11-year-old son just diagnosed with juvenile bipolar. He is already on Lamictal with good results, but doc wants to add Risperdal. I read that one of the side effects is lack of concentration, yet I thought this drug is supposed to help you think clearer. How can that be that one of the side effects is one of the symptoms you are trying to do away with? He seems to be very forgetful lately and complains that he can't think clearly. Does any body have any input on their experience with Risperdal? I would greatly appreciate it.
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Q: How can I read others' comments on their experience with the drug Risperdal?
Answers (3)
11/24/09 8:53pm
11/22/09 9:48pm
Unfortunately, yes, the side effects of antipsychotics can sometimes mimic the actual symptoms of mental disorders. They can make you feel dissociated, depressed, confused, etc. But often, after a while these side effects fade or go away completely. Remember when Prozac, an antidepressant, was accused of making patients suicidal and homicidal?
I took Risperdal for a short period of time, just a couple of weeks, and it made me so nauseated that I really couldn't give it a chance to work. I couldn't wait for the nausea to go away. It got to where after 2 weeks, I couldn't even keep water down. Part of the problem may have been that my doctor gave me too large a dose to start out with. I only weighed about 95 lbs and maybe that wasn't taken into consideration.
If I were you, I would want to ask the doctor if it were absolutely necessary to add Risperdal, especially since you say you are getting good results with the Lamictal. Ask him about the pros and cons. Ask him whether it can be discontinued if you son has undesirable side effects -- some doctors put you on a medication they are sure is going to work and are very adamant that you stay on it, despite side effects.
Also, just about every medication carries with it a long list of possible side effects. And most people usually have few or none of those effects. You could die from taking an aspirin. Read as much as you can about your son's mediations and possible future medications -- read user comments, read scholarly studies, come to this site and ask more questions, and read the drug manufacturer's website on the product. At some point, I guess you have to trust your doctor, though.
And honestly, sometimes it is necessary to try many medications until you find the right one or ones -- the ones that help your son the most. I was first diagnosed as bipolar, and none of the traditional bipolar mood-stabilizing meds worked for me. But when Zyprexa, an antipsychotic like Risperdal, was added to the mix, I definitely started getting better. But it did make me double my weight and sleep a lot. There have to be trade-offs sometimes if it means that your son may be able to recover and lead a fairly normal life. The good part is he is being treated early and therefore has the best chance for recovery now. I was not diagnosed or treated till I was 37 and lost a lot of years when I could have had a better life.
Best wishes to you and your son.
Carolyn
11/28/09 6:48am
When I was first put on Risperadol Consta shot 3 years ago, I had the "dry heaves" for about 4 or 5 months. I told my pdoc and another pdoc, they said it would go away, which it did. I have short term memory loss but I attribute that to the ECT I get. The med does help keep my delusions at bay.
Since meds affect people in different ways, it would be like Christina said to research the med.
I wish you and your son the best.
Dave
11/28/09 6:01pm
Thanks, Dave. I'll do that. I just don't understand why he was prescribed the drug in the first place. The doc says it will get rid of his "aggression," but I don't think he has aggression right now. If anything, he seems to be in the depressed mode. I'll just have to keep searching... Thanks again for your input.
Have a great day.
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By KSAMom— Last Modified: 12/13/10, First Published: 11/21/09
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WOW! Thanks so much for that bit of info. Darn. His short-term memory is already lacking; I was really hoping the drugs would solve that problem. It's all so confusing! I am so tired of playing doctor. Again, thank you for taking the time to help out. Best wishes.