Before ever taking a new medication, or even before stopping one, it’s important to understand how it works. Drugs often have side effects from both interacting with other medications and from stopping them altogether. Generic and brand-name Risperidone is one such drug. In this blog, we focus on, “How long does risperidone stay in your system?” We also cover other important and related information.
At Reich & Binstock, our Houston defective drug attorneys stay up-to-date on all the latest information regarding pharmaceutical recalls and injuries. After all, nobody takes medicine with the assumption that it is dangerous. As consumers, we expect safety when we consume or use a finished product. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. If you suffered adverse reactions or injuries from Risperidone, contact us today. Call our office at 713-622-7271 or fill out our online intake form.
What Is Risperidone?
Risperidone belongs to the atypical antipsychotic medication class. A drug class is a set of pharmaceuticals that all operate in the same manner. These medicines are frequently used to treat illnesses that are similar to each other. It works by changing the number of neurotransmitters, which are molecules that naturally present in the brain. Certain neurotransmitters are considered to be out of balance in patients with schizophrenia, bipolar illness, and autism. This medication may help to correct the imbalance.
Risperidone is a prescription-only medication. Oral tablets, orally disintegrating tablets, and an oral solution are all available. It’s also available as an injectable that can only be delivered by a medical professional. Risperdal is a brand-name medicine that contains risperidone in an oral tablet form. It can also be purchased as a generic medicine. Generic medications are frequently less expensive than their brand-name counterparts. The brand-name and generic versions of a medicine may be offered in different forms and strengths in some situations.
What Is Risperidone Used For?
Risperidone is a psychiatric medication that is used to treat symptoms of a variety of mental illnesses. The following are some of them.
- Schizophrenia: This is a mental health condition characterized by shifts in thought or perception. People with this illness may experience delusions or even hallucinate.
- Acute manic or mixed episodes from bipolar disorder: This medication can be used alone or in combination with lithium or divalproex. Bipolar illness patients have significant mood swings. Mania (an extremely happy or exuberant mood), sadness, or a combination of the two are examples.
- Autism-associated irritability: Autism has an impact on a person’s behavior, interactions with others, learning, and communication. Aggressiveness toward others, ideas of self-harm, intense outbursts of irritation or anger, and mood swings are all signs of irritability.
Risperidone can be applied as part of a multi-drug treatment plan. As a result, you may need to use it in conjunction with other drugs.
How Long Does Risperidone Take to Kick In?
The way a person reacts to a medicine differs from person to person. However, certain effects may be noticeable during the first few days of usage in some persons. Others, on the other hand, may require three to six weeks for risperidone to reach full potency. You should discuss how it works for you throughout the first several weeks with your doctor. After two to three weeks of use, if no good changes have occurred, your doctor may raise the dose or try switching your prescription.
Typically, doctors start patients on a low dose of risperidone and gradually raise it to a dose that suits them. This also depends on how well you respond to the treatment and how well you tolerate it. If you begin with the long-acting injectable, however, it may take about three weeks for the risperidone to finally release. As a result, your doctor may advise you to keep taking your tablets until the treatment takes effect. This injection will be given to you every two weeks by your doctor. Risperidone will be released steadily for the same amount of time after the injection.
Side Effects of Risperidone
Risperidone oral tablets might make you drowsy and make you feel unsteady. This might result in a fall, which could result in bone fractures or other health issues. If you’re a person over 65 years old and taking other drowsy drugs, you may be at a higher risk of falling. Other side effects include the following.
- Trouble moving
- Restlessness or the urge to keep moving
- Muscle contractions causing repetitive twisting movements
- Tremors
- Fatigue or sleepiness
- Anxiety
- Dizziness
- Blurry vision
- Discomfort or pain in the abdomen
- Drooling
- Dry mouth
- Weight gain or an increased appetite
- Rashes
- Upper respiratory tract infection
- Stuffy nose
- Inflammation of the nose and throat
If the side effects are minor, they may fade completely in a matter of days or weeks. Consult your doctor or pharmacist if they get more severe or don’t go away.
Serious Side Effects of Risperidone
If you have any major side effects, contact your doctor straight away. If your symptoms are life-threatening or you believe you’re suffering a medical emergency, dial 911. The following are examples of serious side effects and associated symptoms.
- Strokes in older adults with dementia and wrongful death from infection
- Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
- Profuse sweating
- High fever
- Confusion
- Muscle stiffness
- Changes in heart rhythm, blood pressure, and breathing
- Kidney failure
- Tardive dyskinesia
- Movements of the tongue, face, or other body parts that you cannot control
- Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar
- Feelings of extreme thirst
- Urge to urinate more often than usual
- Tiredness or weakness
- Severe hunger
- Confusion
- Nausea
- Breath that smells fruity
- High triglycerides and cholesterol
- High prolactin levels in the blood
- Enlargement of breasts
- Milky discharge from the nipple
- Loss of menstrual period
- Erectile dysfunction
- Low white blood cell count
- Infection
- Fever
- Orthostatic hypertension
- Fainting
- Dizziness
- Lightheadedness
- Impaired judgment and motor skills, trouble thinking
- Trouble swallowing
- Seizures
- Priapism
How Long Does Risperidone Stay in Your System?
Slow-acting psychotropic medications, such as antipsychotics, take 2-4 weeks to exhibit favorable effects and even longer to leave your body. The advantages will not disappear as soon as the medicine is no longer in your system. The half-life of risperidone is another significant thing to consider. The half-life of most drugs is roughly 24 hours. However, some may take up to 4-5 days to completely leave your system.
Risperidone has a 20-hour half-life in weak metabolizers, but just 3 hours in substantial metabolizers. When determining how long an antipsychotic medicine will last in your system, you must also consider other things. The following are some of these elements.
- How long you took the drug
- Your metabolic function
- Your health profile
- Any other drugs that you took with risperidone
- Genetics
- Any effects of other medications you’re using
With all this in mind, it still might take a few weeks or even months to see a return to normal brain function after you stop your use of this medicine.
Risperidone Withdrawal Symptoms
In general, individuals should not discontinue any medicine without first consulting their healthcare physician. It’s also worth noting that stopping risperidone once you’re feeling better isn’t a smart idea. You may suffer some uncomfortable symptoms if you do. Withdrawal symptoms from risperidone include the following.
- Nausea
- Sleepiness
- Dizziness
- Vomiting
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Return of schizophrenia symptoms
It goes without saying that stopping risperidone abruptly is not a good idea, since it might lead to the negative effects described above. However , if you think you need to stop taking the medicine, it’s critical to keep in touch with your doctor. By taking into account your medical history and present situation, they can limit your withdrawal symptoms to a minimum.
Gradual Risperidone Withdrawal
The FDA recommends that you stop using this medicine gradually, just like you would with any other psychoactive prescription. In most situations, tapering antipsychotic drugs gently and under close medical supervision is important for the patient’s safety. Medications are often complex and have unpredictably negative side effects. It’s crucial to note, however, that there are a few exceptions.
Maybe a patient taking antipsychotic medication develops a life-threatening adverse reaction. In these cases, it is critical to withdraw the drug as soon as possible in a clinical setting.
How Does Risperidone Interact with Dopamine?
Risperidone is thought to be able to inhibit or link dopamine at the D2 dopamine receptors. Manic symptoms may be reduced by limiting dopamine availability, according to research. The neuroadaptation of the synapse limits most psychiatric medicines. In reaction to an apparent dopamine deficit, the synapse can boost the receptor’s dopamine binding capability.
The development of some undesirable responses is hypothesized to be connected to enhanced D2 dopamine binding and eventual upregulation. Such reactions can occur while starting or stopping neuroleptic medicines, and they can also occur after an antipsychotic medicine has been discontinued. Upregulation of receptors is most likely a key factor in the symptoms of risperidone withdrawal. Antipsychotic withdrawal can be more difficult for some people than any other medication class.
If you or someone you know suffers from adverse reactions to risperidone or Risperdal, we’re here to help. Contact a Houston product liability attorney with Reich & Binstock to find out if you have a case. Call our office at 713-622-7271 or fill out our online intake form.
FAQs
Can Risperdal cause permanent damage? ›
Risperdal can also cause movement disorders that worsen over time. The disorders may be permanent, even after the person stops taking Risperdal.
Does risperidone cause permanent changes? ›But unfortunately, it can also be permanent. Metabolic changes. High blood sugar, abnormal cholesterol levels, and weight gain can occur with risperidone. These metabolic changes may raise your risk of having a heart attack, blood clot, or stroke.
Is risperidone hard to get off? ›Risperidone is not addictive, but stopping it suddenly can cause problems such as difficulty sleeping, feeling or being sick, sweating, and uncontrollable muscle movements. See you doctor if you want to stop, or if you are having these effects.
Are risperidone side effects reversible? ›Some side effects of risperidone may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.
How much was Risperdal settlement? ›Risperdal Verdicts and Settlement
The Philadelphia jury awarded Plaintiff Murray an additional $8 billion in punitive damages, but a judge later reduced the amount to $6.8 million.
Patients who developed gynecomastia after taking a prescription for Risperdal may also have grounds for a lawsuit against the manufacturer for failure to warn both physician staff and patients about the potential for developing gynecomastia. Symptoms of gynecomastia include: Enlarged or swollen nipples. Breast pain.
Is risperidone a lifelong drug? ›If you take Perseris® (risperidone long-acting injection), it is not recommended to take oral risperidone after the first injection. Antipsychotic treatment is generally needed lifelong for persons with schizophrenia. Your doctor can best discuss the duration of treatment you need based on your symptoms and illness.
Is risperidone a high risk medication? ›Warnings: There may be a slightly increased risk of serious, possibly fatal side effects (such as stroke, heart failure, fast/irregular heartbeat, pneumonia) when this medication is used by older adults with dementia. This medication is not approved for the treatment of dementia-related behavior problems.
Do antipsychotics cause permanent damage? ›Share on Pinterest Researchers say long-term use of antipsychotic medications – particularly first-generation antipsychotics – may lead to gray matter loss in the brain.
How long does Risperdal stay in the body? ›It can take several days or even months for some symptoms to get better The half life of Risperidone is 20 hours, multiply by 5 would be when it is completely out of your system so 100 hours so basically in less than five days it would all be gone.
What happens if you take risperidone for too long? ›
Taking too much risperidone can cause serious side effects such as: feeling sleepy or tired. unusual body movements. problems standing and walking.
What are the withdrawal symptoms of Risperdal? ›- Supersensitivity rebound psychosis. ...
- Catatonia, hallucination, illusion. ...
- Nausea, vomiting. ...
- Anxiety, agitation, restlessness. 14,16
- Cholinergic symptoms — cramps, diarrhea, muscle weakness, paralysis, blurred vision, excessive salivation. ...
- Paresthesia. ...
- Fatigue. ...
- Headache.
As a result of the link to developing breasts after taking Risperdal, lawsuits were filed on behalf of the children and adolescents who suffered from the abnormal growth of male breast tissue and the increased production of prolactin. The first Risperdal lawsuit ended in a $2.5 million loss for Johnson & Johnson.
Does risperidone build up in your system? ›Risperidone may make these conditions worse. For people with kidney problems: If you have moderate to severe kidney disease, you may not be able to clear this drug from your body well. This may cause risperidone to build up in your body. This can lead to more side effects.
Can risperidone cause psychosis? ›Objective: To our knowledge, this is the first published case report of an adolescent girl with a mitochondrial disorder and depression who displayed both new-onset psychotic and increased mood symptoms during treatment with risperidone.
What is the lowest Risperdal settlement? ›How Much are Risperdal Lawsuits Worth? Many Risperdal lawsuits have already gone to trial and resulted in verdicts. The lowest amount awarded to a plaintiff in these trials has been $500,000.
Can you still sue for Risperdal? ›If you or a loved one took the antipsychotic drug Risperdal (risperidone) and experienced side effects like male breast growth, you may be entitled to a cash award settlement in a Risperdal lawsuit. Contact our Risperdal attorneys today to discuss your legal options.
Can you still file a Risperdal lawsuit? ›If you or a loved one took Risperdal and experienced breast development, you may be able to file a Risperdal lawsuit to obtain compensation for physical, financial and emotional damages. Call 1-877-692-3862 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form.
How long does it take to recover from risperidone? ›The half-life of most drugs is roughly 24 hours. However, some may take up to 4-5 days to completely leave your system. Risperidone has a 20-hour half-life in weak metabolizers, but just 3 hours in substantial metabolizers.
Is risperidone considered a controlled substance? ›Since risperidone is a non-controlled prescription medication, your healthcare provider can give you refills for up to one year from the original written date.
What mental illness is risperidone for? ›
Risperidone is used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or irritability associated with autistic disorder.
How much risperidone is toxic? ›less than 12 years of age, an ingestion of 1 mg should be considered potentially toxic. 12 years or older, an ingestion of more than 5 mg should be considered potentially toxic.
How long does it take for antipsychotics to cause brain damage? ›Evidence of the rapidity at which antipsychotics can affect brain volume in humans was recently provided by Tost and associates. These investigators found a significant, reversible decrease in striatal volume in healthy subjects within 2 hours after they were treated intravenously with haloperidol.
Is antipsychotic brain damage reversible? ›Meyer-Lindberg himself published a study last year showing that antipsychotics cause quickly reversible changes in brain volume that do not reflect permanent loss of neurons (see 'Antipsychotic deflates the brain')7.
Can the brain recover from antipsychotics? ›Specifically, the researchers found that those who stopped taking antipsychotic medication within two years of first taking the drug were almost six times (5.989) more likely to recover from “serious mental illness” and were only 13.4% as likely to be re-hospitalized.
How do you get antipsychotics out of your system? ›It is safest to come off slowly and gradually.
You should do this by reducing your daily dose over a period of weeks or months. The longer you have been taking a drug for, the longer it is likely to take you to safely come off it. Avoid stopping suddenly, if possible.
Anxiety, dizziness, and headaches are common Risperdal side effects, which are usually temporary. However, certain side effects like muscle-related issues are more permanent. By SingleCare Team | Apr. 12, 2021 Medically reviewed by Daniel Cardin, Pharm.
Can risperidone affect speech? ›Performance of larynx, lips and tongue sub-system and intelligibility of speech were also significantly reduced in risperidone group. Risperidone did impact the phonation and articulation sub-systems of speech mildly, which was independent of tardive dyskinesia and extrapyramidal symptoms.
What can you take instead of risperidone? ›...
Top 5 risperidone alternatives
- Abilify (aripiprazole) ...
- Haloperidol. ...
- Zyprexa (olanzapine) ...
- Seroquel (quetiapine) ...
- Invega (paliperidone)
Antipsychotic drugs
Chlorpromazine, which is used to treat manic depression and schizophrenia can wrongly show up as amphetamine. Risperidone and Haloperidol have also been found to show up as false LSD results.
Does risperidone change the brain? ›
In patients with schizophrenia, sustained treatment with risperidone produced a decrease in activity in the medial frontal cortex that is correlated with a decrease in the severity of positive symptoms.
Does risperidone affect thinking? ›Risperidone will impair performance in tasks assessing spatial memory and some executive functions in adolescents with ADHD and DBDs.
Can risperidone cause obsessive thoughts? ›Dr. Alevizos et al 1 in a recent article highlight that higher doses of risperidone are associated with emergence of obsessive compulsive (OC) symptoms while lower doses are used as augmentation in serotonin reuptake inhibitor refractory obsessive compulsive disorder.
Can risperidone cause voices? ›The antipsychotic medication risperidone eliminated the command hallucinations. But the voices in my mind continued to be louder than ever, screaming and swearing at me, making irritating noises like a painful stimulus. The voices prevented me from reading normally.
Can risperidone cause bipolar? ›The occurrence of manic/hypomanic switch in patients being treated with risperidone has been reported by various authors, and they have described a variety of strategies for their management. In this report, we describe two cases of induction of elevated mood symptoms in patients treated with risperidone.
Does Risperdal have long-term effects? ›The biggest disadvantages of Risperdal are the potential long-term side effects, which can include tardive dyskinesia, increased blood sugar, high triglycerides, and weight gain.
Can antipsychotics cause permanent damage? ›Share on Pinterest Researchers say long-term use of antipsychotic medications – particularly first-generation antipsychotics – may lead to gray matter loss in the brain.
Can antipsychotics cause irreversible damage? ›We know that antipsychotics shrink the brain in a dose-dependent manner (4) and benzodiazepines, antidepressants and ADHD drugs also seem to cause permanent brain damage (5).
Can antipsychotics cause long-term damage? ›Taking antipsychotics can increase your risk of developing metabolic syndrome. If you experiencing metabolic syndrome, this means you are at higher risk of developing: diabetes. stroke.
Is Risperdal a high risk medication? ›Increased risk of stroke or heart attack
Risperidone can cause metabolic changes that might increase your risk for having a stroke or heart attack. You and your doctor should watch your blood sugar, symptoms of diabetes (weakness or increased urination, thirst, or hunger), weight, and cholesterol levels.
What does Risperdal do to the brain? ›
It does not cure your condition but it can help the symptoms. Risperidone works by affecting chemical messengers in your brain (neurotransmitters) like dopamine. If you have too much dopamine it can make you see things that are not there (hallucinations) or think things that are not true (delusions).
Can drug induced psychosis be permanent? ›Psychosis from drugs can become permanent. If drug induced psychosis is not treated, the person could experience a drug-induced form of schizophrenia, which will be a lifelong diagnosis.
Does psychosis always come back? ›With effective treatment most people will recover from their first episode of psychosis and may never have another episode. It is important to remember that psychosis is a treatable condition and if help is sought early, an individual may never suffer another episode.
Do antipsychotics affect intelligence? ›So while treatment with some antipsychotics seems to increase intelligence, others reduce symptoms without that effect. Other medications that are known to cause improved cognitive functioning had no effect when combined with those antipsychotics.
What is the safest drug for schizophrenia? ›Clozapine and olanzapine have the safest therapeutic effect, while the side effect of neutropenia must be controlled by 3 weekly blood controls. If schizophrenia has remitted and if patients show a good compliance, the adverse effects can be controlled.
What is the most troublesome side effect of antipsychotic medications? ›Amongst the many adverse effects of the first generation, or 'typical' antipsychotics, the most disturbing was Tardive Dyskinesia, which involves uncontrollable movements of face, hands and feet [2].