Risperdal and Irritability: What Users Say

• ste...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 27, 2013

For Bipolar Disorder "This medication saved my life. Tried several different medicines over 10 years and none have worked better than Risperdal. I take escitalopram as well and have seen fantastic results. If I miss a dose, I can tell very quickly within a few days as I don't sleep and feel really agitated and angry at the least little thing. Really helped control my mood swings, and this combination has been great for me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 23, 2017

For Autism "My son is autistic, he is 10 years old. My son's doctor recommended Risperdal for him because of his aggressive behaviors. After 3 months on the medication, he has been more agitated, and he put on 15 pounds. So the doctor wants to increase the medicine. I will not be doing this increased."

• DAM...
• June 27, 2013

For Bipolar Disorder "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."

• 1ti...
• April 4, 2011

For Autism "This medication was given to my son by an ARNP who swears by it. My son cries for no reason, does not help him sleep but makes him eat like a bear, and he is argumentative about everything whenever he takes this. He needs help sleeping, but there has got to be something else more effective for him with fewer side effects."

• Met...
• October 15, 2018

For Schizoaffective Disorder "Absolutely horrible drug! I had worsened serious depression and severe akathisia from it. Agitation, irritability, anxiety, aggression also came into play. I have tried many antipsychotics on the market, and this one is by far the worst (now on Quetiapine and Abilify - much better!). No redeeming qualities whatsoever."

• Met...
• October 15, 2018

For Schizoaffective Disorder "Absolutely horrible drug! I had worsened serious depression and severe akathisia from it. Agitation, irritability, anxiety, aggression also came into play. I have tried many antipsychotics on the market, and this one is by far the worst (now on Quetiapine and Abilify - much better!). No redeeming qualities whatsoever."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 19, 2012

For Schizoaffective Disorder "This was clearly not the medicine for me. The sleeping for 2 days once I went on it thing was okay. I needed it. But it made me so hungry that I gained 30 pounds, so tired that when I took this I cared about nothing, so bored and apathetic so quickly that my life felt without meaning. I began lactating 3 weeks in, and I couldn't concentrate on school. If anything, I got more paranoid...no voices, but OCD and paranoia and agitation through the roof. I was on 0.5 mg in the beginning and eventually went up to 3 mg."

• Dar...
• September 14, 2016

For Schizophrenia "I was on this 'medicine' for 4 years (ages 14 to 18). It is honestly one of the worst medicines I have ever taken. It not only sapped me of all of my strength and willpower, but it increased my agitation to unseen levels (I had a pretty bad temper before this, but I had learned to control it). It made me gain over 150 lbs in that 4-year period (I was at 120 lbs when I started it and 375 lbs when I stopped taking it). It also got me to the point I felt nothing but anger, and when I wasn't riled up, I was a blank mask of indifference. Not only that, but I have been off of it for 4 years now, and I still have trouble controlling my anger and weight. Plus, I have this problem where I can't stop moving (mostly my legs and the right side of my neck)."

• Tir...
• August 24, 2011

For Bipolar Disorder "This medication was not good for me. My doctor added this to the Depakote I was already taking to help with irritability and aggressiveness. This turned me into a zombie. Walked around in a fog the whole time I was on it. Still irritable and more so because I couldn't focus. Experienced nightmares, anorgasmia. When I could keep an erection and had an orgasm, had no ejaculate. Really scary. Took it for 2 weeks and then stopped taking it. Bad for me. May help someone else."

• Kat...
• July 1, 2011

For Bipolar Disorder "Risperdal has helped control my moods and anger so much. I can tell right away if I have missed a dose because I immediately feel agitated. Unfortunately, I began lactating and have not gotten my period since I moved up to a higher dose 2 months ago. I also feel rather sluggish during the day, but to me, the pros exceed the cons. Hopefully, I will be allowed to stay on this."