Risperidone - make situation worse?

[JeanneA]

Hi I could really do with some advice guys, I was wondering whether the risperidone Glen has been taking could be making his situation worse, he has been on it 3.1/2 weeks now 2mg twice a day and it doesn't seem to be helping, what does anyone else think? Glen is still self harming and it seems to have increased this past week.

[call me jaded]

Perhaps you could phone the prescibing consultant's office and ask for some advice. Maybe the dosage needs changing.

 

I think you should be keeping a behaviour diary, recording how he seems throughout each day. It might not give you any immediate answers but could help over time.

 

 

[lisac]

Just a guess but id say he's either not having enough or it is making him worse .

[JeanneA]

Thanks ladies, yes it is a difficult one to call I've been trying to persevere but I'm really not convinced it is the right medication for Glen.

[JsMum]

Thanks ladies, yes it is a difficult one to call I've been trying to persevere but I'm really not convinced it is the right medication for Glen.

If your convinced it is not the right medication you must get a GP as soon as soon as possible, ensure you see a doctor before ceasing the medication because some medications you shouldnt just abruptly stop it, so do get some medical advice.

 

JsMumxx

 

[cmuir]

Hi

 

My son was prescribed Risperidone. I was advised by CAMHS that it can take a while to take effect - anything from 3-6 weeks, in fact. I was also told that sometimes Prozac is prescribed alongside as it can counteract some issues when starting on Risperidone. However, R was on a very small dosage - 0.5mg (we discontinued because R wouldn't have baseline tests carried out and refused to take it). Where medication is concerned, you're his mum and know him best. You might not know anything for certainly, but I think a mother's intuition is good enough for you to seek advice from Glen's GP (or equivalent).

 

The following weblink is very interesting:

 

http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=A...;ContentID=8189

 

One paragraph says:

 

'Some people may develop side effects on risperidone such as extrapyramidal effects (restlessness, tremor, stiffness) or tardive dyskinesia (slow or jerky movements that one cannot control, often starting in the mouth with tongue rolling or chewing movements). These symptoms are likely to be less severe and occur less often than with the older antipsychotic medications. If you develop movements that you cannot control, call your healthcare provider immediately.'

 

As JsMum says, it's advised not to suddenly stop taking medication without firstly seeking medical advice.

 

Best wishes.

 

Caroline.

Edited March 26, 2010 by cmuir

[JeanneA]

Hey thanks Caroline fantastic web link great information. Glen may need his dose increased by reading that or it may not be suitable for him, hard one to call but I am going to be in touch with the psychiatrist this week who prescribed the medication. I also noticed it did say it the link risperidone can take 4-6 weeks to work properly, Glen's only been on the increased amount: 4mg a day for 2 weeks so perhaps it is still early days.

[cmuir]

Hi

 

Yup, like I say, when my son was prescribed Risperidone, I was told it could take up to 6 weeks to start taking effect. Wish I could remember why I was also told that it may be necessary to prescribe prozac at the same time for a few weeks - this was to counteract something, but I can't remember what. It may be worth asking about that too. I thought it was interesting what the website said about movements.

 

C.

[trekster]

i would say yes since risperidone caused suicidal ideation in me