A case report : Akathisia and an unusual symptomatic treatment

We present a case of medication-induced akathisia in a 47-year-old woman with metastatic carcinoma of the ovary. Severe pacing and restlessness started after commencing a subcutaneous infusion with cyclizine 150mg, haloperidol 2.5 mg and oxycodone 20 mg. She was also taking levomepromazine and fluoxetine orally at the time. By making changes to her medication, her symptoms resolved gradually. During the time of convalescence, she gained great symptomatic relief from using exercise pedals and it allowed her to go about usual everyday activities, such as eating and reading, while continuously treading the pedals. Palliative Medicine 2007; 21 : 713—715

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