Risperidone and Weight Gain: What Users Say (Page 4)

• Bir...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 8, 2017

For Agitation "Back in my early 20s, I started experiencing severe agitation, anxiety, mood swings, and couldn't think straight, along with OCD, etc. I finally went to see a psychiatrist. He put me on Paxil, Klonopin, and Risperdal. When I first started this combo of drugs, I felt very good, very clear-headed. It almost seemed like I was myself again. After a few years, the side effects started brewing. My anxiety returned in full force, my thoughts were disorganized once again, and I began itching all over my body, especially my legs and feet. My bladder went bad. Gained weight. From the get-go, Risperdal made me EXTREMELY ANXIOUS upon taking it. It was the culprit behind my itchy skin and bladder issues too. BE CAREFUL. Caused SEVERE INNER RESTLESSNESS!"

• Thi...
• April 19, 2014

Risperidone for Schizoaffective Disorder "This medication worked wonders for me, and I felt quite good on this medication. The problem lies with the side effects. Unbeknownst to me for many months was that it increased my prolactin levels, which caused my breasts to grow and my menstrual cycle to be off. High prolactin is harmful in the long run, and my breasts never returned to their previous size (although maybe some of you ladies would be happy about it). I also gained a few pounds on Risperdal, but nothing ridiculous."

• Cac...
• December 8, 2015

Risperidone for Schizophrenia "It's impossible to stay on this med long term unless you want man boobs. My nipples have pain in them, and I had sexual side effects. I also had akathisia on this med and needed to pace back and forth. It's not worth the weight gain."

• Ano...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 21, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "I think there are two sides to risperidone. Mentally, it is a fantastic medication, it slows down racing thoughts and really calms down manic symptoms, and you sleep so well. I was oversedated when I first started taking it, but after a few months, I got acclimated to it. Physically, it's a disaster. Weight gain is hard to control (40 lbs in 2 years), although I have a desk job and don't get a lot of exercise. I would say if you start taking this to diet right out the gate, you will want to eat more. And watch out for uncontrollable muscle movements/spasms."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 2, 2023

For Anxiety "Horrible. Made me think of my past and how I was during my psychosis. Made me feel guilty about everything I used to be while in a psychotic state. Put on a lot of weight as I just couldn’t get up from bed. I’ve been doing nothing for one year. Just lazing around the house with no job."

• Abb...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 5, 2021

For Schizophrenia "I used to have delusions and severe paranoia. This medicine actually worked like magic, as both delusions and paranoia were now gone. However, I have gained weight (about 16 kg) within a year of usage, cannot concentrate and think clearly, have a foggy memory, and sometimes cannot visually focus on things! These factors gave me bad headaches, and they were severe during the first three months. Now it has been a year, and my body is starting to adapt to the medicine. The headaches are almost gone and do not happen as frequently as before. I also have become emotionless, as nothing excites me anymore."

• ano...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 11, 2021

Risperidone for Schizophrenia "I have to say that some of us have nothing better to do with our time than just writing anonymous reviews with our creative nom de plumes. I have read many of such reviews on many websites, and I have come to the conclusion that many of them are reflections of the user's mind. Some say they have an increased appetite, while others say the exact opposite! Strange. This is why I would like to say that Risperidone has made me gain weight because I now have a ravenous appetite; it made me tired the whole day until I was put on Fluoxetine by my shrink, who took so long to tell me that Fluoxetine removes the tiredness (partly). Early mornings are the worst - it is as though I am flooded with demonic thoughts of not having to bathe. A brilliant way to start the day. Joanna Moncrieff is right about some things, but she gets it wrong when she calls this drug a 'placebo' effect. Not really. It has removed all my delusions and hallucinations."

• Sad...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 27, 2017

For Anxiety "Had it with Azolam (alprazolam), ended up sitting all day on the couch, not being able to do anything. Gained weight, lost interest in life, and had memory loss. The pain I was in prior to therapy was better than the price I paid after taking these medicines."

• MrL...
• April 29, 2009

Risperidone for Bipolar Disorder "This helps me calm down and sleep at night when I'm manic, but I noticed a weight gain of 10 lbs, and I feel sluggish during the day. I also dream more often, which may or may not be a desirable side effect."

• Anonymous
• July 29, 2011

Risperidone for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "Both my boys have been taking Risperdal. My eldest for about 1.5 years and my younger boy for about 6 months. This medication has been excellent to reduce their aggression, however, my biggest concern is that they both have gone from being around the 5th percentile for weight for age (underweight) to the 81st and 93rd percentile for weight (very overweight). This itself has caused problems."

• Val...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 22, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "Been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and psychosis. I have been on risperidone already for 2 months, and I don't like the way I feel. I am more like a zombie. I have no motivation at all, I don't want to do anything. Energy levels are very low. Gaining weight, no matter how I eat. My thinking and processing of information are very slow. I have memory problems with it. I used to play sports a lot, but now I feel weak and have no power. I am going to talk to my doctor for different medication. The only plus is that I sleep well, but in the morning I don't want to even start my day. I feel emotionless."

• nos...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 7, 2012

Risperidone for Schizophrenia "I have used Risperdal several times over the last few years. Originally, I was taking it for ruminating thoughts (I call it busy head) and difficulty sleeping. It definitely helped slow down my thoughts and allowed me to sleep better. After my son was born, I was having some postpartum depression and went back on Risperdal. It helped with the kindling and agitation, but I did gain about 10-15 pounds on it. When I stopped the medication, the weight fell off. Most recently, I'm using it as an adjunct therapy to Neurontin and Trileptal for agitation and anxiety. I have emetophobia, and this has been the only thing that has allowed me to be around my phobia and not have a panic attack and an ER visit. I do not like the weight gain."

• frm...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 28, 2020

For Autism "My sister was on risperidone once for about a year. It was horrible. It made her gain a lot of weight. It made her develop excess leg hair. It didn't stop her depression and aggression. It also once made her period last 3 whole weeks. Luckily, she lost all the weight when she came off of it. My mom really regrets putting her on risperidone. This drug should be discontinued."

• Cad...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 5, 2018

Risperidone for Bipolar Disorder "Works quite well, but beware of side effects. I'm an autistic person and also bipolar 1 with psychotic features. Before I started this, I had horrible episodes of mania and depression, and it made a huge difference. I had almost no manic episodes, decreased irritability, and it almost completely eliminated the auditory hallucinations. However, the weight gain was unbearable. I gained 80 pounds in a year that I still can't lose, and diet and exercise did nothing to stop it. I didn't change medications sooner because it worked so well that I was scared to stop it, and I was convinced eventually the weight gain would stop, but it didn't. Stopped my monthly cycle completely, though I wasn't complaining about that."

• big...
• November 20, 2010

Risperidone for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I was prescribed the medication after my gastric bypass surgery for psychotic episodes. I take it at bedtime. It has truly changed my life. If I miss one dose, it is very noticeable. The only side effect is a weight gain of about 6 pounds every four months. But it is definitely worth it."

• kma...
• April 3, 2010

Risperidone for Paranoid Disorder "I was prescribed a low dosage of Risperidone, and it was effective at eliminating my paranoid thoughts. However, after 1 year, this medication caused me to gain weight to a level I had never been in my life. I went from 178 lbs to 218 lbs with no changes in diet or exercise. My doctor took me off the medication in July 2009, and by Christmas 2009, my weight dropped to 169 lbs, with some dietary changes."

• Bip...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 21, 2016

Risperidone for Schizoaffective Disorder "Beware of side effects! This medication caused sexual side effects. Unless you are a man who doesn't mind not being able to have ejaculation in the bedroom, don't mind growing breasts when you are a man, and don't mind gaining weight, do not take this medication."

• Hel...
• October 2, 2018

Risperidone for Schizophrenia "I got put on this medication for psychosis, delusions in December of 2017. I started at 0.5 mg and slowly raised to 3 mg. So far, this is a decent drug. I feel like the way I was before my psychotic episodes began, and it's very nice. The downside is high prolactin levels and slight weight gain (roughly 10 lbs). My doctor and I are in the process of getting off of it (currently at 2 mg), but this drug did the trick to placate delusions. I would recommend but not for long term."

• Nor...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 30, 2017

Risperidone for Bipolar Disorder "I have been on Risnia/Risperdal for a few years now. Currently on a dosage of 2 mg of the generic Risnia. As an answer to bipolar disorder with psychotic features, this drug works wonders, and I have been without relapse for 3 years now. My biggest frustration, however, is the weight gain. I have put on 8 kg during this time, and I eat like a bird. I have tried a number of diets and exercise 3-4 times per week. My psychiatrist mentioned slightly decreasing the dosage every second day and see if that helps. I will try this as soon as I get a new script with 1 mg pills. Can anyone recommend a good alternative?"

• Sna...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 7, 2020

Risperidone for Asperger Syndrome "Risperdal made me gain 40 pounds in less than 3 months. It also somehow caused a psychotic episode when I first started it. I was prescribed for irritability in autism, not psychosis/schizophrenia. It was one of the scariest experiences of my life. I suffered through depersonalization, paranoia, and unshakeable beliefs for a couple of weeks. I also had movement issues and brain fog. I switched to another antipsychotic and lost the weight, but the effects following the psychotic episode lingered for 6-8 weeks."

• 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."

• 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."

• nic...
• October 15, 2020

For Anxiety "I have been in and out of medication for managing anxiety disorder for the past 5 years. I'd say risperdal was the best. I took .5 mg for the first month, then increased that dosage to 1 mg within the second month. I took risperdal for 3 months in combination with 37.5 mg effexor, which I had been taking previously for 5 months before starting risperdal. The cons: I gained 20 lbs within the 3 months of taking risperdal. This is the reason I stopped. With stopping the pill, regular exercise, and diet, I lost it. The pros: I regained my ability to function normally. The adjustment period was good, I think I only experienced headaches and light sensitivity. The withdrawal period was also good, no symptoms. I found that I could focus on tasks and schoolwork again, my mood significantly improved, and I had regained confidence. Regular panic attacks and self-harm completely subsided. Honestly, it was a life changer."

• cal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 9, 2019

For Autism "I was recently diagnosed with ADHD (Inattentive type) and Autism (Asperger's type). For years, I'd had no luck with SSRIs, having literally tried just about every one. 2 mg of Risperidone has given me a new sense of calmness and stops me from becoming agitated. I use this along with Concerta XL (27 mg) Methylphenidate (5 mg) for ADHD, and Trazodone (150 mg) for insomnia. This medication combination is not without side effects, but the benefits outweigh them. I found I was overeating at first and put on weight. But thankfully, Concerta XL has removed this side effect. I couldn't live without Risperidone."