Risperdal/Risperidone Experiences

Please use this thread to add your Risperdal experiences.

Risperdal was the first AP I tried. I was put on 1mg and eventually bumped up to 2mg. My mania and psychosis went away. That was the most important effect.

My menstrual cycle was messed up the entire time I took Risperdal. I bled off and on continually. Also, I experienced lactation.

I became very anxious after about 3 months on Rsiperdal. Anxiety was new for me and life changes were not to blame. My doctor wanted to try anti anxiety meds at first, but then admitted it might be caused by the Risperdal. I weaned off and the anxiety disappeared immediately.

I did not experience any withdrawal side effects, but I was on Geodon at the same time.

I was only on risperdal a few months but I gained a fair amount of weight rapidly and lost my period. It also made me extremely constipated so I switched to abilify. To be fair risperdal did get my psychosis under control within a few days.

I tried Risperdal twice and liked it both times. However, both times my blood pressure went way up (100/200 at one point) and I gained a ton of fluid weight in my legs. The first time we thought it was a fluke so I tried again 6 months later and it wasn't a fluke. So I can't take it which was too bad since it did seem to help my mood.

I think Risperdal was maybe my second or third antipsychotic. My first was Seroquel. Risperdal was definitely helpful at curbing agitation, which I experienced a lot of at that time. I forget my doses, but I recall being on a small dose, at some points, and a larger dose, at others. Like fern, I eventually developed hyperprolactinemia. My periods were screwed up, and sometimes didn't come. I started to have lactation. At one point, it was so bad that I had to wear pantyliners in my bra. Sorry that sounds gross, but it was reality. I confess that my psychiatrist brushed this stuff off a bit too much.

I eventually went off of Risperdal after a hospitalization that was not so much caused by medication ineffectiveness, as much as alcohol binges and suddenly quitting my medications cold-turkey. Bad idea! At the hospital, they changed my medications. I sort of forget to what.

I don't know how weight unfriendly Risperdal really was. I did gain some weight from the time I was first hospitalized through Risperdal, but I think it could have been partially related to the transition from self-medicating with alcohol, to self-medicating a bit with food.

Note: The medication Invega (paliperidone) is a very closely-related medication to Risperdal, originally made by the same company (Janssen Pharmaceutica). I was later put on Invega. I again developed hyperprolactinemia (no periods, lactation). Again, though I adore my psychiatrist, I felt he ignored that side effect too much. I eventually consulted about it with my gynecologist, since it is rather related to what a gynecologist might be concerned about. She ordered an MRI for me. The results were quite surprising and a bit alarming. I had developed a pituitary tumor (microadenoma). My gynecologist referred me to an endocrinologist. The endocrinologist said he did not think the Invega was the culprit, but to this day I totally disagree. There are numerous online articles discussing how Risperdal (the Invega older cousin) can cause pituitary tumors. Google it, if you like. He was telling me that if the tumor grew larger, that I'd need a surgery removing the brain tumor via my nose. Fun, fun!

The end of the above story is that I was hospitalized again because I grew severely depressed on the combo of Depakote and Invega. I kind of blame Depakote more than Invega, though. During that hospitalization, I had ECT. Then they put me back on the same stinking combo. Another hospitalization happened. Then I was finally taken off those two medications and put on Lithium ER (which I had taken years prior) and Geodon. About six months later, I had a follow-up MRI. MIRACLE!!!!!!! The pituitary tumor had disappeared on its own. Gone! Another MRI some years later also showed that the tumor was still gone.

Risperdal made me lactate. My breasts ached and I kept feeling like I needed to nurse- I'd walk around looking for something but didnt know what. My subconscious was looking for "the baby" so that I could relieve this feeling. I nursed for about 5 years total between my 3 kids so I know what this feels like.

Risperdal is an amazing drug for me. After trying Haldol and trillifone, when Risperdal came on the market my psychiatrist switched me. I've been on it ever since. It is great with psychotic mania. Its great with my trauma psychosis. It was great with my DID psychotic part. My only regret is that my dose is maxed out. We use a back-up antipsychotic when I'm having severe symptoms. Risperdal is my go-to antipsychotic.

Lactation by week 3 so that was the end of that.

prescribed in hospital after...i guess severe psychotic mania?...kinda mind numbing, combined with depakote I cycled down too far. on abilify now. not a fan of risperidone, but it is better than Haldol, so...there you go. progress.

Bad lactation, lactating through my clothes, big wet spots. Not acceptable. Never been pregnant or lactated before that.

Was put on it after my worst, most awful psychotic episode. In the hospital for months. I think it worked really well for the acute psychosis, but not sure it did a darn thing for the coexisting mania, which lasted for weeks and weeks despite the Risperdal. I am a male and had no side effects, other than a bit of sedation.