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Haloperidol for Mania User Reviews

Brand names: Haldol, Haldol Decanoate

Rating: 3.5

Haloperidol has an average rating of 3.5 out of 10 from a total of 20 reviews for the treatment of mania. 20% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 60% reported a negative experience.

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Reviews for Haloperidol

  • Soc...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • March 2, 2019

Haloperidol "If you enjoy facial tics, muscle tremors, uncontrollable pacing, rocking back and forth, stuttering, insomnia, extreme restlessness, blackouts, memory lapses, sleeping 14-16 hours a day, and a complete loss of personality, identity, and all emotions then by all means try this med. Since the injection lasts a month, you can look forward to 30 days of these symptoms. I often fantasize about injecting the doc, who gave me this horrible stuff, with a dose and then releasing him out into the world like he did to me."

1 / 10
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196 Report
  • Bip...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 3, 2019

"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."

1 / 10
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35 Report
  • Kie...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • June 2, 2019

Haloperidol "I took this once 4 years ago, NEVER took it ever again because I had the worst side effects ever. I was on vacation at the time and I took it because of my manic episodes. I felt so sleepy yet so restless in my legs and extremely panicky. I had the worst panic attack in my life, screaming my head off at the uncomfortableness in my legs, squirming around like crazy in bed and pacing back and forth. Finally, I took a bath and I realized my eyes were yellow! I almost fell to the floor, but I made it to the bed and I slept from 7 pm to 12 pm the next day, and even then I was still a zombie. Later that day, the side effects wore off and I was able to enjoy my vacation again. Now I'm on a different medication. NEVER AGAIN will I take Haldol because it messed me up."

1 / 10
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27 Report

Frequently asked questions

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

Haloperidol "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"

1 / 10
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10 Report
  • Cre...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • December 10, 2016

Haloperidol "I was given one injection of this with Benadryl by a nurse whom the doctor in charge did not grant permission to administer the medications. I was sleeping in the ER after four days, was woken up by the nurse, and told I was a nuisance to him, and he and three other male orderlies in the ER told me they were sick of seeing me there. I told him I might have a seizure if it's a drug that wasn't my current medicine, and he said he didn't care. Ten minutes or less, I had a seizure, and the hospital then released me. I found out they were ill-equipped to deal with seizures in the specific ER. What a total waste of time! Haldol was horrible for me. Would never recommend!"

1 / 10
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30 Report

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

Haloperidol "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."

1 / 10
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12 Report
  • Tod...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • April 6, 2013

"In spite of what many people have said about this medicine, I have found it very helpful in both treating and preventing episodes of mania. The risk of developing tardive dyskinesia is, of course, a concern, but this medicine has been so useful for me. I have received it both by I.M. injection and orally as the ten-milligram tablets, and both routes were well tolerated and effective."

9 / 10
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24 Report
  • fis...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • October 4, 2015

Haloperidol "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."

5 / 10
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19 Report
  • Rol...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • January 22, 2014

"Caused muscle contraction in my neck. Very painful and frightening. Was given a shot of Cogentin and it subsided. Caused drowsiness, constipation, and marked sleepiness. Emotional flatness. It increased my depression."

1 / 10
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16 Report
  • Sue...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • July 4, 2024

Haloperidol "I was on Haldol for almost 3 years and gained 50 lbs. I was on this for bipolar. I didn’t like the weight gain. I was 137 when I started, and I’m 5’5, and just was weighed at the doctor at 186 lbs yesterday. It got to a point that I was gaining 5 lbs per month, and I wasn’t even eating that bad. Uncomfortable uncontrollable hunger. My body looks bloated, and I am the largest I’ve ever been. It worked great but too bad for the weight gain. I ended up switching to Vraylar."

8 / 10
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2 Report
  • Gan...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • July 9, 2019

"It was great while I took it. Made me feel 'normal.' Took 5 mg of this medication for 3 months and was pulled off of it cold turkey because I developed a jaw tic. Well, two weeks later I couldn't eat without throwing up. Went to the hospital, and they did normal tests and said I was fine. Two days later, I had obsessive swallowing, dysphagia, and dry mouth, which lasted until now (1 1/2 weeks). Went to urgent care and found out I went from 133 pounds to 116 in two weeks. Not to mention suicidal thoughts, MUCH worse than before I ever started taking medication. Been drinking Ensure and just started to be able to eat pureed food. DO NOT GO COLD TURKEY."

4 / 10
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6 Report
  • Han...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • October 14, 2024

Haloperidol "I’ve been on 0.5 mg of Haldol for 2 weeks now. I notice a relaxing effect on the brain. Just what I was looking for. Now I’m taking 0.5 mg twice a day and expecting even better results. I recommend this for anybody dealing with a “Pitbull Personality.” I’m better on it than off of it."

8 / 10
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1 Report
  • Tre...
  • September 19, 2021

"I was on haloperidol at a dosage of 150 mg, which is the highest? I took the depot because it would enable me to get out of the hospital. I had bad side effects, such as not being able to eat. I would try to eat something and start to feel nauseous. I also had really bad insomnia. My speech was affected to the point that I couldn’t speak coherently at all, and I displayed signs of having the symptoms of what Stephen Hawking had during his early days of motor neuron disease when he was trying to walk. Time seemed to be moving so slowly. I would look at the clock, look away, and look back at some point, thinking it had been about an hour, and only a few minutes would have passed. The drug was seriously impacting me in a negative way, which led me to try to kill myself. Depots do help some people, but others don’t have it so good."

2 / 10
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  • Tor...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • February 3, 2022

"I was put on a once-a-month Haldol injection a year and a half ago. At first, it seemed to do its job. I came down from mania/psychosis. But after a few months, I entered a deep depression. About a year into the injection, I checked myself into the hospital for suicidal ideation. Ultimate low point. I started seeing a new doctor who kept me on it, but I wasn’t ever happy with it. This past month, my nurse missed my injection appointment by accident, and I ended up going another week without the injection, and I felt a hell of a lot better. My intrusive thoughts went away, I can hold a conversation, and I’m not always so annoyed. I decided to go back on Geodon because I believe this Haldol injection is the root of many issues and side effects I was unaware of. The Haldol also made me feel like I was in a fog and never really felt grounded. Hoping the switch to Geodon will solve my problem. I never want to take Haldol again."

5 / 10
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  • Anonymous
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • December 21, 2022

"I 100% do not recommend haloperidol. All of the other reviews are correct, especially when the research on the injection is done. I experienced Tourette’s, and I was tired all the time. I also couldn’t drive and couldn’t eat like I normally would. It doesn’t help with anything at all. If you plan on taking this, don't! If you want it out of your system, use caffeine and teas, then it should somehow erase it out of your system. I drank an iced coffee in the morning, and I was fine after. For example, I somewhat feel like my normal self again. So once again, I don’t recommend this medication at all. A report needs to be made. It was recommended by a psychiatrist at a behavioral hospital and forced upon me for my exit. The doctor who ordered the injection, who also prescribed me the pill medication to take on top of it, plus who misdiagnosed me, will be reported ASAP."

1 / 10
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  • bla...
  • August 18, 2008

Haloperidol "This has tremendously helped me when I get manic in addition to my bipolar drugs."

9 / 10
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47 Report
  • Waj...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • April 25, 2022

Haloperidol "The med made me dizzy and caused anhedonia, apathy, and depression. Also, stiff muscles and anxiety."

1 / 10
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4 Report
  • ACh...
  • September 16, 2015

Haloperidol "It made me have violent twitching and uncontrolled facial movements. It made my mania worse! Gonna get back on Thorazine."

2 / 10
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8 Report
  • lif...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • May 2, 2018

"It made me more stable. I got less angry and less excited-that is the point of it, I think. I usually take 5-10 drops or, at the most, 20 drops a day, any more than that causes problems."

7 / 10
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2 Report
  • Dou...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • November 4, 2021

"Gave me rebound psychosis, and I'm certain it gave me some sort of brain damage. Induces sedation and motor impairment. Very dangerous drug."

1 / 10
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1 Report

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Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or remove inappropriate content. Reviews appearing to come from parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any medication and should not replace the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals.

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