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What is risperidone?
Risperidone is an antipsychotic medication. It works by changing the effects of chemicals in the brain. Risperidone is used to treat schizophrenia and symptoms of bipolar disorder (manic depression). Risperidone is also used in autistic children to treat symptoms of irritability. Risperidone may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

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What is the price of this medication and similar alternatives?

This pricing information is subject to change at the sole discretion of DS Pharmacy. For the most current and up-to-date pricing information, please visit drugstore.com.

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What are the possible side effects of risperidone?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using risperidone and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• fever, stiff muscles, confusion, sweating, fast or uneven heartbeats;

• restless muscle movements in your eyes, tongue, jaw, or neck;

• tremor (uncontrolled shaking);

• trouble swallowing; or

• feeling light-headed, fainting.

Less serious side effects may include:

• mild restlessness, drowsiness, or tremor;

• sleepiness, dreaming more than usual;

• blurred vision;

• dizziness or headache;

• weight gain;

• problems with urination;

• nausea, dry mouth, constipation; or

• decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

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How should I take risperidone?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Risperidone can be taken with or without food. To take risperidone orally disintegrating tablets (Risperdal M-Tabs): Keep the tablet in its blister pack until you are ready to take the medicine. Open the package and peel back the foil from the tablet blister. Do not push a tablet through the foil or you may damage the tablet.

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What is the most important information I should know about risperidone?
Risperidone is not for use in psychotic conditions that are related to dementia. Risperidone has caused fatal heart attack and stroke in older adults with dementia-related conditions. Do not give this medication to a child without a doctor's advice. While you are taking risperidone, you may be more sensitive to temperature extremes such as very hot or cold conditions. Avoid getting too cold, or becoming overheated or dehydrated. Drink plenty of fluids, especially in hot weather and during exercise. It is easier to become dangerously overheated and dehydrated while you are taking risperidone.

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What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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What other drugs will affect risperidone?
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines: carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol); phenytoin (Dilantin); phenobarbital (Luminal, Solfoton); clozapine (Clozaril); fluoxetine (Prozac) or paroxetine (Paxil); rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater); or medicines used to treat Parkinson's Disease such as levodopa (Dopar, Larodopa, Sinemet, Atamet, others), bromocriptine (Parlodel, others), pergolide (Permax), pramipexole (Mirapex), or ropinirole (Requip).

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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?

Risperidone has been assigned to pregnancy category C by the FDA. Animal studies have reported an increase in stillbirths and an increase in pup deaths in the first 4 days of life. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. One case of agenesis of the corpus callosum has been reported in an infant exposed to risperidone in utero. Risperidone is only recommended for use during pregnancy when benefit outweighs risk. Hyperprolactinemia caused by risperidone may impair reproductive function in both male and female patients. Hyperprolactinemia causes a reduction in the pituitary secretion of gonadotropin which, in turn, impairs gonadal steroidogenesis.

Two women, 39- years and 30- years of age, are reported to have received a daily dosage of risperidone 4 mg and 6 mg, respectively, prior to and throughout pregnancy. Intensive support was provided throughout each pregnancy to both mother and child with both women delivering healthy infants at term via cesarean section. Both women breast- fed and continued risperidone therapy postpartum. Examinations up to 9- months and 12- months, respectively, failed to reveal developmental abnormalities in either infant.

Risperidone and its active 9-hydroxymetabolite are excreted into human milk in small amounts. There are no data on adverse effects in the nursing infant. The amount in human milk was reported to be below the 10% level of concern recommended for safe breast-feeding with many drugs. The amount excreted would not be expected to cause sedation or extrapyramidal side effects in infants who are full-term or older. However, due to the possibility of non-dose related adverse effects such as neuroleptic malignant syndrome and due to the fact that the short and long term effects of risperidone exposure on cognitive development in nursing infants is unknown, a decision should be made to discontinue nursing or discontinue the drug, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother.

One case has been reported where the breast milk of a woman receiving risperidone was tested for levels of the drug. The authors calculated that a suckling infant would receive 0.84% of the maternal dose as risperidone and an additional 3.46% from 9-hydroxyrisperidone (as risperidone equivalents). These results were later replicated in 2 additional cases. Two women, 39-years and 30-years of age, are reported to have received a daily dosage of risperidone 4 mg and 6 mg, respectively, prior to, during pregnancy. Both women breast-fed and continued risperidone therapy postpartum. The exact duration of time for which each infant was breast-fed was not disclosed; however, examinations up to 9-months and 12-months, respectively, failed to reveal developmental abnormalities in either infant.

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Who should NOT use this medication?

• Known hypersensitivity to risperidone or any ingredient in the formulation.

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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical treatment if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include drowsiness, fast heart rate, feeling light-headed, fainting, and restless muscle movements in your eyes, tongue, jaw, or neck.

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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking risperidone?
Risperidone is not for use in psychotic conditions that are related to dementia. Risperidone has caused fatal heart attack and stroke in older adults with dementia-related conditions. You should not use this medication if you are allergic to risperidone. Before taking risperidone, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have: liver disease; kidney disease; heart disease, high blood pressure, heart rhythm problems; a history of heart attack or stroke; a history of breast cancer;

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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
As a general rule, you should always take your medications exactly as prescribed and do not change the dosage or stop taking the medication without first discussing it with your healthcare provider.

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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.

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Where can I get more information?
More Information

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