Risperidone and Weight Gain: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 1, 2020

For Schizophrenia "I was put on this about 2 years ago! I was hearing things and seeing things and completely lost my mind and was admitted, and this is what they put me on! At the time, it saved my life and made me feel normal again! But as time went on, I noticed I didn’t get excited about anything anymore, I had no emotions! I gained a lot of weight, I went from 150 to 210 lbs. I stopped having periods. It made me have the worst anxiety ever. I’m currently weaning myself off of it! Come to find out, I had an overactive thyroid and had radiation done and was told I can come off this medicine! So it was my thyroid that made me go crazy and put on this medicine! I’m glad to say I’m coming off of it! I’m ready to enjoy life and have my feelings back! Hope this helps someone!"

• Sco...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 1, 2014

Risperdal (risperidone) for Bipolar Disorder "Made me 'flat' and apathetic to everything. Also caused hyperprolactinemia, leading to leaking breasts. Also caused me to gain 35 pounds over several months. Only marginally effective at treating the racing thoughts, etc."

• Jel...
• June 8, 2019

Risperdal (risperidone) for Bipolar Disorder "Have been taking Risperdal for almost a year now. I tried Seroquel before for some months, but it made me super drowsy throughout the day, and I couldn’t function. I take Risperdal for severe depression, mania, and extreme hallucinations. I would see cartoons and things appear before me, hear voices/sounds in my ears, or feel things on me (someone patting my back or grabbing my legs when I’m alone in the room). I started off taking 0.5 mg once a day, then upped it to 1 mg. Was on 1 mg for a while. It worked well for me. I stopped seeing hallucinations, and for the most part, my mania and depression have lessened or gone away. I woke up every day feeling refreshed. Even my period cramps were usually less painful than before. Everything would go downhill when I decided to stop the medication, all the symptoms would come back quickly and badly. I didn’t gain significant weight from the meds, and I’ve had moderate acne. Seems like it’s going to be really hard to leave this medication."

• Cha...
• August 16, 2017

Risperdal (risperidone) for Schizophrenia "Risperdal has made my life manageable again. I suffer from PTSD and schizophrenia primarily with thought disorder (although I have hallucinated and heard voices). I used to scream in my sleep and thought everyone was trying to kill me. When I started Risperdal, the terrifying thoughts stopped and my behavior returned to normal. I take Risperdal with a combination of gabapentin and Zoloft. I now have a very good job and good relationships with my friends, family, and co-workers. There are downsides to this drug, such as weight gain. I gained a lot of weight the first two years I started taking Risperdal. It is important to note that I have since lost a good bit of the weight I gained."

• Ove...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 12, 2016

For Autism "My 9-year-old son, who has autism, was put on risperidone about a year and a half ago after being hospitalized for aggressive and self-harming behavior. It has been very effective with the violent behavior. He is still quite argumentative and has tantrums and meltdowns occasionally, but it's much better. The main side effect was weight gain due to his increased appetite. He was always famished! He gained 8-10 pounds in 2 months, which is a lot for a 7-year-old. The Vyvanse that he takes for ADHD is supposed to suppress his appetite, but it wasn't enough to outweigh what the risperidone was doing. After a few months, his doctor put him on metformin. It did the trick. He lost his added weight. The Vyvanse/metformin combo balanced out the risperidone."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 9, 2013

For Autism "My youngest son has taken it for meltdowns for some time now. He sleeps better, too. It has caused him to gain some weight. My oldest son was on ADHD medication for years. When he reached puberty, it caused many problems. So the doctor prescribed risperidone for him too, and it has helped him gain so much self-control. They are both in high school and doing well."

• Muc...
• January 30, 2012

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "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."

• Per...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 21, 2023

"I have obsessive-compulsive disorder, and this drug has ruined my life. I took this medication for three months, and I had to stop using it because it was affecting my communication skills. I became extremely quiet and found it challenging to talk to people. I couldn't hold a conversation with anyone, and I couldn't express myself properly. This medication silenced me, and I couldn't even complete a sentence as I would forget what I was going to say. I became like a zoned-out zombie, and I also gained a lot of weight. The medication also caused permanent erectile dysfunction and tardive dyskinesia, which resulted in uncontrollable muscle movements in my hands, fingers, feet, and legs."

• DAM...
• June 27, 2013

Risperdal (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."

• Loo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 1, 2019

Risperdal (risperidone) for Autism "At 0.5 mg, it made my mood swings and overall irritability a lot less chaotic and more manageable. It made me able to think about what I'm feeling and why. It's not perfect, but it's a huge aid. For me, it had certain drawbacks, like slight weight gain and oversleeping, which made me look for other options."

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

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "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!"

• Han...
• March 21, 2017

Risperdal (risperidone) for Schizophrenia "I wish I could give Risperidal/Risperidone 0 stars. Worst medication I've ever had to take. Made me so exhausted despite getting 12 hours of sleep a night and made me gain 30 lbs. This medication slapped the heart right out of me, and I was a zombie, devoid of any emotion for months. I wouldn't slip this to my worst enemy."

• Hop...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 1, 2018

For Paranoid Disorder "I was started on risperidone 11 months ago. I started on 0.5 mg and went up to 5 mg at one stage. In the past three months, somewhere in the range of 1.5 mg to 2 mg is my preferred dosage. When I think back on my quality of life before risperidone, it makes me appreciate how helpful this drug has been for me. I find it very calming, and I still believe I have my personality. Other people have noticed that I am a lot more positive and less anxious. I gave it an 8, due to the potential of weight gain. I did find the higher dosage (>2 mg) to make me lazy and unmotivated, that's why I brought it back down to the 1 mg to 2 mg range, and I still get all the benefits at this range. I have lost 5 kg in the past 4 months (eating normally and long-distance running). I suffered from paranoid thoughts coupled with OCD."

• Ada...
• January 6, 2010

Risperdal (risperidone) for Autism "My son took this drug for a few years, and I was told he would have 'mild' weight gain. 40 pounds later, we had to take him off of it because the weight gain was compromising his overall health. I can't really say I noticed a big difference while on it anyway."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 19, 2012

Risperdal (risperidone) for Schizoaffective Disorder "This was clearly not the medicine for me. The sleeping for 2 days once I went on it thing was okay. I needed it. But it made me so hungry that I gained 30 pounds, so tired that when I took this I cared about nothing, so bored and apathetic so quickly that my life felt without meaning. I began lactating 3 weeks in, and I couldn't concentrate on school. If anything, I got more paranoid...no voices, but OCD and paranoia and agitation through the roof. I was on 0.5 mg in the beginning and eventually went up to 3 mg."

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

Risperdal (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."

• For...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 2, 2019

Risperdal (risperidone) for Bipolar Disorder "I took Risperdal for three years for my bipolar, and it seemed to work really well, and that is why I stayed on it for so long. But I eventually started to gain weight very rapidly. I was 190 lbs (I am a 5'4" female), and I was completely lethargic all the time. I wasn't necessarily depressed, but just apathetic and cold. My psychiatrist helped wean me off it (it is not addictive, it just causes withdrawal symptoms), and even before I was completely off it, I had lost 15 lbs. I am now 40 pounds lighter, and it's been about two months. My friends and family say my emotions are much more 'colorful,' and I seem more emotionally engaged. I know that it has worked for many people, though, and it helped me a lot when the symptoms started appearing."

• Ano...
• November 2, 2013

Risperdal (risperidone) for Schizoaffective Disorder "I'm taking this after a few antipsychotics didn't work, and I was hospitalized a few times for the first time in my life. My bipolar diagnosis changed to schizoaffective disorder, then schizophrenia. The delusions and paranoia were very scary. I was on 2 mg for a while with Ativan and Celexa, and I gained weight over the course of all the medicines, but it needed it. Weight gain stopped when I stopped Celexa. No paranoia. Now I'm taking 1 1/2 mg and have less anxiety, on a day I went back to 2 mg, I had more. I still have anxiety and will ask my doctor to increase my Ativan from 2 back to 3 mg or lower my Risperdal down to 1 mg. I am also on lithium and have hand tremors from that and Risperdal, but feel stable. It's so worth it. I'm staying on it."

• Ugh...
• March 17, 2016

Risperdal M-Tab (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."

• inv...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 21, 2014

For Depression "I've taken Risperdal for about 6 years to deal with depression and suicidal/self-injurious thoughts. It works very well for this. The only problem is that it does cause very severe weight gain, to the point where if I consume less than 1,400 calories a day, I STILL gain weight. I have recently started taking Topamax to offset this, so hopefully, this will help. But it does help immensely with problematic thoughts, and I notice a huge difference in my state of mind and overall well-being when I take Risperdal. Additionally, it offers the great benefit of helping me fall asleep, which is great as a long-time insomniac. Overall a great drug, just some problematic side effects."

• Obj...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 6, 2016

Risperdal (risperidone) for Bipolar Disorder "I took Risperdal (Risperidone) for about five years. It effectively managed my mania/hypomania and gave me no obvious side effects towards the beginning. Pros - Effectively worked - Helped with hypomania - Helped with mania Cons - Developed hyperprolactinemia - From ^^^ I developed amenorrhea and weight gain - Mental slowness (things were harder to learn and harder to remember). It's a good medication that worked for me, but I had unfortunate side effects. Everyone is different, so don't automatically discount the drug if you are just starting it based on everyone else's experience. It DID work for me the way it was supposed to, but I also had side effects, so I had to switch it. I'm giving it 8 out of 10 because it DID manage my BPD well."

• Inv...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 19, 2015

Risperdal (risperidone) for Bipolar Disorder "It's helped my paranoia, delusions, irrational thoughts, and impulses to self-injure and commit suicide more than anything else. Also helps control the hypomania because I'm not on a mood stabilizer. It just also makes me extremely tired and sedated, and I'm constantly hungry and have gained a lot of weight on it. I've fluctuated in my dosage from 3 milligrams to as low as 0.5. Currently taking 2 to 2.5 right now."

• Anonymous
• April 8, 2012

For Severe Mood Dysregulation "First off, this medication made me lactate and not be able to lose weight, which was disturbing and frustrating. However, it really helped me sleep. It definitely mellowed me out and made me less anxious and irritable. I stopped it because I started to lose interest in life, but it may have been because 3 mg was too much for me; I believe this is a good medicine for psychosis and mood disorders."

• kat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 28, 2014

Risperdal (risperidone) for Schizoaffective Disorder "I was on risperidone for over a year. I suffer from severe manic depressive bipolar disorder with schizoaffective episodes. The medication, along with an antidepressant, helped with the delusions (visual and auditory). But the weight gain was immense, in one year, I gained over 60 pounds. I weigh over 300 pounds now, and the depression is worse. I have osteoarthritis in both knees that, with the weight, have been severely debilitating. Preparing meals and doing daily activities are almost impossible. Standing for more than ten minutes is excruciating. I suggest using caution with the increase in weight this medicine can cause."

• Mom...
• October 28, 2009

Risperdal (risperidone) for Bipolar Disorder "My daughter took this medication for about one year. It helped with her mood swings, but the side effects are not worth it. She has a bladder infection, bladder incontinence, weight gain (which upsets her and causes more mood swings!), plus it has slowed her mental processing speed (lower grades in school)."