anybody taking risperidone?

Hi Alison, I hope that you are feeling ok... I have THREE sons who have been on risperidone, for many years... they also take other medications also (antidepressants, different antipsychotics and other medications also ) two of them are on high doses of risperidone and they have luckily never ever had any side effects... you should find that as your body gets accustomed to the drugs you should have few problems.... of course if you have any worries about your medication in any way, then see your GP as soon as possible.... my two sons were really quite poorly... but it has certainly turned their lives around for the better, now you would never know that they had any problems whatsoever... try to stick with your treatment, in time it can make such an improvement to your every day life... I truly wish you well, kind regards, Deirdre xxx

Hi Alison.  I've been on risperidone for bipolar for more years than I can remember and its been a wonder drug for me.  I had a few unpleasant side effects in the first few weeks, but these wore off and now I feel really content and safe.  I'm also on citalopram and diazepam, I used to be on eppillim but they took me off that when I was stabilised.  I was diagnosed with bipolar in 1998 and it took them a while to find the right med combination for me, but when they did it all felt aok.  Hope that helps

Emma

Hi Alison

It took a few weeks for the risperidone to settle down in my system and for a while I felt all wooly brained.  I now take it at night so that if there are any adverse effects I don't notice them, but to be honest, I can't fault it.  It stopped the hypomania in its tracks and helps to keep me calm, though there is a degree of emotional flattening with it, which, depending on your personailty may be good or bad.  For me its a good thing and when coupled with the citalopram, which also took a while to settle down in my system, keeps me stable.  I wouldn't go back to the days when my bipolar was at its worst for anything even if it means I'm less emotional than I was.  I'd say stick with it for a few weeks and if it still doesn't work, see your gp.  Before I was on Risperidone and Citalopram, I was on Chlorproamazine, to which I had bad side effects, and Prozac, which didn't help me at all.  I'm supposed to take the Diazepam when I get anxiety but I find if I take one 5mg tab in the afternoon it helps.

All the Best 

Emma (aka Lizzie)

Risperidone was the best antipsychotic I was on, athough weirdly I find the generic form works better for me. I also want to say that I think it is always best to try and stick to lower doses. I found 2mg was fine but my psyciatrist was trying to get me to take 8mg. Thankfully I never took that amount. I did get some side effects that were unpleasant and I had a particularly horrible occulogyric crisis in the car, but that was on 4mg. I took it with Venlafaxine and Lithium. (Hated the lithium but I reckon a low dose risperidone/antidepressant combination is about as good as it gets if you're going down the medication route). 

Hi

I am bi polar and am on litium, vanlofaxine and risperidone. I find risperidone makes me emotionally flat and dizzy in the morning. I tapered down from 4mg to 2mg of risperdone, but still feel flat. Risperidone has stopped the voices which is good. Feel the risperidone is like a mental strait jacket. Does it get easier?

I started taking risperidone for 4 days now just for anxiety and startle reflex I have been in alot of antidepressants medication but not really helped indeed it increase my anxiety level. hope this time i wont suffer from daily life anxiety and be more open for new better social life and rich all my opportunities work l,family and self happiness.

It's normal... I felt weird at first but things got better a couple months later when I got used to it. I have been taking it for 9 years now.