Posted by crittercuddler on December 21, 2008, at 5:40:59
In reply to Re: Feeling so strange on Risperdal.... Please HELP. » crittercuddler, posted by rvanson on December 21, 2008, at 4:27:25
Friday evening and this evening I developed awful crying spells on both nights. Friday evening I cried for hours and tonight my crying led to a panic attack of some sort. My muscles were shaking very badly and I felt extremely unstable. I have not felt so unsafe in my own skin since I was last admitted to the hospital for my depression back in June of this year. I was so concerned with this rapid deterioration over the last few days that had my doctor call me this evening so we could try and figure out what to do. I was concerned that I would have to go to the hospital again and I did not want to do that.
Thankfully after talking with him I did calm down some. He told me to discontinue the Risperdal and he called me in some Valium just to help the acute situation. I went ahead and took the Valium even though I am proudly six months benzodiazepine free from the long term use of Klonopin. I was just desperate for some peace.I too was concerned that I was taking Risperdal while not currently being on an anti-depressant, especially with the low dose of Risperdal likely not having any indirect effect on serotonin but instead only working to block dopamine. The doctor had reasons for prescribing it alone because I have had an awful time tolerating even the smallest doses of anti-depressants for some time now. He has been wanting to achieve a kind of soothing of my nervous system if you will, before he tries adding an anti-depressant again. I am not comfortable with that method though because I am so deeply depressed and feel suicidal much of the time. I just feel like it is too big of a gamble for me to not be on an honest to goodness anti-depressant. I know he feels that way too, but we have been banging our heads against the wall trying to get me to tolerate an SSRI successfully. I did try Remeron as well and it doesn't agree with me either, but for different reasons. I am hoping if we can find something to help me sleep that I will be able to take an SSRI or SNRI or something. Terrible insomnia is my biggest problem. I have not wanted to take something every night for sleep when trying to start an A/D because I don't want to become dependent on a medicine to sleep- but I think it is worth the inconvenience. I just need to tell myself that it is a means to and end and then I can stop the sleep medicine. (I have dependency fears from my ordeal with Klonopin) I am supposed to call him back on Monday and I guess he said we will work out a new plan then.
Thank you both for the insight. I must say though that I would not call what I have been feeling sedation. I mean, I don't feel drowsy in the normal sense of the word... but I guess it is kind of like my mind is half asleep...
I hope these feelings induced by the Risperdal go away soon.
poster:crittercuddler
thread:869903
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20081214/msgs/869994.html