Risperidone

[Cathy67]

I was looking through the mountain of mail that has come in for mum over the last few months and found a letter from the hospital discharge team. It arrived two months late and is littered with mistakes (one being the address was wrong!!!) however it does list all the medication that mum was on when she was in hospital. I checked them all out online to found out what they are and do etc. One is Risperidone which might explain why mum was so with it when in hospital but since she was transferred to the CH has gone downhill. I don't know if she is on it now but would think not, can I ask someone at the home what her meds are, or even at her GP surgery (which is now the same one I go to) ?

Also the last couple of days she has been refusing to eat or drink, and spitting out her meds apparently. She takes a few bites/sips then refuses anymore as she thinks it is being poisoned by one of the other residents she has taken a dislike to. I spoke to one of the carers yesterday and he said the deitition was coming in on Monday to see her.

If mum is not on this drug can we ask her to be put on it and if so, who would we ask?

 

[kaycee30]

I was looking through the mountain of mail that has come in for mum over the last few months and found a letter from the hospital discharge team. It arrived two months late and is littered with mistakes (one being the address was wrong!!!) however it does list all the medication that mum was on when she was in hospital. I checked them all out online to found out what they are and do etc. One is Risperidone which might explain why mum was so with it when in hospital but since she was transferred to the CH has gone downhill. I don't know if she is on it now but would think not, can I ask someone at the home what her meds are, or even at her GP surgery (which is now the same one I go to) ?

Also the last couple of days she has been refusing to eat or drink, and spitting out her meds apparently. She takes a few bites/sips then refuses anymore as she thinks it is being poisoned by one of the other residents she has taken a dislike to. I spoke to one of the carers yesterday and he said the deitition was coming in on Monday to see her.

If mum is not on this drug can we ask her to be put on it and if so, who would we ask?

Speak with GP in the first instance, they'll advise best, not heard of the drug. Perhaps NICE guidelines could help too.
hop this helps x

 

[Long-Suffering]

Warning!

My mum is on Risperidone. It is an anti-psychotic used to treat schizophrenia (in my mum's case) and bipolar disorder. I hadn't heard about its use with dementia, so I looked it up and saw this:

Risperidone is not approved for use in psychotic conditions related to dementia. It may increase the risk of death in older adults with dementia-related conditions.

Here's the link:

http://www.drugs.com/risperidone.html

LS

 

[EdenDesjardins]

Why is your mom on it if schizophrenia is dementia-related and there was an advisory warning?

 

[jan.s]

My husband was on Risperidone and it helped him so much. He was agitated and aggressive, but was given a low dose of Risperidone and he was fine. I didn't like him to be agitated be cause I knew he wasn't happy, but knowing it was his condition, there was nothing I could do to make things right for him, so medication was the only way.

The first dose he had was too high, it knocked him out, something I didn't want, but it was fine tuned and he was ultimately on a low dose which just kept his mood level.

AS with any medication there are side effects, but I felt it was a price worth paying for him to be contented.

Because he had originally been prescribed it by the consultant, the GP could continue with prescribing it. It is an anti psychotic drug, so may possibly need referring back to mum's consultant.

The care home will be able to tell you about mum's medication. If she is refusing, maybe they could be given to her covertly. The care home used a variety of means to give medication. Roger had some of his in a Ferro Rocher! Because it had nuts on the outside, he didn't realise that not all of the crunchy bits were nuts!! The nurse used to break it open and pop the tablets inside, then put it not his mouth whole!! He loved his chocolate

This link may help. http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/scripts/documents_info.php?documentID=548