Research
14 May 2002
Dangerous Medical Treatments
Medication such as Pimozide and Haldol that is the commonly prescribed medication to control or minimize body, facial and sometimes verbal tics which is a manifestation of Tourette Syndrome does more harm then good and can also result in sudden death. Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder that presents itself with facial tics such as eye blinking or in the form of body tics as hoping or twisting your arm for no particular reason, and then there are verbal tics. Verbal tics can present themselves as constantly clearing your throat or uncontrollable sniffing. Then there is complex vocal tic's that include repeating words or phrases, and the rare use of foul language that is called coprolalia. Tourette Syndrome is a life long disorder that affects 1 in 1,000 boys and 1 in 2,500 girls (Whitley). Other behavioral patterns associated with Tourette syndrome are Obsessive Compulsive traits, Hyperactivity, Attention Deficit disorder (ADD), Learning disabilities, and sleep problems (Gate Pharmaceuticals). Since Tourette includes these other problems, the medication that is prescribed to treat tics doesn’t treat these other problems as well.
Pimozide and Haldol are the commonly prescribed medication to control and minimize tics. No medication has been specifically made to treat Tourette Syndrome. It has been discovered that medication that treats high blood pressure, Schizophrenia, and Parkinson’s disease and other disorders have been found to treat tics. This is why caution must be taken while these medications (This site may save your life). While taking these prescribed medication you take on their adverse side effects. Pimozide and Haldol may minimize tics but they don’t minimize the other behavioral aspects of Tourette syndrome such as OCD, ADD, and ADHD.
Pimozide or as it is referred to by its brand name orap is a neuroleptic drug and is used for the treatment in children with Tourette syndrome. The expected effect of orap is to decrease motor and phonic tics. Orap is equally as effective as haldol but orap is more easily tolerated than Haldol. “Pimozide will not completely cure the tics, but will help to reduce their number and severity (Advice for the Patient 652). Haldol is another treatment option to Pimozide and is used for the treatment of adults. Haldol can be taken orally or by injection. Haldol is only effective in about 70% of all the people who take it. It is used to treat nervous, mental, and emotional problems. It is also used to control the symptoms of Tourette syndrome (Advice for the Patient 454).
Pimozide as effective as it might be to treat or minimize the affects of Tourette syndrome can cause some major health problems. Even though pimozide is used to treat children with Tourette syndrome the warning label clearly states that it shouldn’t be used for the pediatric age group. The problems caused from the use of this drug in rare cases are sudden unexpected death. Other common side effects are liver damage and certain types of hepatitis have been reported. Pimozide affects every part of a person’s life such as your ability to drive or as something simple as going to work. Physicians warn patients that they should be aware when participating in such activities that require complete awareness (Phillip). Pimozide helps control behavioral tics but pimozide side effects cause behavioral problems as well, such as fatigue and depression, restlessness, insomnia and agitation. Some of the more adverse effects are of the drug are gastrointestinal. In some cases pimozide or as it is referred to as orap has been known to cause anorexia and or weight gain, diarrhea and constipation.
Haldol also has adverse side effects that can affect your daily life. One of the most bizarre warnings for taking Haldol is that you shouldn’t take the medication with grape juice. Haldol can cause muscle spasms, drowsiness, anxiety, dry eyes and mouth and urinary retention. Haldol has the same basic side effects as pimozide but haldols side effects are more severe. You have to weigh the side effects against the ultimate goal, which is to control your tics. You need to decide if the side effects are worth it.
I
have documented three testimonies of people who have either used Pimozide or
Haldol. My first testimony is my
own. When I was in the fourth grade I
was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome.
The neurologist that diagnosed me prescribed Pimozide as my treatment. Since I was still in the pediatric age range,
pimozide or orap was the only drug that would control or minimize my tics. Since I was so young, my medication dosage
was low. By the time I was starting the
seventh grade I was old enough to have my medication dosage increased. When my dosage was increased I started to
feel horrible pain in the back of my head.
The pain in my head would occur at all times of the day. When I went to see my neurologist he said
that Orap was a new experimental drug for the treatment of Tourette and that
all I could do is just document any side effects that I experienced. When I asked if there were any other drug
that I could take, he said no because the only other treatment is Haldol, and
that haldol was too strong for a child and was more suited for an adult and
that its side effects would be much worse than what I was already
experiencing. So I continued to take
Pimozide and document everything that I felt.
Right after I would take my daily dosage I would become extremely tired
and would at times fall asleep. I
practically slept through the seventh grade.
Other side effects started to develop.
One particular side effect I developed was an irregular heart beat. Out of all the side effects that I
experienced the one that was a real problem for me was a phobia of school. Pimozide has been known to cause children who
take the medication to develop a fear of school. The symptoms of this were that in the morning
when I would get up to get ready for school I would feel nausea. Then on the way to school I
would get sever headaches or migraines and dizziness. During school all these symptoms would
continue and at times get worse and then I would get very ill. When I would leave school and return home the
symptoms seemed to disappear. Pimozide
would also give me insomnia at night. I
wouldn’t be able to fall asleep until
There are experimental treatments for minimizing tics. Some of the alternative treatments are relaxation techniques or meditation. This is thought to relax you since tics are at their most worst when you’re stressed. Personal testimony of parents searching for alternatives to medication for their children have found that daily doses of vitamin B6 and zinc have greatly reduced their children’s facial, verbal and behavioral tics. It’s not known why this experimental treatment works but people just know that this treatment isn’t accompanied by side effects. One last treatment is the nicotine patch. Research is still being done on how exactly nicotine patches minimize tics. The only side effect is the same that people who use the patch to quit smoking and these side effects would be dizziness and nausea.
There is no known medication that is specifically made for the treatment of Tourette syndrome. Pimozide and Haldol are the only FDA approved drugs for the treatment of Tourette. There is great risk taking these two drugs but the only other alternatives are trying to control tics on your own or by experimental treatments. Most people who are diagnosed with Tourette and are prescribed with one of these two medications in time quit taking the medication because of their adverse side effects.
The relief of tics for just a while isn’t worth the risk of the rest of a person’s health. Scientists are still searching for the genetic code responsible for this disease. Whenever this is accomplished the right drug can be produced that will minimize the effects of Tourette or ever cure it. Until that time comes neither of these medications should be prescribed for the treatment of Tourette syndrome or any other disease that they are used for.
Whitley, Craig. Home of Tourette Syndrome Online. 2000
<http://www.tourette-syndrome.com/tourette-syndrome-association.htm>
Gate Pharmaceuticals. Exploring the Paths to Innovation. 1999-2000
This site may save your life. Informed Citizens.
“Advice for
the Patient: Drug Information in Lay Language.”
PIMOZIDE (Systemic). USP DI-Volume II,
< http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HWRC/hits=Pimozide+systemic>
“Advice for the Patient: Drug Information in Lay
Language.” HALOPERIDOL
(Systemic). USP DI-Volume II,
<http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HWRC/hits=ranc95197>
Phillip W. Long, M.D. Internet Mental Health. 1995-2001
< http://www.mentalhealth.com/>
Monique Ernst, Nilda M. Gonzalez
and Magda Campbell “Acute dystonic reaction with low-dose pimozide (case
study).” Journal of the
< http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HWRC/hits=ranc95197>
G.P. Thami, S. Kaur and A.J. Kanwar “Delayed reactivation of haloperidol induced photosensitive dermatitis by methotrexate (Adverse Drug Reaction).” Post graduate Medical Journal, Feb 2002 v78 i916 p116
< http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HWRC/hits=ranc95197>