Risperidone for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews (Page 2)

• Anonymous
• October 11, 2011

Risperidone "This medicine was prescribed to me for bipolar disorder, along with irritability problems. Serious anger was becoming a problem. I read these reviews after being prescribed, and I can honestly say that I was not one who felt its benefits immediately. This medicine takes 3 to 4 weeks to fully affect you. So far, the main thing I have noticed is that I feel more balanced and have not had an over-the-top anger explosion. This medicine, in combination with my others, seems to be helping overall. Everyone's body is a chemistry set, you just have to try things in combination with others and see if it helps."

• DAM...
• June 27, 2013

Risperidone "I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder about 8 months ago and placed on Risperdal after ending up in the hospital due to a nervous breakdown, 6 weeks after my diagnosis. I was prescribed 0.5 mg in the morning and 1.0 mg in the evenings, but I felt like a zombie. It did curb the severe mood swings, and I also gained about 10 pounds in the first month. I didn't like feeling disconnected from the world and not being able to focus or concentrate, so I independently reduced my evening dose to 0.75 mg. I immediately felt better. I'm still struggling with a low sex drive, depression, and have a few moments of hypomania (restlessness, agitation, 'geeked up'), so now my doctor wants me to go on Depakote 500 mg twice a day instead."

• Bio...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 19, 2015

Risperidone "It worked almost immediately! I had my dosage moved to two tablets twice a day and then back down to one tablet twice a day for every twelve hours. The only thing is I have a difficult time with regulating my body temperatures. When I get hot, I get REALLY hot, and it takes a while to cool down. When I get cold, I get REALLY cold, and it gets hard to get warm again, and so on. I've had the twitching of the arms and hands as well, and I have been nauseous. But really, it works! I just still deal with being hot and cold at times."

• Sco...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 19, 2019

Risperidone "This stuff literally made me feel life wasn't for me anymore, there were the horrendous side effects, the worst being an uncontrollable need to MOVE somehow (akathisia) and the dark, dark, dark thoughts. I was switched to Seroquel and then to Abilify, but all these gave me the same side effects."

• lho...
• May 22, 2009

Risperidone "While taking this medication, I began to experience symptoms similar to Parkinson's syndrome. After a total neurological workup, it was determined that it was Risperdal causing the symptoms, not Parkinson's. Within a week of discontinuing the drug, I was symptom-free."

• Gor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 27, 2024

Risperidone "After trying 3 or 4 SSRIs and last using Zoloft for 6 weeks, my mania was horrific. As a last-ditch effort, I decided to go on Risperdal due to my sister having been on it for years. I started with a 0.5 dosage, and it changed my life the 1st day and immediately calmed me down. It has been causing me insomnia somewhat, so I'm starting to take it during the day instead of before bed. I have noticed that it increased my appetite for food, so I have to keep that in mind and don't deviate from my usual eating routines. It miraculously is taking away almost all of my OCD, which was my biggest problem in life. Don't be scared of all the bad side effects you may read on different sites, because all meds have those and they may not affect you like that."

• For...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 2, 2019

Risperidone "I took Risperdal for three years for my bipolar, and it seemed to work really well, and that is why I stayed on it for so long. But I eventually started to gain weight very rapidly. I was 190 lbs (I am a 5'4" female), and I was completely lethargic all the time. I wasn't necessarily depressed, but just apathetic and cold. My psychiatrist helped wean me off it (it is not addictive, it just causes withdrawal symptoms), and even before I was completely off it, I had lost 15 lbs. I am now 40 pounds lighter, and it's been about two months. My friends and family say my emotions are much more 'colorful,' and I seem more emotionally engaged. I know that it has worked for many people, though, and it helped me a lot when the symptoms started appearing."

• Tri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 3, 2019

"This medication, risperidone, saved my life. I use Buspar for anxiety along with risperidone. I take 2 mg at night, and I have never felt better in my life. I slept, and I am much calmer, and I feel happy for the first time in my life. I have tried everything you can imagine: every class of drug to help with bipolar, depression, and anxiety. It was hard to find someone that listened to me and was willing to work hard at getting the right fit for me. I am beyond thankful for this medication! I can't imagine where I would be with my relationships if I had not tried this medication!"

• van...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 16, 2019

Risperidone "Again, a terrible tragedy that I was subjected to this drug against my will because of a temporary behavioral anomaly. After a month of taking, I became very hollow and unbelievably slow, especially at tasks such as reading, thinking, and communicating. Periodically, I had some sort of dyskinesia and felt like all the memory was being sucked out of me, and I would have to get stuck in a weird transition state. It was a very frightening and terrible experience, as if I could not take care of myself. The only way to get rid of that catatonia was to take sedatives and sleep it off. I am not sure how to label this symptom, but I will guess the most appropriate labeling would be either catatonia or severe delirium with dyskinesia. The symptom disappeared after 6 months of not taking this medicine."

• Inv...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 19, 2015

Risperidone "It's helped my paranoia, delusions, irrational thoughts, and impulses to self-injure and commit suicide more than anything else. Also helps control the hypomania because I'm not on a mood stabilizer. It just also makes me extremely tired and sedated, and I'm constantly hungry and have gained a lot of weight on it. I've fluctuated in my dosage from 3 milligrams to as low as 0.5. Currently taking 2 to 2.5 right now."

• Gas...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 20, 2017

Risperidone "I'm not actually bipolar, I take it as an add-on to an SSRI for OCD, General Anxiety Disorder, and depression, but that wasn't in the categories offered. It works wonderfully for this for me. My OCD is very much under control taking this in conjunction with Prozac-there are so many things I just could not do and was so afraid of because of the OCD before getting on Prozac, and I could do even more after adding Risperdal to it. I take 2 mg, but I usually take it a few hours before bedtime because it does make me drowsy. I haven't gained weight from it and really haven't had any side effects."

• lrj...
• April 18, 2012

Risperidone "I was given this medicine while I was in a mental hospital for my bipolar disorder. In fact, that's when I was diagnosed and then they started me on it. The first 2 weeks I felt like a zombie. I had no feelings or desires... nothing. Just blank. Then, after about 3 or 4 months after I started, I began lactating, and now, because of it, I have no sex drive. I have been off of it for about 4 1/2 months, and my sex drive still has not returned."

• Anonymous
• September 7, 2009

Risperidone "The positive effects of this drug were negated by the adverse side effects I experienced, which included about five episodes of urinary incontinence and slowed motor coordination (my speech and movement were noticeably delayed to the point that I was taken off Risperdal because of this). I would recommend using this medicine to treat acute episodes as needed and not on a long-term basis."

• And...
• April 10, 2011

Risperidone "I developed chronic insomnia in 2002 in Orlando, FL. As a result, I developed bipolar. After many exhausting doctor visits with physicians and psychiatrists, I got lucky and was referred to a great doctor who now prescribes me Risperdal. Risperdal relaxes me and puts me to sleep at night. The only side effect that I get is that it makes me a little sluggish in the morning, but overall I sleep 8-9 hrs every day. I have a new lease on life thanks to Risperdal."

• Tir...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 24, 2016

Risperidone "After going through my third manic episode, I was prescribed 6 mg of Risperdal, which immediately made me feel like an absolute zombie. I couldn't think clearly, was extremely tired all of the time, and was unhappy. Through the course of about 4 months, my dosage is now 1 mg, and I don't feel the severe side effects. Good medicine in controlling the mania, but in high dosages, will make you feel like a zombie."

• She...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 26, 2019

Risperidone "After some months on Risperdal, I developed swallowing problems, which led to anxiety. Lowering the dose improved but did not eliminate the problem. Later, I noticed that I was very tense all the time. I would notice it and make myself relax, and then in a few seconds, I realized I was all tensed up again. I developed frozen muscles in my forehead. It felt like they had very little feeling. I don't know what you call it, but I saw it was listed as a side effect once I looked it up. It went away when I stopped the med. When I stopped this medication, I discovered I had a problem with my tongue. It is like it's too thick or something and doesn't form words as well, so I have a very mild speech impediment now. It is more difficult to speak, and I have to be very deliberate in speaking in order to speak clearly and without a lisp."

• onc...
• June 17, 2014

"Last week, I had gotten to the point where I was screaming at everyone about nothing, and I smashed my phone against the wall. I wanted to smash the T.V. to bits but was able to restrain myself. The next morning, I wrote a letter to the p-doc, who added Risperdal to my other medicines: 1 mg morning, 1 mg night. The next day, the anger and irritability went away. And it's helped with depression too!"

• Obj...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 6, 2016

Risperidone "I took Risperdal (Risperidone) for about five years. It effectively managed my mania/hypomania and gave me no obvious side effects towards the beginning. Pros - Effectively worked - Helped with hypomania - Helped with mania Cons - Developed hyperprolactinemia - From ^^^ I developed amenorrhea and weight gain - Mental slowness (things were harder to learn and harder to remember). It's a good medication that worked for me, but I had unfortunate side effects. Everyone is different, so don't automatically discount the drug if you are just starting it based on everyone else's experience. It DID work for me the way it was supposed to, but I also had side effects, so I had to switch it. I'm giving it 8 out of 10 because it DID manage my BPD well."

• Mom...
• October 28, 2009

Risperidone "My daughter took this medication for about one year. It helped with her mood swings, but the side effects are not worth it. She has a bladder infection, bladder incontinence, weight gain (which upsets her and causes more mood swings!), plus it has slowed her mental processing speed (lower grades in school)."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 6, 2012

Risperidone "I have been dealing with my son, who is only 6 years old and is on it a second time around. Since the doctor has doubled his doses in the morning and at night, now he hardly hears the voices anymore, and he can start to function again, but he is not able to do school yet since he has other issues and gotta still get him the help so he can be able to be in society and be able to do school so he can get his education."

• Anonymous
• November 10, 2009

Risperidone "I am currently taking this new medicine, and it has really helped me control my mood swings better than any other medicine that I have taken in the past. One thing that I do not like is that I have gained weight from this. It makes me eat a lot."

• Mel...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 2, 2016

"Risperidone has been a lifesaver for me. I went through so many mood stabilizers, but nothing seemed to help with my mood swings. I would also experience horrible side effects from some of these medications. I was about ready to give up when my doctor suggested I try risperidone. It improved my mood a lot. I no longer experience those crazy mood swings, and I haven't experienced any side effects or tremors either. I highly recommend this medication."

• Ste...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 16, 2016

Risperidone "It definitely helped with my mania. I just feel slightly off on it, but it has helped a lot. I take this and Celexa to help with my obsessing, but the Risperdal made me gain weight. I went from 120-125 to 140. I'm so unhappy about the weight gain. I'm going to try to switch medications and will come back to this if I have to, trying to find something better, but this definitely helped my mania and doesn't make me really tired like Seroquel and Abilify or almost pass out like Geodon."

• SoP...
• November 19, 2015

Risperidone "I have been taking Risperidone for over four years now. I felt great the first year but had to constantly have my dosage increased. I don't like some of the side effects (anxiety, difficulty concentrating, weight gain, faster heart rate, flu-like symptoms) but have learned to deal with them. Once you start to gain weight, it is virtually impossible to lose the weight, as I have tried everything. It seems you peak at a certain level."

• Nub...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 9, 2019

Risperidone "I take Risperdal 4 mg with 20 mg Celexa. I was on Invega Sustenna before. Since I changed, I find that I sing a lot and my mood is sometimes loony, sometimes doesn't want to deal with people. I gained so much weight on both Celexa and Risperdal, around 40 lbs. I will talk to my doctor about decreasing the dose and get on a diet. I hope that will lessen the symptoms."