Risperdal and abilify
Common Questions and Answers about Risperdal and abilify
risperdal
I would ask the doc if he could come off the Risperdal and go on a mood stabelizer rather than add it to the mix. I take Abilify and it covers everything, bipolar issues, anxiety, panic attacks, it's all gone away now and I feel so much better. I also take adderral because they think I have a bit of ADD as well.
Having said all that, it's on;y my OPINION, I'm not a doctor, just a patient. But I am with you, less medication is better.
He is 10 and on Concerta 54 mg (for last almost 3 years) and Zoloft 100 mg and Intuniv 2 mg and recently Risperdal 0.25 mg every am and 0.5 mg q pm. The neurologist wanted to add another med Abilify on board as he was still having some outburst behavior. I find this troubling that he wants my child on 5 psychoactive meds. we sought a second opinion from a psychiatrist that our son's therapist recommended.
The antipsychotics most likely to cause this are Clozaril and Zyprexa. The least is Abilify though of course it can and does happen. Diet regulation is the key. As I've posted that will not be a problem with the next generation antipsychotics because they are more specifically targeted to the receptors they need to work on.
Risperdal and abilify are both atypical antipsychotics, and so if you're switching out meds instead of just adding on, it would replace the risperdal. It's approved for monotherapy for both bipolar and schizophrenia, so it's possible you could go off the depakote as well, but that's up to your doctor.
If it effects your sleep you could ask your psychiatrist whether you could take the 2 mg. Risperdal dose in the A.M. In general Risperdal is sedating but can sometimes cause sleep disruption but each person responds differently to each medicaation. It would also depend on whether it would make you tired during the day. Also you could ask if the dose could be titrated (spaced out) into two or more doses during the day.
I was on Zyprexa and the sister drug Risperdal.... Loved how it took me off the edge...HATED the weight gain.... Abilify was suggested years ago-
For me, abilify worked well enough on its own- I am a rapid cycler Biploar II. At one point I was on 14 different medications..... in the end Abilify was my "balance" I was able to experience moods, but not in the extreme measures that I was...
Personally, I liked abilify- i had that and PRN of seroqoel.
I began taking atypical antipsychotics just over a year ago, and stopped just over a month ago. I have been on Risperdal, Abilify, Seroquel, Zyprexa, and Geodon, in that order. Risperdal caused me to have a grand mal seizure. I was only on it for a month or so, and I was taking a fairly low dose (I don't remember precisely how much). Neither Abilify and Seroquel lasted long because of unpleasant side effects (nausea and twitching/akathesia).
We have used Risperdal with our 12 year old son in the past, 2nd and 3rd grade, but due to weight gain he had to be taken off it. We had major problems with sleep so when he went off the meds he went back to not sleeping. Then we found Melatonin, it is a god sent. It is a natural supplement that has helped a lot of children with atuism and other disorders that effect sleeping. As for the agression we have tried behavioral programs that help with it.
Good luck.
This is hard isnt it to se your son feeling like this my sympathys are with you, ask your prescribing Doctor if once he is weaned off the resperdal , if you can try leaving him without meds, a lot of caring parents are now trying using food supplements to help their children, and it has been noted that a Multiple Vitamin with B Complex and Vitamin C and also Fish oil is benificial to children, if you google this there is a lot of information and look at the thread on this forum that starts &quo
The doc perscribed Risperdal that is also a antiphyscotic and is suppose to work especailly well against sudden anger. Honestly, I could not tell you if it works because I do not take it. I have a thing against antiphycotics but I do take Lamictal, a mood stabilizer. You may want to give Risperdal a try.
Controlled studies have shown that children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder and other disruptive behavior disorders show short and long-term improvement when taking Risperdal. There may be a place for the atypical antipsychotics in some individuals with AD/HD and agitation. The atypical antipsychotics can often cause weight gain in both children and adults. Abilify, (aripiprazole) is less likely to cause weight gain or metabolic problems." (from - http://www.baltimorepsych.
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