Do you suffer from uncontrolled body movements? (Tardive Dyskinesia & Chorea) - Let's talk about Ingrezza!

Having your limbs twitch or your facial expressions change without your control can be very uncomfortable. It can make it difficult to perform daily tasks or even socialize with four people. Many people are depressed due to such conditions. If you or someone close to you has experienced this, this article will be very important for you.

What are Tardive Dyskinesia and Chorea?

Simply put, these are two medical conditions that occur related to the movements of our bodies.

Tardive Dyskinesia (TD): This is a condition in which we experience involuntary, jerky movements of the body, especially the face and limbs. This can include involuntary tongue sticking out, lip smacking, eye blinking, or jerking of the limbs. This condition can occur as a side effect of long-term use of some antipsychotics or some stomach medications.

Chorea: This is a movement disorder caused by a genetic condition called Huntington 's Disease . In Huntington's disease, nerve cells in the brain are gradually destroyed. This causes problems with thinking, controlling emotions, and body movement. Chorea causes uncontrolled movements of the hands, feet, and face.

The drug Ingrezza helps control the uncontrolled movements that occur in both conditions. But remember, Ingrezza does not treat other symptoms of Huntington's disease (such as thinking problems).

How does the drug Ingrezza work?

To understand this, we first need to know about a small chemical messenger in our brain. Its name is Dopamine . To be precise, Dopamine is a neurotransmitter. This Dopamine is very important for controlling the movements of our body.

Imagine what happens if our brains send too much dopamine? Just like a water tap that turns on too fast, it is believed that when dopamine signals increase, our bodies become involuntary .

Here's what Ingrezza does. It targets a protein in our brain called VMAT2 (vesicular monoamine transporter 2) . This protein is what helps release dopamine. By controlling the activity of VMAT2, Ingrezza reduces the excessive dopamine signaling. It's like turning on the faucet a little less. As a result, the uncontrolled movements gradually decrease.

How should I use this medicine?

Ingrezza is a medicine that comes in the form of a capsule. It can be taken with or without food. Your doctor will prescribe this medicine for you. Never take more or less than the dose your doctor tells you to take.

The usual dosage is listed in the table below, but your doctor may change this depending on your condition.

How to take Ingrezza Sprinkle capsule

Some people have difficulty swallowing capsules. For those people, there is a special type called "Ingrezza Sprinkle." This is how to use it:

1. Carefully open the capsule and add the small medicine grains (sprinkles) inside to a teaspoon of soft food such as applesauce, yogurt, or pudding.

2. Do not chew or crush this medicine .

3. Eat the entire spoonful of food mixed with the medicine immediately .

4. Then drink a glass of water (about 240 ml).

5. Never mix this medicine with milk or water.

How do you know if the medicine is working?

According to clinical studies, you can see some improvement in symptoms within as little as two weeks of starting Ingrezza. You'll notice that those uncontrolled body movements are gradually decreasing.

Your doctor will start you on a low dose and adjust the dose as needed to see how your body responds. So it may take some time to see the best results. If you feel that your symptoms are not improving or are getting worse, tell your doctor right away. He or she may adjust the dose, add another medicine, or switch you to another medicine if necessary.

Possible side effects and how to manage them?

Like any medicine, Ingrezza can cause some side effects, although not everybody gets them.

• The most common side effects among patients with tardive dyskinesia (TD) are:
• Drowsiness

• Common side effects among Chorea patients:
• Drowsiness
• Skin rashes (Hives)
• Skin rash
• Trouble sleeping

How do you deal with these?

• Drowsiness: Avoid activities that require alertness, such as driving or operating machinery, until you know exactly how this medication affects you.
• Skin rash or hives: These could be signs of an allergic reaction. If this happens, call your doctor immediately, or go to the nearest hospital emergency room (ETU).
• Insomnia: There are things you can do for yourself. Reducing your intake of caffeinated beverages like coffee, tea, and cola, getting into the habit of going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, keeping your bedroom dark, and limiting your use of phones and tablets before bed can help.

Drug Interactions

If you are taking Ingrezza, it is very important to tell your doctor about all other medications you are taking, even vitamins, because some medications can interact with Ingrezza.

• Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs): These are medications used to treat depression or Parkinson's disease. These MAOI medications should not be taken with Ingrezza.
• Digoxin: This is a medicine used to treat heart failure and irregular heartbeats. Taking Ingrezza with Digoxin can increase the level of Digoxin in your blood, causing side effects. Your doctor will test your blood and reduce your Digoxin dose if necessary.
• CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 inhibitors/inducers: These are a bit of a complicated medical term. They apply to different types of medications. The simplest and safest thing you can do is to tell your doctor about all the medications you are taking. He or she will make any necessary adjustments.

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