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Tracker
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21 Jun 2009, 9:50 pm

Hello

I have been wondering what the long term effects of risperdal is on autistic people. Mainly if it affects their ability to think clearly after the medication has been stopped. I know that the medication acts as a sedative and reduces a person's ability to think clearly, but I wonder if this effect still remains after the medication has been stopped. I have no personal experience with the drug, but I know that other people here do.

So tell me, what effects has the drug had on you, and did you notice any long term affects after the drug was stopped? Also, what was your dosage of the drug? I am curious if the dosage changes the effects of the drug.



Danielismyname
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21 Jun 2009, 10:01 pm

Tardive Dyskinesia is the lasting one; long term use of a high dose can make someone more susceptible to acquiring this undesirable side effect.

Yes, the dose will affect the action of the drug (the same with every drug); the more you take, the more sedated you will be due to its action on histamine receptors, for example.

I'm on Seroquel (a low dose of 50mg a day), which is the same thing as Risperdal, except that it's a little more sedating.

Good effects:
Less anxiety
Don't feel as overwhelmed
Can think clearer (my obsessive and chaotic thinking is dampened)
Not as paranoid around people
Can sleep better
Talk more

Bad effects:
Dry mouth* sometimes (which isn't bothersome)

*Older anti-depressants have the same side-effect as they work on that one neurotransmitter (some adrenaline thingy).

I don't notice anything when I stop it (if I run out, and I have to wait for another appointment to get a script).



Ellen3057
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22 Jun 2009, 12:23 am

My son is on Risperdal and it seems to really be helping him. He is on a really low dose. He weighs 220 (he is almost 6 feet tall) and he is taking .5mg. It helps him sleep at night and is less combative during the day. He says it makes him calmer and he likes that.

After I told him of some the side effects he got worried and has decided to take it prn - willing to risk one bad day of arguments to not risk the side effects.

But is this necessary at such a low dose?



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22 Jun 2009, 5:01 am

You can definitely get withdrawal effects. Don't stop it suddenly. Risperdal is heavy duty stuff--they give it to people with schizophrenia.

It is meant to help with severe, violent meltdowns; but doctors often prescribe it for any kind of autism because it is the only drug approved for autism.

In my opinion, there are usually better options. Antidepressants (for their anxiety-reducing effect) and behavioral support (and I do mean "support", not "coercion") don't have nearly as many risks as neuroleptics.


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22 Jun 2009, 5:34 am

I used to take Risperdal. I was taking 4 mg of it at one point. Due to the side effects (weight gain, drowsiness, increased appetite), I decided to stop taking it. My doctor gave me Paliperidone instead. Paliperidone is just like Risperidone except it doesn't have the side effects listed above. And the best part about it was I didn't have to ween myself off risperdal because Paliperidone is very similar in it's chemical composition. So all I did was start taking Paliperidone instead of Risperdal. I have been able to think clearly, more social, less paranoid, less anxiety, less need for sleep, less appetite (which is now normal appetite compared to what it was when I was taking Risperdal), and less depressed. I also take 200 mg of Zoloft, which is an SSRI used for depression and intrusive thoughts. Works like a charm now with Paliperidone.


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Danielismyname
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22 Jun 2009, 5:35 am

Callista wrote:
Antidepressants (for their anxiety-reducing effect) and behavioral support (and I do mean "support", not "coercion") ... .


I'm on the former, and have the latter. The former doesn't do much for my anxiety (even in doses exceeding the on-label maximum), and it's equally prone to withdrawal effects as the atypical antipsychotics are (it's just that around 50% of people experience withdrawal effects on both, whereas the others don't). The latter helps with OCD/specific phobias, but that's about it.

The Seroquel is a zillion times better for malignant anxiety and the overwhelmed feeling of life than SSRIs are (which are less effective than candy in my case).

Yeah, they give it to people with schizophrenia, but autism/AS are equally as bad in negative symptoms in addition to specific symptoms like tantrums, it's just that the one mode of action isn't needed in those with an ASD (the dopamine receptors). My mother noted that I talk and interact with her far more since I've been on it, and it says it's supposed to do such.

They should just make one without the dopamine action, but keep the whole serotonin, histamine, and adrenalin modes; this would remove the risk of tardive dyskinesia, but it'll still have the same anti-anxiety effect.



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22 Jun 2009, 8:55 am

I take 1 mg of Risperdal a day. I think it is a good drug. Before taking it I used to have paterns of self-injury and my meltdowns and tantrums were much worse. I also suffered moderate weitgh gain. Also I don't think it compromises my ability to think clearly.



Ellen3057
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22 Jun 2009, 5:40 pm

Danielismyname wrote:
Callista wrote:
Antidepressants (for their anxiety-reducing effect) and behavioral support (and I do mean "support", not "coercion") ... .


I'm on the former, and have the latter. The former doesn't do much for my anxiety (even in doses exceeding the on-label maximum), and it's equally prone to withdrawal effects as the atypical antipsychotics are (it's just that around 50% of people experience withdrawal effects on both, whereas the others don't). The latter helps with OCD/specific phobias, but that's about it.

The Seroquel is a zillion times better for malignant anxiety and the overwhelmed feeling of life than SSRIs are (which are less effective than candy in my case).

Yeah, they give it to people with schizophrenia, but autism/AS are equally as bad in negative symptoms in addition to specific symptoms like tantrums, it's just that the one mode of action isn't needed in those with an ASD (the dopamine receptors). My mother noted that I talk and interact with her far more since I've been on it, and it says it's supposed to do such.


They should just make one without the dopamine action, but keep the whole serotonin, histamine, and adrenalin modes; this would remove the risk of tardive dyskinesia, but it'll still have the same anti-anxiety effect.


I read your post twice, and I didn't understand what you liked. I think what you said is that you liked Seroquel and behavior support. Is that right? How much Seroquel are you talking about - what is your dosage?

My husband is bipolar and during the summer months he takes 100s of mg of Seroquel to calm him down.

Which medication or therapy did your mother notice that you talked and interacted more?

Thanks,

--Ellen



Ellen3057
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22 Jun 2009, 5:42 pm

Wedge wrote:
I take 1 mg of Risperdal a day. I think it is a good drug. Before taking it I used to have paterns of self-injury and my meltdowns and tantrums were much worse. I also suffered moderate weitgh gain. Also I don't think it compromises my ability to think clearly.


So Wedge,

My son weighs 220 and is taking .5mg. Is that about 1/2 of what you take?

I just wanted to know because Joshua has a real lack of communication skills and he seems fine. On 1mg, he was really sleepy all day.

Thanks,

--Ellen



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22 Jun 2009, 6:15 pm

[/b]Abstract_Logic[b] wrote:


I used to take Risperdal. I was taking 4 mg of it at one point. Due to the side effects (weight gain, drowsiness, increased appetite), I decided to stop taking it. My doctor gave me Paliperidone instead. Paliperidone is just like Risperidone except it doesn't have the side effects listed above. And the best part about it was I didn't have to ween myself off risperdal because Paliperidone is very similar in it's chemical composition. So all I did was start taking Paliperidone instead of Risperdal. I have been able to think clearly, more social, less paranoid, less anxiety, less need for sleep, less appetite (which is now normal appetite compared to what it was when I was taking Risperdal), and less depressed. I also take 200 mg of Zoloft, which is an SSRI used for depression and intrusive thoughts. Works like a charm now with Paliperidone

That is good information to know and I thank you. My son was put on Risperdal right before kindergarten. It was this that allowed him to be mainstreamed. His sensory related anxiety was just too severe. He also started talking after this. He did gain some weight mostly around his waist but he was still at the age of elastic waistbands so it wasn't difficult to dress him. After a few years he suddenly developed severe full body and vocal tics. He was taken off Risperdal and put on Guanfacine. He was okay for a while but has recently been very agitated and anxious. He was put on mirtazapine (remeron) and that helped the agitation but not the anxiety. He is afraid to use the bathroom by himself (he's 11)among other things. He has also gained a lot of weight and strains to get into 14 huskies. His self esteem is low. It is good to hear about a med that mimics risperdal without the side effects. We are on call yet again for the next available appointment. I'll ask about it. :)



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22 Jun 2009, 6:15 pm

oops I screwed up the "quote" part :oops:



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22 Jun 2009, 6:19 pm

I'm not saying categorically "no", Daniel. I just think it should be a last resort, after other things with fewer side effects have been tried--especially (respectful) education/therapy, since learning is usually permanent and doesn't require getting on the chemical merry-go-round. Of course, drugs and therapy work together nicely in a lot of cases, to the point that the drugs can be discontinued or reduced after they have helped you to learn enough not to need them/need them as much.


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24 Jun 2009, 8:31 pm

Ellen3057 wrote:
Wedge wrote:
I take 1 mg of Risperdal a day. I think it is a good drug. Before taking it I used to have paterns of self-injury and my meltdowns and tantrums were much worse. I also suffered moderate weitgh gain. Also I don't think it compromises my ability to think clearly.


So Wedge,

My son weighs 220 and is taking .5mg. Is that about 1/2 of what you take?

I just wanted to know because Joshua has a real lack of communication skills and he seems fine. On 1mg, he was really sleepy all day.

Thanks,

--Ellen


Yeah it is 1/2 of what I take. I know a guy who takes 3 mg.



Abstract_Logic
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25 Jun 2009, 1:36 am

I also have an improved concentration with changing from Risperdal to Paliperidone.


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25 Jun 2009, 2:46 am

From personal experience, when I was taking Risperadal, it seemed as if I was in a haze 24/7. The haze would lift if I forgot to take it, but then I would be prone to wild mood swings. (Note that this was way back in elementary school, and it didn't help that school officals at my elementary school were discriminatory mindf**ks... but that was a different story.) After a while I complained about it to my psych, he recommended a few other medicines in place of Risperadal. Apparently they've got medications out now that have the same general effect of Risperadal, but are refined better and thus have less side effects.

Right now I'm on a daily dose of 15 mg Abilify (which is supposedly a highly refined version of Risperadal, according to my psych) for mood swings, and 300 mg Wellbutrin for ADD tendencies. The combo works great, at least it would if I could remember to take it every day.


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07 Nov 2013, 4:11 am

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/ ... ovdelivery

Found this little gem on my Facebook feed.