First, Nick is 50 pounds and on a total of 1.75mg a day of Risperdal but we aren't seeing the great results we did in the beginning. Can you tell me what dose your kids are on? I think he needs an increase.

Second, has anyone seen Risperdal related tics? We had a neurologist look at a video of Nick doing a head bobbing thing that seems like a tic. She suggested watching it for now because it isn't every day and isn't intruding on what he is doing. BUT if it happens more often we may have to stop or decrease the meds...which sort of eliminates what I said in the first paragraph.

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Jen (mom to Nick, 6 with DS and Joey, 3)
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze119871/

Tardive Disconesia can happen with several different meds. Angela developed it while taking a combination of prazac and Adderall about 3 years ago. (I have a video of it somewhere, I'll see if I can find it.)

1.5 mg is ALOT of Risperdal! Are you sure that's the dose?

Angela takes .5 mg in the morning, and .25 in the afternoon.

Edited to add: Here's the link to the video. Watch the head turning she's doing. This started about 2 days before the video was taken, and got so bad that she couldn't even watch Tv, or have a conversation with you. It was horrible to watch, as it took over her world! We stopped the med the following day, and it took about 2 weeks for this to disappear. We're lucky it did! Sometimes TD doesn't go away once it starts.
http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?p=c5c0808fce3abff48ffdf&skin_id=601&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

_________________
~Leah~

My mom's blog
http://gardenofeagan.blogspot.com/

And don't forget to visit MINE!
http://itsmylifemom.blogspot.com/

mom to Rob 29, Noah 27, Tyler 26, Bryon 26, Angela 19 (DS), Axel 14 (DS, adopted from Serbia 12/2012, AAI w/fusion) Asher 10 (DS adopted from Serbia 12/2011, AAI non-fusion), Abel 12 (DS adopted from Serbia 4/2013) Audrey 10 (DS, adopted from Serbia 3/2014) Do you think our next is a boy or girl?

Mikey is on 4mg twice a day. Risperdal is absorbed differently is different people so sometimes a much larger dose is required. I think we have reached the limit with Mikey, though.

_________________
Tom

Dad to Beth ( 22 ) and Mikey (17 - Ds and PDD-NOS)
My Blog - Random Thinking
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If you think he has TD, I would consider trying something else. Here's some information on it related to Risperdal. I know with Angela, we were told to STOP the drugs she was on that was causing IMMEDIATELY, because it can be irreversible.

Quote:

Tardive Dyskinesia (TD): A syndrome consisting of potentially irreversible, involuntary, dyskinetic movements may develop in patients treated with conventional antipsychotic drugs. Although TD appears to be most prevalent in the elderly, especially elderly females, it is impossible to predict at the onset of treatment which patients are likely to develop TD. It has been suggested that the occurrence of parkinsonian side effects is a predictor for the development of TD. In clinical studies, the observed incidence of drug-induced parkinsonism was lower with risperidone than with haloperidol. In the optimal clinical dose range, the difference between risperidone and haloperidol was significant. The risk of developing TD may be less with risperidone. The risk of developing TD and the likelihood that it will become irreversible are believed to increase as the duration of treatment and the total cumulative dose of antipsychotic drugs administered to the patient increase. However, the syndrome can develop, although less commonly, after relatively brief periods of treatment at low doses. There is no known treatment for established cases of TD. The syndrome may remit, partially or completely, if antipsychotic drug treatment is withdrawn. Antipsychotic drug treatment itself, however, may suppress the signs and symptoms of TD, thereby masking the underlying process. The effect of symptom suppression upon the long-term course of TD is unknown. In view of these considerations, risperidone should be prescribed in a manner that is most likely to minimize the risk of TD. As with any antipsychotic drug, risperidone should be reserved for patients who appear to be obtaining substantial benefit from the drug. In such patients, the smallest dose and the shortest duration of treatment should be sought. The need for continued treatment should be reassessed periodically. If signs and symptoms of TD develop during treatment with risperidone, withdrawal of the drug should be considered. However, some patients may require treatment with risperidone despite the presence of the syndrome.

http://www.rxmed.com/b.main/b2.pharmaceutical/b2.1.monographs/CPS-%20Monographs/CPS-%20(General%20Monographs-%20R)/RISPERDAL.html

_________________
~Leah~

My mom's blog
http://gardenofeagan.blogspot.com/

And don't forget to visit MINE!
http://itsmylifemom.blogspot.com/

mom to Rob 29, Noah 27, Tyler 26, Bryon 26, Angela 19 (DS), Axel 14 (DS, adopted from Serbia 12/2012, AAI w/fusion) Asher 10 (DS adopted from Serbia 12/2011, AAI non-fusion), Abel 12 (DS adopted from Serbia 4/2013) Audrey 10 (DS, adopted from Serbia 3/2014) Do you think our next is a boy or girl?

I can only comment on the dosage. Oliver is 4 years old and now weighs 40 lbs. (He was 35 lbs. when he started Risperdal 2 months ago!!!!!) He takes .5 a day IF he's not on a stimulant. While taking the stimulant Vyvanse, he was on .3 a day. He'll now be starting Focaline and going back to .3 a day.

Tom had some information he shared on here not long ago. I remember looking at the dosage chart that Tom provided and remembering that, according to this chart, the dose with the maximum effect for Oliver's age/weight was 1.0.

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--Beth
Mom to Oliver, 5 (DS, ADHD)
and Sebastian, 4

Thanks for the info. TD was my concern as well. As I said our docs and neurologist watched our video and gave us the ok to wait and watch for now. It is quite infrequent so we will see. As for the dose, it is .5 in the am, .5 in the afternoon, and .75 at night...total 1.75mg. That is actually still way under the dose he could have for his weight. He started our very very low as well but he put on 6 pounds and needed the increase. Luckily the weight gain leveled off but he needed it...he was skinny peanut.

I just realized you had the video of Angela. I see what you mean. Nick is doing more of a looking down head thing. It has been about 6 times since Christmas.

Let me know if you can find that dosage chart....I think the docs said Nick could go up to 2mg total for his size. So that isn't way under his current dose but still under. I HATE MEDS!!!

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Jen (mom to Nick, 6 with DS and Joey, 3)
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze119871/

Tom quotes a chart about 3/4ths of the way down into this thread:

http://www.downsyn.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=38780

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--Beth
Mom to Oliver, 5 (DS, ADHD)
and Sebastian, 4

Thanks! That agrees with what I have been told except it is more...2.5. I just spoke with docs again and we are going to give it a few weeks until our next appt (unless it gets worse, like every day or interferring with what he is doing). I have a feeling we will be trying something else!! Nothing is easy.

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Jen (mom to Nick, 6 with DS and Joey, 3)
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze119871/

After reading the above about risperdal/TD, I have read about the tics associated with this, but I wonder about rocking. Matty became a rocker about 5 wks ago, (No, not an 80's big hair type rocker). He rocks anywhere he can, maybe it's a sensory thing? He has a Psych appt this coming friday so I'll bring it up there. dose: .25 am, .15 late afternoon.

I don't know but it is worth bringing up to the docs. Let me know what they say.

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Jen (mom to Nick, 6 with DS and Joey, 3)
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze119871/

I am not much help here... Russell has had tics and grimmaces for years, well before the Risperdal. I haven't seen some increase or anything like that either.

Good luck..... I know if you aren't use to them, they can be a shock to see! We actually thought Russell had Tourette's when he was younger and NOT Autism because some similiar traits we were reading about. But he was DX'd with Autism.

A.

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Adrienne - mom to: Regan 17, Russell 12 DS, Autism, Visually Impaired, Reece 10.

DSAGSL 2009 Buddy Walk

thanks for your input...he hasn't done it like he was those 6/7 times but today he seems to be just opening his mouth and putting his chin down instead of his whole head...this is not noticible if you aren't looking for it but I don't want any permanent side effects if that is actually what we are dealing with....I feel like I'm staring at him all the time!!!!

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Jen (mom to Nick, 6 with DS and Joey, 3)
http://mysite.verizon.net/vze119871/

Matty saw the Psych today, the Dr felt the rocking is a side effect of risperdal, we weighed the benfits of risperdal vs the rocking, sicne we ask Matty to stop and he usually will for a few mins, and how the risperdal has changed his life for the better. So, we're staying with risperdal, keep the morning dose the same, and tweak the afternoon dose lower and see how it goes. Matty behaved pretty well, I was proud of him.
Katie

KatieB wrote:

Matty saw the Psych today, the Dr felt the rocking is a side effect of risperdal, we weighed the benfits of risperdal vs the rocking, sicne we ask Matty to stop and he usually will for a few mins, and how the risperdal has changed his life for the better. So, we're staying with risperdal, keep the morning dose the same, and tweak the afternoon dose lower and see how it goes. Matty behaved pretty well, I was proud of him. Katie

Hi KatieB, I know this is a very old thread but I was wondering how Matty made out being on the risperidone? The Dev ped for our son Dane is talking about putting him on it for some of his autism like behavior problems.

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Father to Dane (born Feb 2010) with DS, Soren (born Feb 2012) and Anders (born Feb 2014) both typical and husband to wife Becky.

I was wondering what happened. I noticed no one replied but the forum isn't what it was back in the old days before social media so many members left. I will say that Risperdal has been amazing for Mikey.

_________________
Tom

Dad to Beth ( 22 ) and Mikey (17 - Ds and PDD-NOS)
My Blog - Random Thinking
Find me on Facebook
Find me on Twitter as tgpaul

I was wondering what happened. I noticed no one replied but the forum isn't what it was back in the old days before social media so many members left. I will say that Risperdal has been amazing for Mikey.

_________________
Tom

Dad to Beth ( 22 ) and Mikey (17 - Ds and PDD-NOS)
My Blog - Random Thinking
Find me on Facebook
Find me on Twitter as tgpaul

No experience Tom! But I know what you mean about social media....but its not the same experience as here! Much better here!

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Linda & John
mom to Hannah Kate (Age 16 ), Robert (Aged 10 - DS)


First Communion Day

Tom, through searching and reading the archives I know what a flourishing, close knit place this was. I miss it and I wasn't even here then! Certainly I had never dreamt I would one day be here, but here I am, and it would be so much fun to have such a community now. But even though it's much much smaller now, and with much fewer people, it is still one of my favorite places on the web.

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Everything is for the best!