Risperdal

October 30, 2009

Laurie, Kim was on a higher dose (I can't remember how much, at least double

what she is on now) - we were able to decrease it AFTER she moved out of the

house. Much of her aggression was toward me - and once she was happily living

" like all my friends " (that is out of the house and " on her own " ) her

aggressions' lessened. She is VERY happy in her current arrangement, and WHEN

we can be sure there will be no staff changes, etc because the budget is passed

and funding is secure, we will try to decrease again. AID had to lay off over

40 people with the last cuts, and we still don't have an assurance for Dec thru

June.

Re: Risperdal

Prepare yourselves... takes Risperdal, too, and has for about 6-7

years, and yes it has helped her tremendously when all else has failed. Here's

the shocking part -- her current dose, for the past year and a half, is up to

NINE mls./day (split a.m. and p.m.). I think she started right around where your

daughter is, -- but as she moved through puberty she kept needing more and

more to achieve the same results.

At this point, though, Jill, I wouldn't worry one bit about long term effects

-- try it if your doctor and you, your daughter agree it may help, see if it

does and then when things settle a bit you can figure out a better plan if there

is one. Yes, there can be weight gain, and a lot of it, but if it's a question

of your child being able to continue living at home with you, safely,accessing

community etc vs., well, something else...then I say some unhealthy weight gain

is a fair tradeoff, at least in the short term.

, have you seen any ability to decrease the dose as your daughter has

gotten older? This hope is what keeps me going some days -- that eventually (and

is 21) when her hormones settle down some more, we can begin weaning her

down in dosage. And when you're at 9 mls. daily, 1.5 sounds pretty awesomely

low. I think started at really low, and the first threshhold she found

where it 'kicked in' and really worked was around 3 mls/day. Then it slowly

crept up to where she's at now.

Hope that helps.

Laurie

October 30, 2009

Thanks for telling me about Kim's dosing changes. I'm not sure if will

ever be able to move out of our house, or if her meds might change as a result

of that...but am thinking that MY need for meds would definitely go down if and

when we develop that elusive 'meaningful day' for her that keeps us all on a

more even keel. )

One more way that good community supports and services can help bring costs down

-- the parents don't need as much medication either!

Did I make you laugh?

Re: Risperdal

Prepare yourselves... takes Risperdal, too, and has for about 6-7 years,

and yes it has helped her tremendously when all else has failed. Here's the

shocking part -- her current dose, for the past year and a half, is up to NINE

mls./day (split a.m. and p.m.). I think she started right around where your

daughter is, -- but as she moved through puberty she kept needing more and

more to achieve the same results.

At this point, though, Jill, I wouldn't worry one bit about long term effects

-- try it if your doctor and you, your daughter agree it may help, see if it

does and then when things settle a bit you can figure out a better plan if there

is one. Yes, there can be weight gain, and a lot of it, but if it's a question

of your child being able to continue living at home with you, safely,accessing

community etc vs., well, something else...then I say some unhealthy weight gain

is a fair tradeoff, at least in the short term.

, have you seen any ability to decrease the dose as your daughter has

gotten older? This hope is what keeps me going some days -- that eventually (and

is 21) when her hormones settle down some more, we can begin weaning her

down in dosage. And when you're at 9 mls. daily, 1.5 sounds pretty awesomely

low. I think started at really low, and the first threshhold she found

where it 'kicked in' and really worked was around 3 mls/day. Then it slowly

crept up to where she's at now.

Hope that helps.

Laurie

October 30, 2009

Thanks for telling me about Kim's dosing changes. I'm not sure if will

ever be able to move out of our house, or if her meds might change as a result

of that...but am thinking that MY need for meds would definitely go down if and

when we develop that elusive 'meaningful day' for her that keeps us all on a

more even keel. )

One more way that good community supports and services can help bring costs down

-- the parents don't need as much medication either!

Did I make you laugh?

Re: Risperdal

Prepare yourselves... takes Risperdal, too, and has for about 6-7 years,

and yes it has helped her tremendously when all else has failed. Here's the

shocking part -- her current dose, for the past year and a half, is up to NINE

mls./day (split a.m. and p.m.). I think she started right around where your

daughter is, -- but as she moved through puberty she kept needing more and

more to achieve the same results.

At this point, though, Jill, I wouldn't worry one bit about long term effects

-- try it if your doctor and you, your daughter agree it may help, see if it

does and then when things settle a bit you can figure out a better plan if there

is one. Yes, there can be weight gain, and a lot of it, but if it's a question

of your child being able to continue living at home with you, safely,accessing

community etc vs., well, something else...then I say some unhealthy weight gain

is a fair tradeoff, at least in the short term.

, have you seen any ability to decrease the dose as your daughter has

gotten older? This hope is what keeps me going some days -- that eventually (and

is 21) when her hormones settle down some more, we can begin weaning her

down in dosage. And when you're at 9 mls. daily, 1.5 sounds pretty awesomely

low. I think started at really low, and the first threshhold she found

where it 'kicked in' and really worked was around 3 mls/day. Then it slowly

crept up to where she's at now.

Hope that helps.

Laurie

October 30, 2009

BTW - my need for meds DID also decrease when Kim moved out and was stable!

From: Jerue Family <jeruefamily@...>

Subject: Re: Risperdal

IPADDUnite

Date: Friday, October 30, 2009, 7:09 AM

Thanks for telling me about Kim's dosing changes. I'm not sure if will

ever be able to move out of our house, or if her meds might change as a result

of that...but am thinking that MY need for meds would definitely go down if and

when we develop that elusive 'meaningful day' for her that keeps us all on a

more even keel. )

One more way that good community supports and services can help bring costs down

-- the parents don't need as much medication either!

Did I make you laugh?

Re: Risperdal

Prepare yourselves.. . takes Risperdal, too, and has for about 6-7 years,

and yes it has helped her tremendously when all else has failed. Here's the

shocking part -- her current dose, for the past year and a half, is up to NINE

mls./day (split a.m. and p.m.). I think she started right around where your

daughter is, -- but as she moved through puberty she kept needing more and

more to achieve the same results.

At this point, though, Jill, I wouldn't worry one bit about long term effects --

try it if your doctor and you, your daughter agree it may help, see if it does

and then when things settle a bit you can figure out a better plan if there is

one. Yes, there can be weight gain, and a lot of it, but if it's a question of

your child being able to continue living at home with you, safely,accessing

community etc vs., well, something else...then I say some unhealthy weight gain

is a fair tradeoff, at least in the short term.

, have you seen any ability to decrease the dose as your daughter has gotten

older? This hope is what keeps me going some days -- that eventually (and

is 21) when her hormones settle down some more, we can begin weaning her down in

dosage. And when you're at 9 mls. daily, 1.5 sounds pretty awesomely low. I

think started at really low, and the first threshhold she found where it

'kicked in' and really worked was around 3 mls/day. Then it slowly crept up to

where she's at now.

Hope that helps.

Laurie

October 30, 2009

Oh my! When my daughter was 15, she was on Risperdol and Lexapro and she also

ended up in the hospital. She also gained about 60 lbs.

From: Dana Basham <danajoy17@...>

Subject: Re: Risperdal

IPADDUnite

Date: Thursday, October 29, 2009, 11:29 PM

My 16 year old daughter who also has Autism was on .25mg of

Risperdal for about a year for aggression and also 5mg of Lexapro for

depression and OCD, the aggression was under control for a while but got so bad

that she was hospitalized in the child psychiatric unit for 2 weeks a year and a

half ago and they switched her to 125mg of Zoloft and 5mg of Zyprexa. This

worked for 9 months and then we took her off the Zyprexa and she did great for

another 9 months and then slowly the aggressive behaviors and self injurious

behaviors came back but much worse and now she is currently admitted in the

child psychiatric unit because she wont stop hitting herself in the head and has

given herself 5 black eyes within a 4 week period. The doctors are decreasing

her Zoloft to 37mg and have increased her Zyprexa to 10mg throughout the day.

They are also considering Depakote. I am so frustrated with the process of

finding the right

medication or right

dosage because her behaviors have not stopped. I feel for anyone going through

this. It is so painfully hard to watch your child suffer but I will not stop

trying until they find the right medication or dosage that will help bring my

girl back. I feel so alone on this but as I read these emails I find I am not

alone. I pray her doctors will find something that works soon. Dana

____________ _________ _________ __

From: Richter <ginar_30sbcglobal (DOT) net>

IPADDUnite@gro ups.com

Sent: Thu, October 29, 2009 2:46:41 PM

Subject: Re: Risperdal

My 25 yr old daughter has been on Risperdal for 6 years. She has been on varying

doses, but is currently on .5 mg in am and 1.0 mg in pm. This has really helped

her. Like your daughter she had some obsessive behaviors, and some very

aggressive behaviors. She is now on a more even mood - and is happy with

herself. Before the Risperdal, after she would be aggressive, and time would

pass she would say " I don't know what is the matter with me! or I don't know why

I did that! " Knowing how she is so much happier now - we would do it again in a

minute. We have not seen any adverse effects, just sleepiness if we give 1.0 mg

in am, thus the divided dose.

Risperdal

Good afternoon!

Things with my eighteen year old daughter who has autism have gone from bad

to worse. Dealing with major obsessive behavior and now incredibly

difficult self injurious and agressive behaviors. Her doctor now wants to put

her on risperdal. I have heard some pretty ugly things about this drug, but

we are it a really bad place right now, so I am willing to try anything.

I would appreciate hearing from any of you who have used this drug with

your child.

Thanks!

Jill A. Plato

26267 Panhandle Rd.

Kane, IL 62054

217-942-6856 (home-eve)

618-498-5656 (day-work)

217-248-1117 (cell)

October 30, 2009

BTW - my need for meds DID also decrease when Kim moved out and was stable!

From: Jerue Family <jeruefamily@...>

Subject: Re: Risperdal

IPADDUnite

Date: Friday, October 30, 2009, 7:09 AM

Thanks for telling me about Kim's dosing changes. I'm not sure if will

ever be able to move out of our house, or if her meds might change as a result

of that...but am thinking that MY need for meds would definitely go down if and

when we develop that elusive 'meaningful day' for her that keeps us all on a

more even keel. )

One more way that good community supports and services can help bring costs down

-- the parents don't need as much medication either!

Did I make you laugh?

Re: Risperdal

Prepare yourselves.. . takes Risperdal, too, and has for about 6-7 years,

and yes it has helped her tremendously when all else has failed. Here's the

shocking part -- her current dose, for the past year and a half, is up to NINE

mls./day (split a.m. and p.m.). I think she started right around where your

daughter is, -- but as she moved through puberty she kept needing more and

more to achieve the same results.

At this point, though, Jill, I wouldn't worry one bit about long term effects --

try it if your doctor and you, your daughter agree it may help, see if it does

and then when things settle a bit you can figure out a better plan if there is

one. Yes, there can be weight gain, and a lot of it, but if it's a question of

your child being able to continue living at home with you, safely,accessing

community etc vs., well, something else...then I say some unhealthy weight gain

is a fair tradeoff, at least in the short term.

, have you seen any ability to decrease the dose as your daughter has gotten

older? This hope is what keeps me going some days -- that eventually (and

is 21) when her hormones settle down some more, we can begin weaning her down in

dosage. And when you're at 9 mls. daily, 1.5 sounds pretty awesomely low. I

think started at really low, and the first threshhold she found where it

'kicked in' and really worked was around 3 mls/day. Then it slowly crept up to

where she's at now.

Hope that helps.

Laurie

October 30, 2009