Respiridone -- experiences?

[60schild]

It seems very likely that my father is going to be started on Respiridone, and I'm wondering what experiences people here have had of it.

My father has had very bad experiences with anti-psychotic drugs in the past but they were Haloperidol and Quetiapine. He hasn't taken Respiridone yet. I've been told by the medical staff that Respiridone is one of the newer anti-psychotics, and less likely to cause the very upsetting symptoms (drooling, zombie) that I saw with the other ones.

Any information about the experiences you've had would be very welcome. Many thanks, as always.

 

[Sue J]

Hi 60schild

Respiridone was drug I mentioned in your earlier thread, my friend was given it when she was extremely agitated and seeig things - at that time I was in a postion where I monitored her daily as to what amount she had taken, her GP had advised a dose from 0.5 - 2mg, I think she initially needed 1mg but as symptoms subsided reduced it down to 0.5mg fairly quickly - she only took them for a few weeks. However, when anxiety, but not psychosis, returned a year later - all due to stress and pressure she was under, GP prescribed the same again - she was advised to take higher dose - I was not in a position to supervise and she had no real CPN supervision either, within a few days of taking the 2mg dose she literally aged 20 years couldn't move, was drooling, and totally inert. Dose was taken right down to 0.5mg which seems much better, but in my observation of her I think she has become dependent on thinking she needs it all the time my concern that it wont have same effect when she then needs it in times of stress.

Read Beachcomber's thread she mentions very small doses of respiridone - much smaller than prescribed dose and in my expereince of it it needs very careful monitoring - no way should someone be put on it without supervision. Not sure of your situation but I hope you get some relief some way.


Best wishes
Sue

 

[BeckHux]

My Dad was on Haloperidol for 4 weeks and became hunched, mumbling, incoherent and so sleepy that he was then switched onto Risperidone.

For the first 2 weeks he was ok ish, but after that he again became very drowsy, incoherent, unsteady, was constantly trying to pick up things that weren't there, taking off his clothes all the time. He was also on diazapam.

He was on an assessment ward in hospital so his drugs were carefully monitored, however, we had to keep complaining that it wasn't acceptable for him to be in such a state. During one visit, he crawled on hands and knees. It all came to a head when Dad was found unconcious, having fallen and knocked himself out. He was taken to hospital, and was so drowzy that they couldn't tell whether he was concussed or not. Immediately, ALL his meds were stopped.

All through the bad side effects we encountered, we kept asking staff if Dad's decline was down to the drugs or had he simply got a lot worse. They kept telling us that he had simply deteriorated, which obviously wasn't the case.

Since stopping the drugs, he has gone back to how he was before pretty much. He is still in hospital though awaiting a nursing home place.

If your Dad has had bad side effects on other anti-psychotics then approach this with extreme caution. Question everything, and if absolutely necessary that he takes something, ask for the smallest dose possible. Seeing my Dad like that was an experience I wouldn't wish on anyone.

The reason he ended up on the assessment unit was down to a bad reaction to olanzapine, so you would think that more care would have been taken, but he went from having only one dose of an anti-psch in the evening to help with sundowning, to taking something 3 times a day. I wish I had known then what I know now and I would not have let him be drugged like that.

 

[Canadian Joanne]

All drugs need to be carefully monitored. My mother was on risperidone for quite some time, about 3 years. She developed Parkinsonism symptoms of rigidity so we then switched to another drug.

My mother's violence and aggression made it necessary for her to take these drugs. Yes, there can be problems but they can also be a godsend.

 

[Goingitalone]

My brother was on respiridone for his schizophrenia a long while ago. It is one of the newer drugs and I would agree that he was fine on the lower dose. As soon as it was doubled he felt that his tongue was massive, and he had other side effects which I can't remember now, but they had to take him off it.

I'm sure most of these antipsychotic drugs say that a much lower dose is required for elderly people so it might be advisable to start on the very lowest dose possible.

It's not half as bad as the older Haloperidol, which has some awful side effects.

 

[Sox]

Hello - my husband had to be started on Risperidone a while ago because his aggression and behaviour was becoming quite unacceptable and I just couldn't cope. Fortunately he responded well to it - just the 0.5 mg dose daily initially then when he staarted "invading my space", i.e. screaming right in my face and lashing out at me in the car etc, the CPN increased it to twice a day and so far that seems to be working. He is slightly more sleepy but that is a small price to pay for being able to keep him at home. Hope it works for you. Take care. Sox

 

[mumofthree]

My Dad started Resperidone last week at 0.5mg split into two doses. 3-4 days in, his behaviour deteriorated - paranoia and delusions. He was admitted to hospital yesterday, a week after starting it and as he can be constantly monitored, his dose has been increased to 1mg. We haven't noticed any side effects as yet, and are hoping that the increase helps as we have had a terrible few days - police called three times in four days including during the night, Dad convinced he is being broken into, that there are raids and drug trafficking going on all around him and that he is being drugged and filmed, as well as less serious suspicions about people and what they're up to.

 

[Jancis]

Hi 60schild,
My relative was prescribed 50mg (twice daily) of a drug called Amisulpride which I believe is a similar drug to Risperidone - antipsychotic designed to treat psychosis in schizophrenia and episodes of mania in bipolar disorder. He has been diagnosed as having psychotic depression and early stage frontal lobe dementia. The main side effect on him was major sedation. But it is the cocktail of drugs he was taking that gave me the greatest cause for concern. If your father is taking more than one type of medication for his mental and physical health then I would recommend you talk to a pharmacist with regard to efficacy. My local pharmacist was really helpful and gave us a private consultation. She even went as far as to say that my Uncle's incontinency may be due to the particular mixture of drugs he was taking. It never occurred to me that pharmacists know more about drugs than doctors! A TP member suggested I do this. Having said all this, I have no control over my relative's prescription, however, the manager of his new care home is concerned and is keen to know why there is a pattern of behaviour that occurs every 4-5 days. He is working with the CPN to try alternative dosages etc. which is a great relief to us all.

 

[60schild]

Many thanks to all of you for describing your relatives' experiences. My father has now been started on the Respiridone, and I'll let you know how he gets on with it.

 

[caring fromafar]

How is he getting on?

This is being talked about as an option for my mum so I would be interested to hear how you are doing.
Thank you

 

[Izzy]

I must have missed this thread. My mum has been on Risperidone for a year and a half now. She started with a very low dose once a day and is now on the same dose twice a day. She has had no bad reaction to it at all. I suppose it's difficult to know how effective it is as I don't know what she'd be like without it.

 

[Tinkerbell26]

Hi

Dad was started on respiridone on Friday by the GP on advice from the psychiatrist who is coming to review him on Tuesday, long story but I was at my wits end after dad walked to my house 12 times last thurs abs was trying the locks on all the neighbours garages. He's also been very agitated for a whole now and called my fiancé aggresively demanding I visit him.

So first tablet yesterday, dad a lot mOre relaxed but also seemed more confused, asked how our holiday was -we've not been yet and told mother in law the dog was in kennels- not true. Dad has never been like that before, normal memory probs for moderate AD but not like this.

Dad was sleepy this morning no 6am call! Yay but wouldn't let Carers in as he was still in bed! Then called me 6 times in 1 hour to see what he needed to do.

On a Sunday he usually comes for dinner but today I'm going to see leaving him to see if he walks to mine, normally would do before the tablets were started as he was agitated. Fingers crossed they work, just worried about the confusion.

It's great to share experiences

 

[caring fromafar]

Thanks Izzy. That is good to hear.

it's difficult to know how effective it is as I don't know what she'd be like without it.

that is so true of drugs used in dementia.