Oh...the week... | ADHD Information
Hang in there tmmc! I'm sending hugs your way! I'm not familiar with Risperdal but I've seen some strands about it here and the posts I've read have all been positive. You might want to check out the Medications strand...
I know it's hard to get a new diagnosis but look at it this way- It would have been there whether you actually have the diagnosis or not. So it's better to have the diagnosis and be able to treat it. ADHD is rarely the only disorder with kids. There's usually something else along with it. Lucky them! 
My son has ADHD, Sensory Processing Problems, and Anxiety. We try to treat them all and at the moment we're pretty successful. Fingers crossed!
I know how hard it is to watch your child completely out of control and not be able to do anything to help! It's a horrible feeling. And you're right, most family members just don't understand. They try but unless they have a child like this, they just can't really understand. So keep coming here! That's why we all come-to help each other! It will get better! 
My son is almost 7yo with ADHD and a developmental delay to a 2yo level. The end of the summer/start of school, he was having horrible mood swings. The doctor said maybe it was too much Concerta, and dropped it to from 36 mg to 27 mg. It was fine for a week or 2 and then not so much mood swings as a aggressive mood for awhile and then uncontrollable laughing for a long time. So Wednesday he laughed for 9 hours...crazy not able to stop laughing...he wanted to stop but couldn't, it was bad. He eventually fell asleep. I didn't give him the concerta on Thursday, no school day, so figured we'd see if it was the concerta or not...It was better back to how it was on the 36mg, but no focus.
So Friday the doctor diagnosed him with a mood disorder, and prescribed .25mg risperdal 2xday and bumped him back up to the 36mg concerta. So first Yayy for the bump back up to the 36 concerta, I never noticed that extra 9mg of focus until it was gone. But a mood disorder too now, my poor little boy! I wish there was a better way to find this all out than just waiting and then trial and error with meds.
Now for the risperdal..okay it sounds like a pretty hardcore drug, but if it helps him I'm for it because it was the worst feeling ever watching him want to stop laughing and not be able to help him. I figure it has can have bad side effects but he is at a low dose, and some of the side effects would be good...he is skinny as can be and the concerta doesn't do his appetite any favors, same for sleeping.
If you made it this far, thanks for reading. I just needed to share with someone that would understand, family and friends...well you know
they try, can't really ask for more from them. Hopefully this works and he can be a happy 6 or 2 yo boy. tmmc40089.6021759259Did he try switching a different med before diagnosing a mood disorder? So that issues with the medication could be eliminated?JessicaN I wanted to ask the same thing. Is the only reason he is on concerta for focus or were there other issues? If he was better when you didn't give it to him for a day then isn't it possible the Concerta is causing his issues?tmmc, if your child was also diagnosed with a mood disorder, the mood disorder needs to be put under control first before ADHD meds are given. If this isnt done then ADHD meds can exacerbate the symptoms of a mood disorder. If we are talking about bipolar disorder which is a mood disorder, ADHD meds could send the child into a mania which could account for the uncontrollable laughing. How is your son doing and is the prescribing doctor a specialist? OMG, my son has had these laughing fits. Not 9 hours, but an hour or two anyway. His diagnosis is ADHD, anxiety and depression. He takes Concerta 45 mg/Prozac 10 mg.
The laughing fits happened when we tried taking him off the Prozac for a trial period of a few weeks. He couldn't stop and it would happen while eating and nearly choke him. Freaked me right out.
Back on Prozac I haven't seen it again.
I wish there was a single answer.