car...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 5, 2018

For Psychosis "Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking haloperidol: More common, difficulty with speaking or swallowing, inability to move the eyes, loss of balance, control, mask-like face, muscle spasms, especially of the neck and back, restlessness or need to keep moving (severe), shuffling walk, stiffness of the arms and legs, trembling and shaking of the fingers and hands, twisting movements of the body, weakness of the arms and legs."

• Tye...
• September 14, 2014

For Psychosis "Out of all the neuroleptics I've been on, haloperidol helped my paranoia far better. I did not experience weight gain at all, but I take benztropine for muscle spasms, tremors in my hands, and muscle stiffness. All of these are side effects from the haloperidol."

• Lil...
• March 20, 2017

For Psychosis "Overnight relief from psychosis, controls intrusive thoughts and slows the brain down so you have control of your mind. Such a good feeling to be in control! I do experience fidgeting with limbs, especially my toes. Involuntary muscle spasms went away after about a month."

• Tjt...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 28, 2017

For Psychosis "I was prescribed handily in the psych ward, and after receiving a shot, I felt very relaxed. Unfortunately, the oral pill form isn't the same. I immediately get stiff and anxious to the point that my neck and shoulders were in complete spasms. The doctor had to order another shot to counteract that and also gave me a muscle relaxer. All in all, I felt like my heart was beating out of my chest, and I couldn't relax at all."

• gui...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 7, 2018

For Nausea/Vomiting "I was given this drug years ago after being found homeless and brought onto a psych ward. A nurse had walked into my room as I was half asleep and said, 'Here, take this. It will help you feel better,' and handed me a pink pill with some water. I took the pill and went back to sleep, and two hours later, upon waking, I found my jaw going into spasms and contortions and my tongue hanging out of my mouth like a dog's. It was impossible for me to speak for 2 hours, having no control of my tongue. It was awful. I later found out the pill that I had been given was Haldol."

• Ogn...
• July 7, 2021

"It is awful! It made me have movements that are involuntary, and I had to fight that condition. It made my life a nightmare for a long time. And they give it like it's a candy. I wish revenge on the doctors that gave me this and almost ruined my life."

• Dma...
• September 25, 2021

For Tourette's Syndrome "This is the worst drug ever. They prescribed this to me for Tourette syndrome (which I don't even have, by the way) when I was six years old, and I was on it for about 5 years, maybe more. It gave me tardive dyskinesia, tics, and involuntary muscle movements, which states thought were Tourette syndrome. It also caused extreme lethargy, disorientation, nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, and many more terrible side effects. Don't ever take this for any reason at all, ever. And especially do not give this to children in any way, shape, or form, ever. They really should take this off the market."

• Wbr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 21, 2022

For Nausea/Vomiting "Given for dizziness, vomiting, and headache. Within minutes, had a severe reaction of spasms. Doctor didn’t care, said I was lying for more meds. Went to a new hospital where I was given a medicine to calm down the effects and put me on a temporary anxiety medicine. Haldol is terrible."

• oka...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 29, 2016

For Psychosis "Causes dystonia but is extremely effective. Nothing that can't be fixed by benztropine."