Risperidone for Asperger Syndrome User Reviews

• Anonymous
• February 17, 2011

Risperidone "Our son has ADHD and Asperger's and often lost his temper and was irritable. We started him on 0.25 mg of Risperdal each morning for 2 weeks, and he is happy and sleeps better. To see him smiling and happy is worth it."

• Mom...
• May 26, 2019

Risperidone "My son was given risperidone at age 6. He took it for 2 weeks. He became a blob. Sure, the teachers loved it. He was sweet, not hyper, and easy to manage. The downside? Yeah, he was a blob of a kid just sitting there, dull as can be, and then on his tiny frame, he gained TEN POUNDS IN TWO WEEKS. Two. He couldn't even put his jeans on! OMG. I took him off of it, and he was back to being hyper, laughing, and fun, but annoying. So, suck it up, teachers. He just is what he is. Needless to say, today, a few years later, after ABA therapy and other therapy, he's just fine. Stay away. I also found out that Risperdal causes boys to sprout breasts and lactate. The next psychiatrist we had said NEVER put a boy on that medication... they grow breasts. So yeah, not a good medication for us."

• Wha...
• September 26, 2014

Risperidone "I was put on this medication as I have suffered from Asperger's Syndrome since I was diagnosed at four years old. This is powerful. At 5 mg, I felt like a zombie. I was constantly sleeping because the effects were strong. It gave me symptoms of paranoia, for example, I was convinced all the time that I was going to throw up every time I ate. It put me off eating heavy food, and as a result, I lost weight. Probably one of the worst antipsychotics I have ever taken. Too strong for a 15-year-old (at the time), and when I came off it, it gave me psychotic symptoms. I heard a constant moaning voice for days, and it scared the crap out of me. Glad I'm off this medication!"

• Reb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 9, 2019

Risperidone "This drug for me was horrific. I was on it a couple of years ago, and after only being on it a couple of weeks, I ended up in the hospital with a high fever and severe confusion. The doctors thought at first I had meningitis, but it turns out I was having a bad reaction to the drug. I couldn't remember a lot of things and had kidney problems. The medical staff were very rude and secretive about my reaction to the drug. PLEASE BE CAREFUL TAKING THIS DRUG, ask plenty of questions and get started on a small dose. If anything seems off, please tell your doctor immediately."

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

Risperidone "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."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 13, 2018

"I was born with Asperger's, and I was frequently irritable. I also had difficulty concentrating in class. I was prescribed to take Methylphenidate in the morning and risperidone at nighttime. After 1 month, my thoughts and concentration have improved thanks to Methylphenidate and risperidone."

• Viv...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 25, 2019

"I was prescribed risperidone and Vyvanse to treat my Asperger syndrome, and they both have helped me function better! I don't get as angry and violent! Vyvanse improves my attention, focus, gives me more energy, and makes me more talkative! These have been the best medications for my Asperger syndrome so far. Highly recommended."

• Anonymous
• November 11, 2012

"I was to take 0.50 mg each morning as I did. Here is how risperidone affected me: I would wake up during the night severely sweating. When trying to go to bed, I would get shocks, it made me feel so bad, and I did not want to do anything."

• jmn...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 2, 2017

"Used to take 3 mg, but it was too sedating. I currently take 0.75 at bedtime, and it keeps me calm during the day. I only feel a little irritable at times still, but nothing like prior to taking risperidone. Just 10 lbs of weight gain, which I think I needed. I take it in combination with antidepressants, and it works very well."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 2, 2014

"I was put on risperidone to treat my Asperger's syndrome five years ago while I was on a psych ward. I'm not sure if I'm just a one-off case, but the medication made me REALLY depressed. I couldn't enjoy anything while I was taking it. I had to be given Prozac to balance it out. I also gained a huge amount of weight, which I gradually lost after I stopped taking the medication (without any dietary changes whatsoever). On the bright side, it did bring me out of my shell. I was able to get the help I needed from the nurses. Since then, I haven't had any problems even after I stopped taking it. The medication was useful in the long run."

• dax...
• July 2, 2015

"I was prescribed this by both my psychiatrist and therapist at age 35 for Asperger's syndrome. It works like shock therapy - you will feel better just so you don't have to take this anymore. 0.25 mg (half of the lowest dose) causes, for me: stomach cramps, headache, dizziness, feeling like my heart was racing, the 'munchies' (I go eat lots of potato chips), falling asleep, then waking up disoriented, and dry mouth. I can't imagine the highest dose. I'd probably die. I had very vivid dreams. However, this medicine seemed to cure my irritability and nightmares, which is what it was prescribed for. The side effects it causes, however, are worse."

• Kan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 31, 2021

"My son was on it, it was not good. He had voices in his head, put weight on, and breasts developed. He was 16. He was more violent. I had to take him to the hospital as he was banging his head on the wall, saying, 'Stop the voices in my head.' He had bad nightmares. I was told he should not be on them as they are still doing tests and that boys will grow breasts. My son still has breasts from this, he stopped the day I took him to the hospital. He is heaps better without it. Please look into it, it's not good."

• kev...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 5, 2021

"I have both inattentive ADHD and autism. When I was diagnosed in late 2018, I was happy to try a medication to counteract my irritability. My psychiatrist recommended risperidone (2 mg) every night before bed. It calmed me down a lot at first, but also made me numb and emotionless. When I started this medication, I was a 32' waist, average build, and healthy. After being on it nearly 4 years, I am now a 44' waist, weigh 22.5 stones, and have absolutely no motivation to do anything. The simplest task feels exhausting. I struggled with procrastination before I started this godawful medicine. I sleep for 11 hours per night on average and wake up feeling tired. My appetite didn't increase, but I kept piling on the weight no matter how little I ate. I wish I'd never started it. Working with my doctor to taper off it completely and find another medication. I will also need to work with a health coach fast because I'm concerned about stroke and heart attacks (I'm in my mid-40s!). My advice is DON'T."

• Som...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 6, 2016

"I took this a couple years back when I had recently been diagnosed. Somewhere down the line, I had complained enough about sleep problems to drive my parents to get a new med for AS - oh, look, high chance of drowsiness. Let's put her on these. Don't remember how effective it was, but I guess it did the job well enough. Stopped because it apparently caused bloating."

• UK ...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 20, 2021

"It was suggested to me by my psych to help with my obsessive thoughts, which led to depression. One of the worst features of my Asperger's was my noisy head. The drug calmed my mind, and I take 1 mg at night. I’m happy with it, and although I put on about 6 kg, I do now manage my weight. The benefits for me outweigh the weight gain."

• JJ1...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 14, 2023

"I went on this medication at 13, and immediately the aggression from my ASD stopped. I used to be out of control and, quite frankly, an angry person, so I give this fact a 10/10. As for the anxiety, I was not controlled by it like my doctor said I would be. It actually got worse to the point where I wasn't going out, wasn't showering/bathing, and I lost all my friends. I didn't get help for a really long time, and because of that, I am now considered unemployable by my province. I am on disability and have no way out except for self-employment, which I worry about too. I used to cut work and get highly emotional because of this medication. So, 1/10 for this fact. As for everything else, I guess I was lucky enough to not need it for anything else. Overall rating is 4/10 because of loss of employment opportunities."

• Cyp...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 8, 2025

"I have been taking risperidone for four years. I notice that it has helped reduce my aggression. It also reduces my obsessive thoughts a little. I have not noticed any side effects."