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Questions to ask about antipsychotic medication

Useful questions to ask about an antipsychotic or antidepressant medication include what it is for, which side effects are common, which ones need a call straight away, how long before it helps, what to do if you miss a dose, and what to do if side effects start. Writing your questions down before the appointment makes them easier to ask.

Last updated Published by MANOAI Pty LtdDeveloped by clinicians working in psychiatry

On this page
  1. Questions to ask when you start a new medication
  2. Questions to ask about side effects
  3. Questions to ask about movement side effects
  4. Questions about the longer term
  5. Tips for getting the answers you need

Questions to ask when you start a new medication

  • What is this medicine for, and how will we know if it is helping?
  • How long before I might notice a difference?
  • When and how should I take it, and with or without food?
  • What should I do if I miss a dose?
  • Does it interact with my other medicines, alcohol or anything I eat or drink?
  • When will we review how it is going?

Questions to ask about side effects

  • Which side effects are most common with this medicine?
  • Which side effects mean I should contact you straight away?
  • Are side effects likely to ease over the first few weeks?
  • What should I do if a side effect is bothering me?
  • Who should I contact between appointments if I am worried?

Questions to ask about movement side effects

Movement side effects, known as extrapyramidal symptoms or EPS, are among the side effects worth asking about specifically:

  • Could this medicine cause restlessness, shakiness, stiffness or slowness?
  • How does it compare with other options for movement side effects?
  • What would you want me to tell you about, and how quickly?
  • Is there anything I should keep a record of?

Questions about the longer term

  • How long am I likely to take this medicine?
  • What regular checks will I need, if any?
  • If I want to talk about changing or stopping it in future, how should we plan that together?
  • Is there written information I can take home?

Tips for getting the answers you need

Write your questions down and bring them. Put the most important first, in case time runs short. It is fine to ask a doctor to explain something again or in simpler words, and it is fine to take notes or bring someone with you.

In Australia, every prescription medicine has a Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) leaflet that lists how to take it and its known side effects. Your pharmacist can give you a copy and answer questions about it, and healthdirect (1800 022 222) offers free health advice any time.

Common questions

Common side effects of antipsychotic medication can include drowsiness, changes in weight and appetite, movement side effects such as restlessness, tremor and stiffness, and anticholinergic effects such as dry mouth and constipation. Which side effects happen, and how often, differs a lot between individual medicines and between people. Your doctor or pharmacist can explain yours.

It depends on the side effect, the medicine and the person. Some side effects, such as drowsiness, often ease in the first weeks. Movement side effects often improve once a doctor adjusts the medicine or dose, but some can last longer. Keep a record of how side effects change over time and review it with your doctor.

Start with the Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) leaflet for your medicine, which your pharmacist can provide. Your pharmacist and doctor can answer questions about it, and healthdirect on 1800 022 222 gives free health advice at any time. EPSpeak also shows side effect profiles for psychiatric medicines, drawn from published comparative research.

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Sources

Side effect information on this site draws on published comparative research. Medicines are described by class only.

  1. Huhn M, Nikolakopoulou A, Schneider-Thoma J, et al. Comparative efficacy and tolerability of 32 oral antipsychotics for the acute treatment of adults with multi-episode schizophrenia: a systematic review and network meta-analysis. The Lancet. 2019.
  2. Taylor DM, Barnes TRE, Young AH. The Maudsley Prescribing Guidelines in Psychiatry, 14th edition. Wiley Blackwell. 2021.

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