Risperdal User Reviews & Ratings (Page 4)

• nea...
• March 24, 2009

For Borderline Personality Disorder "My son was diagnosed with ADHD at age 5 and was put on Adderall. After about a year, I took him to be tested by a psychiatrist. He diagnosed him with borderline personality disorder and put him on Risperdal. After just 1 month, I have a new son. My son is still a handful, but now in a good way. This drug worked wonders."

• Ano...
• November 2, 2013

For Schizoaffective Disorder "I'm taking this after a few antipsychotics didn't work, and I was hospitalized a few times for the first time in my life. My bipolar diagnosis changed to schizoaffective disorder, then schizophrenia. The delusions and paranoia were very scary. I was on 2 mg for a while with Ativan and Celexa, and I gained weight over the course of all the medicines, but it needed it. Weight gain stopped when I stopped Celexa. No paranoia. Now I'm taking 1 1/2 mg and have less anxiety, on a day I went back to 2 mg, I had more. I still have anxiety and will ask my doctor to increase my Ativan from 2 back to 3 mg or lower my Risperdal down to 1 mg. I am also on lithium and have hand tremors from that and Risperdal, but feel stable. It's so worth it. I'm staying on it."

• 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."

• 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."

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

For Bipolar Disorder "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."

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

For Bipolar Disorder "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."

• Poo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 28, 2019

For Schizoaffective Disorder "This drug is very bad and not helpful. Still hallucinated on it. Blurry vision, restlessness, does not make you tired, brain pain, motor control malfunctioning, difficulty thinking on it, lack of emotion on it. Please don't take this 'medicine.' Very bad. Does not work."

• xco...
• March 2, 2009

For Schizophrenia "I don't really believe I have an issue. I do admit I hear voices and see things other people can't, but I don't believe they're hallucinations. Anyways, when taking this medication, the voices went away, the walls stopped melting, things stopped changing color, people weren't after me as much, and stuff. It didn't take the visuals away 100%, and I was less afraid. It didn't help my mood as much as it should have (I also have mood problems)."

• kat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 28, 2014

For Schizoaffective Disorder "I was on risperidone for over a year. I suffer from severe manic depressive bipolar disorder with schizoaffective episodes. The medication, along with an antidepressant, helped with the delusions (visual and auditory). But the weight gain was immense, in one year, I gained over 60 pounds. I weigh over 300 pounds now, and the depression is worse. I have osteoarthritis in both knees that, with the weight, have been severely debilitating. Preparing meals and doing daily activities are almost impossible. Standing for more than ten minutes is excruciating. I suggest using caution with the increase in weight this medicine can cause."

• Anonymous
• October 23, 2009

For Autism "I found out a year ago that my high functioning autism son had Asperger. He was put on Risperdal. After about 10 months, I found out the doctor should have been doing blood work to test his prolactin level. His levels should have been between 2.8 and 5.8. His was 55.9. His doctor told me this was okay and not to worry until it got up to 1000 or higher. We tried other medications, but nothing seemed to help like the Risperdal. So he is back on the Risperdal. It does not have the same effect in girls that it does in boys."

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

For Bipolar Disorder "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

For Bipolar Disorder "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

For Bipolar Disorder "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

For Bipolar Disorder "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

For Bipolar Disorder "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."

• Anonymous
• November 22, 2009

For Depression "Started this medicine at 45 yrs and have gained 35 lbs in three years without any change in diet or exercise. Take 4 mg a day, and this is the only medicine I take. Find that this medicine will cause psychotic episodes if taken with more than 6-8 beers or half a bottle of spirits. The next day, I can't remember what I said or was doing, and this is not good. If you like to consume alcohol, beware of this drug, as it will turn you into a zombie who does not remember later what you did or said, very scary. Haloperidol was once prescribed for a couple of days, and I experienced double vision and extreme paranoia, as well as chest pains."

• Anonymous
• June 26, 2011

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "Risperdal worked wonders on my psychotic symptoms of hearing voices. It worked quickly, after the state counselor ordered me to be hospitalized for my condition, they gave me Risperdal, and the voices were gone in two days, although they expected it to work after one day. I continued with this medication for a few years, but after a while, I found myself sleeping the days away. The medication at this point needed to be switched. I'm very grateful for this medication for the time it was needed."

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

For Bipolar Disorder "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."

• Cha...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 22, 2018

For Schizophrenia "This medication saved my life. Been taking it for two years following two very difficult psychosis episodes, and my brain is a mess without this medication. Without it, I have very weird and intrusive thoughts about the nature of reality. Paranoid thoughts are all but gone as well. The only side effect I noticed is weight gain, which I honestly don't mind."

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

For Bipolar Disorder "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."

• Mom...
• October 28, 2009

For Bipolar Disorder "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)."

• nes...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 19, 2018

"My daughter was prescribed this drug for depression at age 25 by her primary physician. The result was almost catatonic, detached, had to quit her job in education, is still blackballed by the local district for quitting (they did not offer her family leave) and truly has lost at least 9 years of her life. She was/is not bipolar or any of the other diseases listed for use. We should have sued. Beware of this drug and its uses. We almost lost our daughter to enhanced symptoms."

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

For Bipolar Disorder "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

For Bipolar Disorder "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."