Posted by Joelle on November 24, 2000, at 9:46:03
In reply to Switching from Risperdal, posted by JEdwin on November 22, 2000, at 21:42:41
I work in this field although I am NOT a psychiatrist but a dietitian...and I do suffer from depression with anxiety which is why I use this board.
I recently went to a workshop on Risperdal and they stated that the maximum dose would be 6 mg but that they did not really see any difference in effectiveness between 4mg and 6 mg. Also, Risperdal does not have the weight gain side effect that Zyprexa has.
My personal experience is that people on Risperdal did not respond as well as people on Zyprexa. That's my own observation.
If you do decide to go on Zyprexa make sure you continue to eat healthy and do not increase your portions. Zyprexa tends to increase your appetitie and give you cravings for sweets and carbohydrates (bread, pasta, etc).
Good luck to you.
Joelle
> I have moderate symptoms of schizophrenia but medication has given me the benefit of a partial remission. I have been taking Risperdal for the last two years. At first, a moderate dose worked (3 mg/day), but after about three to six months on a given dose my symptoms always start to come back. Increasing the dose helps. Now I am on 4.5 mg/day, without the possibility of increasing, since I have akathesia (uncontrolable figiting in my legs), and at higher doses I will also start to get Tardive (have already been through that). I have a ton of questions to ask I hope you don't mind.
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> 1) Is having to slowly increase on Risperdal "normal", like am I getting a tolerance for it, or is this a sign my condition is getting worse?
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> 2) Is there a withdrawal period if/when I switch to a new medication (my doctor and I are considering Moban or Zyprexa). I have already tried switching once to Seroquel, but that went poorly. I'm hesitant to try switching when that could just make things worse.
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> Not only am I considering switching medications, but also doctors. I might ask for a reference or might go back to a previous clinic that I thought I got better advice from. Anyhow I need a plan and I thought that posting this might help me make up my mind.
poster:Joelle
thread:49274
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001115/msgs/49343.html