I have just started Risperdal 3 days ago ,im also tapering off Seroquel ... Had to come off the Seroquel due to weight gain and metabolic syndrome ..
For me I have noticed a DECREASE in hunger .. I no longer want to eat everything that doesnt move anymore.
Side effects for me are i am a little more thirsty but I drink water all the time. As far as feeling an effect on my BiPolar Im not feeling too swift .. Im not sleeping very well .. it certainly doesnt help me with sleep like Seroquel did . Im willing to give Risperdal a chance as its ALOT cheaper than Seroquel XR .

Everyone is differant and respond to medications differantly .. I have finally come to terms with the fact that pretty much any meds are going to have side effects ... its just a question of when the pros are better than the cons . Hopefully we can all find a happy medium where meds work but we can tolerate the sie effects .

Good luck and keep us informed on your progress