Risperdal - How High Should I Go Before Giving Up?

[gizmo]

I have been on risperdal for about four months in addition to the other crazy meds. I was doing good on 1 mg, then I had an episode and they raised it to 2mg, and now that I'm in the middle of one of the worst mixed states I've ever been it, pdoc raised it to 3mg (which I just learned I've accidentally been taking 4 mg for the past four days)

I'm not crazy angry like I was, but I'm so restless and agitated it's not funny. I can't even look at all the boards here casually because it takes too long and I have to do something else.

I'm also seeing people who aren't there again. It's only been the past couple of days. Hubby says it's from me getting used to the risperdal increase. IDK about that, but he sees me every day, so what the hell.

But how high do I go on risperdal before giving up on it? All the other atypicals whack me out or have pooped out on me, I'm already on lithium, and lamictal gave me a rash (not THE rash) both times I took it.

I feel so horrible right now, and I feel there is no way out. I see pdoc on Wednesday. I don't know what he'll do. Hopefully something.

[domovoi]

the highest approved dose of risperdal is 6 for mania as far as i know. i started taking risperdal when mixed too but it had a good augmentation effect with tegretol, which i also take. so i only went up to 3 to feel better. sometimes i take 4 for a week or so to fend off depression. but yeah risperdal in my mixed state was the best AAP move, i was in a similar situation as you as far as other AAPs go. good luck

[CrazyCatLady]

My pdoc originally told me that my target dose was 3-4 mg, but that some people need to go up to 6mg. I've stayed low because I tend to get really sedated even at low doses, I guess I'm a poor metabolizer or something.I was only taking 1mg and just this past week went back up to 2mg because I was getting agitated and irritable and depressed.

If I were you, and since you've tried lots of other AAPs, I would stick it out a while longer if possible. Can you call your pdoc and talk to him today? You still have room to increase your dosage, so maybe you just haven't found the right dose for you. I don't know, it's hard when you feel like shit to just wait and do nothing. I hope you and your pdoc can figure out a solution to get you feeling better.

[AnneMarie]

Recommended dosing for mania, which seems to apply, is to start at 2-3mg and increase by 1mg up to 6mg a day as indicated by symptoms. Higher doses have not been studied. Top recommended dose for schiz is 16mg, so clearly there is room to go higher than 6mg for bipolar if symptom response suggests.

Risperdal is a good med, Gizmo. If you have been responding, then going higher makes a lot of sense. FYI, I did 3mg as maintenance for almost a year. Now, 2mg is maintenance. If I was acute, my dose would be higher.