Risperdone?

[rebeccaborderline]

Hi, finally bit the bullet and agreed to go back on meds, but not depots. Shrink starting me off on low doses Risperdone (2mg daily), another appt 2 weeks time.

Never taken it before; she said she's prescribing it "off licence" as is supposed to be for schizophrenia but she thinks may help me.

Do you have any experience of/information about Risperdone? Really havnt a clue so any info helpful! Will Google it too, but personal experience gives better insight I think.

Any side-effects too, although Im rarely troubled by med side-effects

Cheers

rebeccaborderline

[Faerielight]

Hi, finally bit the bullet and agreed to go back on meds, but not depots. Shrink starting me off on low doses Risperdone (2mg daily), another appt 2 weeks time.

Never taken it before; she said she's prescribing it "off licence" as is supposed to be for schizophrenia but she thinks may help me.

Do you have any experience of/information about Risperdone? Really havnt a clue so any info helpful! Will Google it too, but personal experience gives better insight I think.

Any side-effects too, although Im rarely troubled by med side-effects

Cheers

rebeccaborderline

hi rebecca, i was on respiridone 4mg for 2 years and it was the best drug for my mental health but i developed breast milk and my prolactin levels went high so i got swapped to seroquel which isnt as good. hugs ivy x

[poodle]

hi rebecca,

i am on 6mg risperidone daily and have been for over 6 months now.... it has stopped my periods as my prolactin levels are high, but i am not producing breast milk...

it has stopped my psychotic symptoms and does help with impulse control.

I have been on olanzapine and quetiapine in the past too. I think risperidone is doing a good job for me as it has kept me out of hospital for nearly a year

i really hope it works for you....

take care rebecca,

Poodle

xx

[Susan27]

hi rebecca,

it's been a wonderful drug for me. been on it about 1-2 month now. hardly a side effet at all except when i first raise the dose, i get a bit sweaty during my sleep. it's like a major tranquilizer at this dose. my psych said it was to assist the anti depressant in my case. it calms me and clarifies my thinking. actually lifts my spirits up better than the antidepressant...like a hopeful feeling inside. hardly any drugs work well for me and i have side effects with everything and this one has been just great. helps the dissociative symptoms tremendously too!!

[loopyjen]

I am taking Risperidone started it about a week ago I am on 2mg at the moment and I haven't experienced any terrible side effects yet but am worried now.

[Susan27]

don't be worried jen, if you were gonna have them, you would've. besides, the side effects they speak of come iwth the higher doses like 6mg+ when it's being used for psychotic symptoms. I've done tons of research on it myself because i'm prone to side effects, and the lower doses, used for BPD/dissoc symptoms, hardly come with any side effects at all (with the exception of the weight gain...gotta add that one in!)

[Vorpalblade]

risperidone is used in high doses to treat schizophrenics, but in low doses used to treat people who suffer psychosis, it is also given to self harmers.

As others have said, when i was on it my prolactin levels went through the roof, i got breast milk. I also got hairier too which is one of the side effects.

[Susan27]

my psychiatrist told me and from all things i've read, the higher doses like 4mg-16mg or so are used for scitz and psychosis. the lower doses, it mentions in all the BPD books, are often used for mild to moderate dissociation and for "the intense anxiety associated with BPD" i haven't read anything that says a low dose is used for any of the major mental illnesses like psychosis or schitzophrenia. what dose were you on VP? i haven't had any of the symptoms you mention and i've been on it 2 mos now.

just don't want jen getting scared from her 2mg dose. that is considered extremely low and not prone to many, if any, side effects at all.

[gateway]

my friend had this (She dissociates) and it worked really well for her but she got the breast milk too.

Im going to find out a bit more about this any drug that helps with dissociation would be a g*d send for me.

[rebeccaborderline]

Hey thanks there guys, this has been really helpful. Nothing to worry me too much, esp as on low dose (initially, and perhaps wont be increased if I respond well). And as I said, Ive been v lucky in the past, dont seem to get any/many side-effects, except of course the beloved weight-gain, and we've got Xmas to do that anyway!

Has put my mind at ease really

thanks

rebeccaborderline

[Lucy-lion]

I am on risperidone 1mg - I'm extremely sensitive to drugs so can usually get away with much lower doses than others. I find it very helpful - it puts a lid on my sensitivity so I don't react so easily to the little things that don't matter. In low doses it is used for treating anxiety and I think it helps me a lot with this.

I do have high prolactin which is a common side effect, but it doesn't cause me any problems, I don't find I produce breast milk or anything like that although some people do. All it means is I have to have my blood tested every so often to keep an eye on it.

For me personally I would say this drug (and I've tried a lot!!!) has been the best. Good luck with it, hope it helps you.

[Vorpalblade]

susan, i was on ranging from 1.5 to 3mg

[Susan27]

VP: i wonder why my dr. hasn't asked me to go for any tests for this. maybe it's when you tell them about certain symptoms like the lactation or irregular menstrual cycles. i haven't had these so i'm wondering if i should ask her if i need a test or just trust that if she thought i did she would've referred me?

[poodle]

Susan, maybe it is something you could discuss with your doctor. My periods have stopped (am on 6mg) but am not lactating. My pdoc asked me to get prolactin blood test done which I did. My GP says that he is not concerned at the high levels of prolactin and to just continue taking my meds as usual.

He said that it is if you lactate that they take you off the med...

It is worth asking if it is something that is concerning you though...

take care

Poodle

xx

[Vorpalblade]

yes, my prolactin levels weren't tested until i mentioned the lactation.

[shadowedseraph]

im on 4.5mg and the stuff keeps me sane! i've not suffered many side affects at all, apart from the lactating

[Guest wife]

I have been on this for, like, forever!!!

I am on 37.5mg every two weeks and up to 6mg daily prn (although this technically takes me above the maximum daily dose)

works really well for me, in conjuction with controlling my diet my psychosis is all but gone. Works great for my anxiety and dissasociation (SP???) too

My prolactin is high enough to stop my periods (although just recently I have been having the occasional one) but not so high that I lactate. Apart from that I don't get any awfull side effects but I do get very greasy, spotty skin

Jay

[loopyjen]

I have nothing to worry about then being on a little dose Just hope p.doc doesn't increase it next week when I see him then.

This has been really useful info thanks everyone

[rebeccaborderline]

Yes, ditto Loopyjen, for me too, and a lot of it positive

rebeccaborderline

[becsnoamp]

Hi

I was on risperidone for 4 years at 5mgs. However, I got akathesia and tardive dyskenisia so my cpn took me off it about September time. Cut me off cold turkey. Had a bad reaction to the sudden cessation of it and ended up in psych hospital. Afterwards went thru a period of feeling fine and lost a lot of weight too.

But then just before xmas weird psychotic sensations returned. GP out of hours put me back on risperidone and within a few days I felt much better and dampened down voices and I could concentrate better again.

However, when I next saw my cpn he took me off it again saying I don't need it and didn't believe my psychotic symptoms. So, off it again now. Symptoms came back which has slumped me into a depression. CPN has now withdrawn all psychiatric support until I pull myself together.

Risperidone helped me. However, my cpn says it is a dopamine receptor blocker which means it depresses your mood. I didn't notice this though.

[Miko]

I talked my GP into prescribing 0.5 mg per day.

The psychiatrist is against it for me (because he is dogmatic and not knowledgeable) so I may not be able to get refills.

In practice I have rarely taken a whole tablet. I have about a third of a packet left but I envisage it will last me several months like this:

I only take it once in a while when I feel in need. I use scissors to - sort of - "shave" a few fragments or bits of dust from a tablet, and take them by licking them off my finger, so we are talking 0.00 something of a mg probably.

I always tell the difference. I call it my perspective and balance medicine. Apparently it has a relatively good record with autistic people for their anxiety levels at (usually) minute doses.

Mood is never going to be about dopamine only, it is a huge range of contributing factors. My mood is always governed by life's practicalities and concretes.

That reminds me - I forgot to take my rispies when I was in a bad state recently - which obviously contributed to prolonging that ... going to have some now, get a good perspective on tomorrow ...

[rebeccaborderline]

CPN has now withdrawn all psychiatric support until I pull myself together.

Becsnoamp; grrrr! CPNs make me mad sometimes, acting as though they are qualified psychiatrists........

Welcome back Miko

rebeccaborderline

[blu_tail]

Hi

I've been on Risperidone for 2 years now, I have found that I have needed to have the dose increased as time goes by. The only side effect that I have is weight gain. I have ballooned!!!!

I am a bit calmer and to be honest I am scared to come off the meds as I can just about cope most days.(unless ofcourse somebody/thing.idiot has upset me then they don't help at all).

It can have a sedative effect at first but unfortunately this wears off.

I was on Olanzapine but I found it just monged me out, I may as well have smoked a few spliffs. I was very demotivated whilst on that.