Atypical Antipsychotics (Risperdal)

[Deamiter]

So after years of playing roulette with my drugs, I've finally found a seriously intelligent (and Christian YAY!!) therapist, and along with a psychologist who I will be seeing sometime in the next month, I'll probably be prescribed Atypical Antipsychotics (also known as light tranquilizers? Clozaril, Zyprexia or Risperdal are some of the common ones).

I guess there's little question about whether I'm willing to try this new route as I don't have much other choices at this point, but I'm wondering if anybody can give me somepersonal (or second-hand) stories of effects and side-effects? After so much time in the Mental Health system, I tend not to trust the doctors on the results of different drugs because I have always found my friends to be more accurate. Honestly, this is probably because my friends have the same sort of problems and the p-docs are bound by law to tell you all sorts of wierd side effects that very VERY rarely ever happen.

anyway, whats the deal with atypical antipsychotics?

 

[Deamiter]

*bump*

they could also be used to treat Bi-Polar disorder, or DID (disassociative identity disorder, formerly know as multiple personality disorder).

I find it hard to believe that nobody has taken any of these drugs, though I guess with only 12 views, I don't have a very large base to sample from. Anyway, I'll quit bumping and live with my uncertainty as I have little choice in my course of action.

 

[desi]

Why will you be taking them? Some work better than others. Risperdal has an uncommon side effect of milky breasts, I've seen zyprexa correlate with agitation at low doses, olanzepine is known to cause weight gain, clozaril has an uncommon severe side effect of blood disorder so they have to take your blood several times per month to check for it, abilify is new and is reported to have relatively few side effects so far. The list is not complete but it is what I've noticed from my limited experience.

 

[Deamiter]

I'm pretty well informed about the current meds, and their side-effects... I guess I'm not looking for reassurance so much as stories or ideas... Drugs have become a big part of my life I suppose.

I have recurring depression, but the major symptom (and in my mind, the cause) has been chaotic noise or as I like to put it, "screaming" in my head. I can take it for a week or so, but often it will go on for months - and this is the sort of thing a low dose of tranquilizers has (reportedly) had a lot of success with.

It's not certain whether what's going on in my head is actually treatable in this way, but there seems to be few other options - so I suppose I could go through one more round. I'd have to give up my night job though

 

[desi]

That sounds like an uncommon problem. I've got tinnitus which is constant ringing in my ears but that's from loud noises which have damaged my hearing, not 'voices'. If you don't have tinnitus, which is incurable at this time, you might benefit from antipsychotic drugs. They're definitely worth a shot to make the noise go away, just don't be shy about communicating with your Dr. about undesirable side effects if they arise so you can find the best fit for your condition. Good luck.

 

[Debbi]

If that is atypical then is Stellazine and Haldol typical? When I was in the psych ward years back, I was given 3 shots of Haldal because I was on suicide watch. I was later given Stellazine but Stellazine ruined my eyesight though in a short time. I still have to wear tinted glasses inside and sunglasses outside.

 

[desi]

Haldol is typical, not sure about stellazine. The typicals generally have more side effects.

 

[Deamiter]

the funny thing is that the typical (and first because of side effects) prescriptions are now the atypical antipsychotics. It's just that when they were first introduced, they were labeled atypical, and the label stuck. Haldol and others usually have rather severe mental side effects when used for long-term treatment, so they don't do well except for suicide watch as you mentioned, or really out-of-control patients. However, if you were treated 10 years ago or more, it's likely that the typicals were the only option at the time.

Who says advances in psychiatric medicine aren't helpful?

 

[Cat59]

My personal experience of Risperidone (from my son) is that he's had few side effects and it helps control some but not all of his problems (he has a complex mixture of learning difficulties, Asperger's syndrome, hallucinations and possible epilepsy after brain damage at birth)
He was previously on Amisulpiride (I don't know the US/Canadian name) but was very sedated, put on loads of weight and shook like anything. It didn't stop the problems either.
From my professional experience as a medic, Olanzepine can put on a lot of weight as can Clozapine. Quetiapine (Seroquel here) is less sedating and weight gaining but has to be taken twice a day.
Like you, I find personal accounts from people more use sometimes than "textbook" answers, although people do vary tremendously in their experiences of side effects, my sister(who has similar problems to my son) tolerated Sulpiride very well, which was why they tried Amisulpiride with my son.
Stelezine is typical, my sister was put on that 20 odd years ago and had a severe reaction, going into terrible muscle spasms.