Your doctor may have prescribed this medicine called Risperidone for you or a family member. When you take it in your hand, you may have a lot of questions. "What is this medicine for?", "What will happen to it?", "What should I be careful about when using it?" Things like that. Don't be afraid. Today, we will talk about this medicine called Risperidone in a very simple way, just like talking to a friend.
Let's first see, what is Risperidone?
Risperidone is a specific medication used to treat several mental health conditions. Medically speaking, it belongs to a class of drugs called "antipsychotics."
Simply put, our brains contain chemicals that control our mood, behavior, and thoughts. These are called neurotransmitters. The two most commonly involved are dopamine and serotonin. In some mental illnesses, these chemicals can become out of balance. It's like an old radio that makes a 'buzz' sound when you don't tune the right station.
Risperidone works by restoring the imbalanced levels of dopamine and serotonin back to normal, which can help control the patient's symptoms.
This medicine is mainly used for:
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar Disorder
- To control some behaviors associated with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Things you need to tell your doctor before starting medication
This is very important. Before you start this medicine, you should definitely tell your doctor if you have any of the following conditions:
- If you or someone in your family has dementia
- If you have diabetes
- If you have difficulty swallowing food
- If you have difficulty controlling your muscles
- If you have heart disease
- If the blood cholesterol level is high
- If the hormone prolactin is high
- If you have had breast cancer before
- If you have an irregular heartbeat
- If you have had a previous stroke
- If you have kidney disease
- If you have liver disease
- If low blood counts have been reported, such as low white blood cells, platelets, or red blood cells
- If you have low blood pressure
- If you have Parkinson's disease
- If you have seizures
- Risperidone, Paliperidone or any other medicine, food, or dyeIf you have an allergic reaction
- If you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant
- If you are a breastfeeding mother
It is very important for your safety to provide this information to your doctor, as this information will determine the dosage and treatment plan for you.
How exactly do I use this medicine?
Since this comes as a solution, it is very important to measure it accurately.
- Take your medicine every day , at the right time, as prescribed by your doctor .
- Use only the special syringe, spoon, or dropper that comes with the medicine to measure it. Do not use household teaspoons or tablespoons , as they cannot measure the exact dose.
- Before taking the medicine, if necessary, it can be mixed with water, low-fat milk, orange juice, or coffee.
- Do not mix this medicine with cola, other carbonated beverages, or tea.
- It can be taken with or without food. If you experience stomach upset, it is better to take it with food.
- Do not stop taking the medicine until your doctor tells you to. Stopping it suddenly can cause serious side effects.
If you give it to children...
This medicine may be prescribed to children over the age of 5 for some special conditions. But it is done under special care. Talk to your doctor about it.
What to do if you take too much medicine?
If you think you have taken too much medicine, immediately call the National Poisons Information Centre at the Colombo National Hospital, or go to the Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) of the nearest hospital.
What other medications should not be used with Risperidone?
Risperidone is a medication that can interact with other medications. Therefore, you should tell your doctor about all medications, vitamins, and herbal remedies you are taking.
| Do not take Risperidone with these at all. | |
|---|---|
| - Cisapride | - Dronedarone |
| - Metoclopramide | - Pimozide |
| - Quinidine | - Thioridazine |
| Inform your doctor as these may also react. | |
| - Alcohol | - Medicines for allergies, coughs, and colds |
| - Medication for anxiety or sleep | - Some medications for depression (e.g. Fluoxetine, Paroxetine) |
| - Medicines for anesthesia | - Medicines such as Levodopa for Parkinson's disease |
| - Blood pressure medication | - Medicine for epilepsy |
| - Medicines given to relax muscles during surgery | - Narcotic medications |
Things to keep in mind when taking medication
- Regular medical checkups: Go to the clinic on scheduled days to see if your symptoms are improving or decreasing.
- Drowsiness and dizziness: This medicine may make you feel drowsy or dizzy. Therefore, do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything else that requires alertness until you know how this medicine affects you. Especially if you are elderly, do not get up suddenly from a sitting position. Get up slowly.
- Body temperature:This medicine can affect the way our body regulates temperature. This means that your body may not be able to respond properly to extreme cold or extreme heat. Therefore, avoid being in the sun on hot days, drink plenty of water, and dress warmly in cold weather.
- Blood sugar levels: This medication may increase blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes, talk to your doctor about this and see if you need to make changes to your diet or medications.
Side effects to watch out for
Like any medication, Risperidone can cause side effects. These can be divided into two main categories.
| Side effect | Description and what to do |
|---|---|
| Serious side effects that require immediate medical attention | |
| Allergic reactions | Skin rash, itching, swelling of the face, lips, tongue. Inform the doctor immediately or go to the ETU. |
| High blood sugar (Hyperglycemia) | Excessive thirst, frequent urination, unusual tiredness, blurred vision. Inform your doctor immediately. |
| Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) | High fever, muscle stiffness, excessive sweating, rapid or irregular heartbeat, confusion. This is an emergency. Go to the ETU immediately. |
| High Prolactin Levels | Breast development in men, nipple discharge, change in sexual desire, irregular menstrual cycles in women. Inform the doctor. |
| Stroke | Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg, difficulty speaking, severe headache, difficulty walking. Go to the ETU immediately. |
| Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS) | Uncontrollable body movements, tremors, muscle stiffness, restlessness, unusual walking style. Inform the doctor immediately. |
| Side effects that are usually not serious, but should be reported to the doctor if bothersome | |
| - Constipation - Dizziness - Drowsiness | - Dry mouth - Runny nose or stuffy nose - Stomach upset - Body weight gain |
Take-Home Message
- Follow your doctor's instructions exactly . Take the correct dose at the correct time.
- Never stop taking medication suddenly without consulting your doctor.
- Be sure to tell your doctor about any other medications, vitamins, or traditional herbs you are taking.
- Be aware of serious side effects (such as fever, muscle stiffness, sudden weakness). If you notice any of these, seek medical advice immediately.
- Store this medicine in a safe place out of the reach of children and pets .
👩🏽⚕️ Additional questions (FAQs)
💬 For what diseases is Risperidone Solution / Risperdal given as a syrup?
This is a highly effective new generation (Atypical antipsychotic) medication that is used to control the irritability of children with Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and especially Autism! For those who cannot take pills/hide pills, this can be easily mixed with water/coffee/orange juice and given to drink.
💬 How does this psychoactive drug (Risperidone) stop the hysteria/impulsivity when it enters the brain?
One of the main causes of mental illness is an excessive increase in the chemicals 'dopamine' and 'serotonin' in the brain! This drug, once taken in the stomach and quickly reaches the brain, completely blocks both the dopamine and serotonin receptors (D2 and 5-HT2A). It eliminates the irrational thoughts in the mind and the patient's aggression disappears and he calms down.
💬 Why is it said not to drink this medicine (Risperidone) with tea/cola? What are the dangers?
Never mix this liquid with 'Tea', black tea, or cola! If you do, the medicine will clot and not be absorbed by the body. The other most dangerous danger is that it increases Prolactin, causing breast enlargement in men (Gynecomastia), and if given to the elderly (Dementia), there is a great risk of heart attack/stroke and death (Black Box Warning).
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