[nervousnellie]

Hi,
I had previously posted asking about Risperdal and weight gain. Well, I know that it does cause weight gain...15 pounds and counting...
but I would like to know if anyone else was very zombie like while taking it?
I have always been a semi lazy person, but this is ridiculous! Its like I dread taking a shower because its too much work and it will take me too long to blow dry my hair. I COUNT the minutes at work so I can go home and lay down. Sometimes I go home for lunch and set my alarm for a twenty minute snooze. And when I do get home from work, I just lay there....I don't want the TV on and I don't want to read or talk on the phone...just zone out. And this is everyday. Its a struggle sometimes to get on the computer, but the computer right now for me is a saving grace.

I am going to talk to my doctor about getting off this...but just curious from other people that have taken it....does it make you a zombie? I have no emotions. Not happy, Not sad. Nothing. I don't want to feel "nothing" anymore.

I am taking it for anxiety, and wondering if some anxiety in my life right now might do me some good. Never thought I would ask that question..



"This too shall pass"

[krzyk101]

Hi "NervousNellie'

I take Risperdal, and for along time I too felt the same as you expressed. Mainly because I was OVERMEDICATED by my Pdoc. The dose I was on then of Risperdal was 4mg two times a day.

Now I take only 1.5mg two times a day. Since I feel much less sedated and tired. Considering I was taking 8mg a day compared to 3mg a day at present, it has made a considerable difference in my daily functioning. I do not know if your doc has you on the lowest dose possible? The smallest tablet it comes in is 1/2 mg. The largest tablet being 4mg.

I would explain all of this to your doc and the fact that you are having symptoms of being what sounds to me like that of being overmedicated. I would hope that he/she could work on decreasing the dosage and still benifit from the calming effects, without feeling so zoned out all the time. It works best for me twice a day, though I have been prescribed a single dose at bedtime to reduce the sedating effects during the day.

Good Luck on this, I hope you get to feeling better soon-Chris

______________
~KRIS~

If you think you have totally gave up, you haven't, because you are here!

[mandala]

Hi, I tried Risperdal for a while, when I was feeling very bad... never more than .5 daily, at night, to ensure I'd sleep.

It made me feel, yes, zombie like, and exhausted and I gained over ten lbs.

I also tried zyprexa and geodon, with similar results.

Now I've just gone back to taking xanax prn, usually to sleep at night.

M

[nervousnellie]

Thanks for the replies. My pdoc is on vacation until September..so I might just taper very slowly....I am only on .5 twice a day..but it really seems to be too much for me. I cannot take Xanax or benzo's of any kind, because I was addicted to them.

I will just cut my dose down gradually until I see the doctor again. I don't want to be a zombie. I want feelings again. I know some people have no choice in taking medication...I just want to see if this is a choice I have...Thanks again for the replies.It helps, thats for sure.



"This too shall pass"

[mandala]

maybe start by taking .25 in the am and the .5 in the pm as prescribed?

maybe that will help you to feel a little less drugged during the day...?

Good luck!