when you take more than prescribed...

[dancesintherain]

So I'm trying to cut back on the Risperdal and it's been going pretty well...but last night was awful because it was midnight and I was nowhere near asleep. I can identify a lot of things during the day that led to me still being awake (didn't pay attention to caffeine, for example). But I had to be functional today, so I upped the dose of Risperdal back to where it had been for that one night. That did the trick and knocked me out...and I woke up okay.

I know this is self-medicating, which isn't great...but it was kind of necessary. So am I supposed to let my pdoc know now for any reason? Or can I wait for my next appointment in a few weeks?

As a side note, I don't have any other symptoms and I've been sleeping fine other than that one night.

[ehygon]

I think you should tell your doctor, just so he/she knows .5mg isnt doing it for you. You should try and avoid doing that though, because if your doc is anything like mine, your rx is written to the very day you see them next. meaning, you dosed again last night, so consider how hard the night you're out of risperdal is gonna be.

as for the 'self medicating' aspect, i am going to be bold and say its not as big a deal as if it were a drug of (potential) abuse. If you took an extra valium or something addictive, that might be a different story, but it was an antipsychotic, it's not like you can go sell (most) of those on the streets to junkies or something.

Either way, it's best to keep your doctor in the loop.

just my .02

[Phoenix_Rising]

Hi dance,

It sounds like you feel that you couldn't sleep due to situational factors. I don't think you need to contact your pdoc now, but I would tell him at the next appt that you used it prn, just to be sure that everything is out on the table. Because if you run into a string of nights that you can't sleep, the lowered dose of risperidal could be a problem.

As for "self-medicating", I have several meds that I take on a regular basis as well as prn. My pdoc and I have worked out which meds I can use prn and when it is most helpful to use them. Again, I think this is another conversation to have with your pdoc.

I hope you're able to get to sleep peacefully tonight!

Peace,

Phoenix

[Silver]

I think I'd put that one on the "leave a note on the calendar and mention it at the next visit" list.

But if it happens more than twice, then call the office and leave a message. Or if it's two nights in a row.

[gizmo]

My AAP has a "base" dosage, and my pdoc has given me permission to up it as necessary when I feel a cycle come on. I only need to mention it to her in my next appointment that I have used another doseage so she can chart it. She put it like this, "You have been doing this a long time, and you know when you need to temporarily increase your meds. You don't need my permission to do so." It kind-of shocked me, but its worked out well so far.

So if I were you, I would not worry about your temporary increase, and just mention it in passing to your pdoc at your next appointment.

[null0trooper]

I know this is self-medicating, which isn't great...but it was kind of necessary. So am I supposed to let my pdoc know now for any reason? Or can I wait for my next appointment in a few weeks?

As other have said, unless this becomes a repeating activity (probably a sure sign you need to see the doctor ASAP anyway)

make a note of it to mention. Do include how much and whether it worked - your doctor doesn't know how you are responding to the overall med schedule + life, unless you tell him.