Seeing my pdoc on the 23rd

Medications
1

I’ve been taking Risperdal since August 2017 and have experienced various side effects as a result. Although the medication has slightly helped with my sleep, auditory hallucinations, anxiety, and paranoia, it makes me oversleep and has given me difficulty concentrating, weight gain, and sexual side effects. With these side effects, I am unfit for school or work, and therefore have not attended college since 2017.

I am very sensitive to medication and changes in dosing, and one of my previous doctors had attempted to switch me to Abilify, which made me angry and aggressive. As a result of the 6 different medications (SSRIs and antipsychotics) that I have tried since 2008, most of them have either caused aggression and/or suicidal thoughts.

Should I tell my pdoc about the side effects of Risperidone? If he switches me to another AP, my symptoms, of which insomnia is the most significant, may flare up again. I do not want to lose any sleep, which has happened due to the lack of sedative effect of Risperdal. On the other hand, if I take a different AP that does not cause difficulty concentrating, I may be able to go to work or go back to school.

2

If your doctor is good they’ll take onboard what you’ve gone through. It really is a bit of an art no matter what they say. A good psydoc will have an idea and I’ve found it’s good to listen to their advice…still better to be up to date and have a plan yourself.

It’s a hard thing concentrating. That can be the meds or the disorder…it’s a bit of a grey area because we just don’t know. Saying that. I did poorly on risperdal and do so much better on zyprexa. Risperdal was a ‘heavy’ med for me. I had poverty of thought and extreme sedation. We are all different but trying something else for better function isn’t a bad way to go…just be prepared. I wasted four years trying abilify.