Risperidone and Drowsiness: What Users Say

• Len...
• January 11, 2013

For Anxiety "Really helped me with severe anxieties and mood swings. Calms me down, makes me less irritated and obsessive, helps me fall asleep. Better to take it before going to sleep. I tried taking it in the morning and couldn't get through the day (feeling too sleepy and out of it). It works wonders for those with extreme emotions."

• Anonymous
• June 16, 2009

Risperidone for Schizophrenia "I used to hear voices on a daily basis, especially when I was near a fan or running water. The noise turned into words. Since I have been on Risperdal, I have had a significant decrease in the voices to where they are almost gone. If I don't get any sleep or I am really stressed out, the voices come back, so I try to get plenty of sleep and avoid stressful situations. I give Risperdal an A. The first week on Risperdal, I was extremely sleepy. It was really hard to wake up, but now I am fine, and my body has adapted to the medication. You should try it. The peace of mind I get from Risperdal is priceless. I used to think my thoughts were being broadcast out loud, and now my own thoughts are much quieter."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 11, 2012

Risperidone for Bipolar Disorder "I feel calm all of the time. With the exception of some grave disaster, nothing gets me down. I feel normal for the first time. I haven't gained any weight either. Sometimes I do get the munchies. When this happens, I eat a bunch of grapes, celery or fat-free/sugar-free pudding made with fat-free milk. You don't have to gain weight. I gave it a 9 because I don't like how sedating it is."

• awa...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 17, 2018

Risperidone for Schizophrenia "This is a life-destroying drug. I have anger issues, and this drug was mixed in my food by my family. I couldn't read a book, enjoy music, or watch TV. My thought process became impaired. I suffered from the worst kind of akathisia, endlessly walking for seven months and had suicidal thoughts. I became drowsy, lost all motivation, and couldn't care about anything. I was able to come off it after a great struggle and remained drug-free for eleven years and was able to enjoy all the things I couldn't because of this drug. Unfortunately, however, my siblings have again mixed it in my food as I had to stay with them. All the side effects are back, and life feels like a nightmare devoid of purpose again."

• Anonymous
• March 1, 2012

Risperidone for Bipolar Disorder "Mania and depression are basically non-existent while taking this medicine. It does make you a little sleepy, but other than that, I've experienced no serious side effects. You may find that your sex drive goes down a notch at first while taking it. That went away after my body and mind got used to the medicine. I have better concentration and self-value on this drug. I also no longer freak out and leave busy rooms full of people. I can actually deal with social situations without people thinking that I'm a freaking lunatic. I love this drug. It's changed my life around."

• Jel...
• June 8, 2019

Risperidone for Bipolar Disorder "Have been taking Risperdal for almost a year now. I tried Seroquel before for some months, but it made me super drowsy throughout the day, and I couldn’t function. I take Risperdal for severe depression, mania, and extreme hallucinations. I would see cartoons and things appear before me, hear voices/sounds in my ears, or feel things on me (someone patting my back or grabbing my legs when I’m alone in the room). I started off taking 0.5 mg once a day, then upped it to 1 mg. Was on 1 mg for a while. It worked well for me. I stopped seeing hallucinations, and for the most part, my mania and depression have lessened or gone away. I woke up every day feeling refreshed. Even my period cramps were usually less painful than before. Everything would go downhill when I decided to stop the medication, all the symptoms would come back quickly and badly. I didn’t gain significant weight from the meds, and I’ve had moderate acne. Seems like it’s going to be really hard to leave this medication."

• sad...
• July 3, 2019

Risperidone for Bipolar Disorder "I've been taking this medication for about 9 months, and I completely lost myself. I gained 40 lbs. I feel unmotivated all the time. I feel sedated, it is not me anymore. I am a perfectionist, and Risperdal is definitely the deadliest medication ever for me. I hate taking it, but I have no other choice. If another medication works for you, just stay away from Risperdal, it is awful."

• ann...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 26, 2014

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I was recently diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. I have nightmares all night long every night and am very angry and annoyed with everybody and everything. I am perfectly fine at times and then will suddenly freak out for no reason. I have only been on risperidone for 5 days now, but have noticed that I am able to sleep soundly at night and the mood swings have stabilized. However, I am feeling very sedated all day and find it hard to get out of bed in the morning. I can't seem to sleep enough. My anger issues are also still there, but I am hoping they will subside in time. Unfortunately, my appetite is insatiable! I've already gained 6 pounds! I'm already a heavy person and am worried I will eventually need to be removed with a forklift!"

• Ugh...
• March 17, 2016

Risperidone for Schizoaffective Disorder "The first time I took risperidone, I became extremely drowsy, which made me a bit nervous, but the drowsiness went away after the first three days. I also had horrendous nightmares, so I switched to taking it in the morning, and the nightmares went away. On the positive side, my auditory and visual hallucinations completely went away immediately, which enabled me to make it to therapy more frequently and sleep more often and slowly, over years, build up a healthy and stabilizing lifestyle. It also helped with increasing my attention and memory. I noticed some weight gain and slightly lower libido. I have taken it regularly for a couple of years and weaned off it. I have now been off for two and a half years with almost zero returning symptoms."

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

Risperidone 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

Risperidone 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."

• Ana...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 18, 2016

For Autism "My son is autistic, diagnosed when he was 3. Until then, he looked like a 'normal child.' He started taking Risperdal at 5 (1 mg/day) and was the most effective drug he experimented with to calm down and avoid aggressive fits. Now, at 20 years old, he takes 4-6 mg of Risperidone a day, but he is tall and strong, weighs 82 kg. The only problem is that he has epilepsy, and Risperidone reduces the effect of Tegretol. We found out that we have to give him the dose of Tegretol first, and only after 20 minutes give Risperidone. He started a complement which is Diazepine (only if needed) and Olanzapina (3 mg) - which is more effective and can even be a substitute for Risperidone but seems to have more side effects (he speaks less and feels morning drowsiness)."

• Hou...
• October 23, 2016

For Borderline Personality Disorder "Been on 2 weeks after trying dozens of antidepressants and antipsychotics! It has helped me sleep better, I find it quite sedative! My appetite has increased after battling anorexia, so this is a miracle for me! I look better and am being more house proud and looking after my environment and appearance!!! Even friends have noticed a change in me! I'm speaking more productive things rather than talking about my horrible past. So yeah, so far so great! X"

• Eli...
• May 15, 2018

Risperidone for Schizophrenia "I was forced into a Canadian mental hospital in the late '90s when I was 13 years old (I'm male, by the way). They woke me up in bed and gave me a cup with pills and told me it was to help me with sleep. It was later on that they told me that the pills were Risperdal. When I was on Risperdal, I gained a lot of weight and was drowsy. I even developed minor gynecomastia that still remained 3 years later. I'm in my 30s now, and the gynecomastia surgery isn't covered by any insurance companies. What was covered was the ultrasound and mammogram. I don't have the money to pay for the glandular breast tissue removal surgery. People notice my male breast growth and tell me that I have breasts. My doctor says my gynecomastia is noticeable when I take my shirt off. People who know me notice breast growth through my T-shirt. Can the Canadian Government cover the cost of breast removal surgery if I am required to take antipsychotics that have side effects that grow breasts?"

• Pet...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 21, 2019

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "Best add-on antipsychotic ever in conjunction with SSRI Zoloft. Only downfalls are the zombie, sleepy-like effects that occur after you take the tablet, but the next morning you might feel a little groggy, but it passes quickly. It also severely increases appetite and desire to search for food and chocolate. But for OCD/flashbacks, it is well, I cannot comment on its efficacy as a standalone medication, but added on with an SSRI, it is fantastic. I used to be on 3 mg, stopped for a while, doctor put me back on 2 mg."

• JDa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 2, 2020

For Autism "My son is 3 years old and has high-functioning autism. He just started Risperdal 0.25 x 2 daily, and it’s only been about two weeks. No major changes, other than he has started to calm down much more than he used to be, and just today the weirdest thing happened... he was his normal self all morning, playing and running around, interacting, and then he went down for a nap... when he woke up from his nap, he was extremely drowsy and went back to sleep on my chest almost instantly. It’s been like another hour, and he hasn’t budged. I’m starting to worry, not gonna lie. I feel like this is definitely a side effect happening to him. I’ll post more as more time passes on this medication."

• Tin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 26, 2023

For Schizophrenia "I started taking Risperdal after being hospitalized unexpectedly after stopping Abilify, which I was taking for about 6 years. Aripiprazole made me quite nervous, irritable, and obsessed with food, shopping, negativism. And after that, risperidone feels like a blessing. It is a bit sedating at 3 mg a day, but I feel sweet inside. It’s like I am again feeling safe, calm, capable, and genuinely happy with myself and with the world. I process a lot through my head and my body (I can be hypervigilant and stressed easily), and Risperdal seems to make this so much easier for me. Also, I gave away my scale because I was only obsessed with numbers on it, and I am now capable of listening to my body more. So far, no weight gain - I drink a lot of water and don’t eat between 13-15 hours per day to give my body much-needed rest - it simply feels right, and therefore, no special weight gain in the first 2 months for me."

• Has...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 29, 2022

For Anxiety "At first, my depression got worse but improved the next weeks. It was extremely sedative, so I had to sleep more hours than usual. It increased my appetite and destroyed my libido. After 5 weeks, I had to stop it due to extreme sedation and lack of motivation. My anxiety and OCD definitely improved, but the side effects were extremely intolerable."

• Kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 26, 2018

Risperidone "I was prescribed risperidone for anxiety because all the other medications I tried weren't working or had bad side effects. I take a low dose of risperidone, about 1 mg a day. It's the best medication I've ever taken for both anxiety, and I find it also helps my depression a lot as well. It makes me feel more motivated and can get through most of the feelings that I was struggling with every day. The only side effect I've noticed with the dose I take is a bit of drowsiness, but I usually take caffeine in the morning, and it helps as far as that. Other than that, it works really well for me."

• Mel...
• January 14, 2021

For Anxiety "Started taking 0.5 mg of risperidone before bedtime. I also take 20 mg of Lexapro for anxiety/depression. I have to say, this drug has helped me a lot so far. Reduced my racing thoughts, intrusive thoughts, and miserable feelings in the morning. I have an appetite and feel like myself again. The only negative is a big appetite and very groggy in the morning. The good night's sleep is nice though."

• Jai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 8, 2020

Risperidone for Bipolar Disorder "I haven't experienced serious side effects, only blurred vision and drowsiness. I have been taking the meds for 1 month now. So far, so good. I was prescribed this medication after 2 manic episodes I had that were practically back to back (after 3 weeks)."

• Try...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 1, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "My husband used this medication for paranoid delusional symptoms in his bipolar I disorder. He used this and other medications for his symptoms of bipolar. This medication, by far, has been the only thing that works for his paranoia, and it helps with mood swings and mania. He's been on this medication for more than 15 years. It is sedating, there are some sexual side effects and weight gain. But, it has helped us stay married for more than 20 years."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 2, 2022

Risperidone for Bipolar Disorder "I’ve been taking Risperdal for 10+ years. I got diagnosed bipolar after 9 years. Before that, doctors were unable to give me a diagnosis because my symptoms are atypical. I suffered from psychosis and emotional instability. I was given a dose of 6 mg in the beginning, and it stopped the paranoia. I had a lot of side effects like sleepiness, flat affects, lactation, anorgasmia, weight gain, blurry vision, greasy skin, greasy hair. My dose went down to 2 mg, and it stopped the side effects, but I was still emotionally unstable, however, no delusions. After 9 years, I received Lamictal, and I felt a lot better, the depressions stopped, however, I started having psychoses again, and the Risperdal went to 3 mg, then 4 mg. I’m trying another antipsychotic now because of the weight gain. Over the years, I gained 40 lbs, especially when my dose went up."

• Jes...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 20, 2018

Risperidone for Schizophrenia "This drug did not react well with my body chemistry, but I didn't have any delusions on it or for 4 years afterward. I gained over 120 lbs in a year and a few months on it. I slept about 14 hours a day. It made me apathetic, not a normal trait for me. I just didn't care about things. I stopped having my period and developed a lot of symptoms of metabolic syndrome. Oh, I had major carb cravings, like for fast food pizza, that I never usually have. I didn't feel like myself. I have been diagnosed with different things but believe I have major depression with psychotic features."

• the...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 13, 2023

For Schizophrenia "Risperidone is a horrible drug. It has affected my energy levels and leaves me feeling tired and groggy, my mood has changed, and I no longer feel happy, and I have gained a considerable amount of weight. I have gone from getting up early to go for a run or walk to being lazy and having to drag myself out of bed. Although the drug has helped with my hallucinations and delusions, the cost is too high. My doctor wants me to continue taking the medication for another year and 1.5 months, which I dread."