Just got diagnosed and blinking eyes

Hi,

I hope to get answers from others who's got sz and major depression or on medications of Lexapro and Risperdal which I'm on them. I'm on Lexapro 10 mg and Risperdal 2 mg. I went to see pscyhiatrist today to get more prescription. I forgot to mention blinking eyes to them. Arghhh. I wonder if any one of you have symptoms of blinking eyes constantly. It irritates me. Is it physical symptom of shizophrenia??? I knew I got blinking eyes from sz because I remembered I ended up hospitialized due to major depression with psychosis features. The psychiatrist just diagnosed me that I have sz. I still am new with this. I log in to get information about blinking eyes if anyone know about it. It's like my eyes always moving closing and opening eyes like blinking. It's hard to explain. It's like blinking blinking eyes. Does anyone know what this called? Is it epilepsy or seizures? My mother said no cuz they are different but I need to know what is that symptom called?I am constantly having them since I got mental illness few months ago. I hope someone sees this and pass information to me.

Also one more question. Can patients with sz drive? I just wondered because I couldn't drive at that time but now I'm terrified of driving again. I understand everybody may be different from me but it would help to know if others with sz can drive or not. I asked the psyhiatrist, but she asked if I have driver license which of course I had so she didn't say much in passive mode.

I'd be greatly appreciated if I get answers.

Karen

Did you recieve this excessive blinking before or after medications? The reason I bring this up is because, blinking eyes isn't actually a symptom of Schizophrenia. Considering your medication (Risperdal and Lexapro), it could be a symptom in result of those. If you recieved these after medications, it sounds like Tardive Dyskinesia. TD is not epilepsy or seizures, but uncontrolled movements of the mouth, tongue and muscles, or exaggerated eye blinking. If this is the csae, try to call your Psychiatrist even before your next visit. A change in medication or dosage may be in order. TD isn't brain damaging, but the longer you are on medications, the less chance you have for Tardive Dyskinesia to subside.

Panic

TD is most certainly brain damage caused by antipsychotics.

Cause

The cause of tardive dyskinesia appears to be related to damage — due to the use of antipsychotic medications — to the system that uses and processes the neurotransmitter dopamine. It is thought that postsynaptic dopaminergic receptors become supersensitive to stimulation during neuroleptic treatment and that this supersensitivity causes the symptoms of tardive dyskinesia. The available research seems to suggest that the concurrent prophylactic use of a neuroleptic and an antiparkinsonian drug is useless to avoid early extrapyramidal side-effects and may render the patient more sensitive to tardive dyskinesia.

Features

Tardive dyskinesia is characterized by repetitive, involuntary, purposeless movements. Features of the disorder may include grimacing, tongue protrusion, lip smacking, puckering and pursing of the lips, and rapid eye blinking. Rapid movements of the arms, legs, and trunk may also occur. Impaired movements of the fingers may appear as though the patient is playing an invisible guitar or piano. Many of the symptoms of tardive dyskinesia appear similar to Parkinson's disease.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardive_dyskinesia

Panic,

Thanks for reply. I've received them before medications so it must not be medications. That's why I asked if it's a physical sign of sz. I never had them before until I got mental illness. I try to find a name for it so I can seek information. I know I should contact psychiatrist soon but I'm slow. Thanks!

Karen