Risperidone and Sexual Dysfunction: What Users Say

• Job...
• January 21, 2012

Risperidone for Schizophrenia "I smoked a lot of marijuana as a young man. Me being a late bloomer, I think it affected my brain chemistry. One day I felt an explosion in my head, after that I started hearing voices and became really paranoid. I finally admitted that I needed help, after seeing that I couldn't hold a job, snapped at people, starting fights with people for no reason, insane thoughts and a brain I couldn't control, I was prescribed Risperdal for schizophrenia, Ativan for anxiety, and benztropine for side effects, all these medications for what my kind doctor called a brain disorder. Stopped paranoid thoughts, delusions, gained social skills back. No libido, 15 lbs weight gain in a month, but feel sane again. Seems to work for 7 hours, then paranoid again."

• mar...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 23, 2019

For Anxiety "This drug should be the last choice, once you have tried all others. I don't recommend it. I was on 4 mg at night, and it made me sleep and eat better, but when you come off it, it's a nightmare. I'm lucky if I sleep 4 hrs a night, and the anxiety is worse than when I started. I was and am still on it now for 2 and a half years. I'm thankfully down to 1 mg at night. I can't wait to get off it. Slowly my sex drive and emotions are coming back. I don't feel like as much of a zombie. Also, I have more energy."

• Far...
• February 3, 2016

For Depression "I have been taking Risperdal for 7 years now. The worst thing about it is the lack of motivation and the carelessness. I don't feel like waking up because I have no interest in life anymore. I wake up when I feel like I have slept too much. I can't work on my projects (I am a web developer). I have no interest in working because I don't feel motivated, and I feel tired after I work instead of satisfied. My sex drive has gone down dramatically. The best thing about this drug is that it doesn't make me feel down or sad all the time, in fact, I don't feel anything anymore, like a zombie, a living dead if you will. Don't take it unless you have to."

• Miu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 16, 2020

For Depression "I used to take risperidone when I was in middle school because I was forced. I didn't remember how it made me feel. I took Citalopram with it, so it probably overpowered it. After getting off risperidone when I was 13, I'm now 23, and I am only taking 1 mg of it. After reading more about it, I can see I was misdiagnosed, and the medicine is making me feel extremely numb and anxious. I have a hard time focusing, my memory is foggy, my stomach has had a nervous pit feeling, and I've had slight nausea. I don't recommend this drug if you do not have bipolar or psychotic tendencies. I feel like a shell of my former self. No sex drive, no emotions besides overwhelmed feelings of doom and paranoia. This is a nightmare, and I can feel myself slipping. Be wary of this drug!!"

• cra...
• February 12, 2018

For Depression "I've been taking risperidone for about a year and a half now. I take 1 mg at night and 0.5 mg as needed in the morning. It has been amazing. I have major depressive disorder and severe generalized anxiety. I've tried tons of different antidepressants over the years with no working results. Trying risperidone was like night and day immediately. For the first time, my head was clear of miserable intrusive thoughts, and my anxiety levels were much lower, albeit still there. It does not make me sleepy, and I have not put on any weight. I sometimes have trouble losing weight, but I think that is more due to my lack of commitment than the medication. My sex drive has been significantly reduced, but I think the trade-off is worth it."

• DAM...
• June 27, 2013

Risperidone for Bipolar Disorder "I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder about 8 months ago and placed on Risperdal after ending up in the hospital due to a nervous breakdown, 6 weeks after my diagnosis. I was prescribed 0.5 mg in the morning and 1.0 mg in the evenings, but I felt like a zombie. It did curb the severe mood swings, and I also gained about 10 pounds in the first month. I didn't like feeling disconnected from the world and not being able to focus or concentrate, so I independently reduced my evening dose to 0.75 mg. I immediately felt better. I'm still struggling with a low sex drive, depression, and have a few moments of hypomania (restlessness, agitation, 'geeked up'), so now my doctor wants me to go on Depakote 500 mg twice a day instead."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 27, 2017

For Anxiety "I've always experienced generalized anxiety disorder, but after 6 months of Ritalin for my ADHD, the symptoms of anxiety worsened a lot, specifically evening/night, when Ritalin starts wearing off. I was experiencing racing thoughts a lot, and to leave the house to do something outdoors was a struggle. My doc put me on Risperidone at 1 mg a day at night. I'm on it for almost 1 month now, and it has been helping a lot. No more racing thoughts, a lot calmer, starting to sleep more easily. The only side effects that I had were decreased sex drive and eating a lot at night (which actually is good for me because with Ritalin, you are never hungry). Would definitely recommend."

• 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."

• lrj...
• April 18, 2012

Risperidone for Bipolar Disorder "I was given this medicine while I was in a mental hospital for my bipolar disorder. In fact, that's when I was diagnosed and then they started me on it. The first 2 weeks I felt like a zombie. I had no feelings or desires... nothing. Just blank. Then, after about 3 or 4 months after I started, I began lactating, and now, because of it, I have no sex drive. I have been off of it for about 4 1/2 months, and my sex drive still has not returned."

• oha...
• April 30, 2010

Risperidone for Schizophrenia "I have been on Risperdal Consta for over two years now and find it to be a lifesaver. I feel like I have my life back in order and my mind back in order. The only side effects I have experienced are decreased sex drive and weight gain."

• Tir...
• August 24, 2011

Risperidone for Bipolar Disorder "This medication was not good for me. My doctor added this to the Depakote I was already taking to help with irritability and aggressiveness. This turned me into a zombie. Walked around in a fog the whole time I was on it. Still irritable and more so because I couldn't focus. Experienced nightmares, anorgasmia. When I could keep an erection and had an orgasm, had no ejaculate. Really scary. Took it for 2 weeks and then stopped taking it. Bad for me. May help someone else."

• Gog...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 8, 2018

For Schizophrenia "I've been on it for four years, 33 years old now, for depression and schizophrenia. Works well with concentration, thinking, and understanding things (I'm doing my second degree in veterinary medicine). Problem is becoming 100% rational and have no emotions. I am nowhere near the person I was before, my voice, laughter, humor, and interests have changed dramatically. Getting off is extremely difficult with this drug, but I have to. After the initial boost, I now see the downside of feeling no love and empty all the time. Gained a little bit of weight, but I don't exercise, so that might be it. No libido or sexual interests, none. If you want to change your life, it's a good drug, if you want to keep a bit of YOU, then it's the wrong one."

• 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."

• 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."

• 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."

• 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."

• hol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 2, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "I was prescribed risperidone during October 2018 when I was suffering from a psychotic episode from bipolar 1 disorder. I remember feeling very neutral, slowed down, apathetic, and emotionless. I felt like a zombie. I was stiff in the way I moved. I gained 8 pounds in less than 2 weeks and gained even more after that, going from 128 lb to 148 lb, unfortunately. I had body issues my whole life, and this drug has made me hate my body so much more. The nurses gave me this medication without my consent, not telling me about the problems with weight gain. When I expressed concern about it, they did not care. I have no sexual drive at all. I slept 12 hours a day and still felt tired during the day. My prolactin levels were very high. I lost so much hair. I had acne. It was the absolute worst drug of my life. I do not recommend it at all. Please avoid at all costs. It ruined my life."

• Ash...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 29, 2024

For Borderline Personality Disorder "It has changed my life. Now that I have it in my life, I can't imagine being without it. I don't know how I functioned before. Not only has this drug changed my life, but it has saved it, too. The only downsides are 1) weight gain and 2) lowered libido."

• Nam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 1, 2022

For Anxiety "It didn’t really seem to do anything. I’m still an anxious, slightly unstable, and easily paranoid person. Just now, I swallow half a pill at night. At least I don’t seem to have any side effects either. Ahh, although it’s harder to orgasm. Might be situational. I think I’m on like 0.5 mg. My head feels a little empty, but I think that’s more a result of what I went through. Just realized thinking doesn’t do me any good for the inevitable."

• Mis...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 2, 2020

For Schizophrenia "Avoid at all costs. I ended up with some brain damage, less emotion, and a lowered sex drive. Terrible medication. Don't let any doctor prescribe anything for your brain. You only have 1 brain and it's a risk doing that to begin with. It probably made my episodes worse at one point."

• Kit...
• August 16, 2019

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "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."

• AJW...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 15, 2023

For Schizophrenia "Risperidone works really great for controlling my schizophrenia. I have to take 4 mg twice a day. However, and this is big, I immediately gained 38 lbs, and my blood pressure went from normal to 168/98, and my testosterone bottomed out at 169. Now I take telmisartan for blood pressure and use patches for testosterone. I wouldn't take this if it were entirely up to me. My psychiatrist doesn't want to change my meds because of how well the risperidone controls my symptoms and the high dose I'm having to take since he doesn't feel that any other meds will work as well."

• Tex...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 28, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "This medication is not for me. It makes me tired all the time. Basically, I sleep for 10 hours, wake up tired, force myself to shower, go to work tired, come home from work and lay around, repeat. Even on my off days, I’m tired and spend it laying around sleeping. I don’t want to cook, I don’t want to exercise, and I don’t have a sex drive. I was prescribed it for bipolar, but there was a time I thought I was hearing voices and ended up in the hospital. I told my doc about what was happening, and the dosage was lowered. Things got better, but they're still nothing like my normal. I will ask to stop taking this medication, it’s terrible."

• Unk...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 3, 2020

For Autism "Ever since I’ve been on this awful pill, I haven’t been able to access my sex drive. This tiny little pill absolutely destroyed my libido, and it makes me so upset! My psychiatrist doesn’t want me to quit this med for some reason, but I just want to have a happy, healthy sexual relationship with my partner again."