Involuntary jerky movements

[davidw]

My wife who has been in Nursing Home care for the last 6 months has suddenly started making involuntary jerky movements with her arms. This can happen when she has a drink and is upsetting to her. She is 60 and was diagnosed with AD about 5 years ago.
She has been taking the anti psychotic drug 'pericyazine' for about 18 months,in relatively small doses,but I wonder whether these movements are
A side affect of the drug
A natural progression of the illness
Something unassociated with either of the above two

She is being seen by the GP who covers the NH today and I have asked for the Consultant Psychiatrist responsible to review but I wondered if anyone had any experiences either with the involuntary movements or with the drug which might help
Thanks for reading

David

 

[Grannie G]

Hello David

What you describe does seem to be one of the side effects of the drug.

http://www.tiscali.co.uk/lifestyle/healthfitness/health_advice/netdoctor/archive/100003972_2.html

I suggest you take advice from the doctor today, as this may be the lesser of two evils or it may be necessary to make adjustments to the dose.

Take care

 

[Skye]

Hi David

I've no experience with the drug, but these jerks are quite common in late-stage dementia. They're call ed myoclonic jerks, or myoclonus. This website will explain:

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/myoclonus/detail_myoclonus.htm

My husband has them, usually quite mildly, but when they are more severe it's usually a sign of an infection.

Hopefully the GP will have been able to give you an idea as to what is causeing them.

 

[jackie1]

John has them quite a lot. Night are awful and I am seriously considering going to single beds so that I get some sleep. Don't want to as it just doesn't feel right though.

Jackie

 

[connie]

Hi Jackie, know just how you feel.

The jerking was the final reason I moved out of Lionel's room.

I damaged my shoulder holding him in the bed when the jerking got so bad. I ended up giving him our double bed, with side bars, as he was at the stage of jerking out of the bed.

I moved into the spare room with a single bed. Unfortunately Lionel could not have coped in a single bed himself, so twin beds would not have worked for us.

Sad decision to have to make. Stay strong.

 

[katherine]

My mum started getting involuntary spasms over the past few weeks. She has had seizures in the past so we upped her epilepsy medication, but then she did have a seizure last week, having not had one since she started taking Tegretol about a year and a half ago. Now that the increase of Tegretol has got into her system the involuntary movements have gone (for now). So for mum i think these spasms are linked with the fits she has.

That link that someone else put on here was very useful.

I hope you can sort them out

Kate x

 

[CraigC]

Hi All,

The link is really useful, I'd also read about the myoclonic jerks in a few books and have always put them down to the progression. Run a search on the forum for myoclonic - Use the Search Link on the green bar a the top of the page.

I'd still discuss it with the consultant psychiatrist as it could well be a side effect of the drugs.

The jerks have become quite regular with dad although he had them mid-stage as well. I was sitting with him today and they happened continuously even though he was quite awake. It reminds me of that feeling you have when dropping off to sleep sometimes, like you are falling off step or cliff and suddenly jerk in bed, he looked just as surprised each time. I think it is also disturbing his sleep now.

Good luck
Craig

 

[davidw]

Thank you

Thanks for all the helpful replies and the links.

The Consultant Psychiatrist visited my wife yesterday and spent a lot of time with her.She explained to me that it was very likely that these jerky movements are a progression of the illness but that they can be controlled,to some extent,by more medication.In the meantime there will be some changes in current medication to see if that helps--
Firstly a reduction in Sertraline(anti depressant)
if that shows no improvement
A change from Pericyazine(anti pschotic)to a 'softer' alternative

I will update this thread if there are any improvements that might be useful for others to know about

David

 

[katherine]

Hi

My mum's spasms have come back a bit so we're also reducing her Abilify which is also an anti-psychotic -as I read on the medication notes that spasms and possibly fits can be a side effect. Will let you know the outcome of that too.

Katherine

 

[susiesue]

Hello David

Just read your thread about involuntary jerking movements that your mum is having.
My husband is 67 and was diagnosed with probable early onset Alzheimers two years ago. He is on Aricept. I have recently noticed that he has been having involuntary jerking movements and I suggest your look on the internet, which is what I did. I believe they can be caused by neurological problems but I do remember my husband suffered from these pre-AD but not so much as is happening now.

Not much help I know but take care
Sue

 

[susiesue]

Hello again David

Sorry - just re-read your thread - I mean't your wife - not your mother!!! Sorry!!

Sue

 

[dab1630]

My wife is 58, diagnosed 2 years ago with vascular dementia, but has had symptoms for the last 5 years.

The only medication she is on is Cipralex (anti-depressant) and has been getting jerks for the last year. The intensity and frequency varies from small arm movements to something close to an epileptic fit. It is almost always first thing in the morning that they occur.

The only way I have found to reduce the jerks is to get her to smoke a cigarette. Cigarettes also help with anxiety as she has proved very sensitive to the meds usually given for this.

 

[angelica]

jerking movements

Hi,
My mum is not on any drugs to help her dementia yet, she does get total body jerking when extremely upset, frightened or agitated.
regards
angelica

 

[Brucie]

Well, I have read about this in the past, and Jan has had some occurrences, but these days they are becoming more regular and dramatic, generally as an aftershock from a fit.

When I visited today, Jan was recovering from her latest fit and her 1-to-1 care worker said "they are happening more often now", something I had noticed.

She also said that most of the residents are having them now. Data like that makes an analyst like me to explore a common factor - beyond the fact that all are late stage dementia [which may of course be the reason].

I'll check with the GP when I see her. Clearly with medication being able to cause jerking too, it is a good thing to check if there is a common med that is being used, and at what dosage.

Sometimes, whereas doctors and nurses may rightly view each resident as an individual, it may be that an outsider can spot a wider picture.

 

[Vonny]

There's a theme of antidepressants coming through here. To add to them, my mum has just had her citalopram halved by the doctor in an effort to stop the night jerks and tremors. It seems to have had some effect but hasn't completely stopped them.

Vonny xx

 

[Norman]

This fact sheet gives very comprehensive descriptions and advice on anti-psychotic drugs.
Norman

http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/factsheet/408

 

[Vonny]

Clomazepam

My mum has now been prescribed Clomazepam by the GP for her jerks and tremors. Apparently it's going to be difficult to get the right balance so she isn't sleeping all the time, and the dose is being brought in by increasing it every 4 days.

Mum's only been on it for 2 nights now on the minimum dose, and when I went up to see her and dad this morning, she was still asleep. She was just coming round as I was leaving at lunchtime. We'll have to see how it goes, but I thought I'd give you an update as I'd previously posted about citalopram possibly being the cause.

Good luck with your wife's medication changes David

Vonny xx

 

[connie]

Lionels involuntary movement 'myoclonic jerks' are now so much part and parcel of his life I have stopped wondering about them.

Dengeneration perhaps, but what isn't? He has epileptic siezures on random occassions. All partof his dementia journey.

 

[Carmel123]

I am a new member. My mother has had dementia for 8 years. She is in a care home now. The involuntary movement started about 4 years ago...Only when she was in her wheelchair . However in last year it has progressed to 3/4 times a wee and in bed too. It is so scary for her. The doctor thought is was due to anxiety and put her on mirtapine...But no real change. They thought it was her memantine and stopped it for 3 months but she got very unsettled. Now the nurses give her diazepam when seizures start....It helps to relax her a bit but not totally effective.The jerks can go on for hours...The doctor is thinking about clonazepam but it can cause daytime drowsiness and then she may not eat or drink.......VERY FRUSTRATING.

 

[silkiest]

Another drug that can cause involuntary spasms is Gabapentin - my son had a serious reaction to this. It took 3 weeks in hospital and a new specialist to get the diagnosis.