Anyone like Risperidone?

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I am supposed to start it at 0.5 mg. Much of what I read about it scares me.

Hold back while you still can.

It's deemed to be one of the worst drugs ever made by the pharma.

I'm lucky I could get off it without any withdrawal, but that's maybe because I hated being on it so much.

It messes you up badly on every level, I think I once even said on here that I preferred to go back to high school again to get bullied again than to go back on risperidone or palperidone if I seriously had to pick between the two.

Thanks. I'm trying to figure out what to do. The person prescribing means well but probably never took these meds.

A well meaning person would never prescribe anti-psychotics like risperidone to people with autism spectrum disorders.

Well, I said I hated all the anti-depressants I had been on and the only drug I ever liked was Stelazine. The trouble with Stelazine was the serious and frequently permanent side effects. I'm beginning to think I'd be happier with no drugs and just go with nature. She asked me "do you still feel helpless and hopeless?" The drugs make feel feel more hopeless. I probably just need to stop trying to find a fix and accept hating being alive is part of who I am. I hate it a lot more with the antidepressants.

OK. STOP. RIGHT. THERE.

Personally, I have Risperdal horror stories. Like, my husband wants me to hunt down a class-action suit and join it and he's probably justified horror stories. Like, this drug made a bad situation worse and two and a half years later we're still cleaning up the mess horror stories. Horribly horrifying horror stories.

I've heard other people say that the same drug gave them a quality of life they never thought they'd have (in a good way).

So there are some necessary questions before this conversation goes anywhere.

1) Why are they wanting you to take this drug??

1a) What are your specific complaints??

1b) What are their specific reasons??

Without answers to Question 1, this discussion does not proceed. If they cannot or will not answer Question 1, you need to see someone else, no other questions asked.

2) Does it stop at 0.5 milligrams?? Or is that a starter dose, with the understanding that it's going to go to 1 mg as soon as you're able to tolerate 0.5, then to 1.5 as soon as you're able to tolerate 1, then to 2 as soon as you're able to tolerate 1.5???

Those are things I want to know before I even try to discuss this with anyone.

I like it. Been on it about 6 months.

Started on 0.5 then increased after a few months to 1.0

I'm calmer, less suicidal, and less obsessive thinking.

I have been in weekly therapy for a few years partly because I am obsessed with psychology and wanted a professional opinion about me and partly because I just want to do what I want to do and have ZERO motivation to do anything else. I go to work. I just do enough so I am not homeless. I am in my 60s but I have always been depressed with not much self-discipline. Anyway, financially, I will not be able to afford to pay the deductible so I plan to quit therapy in 2014. My therapist suggested meds, if I can't go to therapy. The lady trying to work that out is a nurse specializing in meds.

What they are trying to fix is my depression. I have been diagnosed with Asperger traits, avoidant personality traits and dysthymia.

Thanks, doofy. If something would make me feel better, maybe it is worth a try.

Thanks, also, Uprising and BuyerBeward. Just trying to figure this out.

I've been on Risperdal for about a year. I started off on 0.5mg, then went to 1mg. Now I'm on 2mg/day. To tell you the truth, I've always been suicidal and still feel this way. I'm not, at the moment, planning to kill myself, but my long lasting depression is such that it's always just around the corner. I'll go and see the MD in a month or two. Either I can start psychotherapy or maybe even change medications.

Thanks, redrobin62. I have heard many times therapy combined with meds works well. It would be nice not to suffer.

I've been on 0.5mg for about a year.

It's done wonders to help with my stimming and irritability.

Different people react differently to different medications.

Thanks, XFilesGeek. I'll never know if I don't try. I was intimidated by the frequent side effect of vomiting. I have to travel today, so I will give it a try after travel, when I can see what the side effects are in private.

I had severe akathisia on risperidone that kept me up all night once. I was in the hospital at the time and the nurses wouldn't give me anything for the akathisia, neither would they call the doctor (because they didn't want to disturb them), so I had to suffer all night.