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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by tampagirl on March 30, 2005, at 7:50:44
My pdoc recently added risperdal to my celexa and wellbutrin. Its a low dose, 2mg, but I've read about tardive dyskinesia and weight gain from it and now I'm worried about taking it. How common are these side effects and are there any others I should be aware of? Also, it makes me very sleepy so I'm taking it at night. Will this go away?
Posted by banga on March 30, 2005, at 12:01:08
In reply to Starting risperdal....worried about side effects, posted by tampagirl on March 30, 2005, at 7:50:44
I took risperdal for a brief time. It helped immensely with dep and anxiety, especially negative rumination.
I was not on it long. I may have gained some minor weight. I did not experience sleepiness for long; what I did note was in the third week, I would at times feel these sudden moments of feeling very fatigued.
Again, I cant say much about its effects beyond 4 weeks. I went onto Geodon, then Abilify (which I am takng now) at a very very low dose, with great success. Antidepressants alone simply dont do the trick for me. It is an interesting thought--whether I even need much of the antidepressants given the success of Abilify...From what I understand, TD is a much lesser concern with these newer atypical antipsychotics. My (completely uninvestigated by me) guess is that at the small amounts that are usually prescribed for depression, it is even less of a concern. Something for me to look into now that I am stable.
So in general, though risperdal seems more potent, Abilify and Geodon have less side effects and are weight neutral. It is all very individual though. Geodon gave me brain fog, Abilify does not.
Posted by B2chica on March 30, 2005, at 13:19:27
In reply to Re: Starting risperdal....worried about side effects, posted by banga on March 30, 2005, at 12:01:08
i didn't think 2mg is small dose.
my pdoc started me at .5, then 1 then 2mg. it didn't really work for me so he took me off it saying he didn't want to go any higher with the dosage.
anyway, at .5 and 2mg i was hungry a LOT (and ate...a LOT-also smoked more), but when bumped up to 2mg that constant hunger subsided.HTH
b2c
Posted by tampagirl on March 30, 2005, at 15:42:55
In reply to Re: Starting risperdal....worried about side effec, posted by B2chica on March 30, 2005, at 13:19:27
My doc started me at .5mg and I'm going up to 1mg then 2mg. He said if after 2 weeks I don't notice any improvement to quit taking it. I'm not obsessing as much as I was Monday, but I don't know if it's from the risperdal or if it's just my brain calming down (which it usually does by the middle to end of the week).
Posted by Maximus on April 1, 2005, at 0:08:12
In reply to Starting risperdal....worried about side effects, posted by tampagirl on March 30, 2005, at 7:50:44
> My pdoc recently added risperdal to my celexa and wellbutrin. Its a low dose, 2mg, but I've read about tardive dyskinesia and weight gain from it and now I'm worried about taking it. How common are these side effects and are there any others I should be aware of? Also, it makes me very sleepy so I'm taking it at night. Will this go away?
Hi Tampagirl,
2 mg is not a small dose but a medium one. Moreover, Wellbutrin will amplify the side effects of Risperdal, because the two are extensively metabolized in the liver with the "same" enzyme, CYP 2D6.
So taking 0.5 to 1 mg would be a clever move indeed. With the right dose, there is almost no side effect.
By the way, Risperdal, if taken correctly, is a very very good add-on in the treatment of depression and anxiety.
Good luck with your new med.
This is the end of the thread.
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