Risperdal for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews (Page 3)

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

"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)."

• Katie
• July 1, 2011

"Risperdal has helped control my moods and anger so much. I can tell right away if I have missed a dose because I immediately feel agitated. Unfortunately I began lactating and have not gotten my period since I moved up to a higher dose 2 months ago. I also feel rather sluggish during the day but to me the Pros exceed the Cons. Hopefully I will be allowed to stay on this."

• Eersian
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 2, 2022

"The kids at the mental hospital called this drug whisper doll and that's how I've called it all my life. Worst drug ever I woke up with a vivid nightmare, sleep paralysis and lockjaw. Very scary stuff."

• Cade
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 5, 2018

"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 maniac 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."

• MrLun...
• April 29, 2009

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

"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 6mg 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 2mg 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 3mg, then 4mg. I’m trying another antipsychotic now because of the weight gain. Over the years I gained 40lbs, especially when my dose went up."

• relie...
• February 28, 2011

"My 11 year old started taking this about a month ago and what a difference it has made. He is finally able to control his anger and think more rationally. However he is constantly "hungry". All I can do is educate him on good nutrition while on this medicine."

• Norma...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 30, 2017

"I have been on Risnia/Risperdal for a few years now. Currently on a dosage of 2mg 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 1mg pills. Can anyone recommend a good alternative?"

• terry...
• February 10, 2010

"I was taking Seroquel XR for 5 months and was doing fine. Then my insurance switched me to Risperdal and I don't like it one bit. It doesn't do anything for me. I'm going back to the way I was before the Seroquel."

• rusty...
• February 10, 2021

"Terrible choice by my PA to put me on this stuff. I was only on .25mg and the first day I was on it I had to leave work early because I was so confused, felt drained, exhausted. Sleep was absolutely horrible. Couldn’t stay asleep. It only got worse as the first full week I was on it I had zero focus, energy, felt confused at work. I missed the better part of two days of going to work. Went that same Friday and my PA took me off of it and put me back on a lower dose of Latuda and I’ve never felt better."

• David
• June 18, 2017

"I have been taking this medication for about a year. I started off with 0.5 mg. I was still having some evening anxiety so I asked to be moved to 1 mg dosage. I still had occasional anxiety in the evenings, so I asked to be moved to 1-2 mg dosage. I find that moving up to a 2 mg dosage causes me some drowsy issues and I am currently tweaking it to where I need it. My anxiety is like nothing I have ever seen or heard anyone experience. I know there are other people out there that have the same issues. I think it helps stabilize my highs and lows. I am more a bipolar type 2 person, which means my depressions are slight and my hypo-mania is somewhat great because I feel I can take on the world."

• kayyy...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2017

"This medication gave me severe anxiety and disassociation-like feelings. I felt as if I was being dragged from reality. It was used as an antipsychotic for my bipolar disorder. I highly recommend you try Abilify instead if you have similar symptoms like I did."

• Postm...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 19, 2016

"This was the WORST drug I have been on since I was diagnosed in 1998. I was on the injection for about six months, gained a lot of weight (50 pounds) and had a horrible gallstones flare up in which I was diagnosed with the condition (after fainting in public). I was put back on abilify and prefer the oral pill every day to the injection! One nurse didn't inject me correctly and I developed sciatica for longer than I was on the medication!!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 26, 2018

"At the beginning of taking this medication I was on 0.5mg twice a day. Now my doctor upped it to 1.0mg twice a day...and boy do I feel drowsy all day long! I even took a pregnancy test because I was so tired. But no its the increase in the dosage. If I didn't have 2 young children dependent on me I would have never got out of bed since yesterday. I feel that exhausted. I will go back to the doctor ASAP, I can't walk around like a zombie. I don't know what feeling is worse."

• Melanie
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 15, 2017

"I left a review once before, but have to add to it. I took this medicine for awhile & it helped stabilize my mood. Everything was great, until one day I noticed I was secreting breast milk. The doctor checked my prolactin level & it was very high. It was in the 100's. I had to stop taking this medicine, which is unfortunate."

• Mano
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 16, 2018

"I have bipolar disorder, been hospitalised and prescribed risperidone 4mg. It made me very ill and extremely paranoid. Experienced more panic attacks. My legs and arms would go numb. I had such a bad experience on this, I currently am lithium now and finding this much better"

• bipol...
• November 17, 2009

"Better than some drugs, but Lamictal has been better. I still had manic episodes on this medicine, but sometimes I would forget to take it. Yet I knew there were times when I was taking it that I still got manic. But my spouse could tell the difference when I wasn't taking it, so it must have done something for me."

• green...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 30, 2017

"Saved my life. Was put on this in the hospital and my depression was out of the suicidal level in three days. About 5 days on it now and have had some recurring moderate depression, however my pdoc says it should take full effect in 2-4 weeks."

• Jynxe...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 9, 2019

"I started taking this few years after I had my son and after some months I started to notice it made me start too lactate again with chest tenderness and swelling. Needless to say I had to stop taking this medication."

• Dani
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 11, 2022

"rispirdal is a life saver. I take it for Existential ocd, Depersonalization/Derealization and bipolar depression, along with Venlax 75 and 100mg lamictal in the morning. It is a life savior. My mood is better. I don't have mood swings. I don't have intrusive thoughts about reality anymore. Also, intrusive thoughts don't control me any more! Also, I am not dissociated anymore. It helps me to be attached to reality. The first week was like a hell. But after it, I started getting better. Give it a try and wait until it works!"

• EllaCB
• January 17, 2018

"I was hospitalized for major depressive disorder and placed on resperidone 1 mg and Celexa to combat depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. My feelings are that resperidone made me feel like a zombie, caused my thinking to be slower and less clear. I put on 50 pounds in the course of 20 months on this medication and that is even with regular exercise. So I do not think resperidone is worth the terrible side effects that it brings. I am now on Zoloft and coming off resperidone completely."

• Kvolk...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 8, 2022

"Risperdal helped my Bipolar 1 psychotic symptoms go away after two years in psychosis. I take 7mg at night daily and it is easy to take. I had deep depression and take Lexapro with two mood stabilizers (risperdal and lithium carbonate ER). Right now I have some depression I’m working on. I can drive and grocery shop and weed the garden, but I’m still a bit critical of myself (depression) and ruminate (from the depression). I realize there might not be a perfect fix for me risperdal makes me think more clearly and manages my mania. I’m able to function and talk with others, make light of life and be a part of society….something I am working more and more towards. I gained 30 lbs or so on risperdal but it is worth it….I am a size large in clothing and I take care of myself by eating healthy and gluten free."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 18, 2022

"Risperdal is life changing. It brings complete stability. You can thrive on this medication. Staying on this med has helped me to rebuild my life and go to college and work and take care of my family. I’m calm and happy. There may be times you need to increase or decrease meds to find your happy place but overall it’s a miracle drug for bipolar 1."

• DJetts
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 25, 2018

"I've been on this med for almost two months. I started on a low dose but lately I have had to increase the dose to get the most benefits from it. Initially it will make me tired but my acute mania would return after a couple weeks. Been on 4mg for 3 weeks but have noticed that weight gain has been an issue for me, but I'll just have to watch what I eat and exercise more. Currently jumped to 5mg and willing to give it a try. Not too many side effects like somnolence , anxiety, and fatigue which goes away within two weeks. However, I take other meds so I'm trying to figure out if I need a mood stabilizers or other meds that I'm taking. Just want to feel better and finish my degree as an adult student without the excessive tiredness. But I've on Seroquel before, but I got type 2 diabetes from it. For restlessness I take cogentin and it works great."

• Hasan
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 27, 2022

"It seems that Risperdal is slow to achieve results or I may be in a hurry to get results, my younger brother has been bipolar for 20 years and does not take treatment regularly, I started giving the treatment 3 weeks ago every day, one tablet in the morning and one in the evening, in addition to the mood stabilizer, if any advice From someone who has experience, I would be glad if he offered it, because I want my kind and gentle little brother to practice his normal life."