Risperdal | ADHD Information

My son's doctor just prescribed risperdal m-tabs .5 mg twice a day.  He is starting kindergarten Monday and have only been on Clonodine at night for the past year.  We have tried Adderall XR with negative results and he still needs something we just will not go back to Adderall or the others.  Anyone know any info on Risperdal, its side effects and the doage he was prescribed?  I am very leary of any medication and this one kind of scares me.  I don't have any experience with risperdal in my child but I myself take it.  I used to take 2mg a night, I started on .25mg and worked my way up.  A while back I went back down to 1mg a night and don't see any difference between that and the 2mg.  I have zero side effects from it.  My dr. prescribed it for me to slow my mind down at night because all the thoughts that raced through my mind constantly kept me awake, and it actually occurred during the day.  It has stopped all of that.  I'm not sure if that info is any help to you or not, but if you have any other questions I can try to answer them, I've been on the risperdal a pretty good while now, like a year or two.  Good luck.My 16 yr old started taking risperidal 1mg at night to help with anxiety and mood stabilization.  I think it helps him quite a bit and he hasn't had any side affects.

Risperdal is an Antipsychotic,used to treat Bi Polar disorder and schizophrenia. It is also used as a 3rd line med for ADHD.

 

http://www.drugs.com/risperdal.html

You know something that has always bugged me about me being on risperdal.  I know for a fact I am not "psychotic".  I was put on it for the symptom I listed above.  Now bi polar does run in my family but I have only shown the depression side of that.  I just hate that label.  Risperdal has an effect on dopamine, and is as edbson said, used as a 3rd line med for ADHD (much like clonidine and guanfacine). My youngest is currenly on risperdal because of recurring aniety that occurs with school social interactions. She takes 1mg am and 1mg pm and worked up to that dose over a couple month time period by increments of 0.25mg. We have seen no side effects. She is skinny so the potential side effect of weight gain would be welcome.