[moremi]

Doc finally called today, prescribed Rispredal. I believe I have heard people complain about weight gain on this medication. How a has it worked for you? Good or Bad? Any input would be appreciated

[OutlawedSpirit]

I wasn't on it long, but I got a lot of muscle pains from it, so my pdoc took me off of it.

[hamster-bamster]

- no weight gain
- very effective for mania
- severe sexual side effects, worse than on high doses of Geodon
- Parkinson-like features - cogentin can help with those
- low energy; small projects seemed impossible to accomplish to me - I have much more energy on Geodon, in comparison

[Moose72]

I was on for a short while. Went off because I was making milk.

[Victoria'smom]

My husband was on it for a short time he had no positive or negative effects.

[Capricious]

I have been on 2mg of Risperdal for 7 years. I love it, no psychotic episodes, deep sleep and no weight gain, no periods either. Dr said I couldn't use it as birth control but I did. Made the mistake of sharing it with others and it can practically induce a coma and severe hangover for normals. If I accidentally double dose it I will drool, nice change from the dry mouth, lol.

[~Christina]

I was on it for about 3 weeks and started lactating So I stopped it.

[thickntired]

Hello,

I had to switch from 7 mg Abilify to Risperdol bc I could no longer afford the $900 bottle of Abilify. My pdoc had me on 4 mg at bedtime. With that I was still groggy at noon. So, I'm taking 2 mg BEFORE 8 pm and so far no problems. We also increased my prozac from 20 to 40 mg a day.

From everything I've read weight gain is a possible side effect from alll mood stabilizers :/

I hope for both of us that it works

TnT

[LucyG]

Years ago when I was still on meds I heard a Pdoc or someone on a talk radio show discussing Risperdal. The thing that horrified me was how he was so casual when he mentioned how people have been known to gain 100 lbs on it, along with it triggering type 2 diabetes. I googled it to make sure my memory was right, and sure enough, it was so keep an eye on your blood sugar.

[thickntired]

Originally Posted by LucyG

Years ago when I was still on meds I heard a Pdoc or someone on a talk radio show discussing Risperdal. The thing that horrified me was how he was so casual when he mentioned how people have been known to gain 100 lbs on it, along with it triggering type 2 diabetes. I googled it to make sure my memory was right, and sure enough, it was so keep an eye on your blood sugar.

Yes this is correct, but it statistically speaking it's not a common side effect. They just advise you to see a Dr asap for any rapid weight gain.

[LucyG]

Originally Posted by thickntired

Yes this is correct, but it statistically speaking it's not a common side effect. They just advise you to see a Dr asap for any rapid weight gain.

Maybe so, but if you're the one who experiences it, it can ruin your life unless you don't mind massive weight gain and diabetes. And in my experience of more than 13 years on meds, most doctors downplay side-effects with a 'let's wait and see' attitude.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by LucyG

Maybe so, but if you're the one who experiences it, it can ruin your life unless you don't mind massive weight gain and diabetes. And in my experience of more than 13 years on meds, most doctors downplay side-effects with a 'let's wait and see' attitude.

No, not with weight gain. The "wait and see" attitude applies to such side effects as gastrointestinal upset or extreme sedation - those do often go away once the body gets adjusted to the new medication. Weight gain is not such a side effect. If there is weight gain, it is not going to go away in a few weeks. I was on a trial of Zyprexa for a month and gained weight rapidly and Zyprexa was discontinued - I wish I had never tried it. Current MH office weighs me monthly at each visit, so there is no way a weight gain could fall through the cracks.