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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dinah on November 6, 2002, at 0:11:57
My pdoc has suggested adding a low dose of Risperdal to my Klonopin and Depakote to attempt to reduce the frequency and/or severity of my meltdowns.
I'm kind of reluctant to take an antipsychotic when I'm not actually psychotic.
First of all, I like who I am and how I think the 95% of the time I'm not having a meltdown and I don't want to lose myself. Has anyone noticed a change in their thinking while on Risperdal? I'm quirky and I know it, and I don't really want to change that. Does Risperdal affect creativity or intelligence?
Also I really can't afford to feel thickheaded or sedated. Does Risperdal have that effect?
Does it make you feel emotionally flat, blunted, or apathetic the way SSRI's do?
I am of course doing a search on this board and it's 1791 hits on Risperdal. :) But I was just wondering if I could also get some feedback on the issues that concern me most.
By the way, I was on thorazine (50-100mg) as a teenager for what the psychiatrist described as sleep terrors (?) for a year. I remember having insomnia, phobias, severe anxiety, and suicidal depression, but not sleep terrors. But that's what in his notes. Anyway, I had no problems with TD or anything from it. And honestly I don't remember it having a major effect on how I thought. It did help some with my sleep, but I don't remember it doing much else. But that's a different type of antipsychotic.
Posted by Essence on November 6, 2002, at 7:22:19
In reply to Risperdal questions, posted by Dinah on November 6, 2002, at 0:11:57
Hi Dinah;
I was on Risperdal for 1 1/2 yrs, 1 mg BID. My experience with it was awful to say the least. I gained approx 40 lbs and didn't leave the sofa for 1 1/2 yrs, feeling to awful to even go see the pysydoc to get off of it. Even having to go to the washroom was overwhelming. I had absolutely no energy, my mind totally shut down, I lost all self confidence in myself with regards to ever working again. I had trouble making every day decisions and even talking was an effort. I just wanted to be left alone, if anything was expected of me I became totally overwhelmed and apprehensive. The only positive thing I can say is that it did work for was ruminating thoughts caused by my anxiety. As for TD, it did cause it in me but not the way it normally does in some people, mine affected my diaphram which continually spasms. My psydoc prescribed it for anxiety and ruminating toughts, the payoff wasn't worth it. I must note that I was also taking Amitriptyline at the time for depression. Neither the Ami or the Risp worked and left me in a worse state than when I started. Like you I wasn't psycotic but by the time I got off the stuff, I felt like I was close to it! My advice, if your not psycotic, stay away from it and any other antipsycotics.
Ess
Posted by ROO on November 6, 2002, at 8:27:24
In reply to Re: Risperdal questions, posted by Essence on November 6, 2002, at 7:22:19
dinah--
Geez....don't really know how to answer this one...I'm
on a tiny..and I mean TINY dose of an AP...like 1 mg...
of one of the older ones called Navane...I don't really notice
it at all...I'm not sure what it does for me....but I don't go off
it because I notice when I don't take it I'm a little more anxious
without it...whether that's withdrawal or not, I don't know, but I've
haven't been at a stable enough place in my life yet to tamper with that
yet. My pdoc says it just makes you able to "handle" things better, to
have more confidence that you can handle things. I can tell you that
it doesn't blunt me or flatten me like the ssri's...my dose isn't high enough
for that. I don't notice anything in the way of side effects from it. I noticed
a tiny bit of sexual side effects from it, so I just did my thang, if you know what I mean,
before I took the durn thing, and everything was fine then.I don't know, if I had it all to do over again, if I would have bothered with taking
the AP...because I'm not sure really what it's doing for me...but I feel fairly sure I'm
addicted to it (because everytime I try to stop taking it, I freak out)...so maybe I
wouldn't recommend it)...or maybe you could take it for a short time and if you find it
makes a big difference in the quality of your life without major side effects, it would be
worth it...I don't know...
Posted by babs on November 6, 2002, at 11:04:26
In reply to Risperdal questions, posted by Dinah on November 6, 2002, at 0:11:57
Dinah- I have to say that risperdal, for me, has been miraculous. My pdoc added it to 60 mg of celexa when on that dose I was still very irritable and very obsessive. It has completely stopped my obsessions and dramatically reduced my anxiety. I don't feel irritable and one amazing side effect for me was that I used to have severe neck problems due to two car accidents. Because Ib was so anxious, my neck would know up and cause me great pain. Nothing seemeed to help. The risperdal has helped me relax to the point where I no longer need a chiropractor or physical therapist. The knots are simply gone. Everyone reacts very differently to each drug, but risperdal does not tire me out. HOWEVER, I have gained about 40 pounds on it and am really struggling with that. as I understand it, risperdal is notorious for weight gain. Overall though, I am so happy with it. I used to have my own kind of meltdown on a regular basis and I feel so much more stable on the risperdal.
Posted by Kari on November 6, 2002, at 12:39:50
In reply to Re: Risperdal questions, posted by Essence on November 6, 2002, at 7:22:19
Hi Essence,
Sorry to hear about the ill effects you suffered from Risperdal. Do you still have spasms of the diaphram? I hope your symptoms have subsided.
Kari.
Posted by Kari on November 6, 2002, at 12:52:56
In reply to Risperdal questions, posted by Dinah on November 6, 2002, at 0:11:57
Hi Dinah,
Does your pdoc recommend that you take Risperdal for a limited period or is this supposed to be long-term?
Is there any other type of medication that might help instead? If the thorazine you used to take didn't really do much for you, perhaps it is best to try to stay off APs while you are still ahead.
Just my opinion...
Take care,
Kari.
Posted by cybercafe on November 6, 2002, at 19:19:59
In reply to Risperdal questions, posted by Dinah on November 6, 2002, at 0:11:57
> My pdoc has suggested adding a low dose of Risperdal to my Klonopin and Depakote to attempt to reduce the frequency and/or severity of my meltdowns.
>
> I'm kind of reluctant to take an antipsychotic when I'm not actually psychotic.
>
> First of all, I like who I am and how I think the 95% of the time I'm not having a meltdown and I don't want to lose myself. Has anyone noticed a change in their thinking while on Risperdal? I'm quirky and I know it, and I don't really want to change that. Does Risperdal affect creativity or intelligence?
>
> Also I really can't afford to feel thickheaded or sedated. Does Risperdal have that effect?
>
> Does it make you feel emotionally flat, blunted, or apathetic the way SSRI's do?
>
> I am of course doing a search on this board and it's 1791 hits on Risperdal. :) But I was just wondering if I could also get some feedback on the issues that concern me most.
>
> By the way, I was on thorazine (50-100mg) as a teenager for what the psychiatrist described as sleep terrors (?) for a year. I remember having insomnia, phobias, severe anxiety, and suicidal depression, but not sleep terrors. But that's what in his notes. Anyway, I had no problems with TD or anything from it. And honestly I don't remember it having a major effect on how I thought. It did help some with my sleep, but I don't remember it doing much else. But that's a different type of antipsychotic.i take zyprexa 5 mg (low dose) for bipolar, and it helps me a lot
how it effects you depends highly on the dose
i wouldn't touch high dose risperdal for fear of TD (and hyperprolactemia) ...
but i do hear it's less sedating and causes less weight gain (in general)if you are not psychotic your doc will probably only give you a small dose, like 0.5mg, so it might be hasty to
worry about getting the same effects as someone on 2+mg (apparently above 2 mg risperdal begins to act
more like a typical antipsychotic)my first few days on zyprexa i was very very sedated, but that went
away quite fast (1 or 2 weeks) and continues to improve
Posted by Essence on November 7, 2002, at 6:23:50
In reply to Re: Risperdal questions » Essence, posted by Kari on November 6, 2002, at 12:39:50
Thanks Kari, I still do have the TD of the diaphram, apparently whatever damage has been done is irreversable. When I'm busy and moving around I don't notice it as much now, (I've been off the Risperdal for a yr now) but when I'm sitting or laying down, it's very noticeable and aside from causing some shortness of breath, it's more irritating than anything else.
Ess> Hi Essence,
> Sorry to hear about the ill effects you suffered from Risperdal. Do you still have spasms of the diaphram? I hope your symptoms have subsided.
> Kari.
Posted by Kari on November 7, 2002, at 7:41:24
In reply to Re: Risperdal questions Kari, posted by Essence on November 7, 2002, at 6:23:50
Ess,
It may not be irreversable. Sometimes TD can disappear after years. I hope that with time yours will, too.
Take care,
Kari.
Posted by jay on November 7, 2002, at 18:16:33
In reply to Re: Risperdal questions » Dinah, posted by babs on November 6, 2002, at 11:04:26
Hi:
Just curious..what dose of Risperdal are you on? Thanks...
Jay
Posted by henryO on November 7, 2002, at 22:28:05
In reply to Risperdal questions, posted by Dinah on November 6, 2002, at 0:11:57
My experience with Resperdal is that it is a good augmentation drug for me. I take as little as .25mg a day. I break the .5 pills. I think it helps and have noticed no negative side effects. Yes its an anti psychotic but at lower doses many of these drugs have valuable "off-lable" uses. Some work better for certain people than for others. When I'm real low a little Resperdal in my cocktail is very helpful. I always clear it with my Pdoc though.
Posted by Dinah on November 8, 2002, at 9:55:20
In reply to Re: Risperdal questions Kari » Essence, posted by Kari on November 7, 2002, at 7:41:24
I did lots of research and found so many conflicting results, that I decided to try it at .25 mg. I think the eventual goal is .5 mg. I'm not at all happy about doing that, but did it anyway. But I think I'm just reviving some old resentments about being tricked into taking what I thought was Valium as a teen, mainly to "manage" my behavior without looking at the causes for it. I'm having all sorts of memories pop up about those darn Thorazine pills.
I haven't really noticed anything. The first night it acted as a tranquilizer, I think. (Or maybe just taking it ended the decision and made me calmer). The second night (last night) I wasn't sleepy at all after taking it, stayed up till 5 am working and had a hard time getting to sleep after that. I guess time will tell.
I may be a bit more detached from my emotions, which is something I don't need since I mostly live in my head as it is. If it does cause that reaction, I don't think I'll stay on it. There are some tradeoffs that aren't worth making.
Posted by babs on November 8, 2002, at 11:39:25
In reply to What dose? » babs, posted by jay on November 7, 2002, at 18:16:33
i am currently on 1.5 mg of risperdal, 60 mg of celexa and 15 mg Adderall 2x day.
Posted by judy1 on November 9, 2002, at 19:25:35
In reply to Re: Risperdal questions Thanks everyone., posted by Dinah on November 8, 2002, at 9:55:20
I think of all the APs (atypical or older) risperdal caused the most problems with akathesia for me. Of course i was taking 4mg/day but that was for psychosis. I will never take an AP unless I am psychotic- which means of course I have to accept my pdoc's word that I am. For now, it has been zyprexa at 5mg bid, and only until my symptoms subside. My pdoc has had a significant number of patients on APs that had a very difficult time with withdrawal. since you are on such a low dose, hopefully you won't have any problems. take care, judy
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