Haloperidol (Haldol)

[Karman]

Hi Everyone. I'm new here. I'm still trying to figure out this message board - I haven't been able to get it to display the messages yet, but I'm sure I'll figure it out before much longer. I just wanted to share some information that someone else may find helpful. My shrink and I tried EVERYTHING to bring my skin picking under control - SSRIs, anti-psychotics, you name it. Finally, after about 3 years of experimentation, we discovered that 1 mg of haloperidol (Haldol) every day works like a charm. Technically, it's an anti-psychotic, but in that small a dose, it doesn't really have that effect. He got the idea to try it because they often prescribe it in very small doses for Tourette's patients, and the two conditions are believed to be related. If I take my medicine every day like a good girl, the urge to pick my skin just stays away. I still mess a little, but I can stop that if I want to. NOTHING like before... If I go off the haloperidol, the picking comes right back within a week or two.

I hope this helps someone else who has tried EVERYTHING and is getting frustrated. There IS help out there! (I also hope I can figure out how to read this message board!)

[DAnia]

Thanks Karman.
I have never heard or read anything linking Tourrette's with skin picking. (Trichotillomania, yes, not tourrette's... Could you direct me to any studies or literature please?

It sounds like you still skin pick but it has lessened the urge? How long have you been on this medicine? Have you tried any habit reversal training for the remainder? Documented to help!

Thank you for your information! So happy for you!!!!

[Karman]

Hi! Let me try to answer your questions. I've been on haloperidol for about 4 years now and never had any side effects (the dosage is so small). There may not BE any literature linking Tourette's and skin picking - this was just a hunch my doctor had that we decided to follow. He thought about it and realized that my description of my behavior - an uncontrollable impulse - seemed closer to what Tourette's patients suffer from than the ritualistic behaviors usually associated with OCD, which skin picking is generally thought to be more closely related to. He thinks that all of these conditions are related and that's why we decided to try the haloperidol. I had tried SO many of the other drugs that are normally used to treat this condition, and just wasn't responding AT ALL. I had become VERY discouraged by that point (we had been trying for a few years already by that time), but the haloperidol made a noticeable difference very quickly. I haven't tried any forms of behavior modification or anything like that because I always believed the condition to be biologically based and, due to the success of this treatment, I'm certain of it now. That's not to say that behavior modification can't be helpful or that the condition is biologically based in EVERYONE, but I personally believe that, at least MOST of the time, a chemical imbalance is responsible for the urge to pick the skin to the extent that we do. I really have just about completely stopped all picking - I go for long periods of time doing none at all, but I will sometimes fool with something that is just too tempting to ignore "for old time's sake" - hee hee. I can laugh because I know I can control myself and not get carried away like I used to.

I just wanted to urge people, first of all, not to berate yourselves over your "lack of willpower." I truly believe willpower has nothing to do with this condition. I'm hoping that this same treatment may be able to help others who have tried "everything" with no success. The relatively low dosage makes it fairly safe (as safe as any drug can be) in comparison with some of the alternatives, especially. My doctor checks me every 6 months to be sure I don't have any side effects - haloperidol (usually in much higher doses) has been known to cause movement disorders in some people (twitching, tics, etc.). At this dose, though, I believe that risk to be pretty negligible.

[dania]

HI Karman,
This is all very new to me; so a bit confusing.....but exciting for you!
I think that at this time instead of explaining how I feel about what you have said, or explaining my recovery, I should more be focusing on how very cool it is for you that this drug can be your answer.
What would help people most, then, is for you to check in now and then and tell us how this drug is doing for you! If you don't mind, of course! I'm sure there are many people here who would be interested in a drug, and many who believe that it is biological as you do.
So please keep checking in! And thank you for answering my questions!
I am so happy for you!

[Karman]

If anybody is interested in trying this therapy (1mg haloperidol/day), tell your doctor about it (that it works for me) and see what he/she says. If your doctor is reluctant to prescribe the drug (it's such a low dose, it really shouldn't worry them all that much), you can give them my psychiatrist's name and phone number and he/she can talk to him and verify that this treatment worked for me. It may reassure your doctor (they're all so paranoid about lawsuits and stuff). My psychiatrist's name is Dr. Roger Samuel and he is in Boca Raton Florida. His phone number is [phone]. I'm sure he wouldn't mind a call or five from other doctors about this issue. He's a nice guy.

[guestkathyb]

I have a book that documents the relationship between Tourettes and skin picking. It's called "Getting Control" by Lee Baer, Phd. Tourettes, trichotillomania, skin picking, compulsive eating, shopping, etc. are all in the same chapter.

I will tell my doc about Haldol when I finally get to a doc that doesn't treat my picking like it's no big deal. UGH! Thanks for the info, Karman, I really appreciate it!

[Daybreak]

I have a med check appointment next week. I'm certainly going to bring this up. Thanks for the input.

[Dania]

You may also want to check out a group called pickaderms on yahoo groups. There is a doctor there called James Claiborn,the man who wrote Habit Change workbook. He is all about behavior therapy, but alot of the people there are on meds and if you want to go the meds route I think you will really like all the information there.

[sb]

kathyb - ya beat me to it.... yes, they are connected because they are all "Impulse Control Disorders" - a type of anxiety/ocd spectrum .... very curious about the anti-psychotic meds.... thanks to KARMAN i have some new research to do and i am excited about it. thanks thanks thanks!

[Jackie]

Hi
Thanks for the info on Haldol. I have been trying a number of anti-psychotic drug with little success. I first was on Risperdol and it started to work for me but had side effects like stiffness and iritability. The next medication was seroquel and it never really helped the urges and I had stiffness with it . So I have been feeling like there is probably no drug help out there for me. You said you used a low dosage of haldol. Have you had any stiffness or other minor side effects. I will talk to my doctor regarding this medication. Thank you for sharing!

[wondering]

I was wondering if you still pick something like scalp or fingers, my friend was on something that took away face and arm picking but she still did her feet and fingers and that got worse. But I don't know what drug she was on she wouldn't tell me.

[autumn]

my name is autumn. i have been picking my face arms back neck thighs you name it and i pick it. i am at a loss i do not know how to stop. i want to so bad and i try but it is just getting worse!!!!!!! my life has been pretty stressful latley!!! my asshole husband left me and our three year old daughter back in may. that made my fucking problem ten times worse. i have read alot about it on the net. i have even went to my doctor and told her about all my screwed up problems. she acted like most doctors, it's no big deal!! she put me on paxil as if i have social anxiety disorder or am really depressed. it did not help my picking at all and made me very anxious and nervy. so she switched me to celexa, it helped a very small amount but made me gain about 15 pounds in a month. that was a very bad thing for me because i lost over a 100 pounds about 6 years ago. it's not fair either be really fat or be really yucky looking. i just wish i could quit. i have filed my nails down to nothing and tryed acrylic nails. i know that stress makes it much worse, i feel in control when i shred my body to ribbons. it's bad enough that after i lost all of that weight i have an apron of extra skin on my stomach, my arms wave at people, and my boobs look like deflated balloons and my face looks like a crack junkie. i really need to see someone about my problem,but i don't even know where to start. i can spend hours picking at my body, the slightest bump or ingrown hair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! at least i know that i'm not the only one who live in pure fucking hell withis god damn problem!!!!!!!!! i would really like some one to talk to about this. my mom is not the most understanding person in the world, she is like most people she thinks i can just quit!!!!!!!!!!! i wish it was that fucking easy!!!!!!!!!!! it's not though. please contact me at [e-mail] if you have any good info or would like to chat about this curse that i am living with

[Karman]

Hi - sorry, I haven't been around much lately. Someone asked if I still pick my fingers or scalp and the answer is that I still pick everything a LITTLE bit, but nothing out of control, the way it used to be before the Haldol. I can stop. I just do it because it was such an ingrained habit, but the compulsive aspect is gone. I hope that helps...

[wondering]

Gracias, Karman!
I was looking to see if you'd return.
Thanks for the info and take care.

[sb]

hey all - i talked to my psych about haldol. he perscribed me with a different anti seizure med called trileptal. so far so good, i already notice that when i wake up in the morning i am not drawn right to my face like i used to be. it was all i ever thought about doing before. i feel more calm and less consumed. will let you know more as it unfolds.....