My wife has been on Risperidone, but only since begin of this past January.
We adjusted up to 6Mg/day.
Now, with our nurse we’ve been backing off at 1Mg/wk and now down to 2 mg/day; soon to eliminate completely.
I’ve read that only 10% of the drug is absorbed when taken; that full effects are not felt for weeks and that it takes 7 weeks or so and then is eliminated in bodily fluids. So not sure we’re seeing full effects of the lowering amounts.
We’re anxious about this, of course. We’re hoping not to see another psychotic break.
My wife feels much better; “more alive” she says.
Given what I’ve read about “brain plasticity”, I’m thinking I see some far reaching changes that I think are positive, but not sure these changes can be attributed to Risperidone. Her friends report her as being “more serious”. I see her thinking more, being more concerned about things. More driven. Some of this is fear of being alone with mental health issues, fear of my dying and her not being able to deal with life in the USA (she’s foreign born).
Curious as to whether others have come off anti-psychotics at such a fast pace?
Curious as to positive changes due to the anti-psychotic drugs?
Sorry, no experience with the two question points, just wanted to ask if they have your wife keeping a journal about her day to day experiences on the meds? Journals can be the best way to determine how much the meds are helping.
When my son was not taking his risperidone it was probably a couple of months before we realized how much it was helping, meaning he had a psychotic break after being off for a couple of months. Up until then it wasn’t very noticable that he wasn’t taking it daily. Meaning he seemed ok, but I don’t know how he felt during that time. He really wants to be on the medication because he doesn’t like having the psychotic breaks. The last time he had a mis-understanding with police who walked up to him to ask him if they could help get him to the hospital. He thought he was being attacked and fought back. So he’ll be dealing with the consequences of that mis-understand for at least a few more years. So, for him it’s not worth it to try getting off the medications. He knows how bad he gets without them. I’m sure research that says full effects take weeks is true, but he is usually feeling much better after about 3 days based on all the times he’s been on then off again on the meds.