Risperdal seems to cause aggression

By mommyjenn Tuesday, December 30, 2008

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Has anyone else found Risperdal to cause aggressive behaviors in a child? My son is going to be 6 years old this month. He's bipolar with ADHD and has been mostly stable since we added lithium to his regimen of Seroquel, Risperdal and Vyvanse back in March. Our unsolved problem was his terrible aggression in the mornings and evenings when his stimulant wasn't in effect.

A couple weeks ago I accidently ran out of Risperdal and he missed a dose. The next morning he was fabulous! He didn't hit anyone!!! I called his doctor and asked if he thought Risperdal could have been causing the aggression. We decided to try staying off of it for a week to see what happened. We did see a significant reduction in his aggression, but his moods have become unstable. We're going to try increasing his Seroquel rather than bring back the Risperdal. I hope it works! I can't tell you how excited we'll be to get rid of the non-stop hitting in the mornings!!! We have a 3 yr old daughter and a new baby on the way (due in March). It is a serious safety concern for us. He's 49 lbs. and you wouldn't believe how hard he can hit.

The detailed log of my son's bipolar/ADHD history can be found here if you're interested.

Comments (10) | Add comment

saracup

12/30/08 11:30pm

Dear Mommyjenn,

As we learn to live with Blake, we are learning that there will be no fixed "fix" to the situation. So, we decided to address one issue at a time, basing that decision on his developmental, social, and academic needs. To that end, we've gone for treating the ADHD first, just to give him some confidence at school. This approach has, so far, worked and his second year in kindergarten is going much smoother than the first time around. Not smooth like a kid without challenges, but smooth enough that he is performing at the minimal standards level. We still deal with the violence at home, but at least he is getting something resembling self-esteem. He's taking only Ritalin SR 20 mg, and it wears off shortly after he comes home from school.

We are considering, once he advances to first grade, to add lithium to the mix under the supervision of a child behavioral psychiatrist.

I say what I am saying out of concern, not judgment: The combination of Seroquel and Risperdol is a powerful one, and could lead to neurological damage for a child as young as your son. Is there a way you can forget the atypical antipsychotics, and stick with the Vyvanse and Lithium until he's older? Since you are now getting some behavioral training assistance, this may be a good time to let go of some of the meds.

I say this knowing what you're going through. I've lost friends over our son. We are trapped in the home with him at night because leaving him with any sitter is out of the question. We are constantly monitoring whether he is hurting our newly adopted 4-year old daughter. We can't let him out of our sight, and have to keep him occupied. I had to call the police just last night to get him back into the car after I stopped at a stop sign. He ran out, began climbing on the windshield, and spitting all over it. It took two police officers to calm him and get him in his carseat. So, I know what you face, believe me. Our sons will have to live in their own bodies long after we have to live with them. To that end, I just can't risk that he'll be twitching uncontrollably on top of struggling with mental illness. Please reconsider, and please take care of yourself. Career and bipolar child is hard -- I settled for job and bipolar child because I just couldn't hack it. Please feel free to contact me anytime, if you want to. I am here, and I understand.

workingmom

1/ 1/09 6:59pm

Our son took Risperdal for approximately one year. He too has ADHD along with Bipolar Disorder. The main side effect we found with Risperdal was extreme weight gain. His doctor then perscribed invaga along with provigale for the ADHD. This has been a very good combination. Our son sees a child psychiatrist and has since he was five years old. He is now seventeen years old. My question for you is this.... do you have him in any kind of counseling? We have found any change in routine / birthdays - holidays - siblings on the way - throughs everything off - Counseling both private and family have been a true blessing for our family. We too have lost friends over our sons diagnosis. You will find that when you lose those friends that they really werent your friends to the soul. You will find new friends who will accept you and your family and your stuggles. I agree that the combination on drugs in such a young child may be affecting him as well. My heart aches for you as you go through this challenging time. Back to therapy - you really need to consider this - not just for your son, but for siblings, you and your spouse.

Eric

1/ 2/09 5:46am

I'm just sitting here shaking my head at...What doctor in their right mind would place an infant/child on Risperdal and any other heavy hitter. These drugs are bad enough on adults and the possible side effects are even worse.

I am not to keen on this new push of labeling children with bipolarism. It's a well know fact that the vast majority of us don't show symptoms till our late teens. I know, there have been countless articles and studies (paid for by pharmaceuticals) that say different.

I agree with Sara in that you need to move away from these drugs and closer to ones that carry little to no side effects. I would also look into finding a new Child Psychologist/psychiatrist to treat your child.

If you truly believe your child is bipolar...take him to a leading bipolar psychiatrist that specializes in it everyday. I know if he were my child I would want a second opinion before any treatment was started.

What you do now will effect him later on in life. Sounds more like he is autistic than bipolar. Either way...I know you are trying to do what is best for him.

tabby

1/ 2/09 8:01am

Seroquel and Risperdal are both anti-psychotics. I have concern with Lithium and Vyvanse as well but more focus on the 2 anti-psychotics. Why is your child on 2 anti-psychotics?

I know - I have no idea what you are going through, what he really does, etc...

so... he is, at the age of 5 (or younger) diagnosed with ADHD and Bipolar and because of this he has been given 2 anti-psychotics while his brain is still in it's developmental phase (still growing and forming new synapses/neurotransmissions)

I am, and have always been, against medicating children below 10 years of age with mind-altering pharmaceutical drugs for any reason. I believe that there are other means of disciplining children and other forms of therapy and behavioral learning that most parents just don't want to engage in due to money, or time, or the effort it would take to go through and actually follow through on.

I believe this from having worked in an agency that treats children behaviorally and psychiatrically for several years now - as an administrative person - and hearing countless patient stories from the clinicial staff as well as child psychiatrists. So, I form my belief from the environment for which I've been exposed to as well as the fact that I can trace my Bipolar beginnings back to the age of 11. It is however entirely my belief, and just as you are entitled to your belief, so am I entitled to mine and thus we disagree.

So yes, I am against the fact that your son, who has no choice or say in this matter, is having his brain chemically altered and will no doubt... in his teen years, when the hormones kick in and the other chemicals turn on, and on upward into his adult years... will have far more reaching and longer lasting consequences because of it.

Still, because I am a mother and understand that it isn't my call in your situation because your life is one that I am completely unaware of and so... I should be more supportive of what you are having to go through because at the end of the day... we, the loving parents of our children, do not want to see our children suffering and only want to do what is truly good and honest for them....

If the Risperdal is causing aggression, and it is quite possible that it is because children's systems are different than adults while developing... I would certainly bring this up to his prescribing physician and ask for an alternative that perhaps wouldn't cause this. If the physician isn't willing to consider a change... then perhaps another physician wouldn't be a bad idea.

As adults... we, with Bipolar, do not have to undergo treatment that causes intolerable side effects or intolerable consequences if we truly don't wish to do so. It's hard, docs are hard to find, money is oh so tight but, there are choices out there with regards to meds and choices with regards to physicians.

I'm certain your son doesn't enjoy the "pent up" feelings within him that may very well be causing the aggression either so... being firm but concise with the physician that this med seems to be causing this and it isn't tolerable... may not be a bad thing to do.

Dawn

11/16/09 2:04pm

have u guys checked the amenclinic site that actaully shows the pysical scans of brains and how medication has litterally altered the brain in helping add children an adults. dr.amen is a pychitrist of 27 years and has studied this for many many years and has children and a wife with brain problems such as add. i firmly believe that people can work with special nees kids all they want but unless they are living it 24/7 they truley can npt be conpletely empathedic. or really understand what its like

mommyjenn

1/ 5/09 6:14pm

Boy, I guess I'll have to find another board. This isn't a very positive environment.

We have three doctors who've diagnosed him ADHD and bipolar. His birth father is bipolar and his birth father's father is bipolar.

MomofThreeBoys

7/ 9/11 6:53pm

Boy do I feel your pain. Well-meaning folks have all the opinions in the world, but in the end, it is us who live with it day in and day out. Believe me when I tell you I was the biggest anti-medication person for many years, speaking from the perspective of a nurse. However, that all changed when I went from medical professional to mom. My son is under the care of an amazing child psychiatrist and behavioral team. We, too, have a series of conditions we are contending with. I have three boys and my middle son is battling mental illness. He is an amazing, creative, compassionate, intelligent, and sweet young man. However, none of that was known to us until we sought help for his behavio issues. For 5 years we blamed temperament (did I forget to mention I also have a degree in Early Childhood Education and Development as well) and we watched our son literally destroy our home, attack his brothers, and significantly injure himself on a regular basis because he wasn't able to process co sequences to actions. You know, you jump off of something high, you get hurt.

After multiple visits with his pediatrician, we were referred us to behavioral health. We saw various professionals and he has undergone numerous evaluations. We have tried various med regimens and have found one that works for him. He will be the first to tell you how much the medication helps him. He is very much cognizant of how he feels with and without the medication. He is literally at the top of his class, he is gaining weight, allbeit slowly, his violent and destructive behavior has decreased, he sleeps for the first time in his life. In addition, for the first time, we are able to see who he is

he is not a medicated robot, he is a brilliant, fun y, joyfully creative, and most notable he is a loving and compassionate boy. I have seen firsthand what proper medication and treatment can do for a family. By the way, I am a stay at home mother, I am an extremely involved mom, I work very closely with his behavioral team.

Please do not ever let someone make you doubt your parenting. No one will ever walk in your exact shoes. It is all trial and error. You work with your child and his behavioral team to do what is best for him. You are his advocate, not random people on the Internet. The life as a parent battling this is difficult at best, we suffer from enough in our lives, we certainly don't need it from anyone else.

Anonymous

1/14/09 3:49pm

Our son, now 16, is bipolar and has responded well with Risperdal. He began using it in 3rd grade after going through various other unsuccessful trials of medications. He has not had any weight gain and we could see significant change in his behavior when he wasn't taking it. His mood and aggression is less with the drug. He's had an increase in the dosage as his body grew and as his body became more tolerant of it. This past summer he elected to cease medication. By the end of summer, all the familiar Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Hyde personality was back in full force. Only through resumed counseling did he agree to return to medication and he began again with a lower dosage of Risperdal. Two years ago he began lithium in addition to the Risperdal when it became less effective. This return after his summer without any medication does not include any other medication, not even the lithium. So far he is doing ok.

Counseling has helped me learn how to adjust. It has not been successful for my son, but he has not been willing to try many of the suggestions. He has to want to change. The return to medication was the first admission from him that he was willing to help himself.

Mr. Hyde as a teenager with hormones is not pleasant. Please take advantage of any group therapies for support. It has helped me.

Peter

10/10/10 8:13pm

I am quite late to this discussion, but I'll weigh-in just in case it's useful to someone.

First, I had my daughter on Risperdal for one day -- and the change in her mood was remarkable. She became much more aggressive, volatile, and anxious. She is diagnosed with Asperger's and ADHD. She kicked a hole in a wall -- something she's never done in 6 years of tantrums (she's 10 now). I will be asking my doctor about other alternatives. She is also taking Adderall, which has worked wonderfully.

Regarding the Bi-Polar diagnosis, other commenters who've mentioned the alternative possibility of autism or Asperger's have good reason to do so. These conditions can often resemble one another symptomatically and, thus, be mis-diagnosed -- even by three doctors. There is a lot of disagreement on the definition of these conditions. And it's even possible that your child's birth father and his father could have also been mis-diagnosed. This may not apply to your situation, but I would agree that any child diagnosed Bi-Polar should also be screened for Autistic Spectrum disorders.

Jen

10/19/10 12:36pm

Risperdal definitely caused bedwetting in my daughter. She didn't have it before, nor since, the meds. The sad thing was that it really, really worked! We HATED taking her off of it, but I wasn't going to have her self-imagine destroyed in exchange.

I can tell you truly care about your child and are trying your hardest with him. It can be exhausting and lead to burn-out. Try to find someone NOW who's willing to watch him and give you a break, even if you don't yet feel you need it. Trust me, in time you'll find you're a better mom when you can get away from the situation.

Risperdal seems to cause aggression

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