Risperidone for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder User Reviews

• Sco...
• May 13, 2017

"I take it for PTSD and severe anxiety. It's a lifesaver for me. I sleep like a baby bear. I have no more intrusive thoughts. It increases my self-esteem and life is fun for once. It didn't just give me my life back. It's given me the life I never had due to 20 plus years of refusing treatment because I thought I could do it on my own through exercise, diet, and positive thinking. The only side effect I have is regret from not taking it sooner."

• Rob...
• April 6, 2020

"On risperidone, I have noticed I'm a lot better when it comes to PTSD. Calmer in situations that I used to react to with impulses that were negative to me. No weight gain, just try to stick with healthier options of food. :) Have noticed it's easier to gain weight, but that just made me understand I have to control it. Anyway, my ADHD, PTSD, and psychotic behavior are much better. Feel normal now, and that is a miracle to me."

• Muc...
• January 30, 2012

"PROS: This medicine literally saved my life. My thoughts no longer race. I don't dwell on past events 24 hours each day. I sleep 4-6 hours a night instead of 2-4 hours. Panic attacks are a lot less frequent and intense. It saved my marriage, renewed my self-worth, and I have hope for a future again. Cons: If I miss a dose, I know it right away. I really have to watch my diet or I gain weight like crazy; everything tastes amazing. Migraines have increased."

• cb1...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 24, 2013

"I have been on this medication for a year. I have had post-traumatic stress disorder for 12 years. This medication has caused significant changes in my daily life living with PTSD. I have been able to go out and shop, talk to people, etc."

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

"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!"

• Mil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 11, 2014

"I have found that this medication has few side effects compared to the daily and nightly suffering I have endured since being diagnosed. My panic has decreased, my thoughts are within my control, I have much better sleep and dreams, and my appetite has increased. I had a very low appetite when I was experiencing panic attacks and flashbacks and enjoy that it has given me an appetite. I make healthy food choices and am very active and have not experienced a lack of motivation or energy. I know it has a half-life and feel the only addictive qualities I have experienced would be psychological. I am hoping once I learn my triggers and reprocess the traumatic events that I will be able to eventually manage without it, but for now it is a Godsend."

• ano...
• August 5, 2015

"It has significantly reduced anxiety, panic attacks, and flashback symptoms. It has also made it possible for me to try and work on the causes without being completely overwhelmed all the time. When I first started it, and also when I increased my dosage, I slept about 18 hours a day for a week and a half, but after that, my sleep went back to normal, 8 hours or so, and I stopped feeling exhausted all the time."

• Anonymous
• June 26, 2011

Risperidone "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."

• Bob...
• July 11, 2012

"Risperidone has a noticeable effect on my post-traumatic stress disorder and also on my rage. The only real problem I have is weight gain. I read the reviews as soon as I was prescribed the medicine and I thought, 'How hard can it be to keep my weight under control?' Answer...very hard! I've gained about 20 pounds. My pants are very uncomfortable, trying to stuff all my fat into pants designed for a smaller waist size. Next Drs. visit, I will see about other options."

• Anonymous
• July 1, 2010

Risperidone "I have PTSD with psychosis, and for me, this medicine was a blessing! I tried many different antipsychotics and a whole host of other medicines, but Risperdal worked wonders for me. I have been symptom-free (psychotic symptoms, that is) for over three years now, and the only time they returned was when I tried to switch to another drug. I went back to this one, and no problems since. I take the twice-a-month intramuscular injection now only because it stops me from forgetting to take my medicine, and this drug has truly saved my life. I also never experienced any side effects from it, except for a slightly elevated prolactin level, but it never gave me any problems."

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

"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."

• Ana...
• May 17, 2018

"I took risperidone for a short period of time 9 years ago. I was going through an extremely traumatic situation and was having severe and dangerous mental breakdowns. I was given multiple medications, and the only thing I remember feeling different from the antidepressants and the anti-anxiety was the lactating nipples, and all stimulating sensations were deteriorated. But in my head, I did not feel better. However, then I started to take risperidone. I remember the moment of taking it and it kicking in feeling amazing. I went from having manic episodes to just feeling fine and dandy. I'm still trying to find a review of somebody who has had the same experience with me feeling so good because it seems everybody else has an experience similar to each other but different from mine. I didn't take the drug for long as the doctor removed it from my prescription list because they decided I was not psychotic and didn't need it."

• Mik...
• May 21, 2017

"I switched from Seroquel to risperidone 6 months ago. I had gained 100 lbs over 10 years on Seroquel and have lost about 20 lbs so far since switching. My constant rage and aggression are gone, it's great not to be furiously psychotic all day. On the minus side, I can't get enough sleep, I have no motivation or energy, and depression has spiked. I may try an antidepressant along with risperidone and a smaller dose (I started on 2 mg, just cut to 1.5 and would like to get to 1 mg or under). I tried going from 2 mg to 1 mg previously on my own, and it was hell - massive anxiety and depression."

• Squ...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 9, 2019

"I have been on Risperidone for a number of years now. I was on tablets, then, due to non-compliance, I am now getting injections once a month. So they are now giving me the injections free of charge. The side effects that I am getting outweigh what it is supposed to do. The side effects that I am getting are: destructive and irreversible complications, such as erectile dysfunction, inability of the penis to stay erect - I told my psychiatrist that I had issues with getting an erection; they insisted that it wasn't from the medication. Heartburn - Yes. Blurred vision - Yes. Dry skin - Yes. Dizziness - Yes. Mental/mood changes (anxiety, restlessness) - Yes. Increased thirst and urination. Depressed mood - Yes. I was on Valproate as a mood stabilizer, but that gave me diarrhea, so I stopped taking it and the diarrhea has stopped."

• Anonymous
• February 13, 2011

Risperidone "Used risperidone for PTSD in conjunction with two other scripts. Week one observations: day one nightmares as expected. As the week progressed, dreams not getting to nightmare level. Agitation level/triggers decreased. On a downside, I feel sick like the flu or cold, but co-workers have been passing it around, so I suspect it is not due to the medication. I'll re-post in a month or so."

• Anonymous
• July 29, 2011

Risperidone "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."

• big...
• November 20, 2010

Risperidone "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."

• joa...
• December 5, 2009

"I suffer from PTSD, in which I hear voices (psychotic symptoms due to PTSD, not schizophrenic). Been on this drug 6 months now. The risperidone doesn't completely get rid of the voices, but it significantly decreases them. I feel much calmer on this medication than I am without it. I don't recall any major side effects, nothing has bothered me enough to even notice it. A plus is also that it makes me sleepy for the first 12 hours or so, so it counteracts the Wellbutrin, which tends to keep me up at night and helps me get a good night's sleep. I did go off of it for a little while, and the withdrawal was very minimal. I had some increase in anxiety for about 4 days (I worried excessively about things I normally wouldn't worry about)."

• Anonymous
• April 18, 2012

"My 12-year-old son was placed on this medication, 0.5 mg at night, and later we added 0.5 mg in the morning. After 5 months on the medication, he had gained a lot of weight. He had always been physically fit and active. The medication flattened his mood, he lost interest in activities, and it did not help his rages. We stopped the medication, and now a month later, we have our son's spark back. He is happier and more active. At some point, his post-traumatic stress disorder/anxiety will trigger, and we will have another rage, but in the meantime, we have a much happier, loving child. The only downside of quitting Risperdal is his lack of focus for schoolwork."

• Kit...
• August 16, 2019

"I was given this risperidone at the hospital. I had acid reflux already from meds & stress. This drug helped with the depression, takes the edge off, but soon it shut down my bowels and gave me acid reflux so bad my throat burned and I can’t breathe. Even on laxatives, I don’t go, and the heartburn has me unable to move. Spent lots of money on enemas and other tummy meds, told to stick with it after 3 months, but losing my hair and body inflammation to a degree I shake, can’t move from it inflaming me so much. My bowels don’t move now, it’s like having severe toilet issues in my guts but all friggin' day. I also can’t orgasm or feel my pelvis now. Several months."

• And...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 21, 2020

"I began risperidone after I was hospitalized for dissociation related to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. My PTSD has significantly improved since taking it, and I have only experienced easier weight gain in relation to side effects."

• Mat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 13, 2019

"Doctor put me on this Escitalopram 10 mg, and it is not for me! But the Risperidone works great, it keeps me calm and collected. I want to be on the lowest dose possible for PTSD, anxiousness, anxiety, and mood swings. It has helped me a lot, but putting on weight is going to be annoying."

• kim...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 1, 2025

"Omg, these are brilliant! I was on quetiapine for years, but found they gave me panic attacks. My mHealth doc changed to risperidone, I was reluctant at first as I'm very sensitive to meds, but oh my, I had my first dose last night and felt happy and not panicky for the first time in months! I've had my dose this morning, I've actually managed to tidy up and have more energy! It's early days yet, but so far, so good!! They have improved my mood too. I'm on 1 ml in the morning and 1 ml at night, so low dose, but I'm so happy I tried them! One side effect I felt after the first dose was like my knees were burning, but was quite manageable and didn't last!!! Praying these keep working!!"

• Ryl...
• December 7, 2014

"This medicine works amazingly for intrusive thoughts and irritability. I feel NORMAL. The weight gain is the only downfall. I use this in addition to my Zoloft, and it's the perfect combination."

• Anonymous
• October 17, 2011

"It has helped me. I can think more clearly, but the side effect of my appetite is definitely increased. I already need to cut back."