Re: risperdal taper

[Guest guest]

>

> >

> > Took step son to see the shrink today regarding taper of

Risperdal which

> > he agrees is a nasty drug. This psychiatrist is his new doctor,

not the

> > one who placed him on this drug (just an fyi). We plan to begin

the

> > taper as soon as school lets out end of the month. He is 10 years

> > old........height is 5'3 " and his weight is 118. (yes I said

10!!!!)

> > He currently takes .5 mg in the morning, .5 mgs at lunch, and 1

mg at

> > night. The doctor wanted us to just have him take the night

dosage and

> > come back and see him two weeks later. I think that is too big

of a

> > cut......50%. Any suggestions? Maybe cut the .5 mg day time

dosages

> > down to 1/2 of that........so .25 twice a day and then the 1 mg

at night

> > until he stablizes out on that? He is taking 2 tablespoons of the

> > Carlson's Fish oils and 2 tablespoons per day of the kids toddy.>>

>

> Hi, I have been visiting here for 3 months and never posted. I was

just a reader. I weaned off Risperdal a month ago. I went very

slowly. I went alittle bit at a time. I think the amount I cut off

the pill and took was about 1/4. I found that the amount my doctor

told me take was too much of a jump. He was suggesting half of .5.

Forget it! I was in bed the whole weekend. I took that little

percentage for about a week, Then attemped to take off even more,Like

10% or 1/4 more off which would proably add up to about 25%. I did

have cold sweats and I was very tired, But I made it!If your Son

seems to be suffering pretty bad with withdrawls,Then maybe too much

was cut off and you need to start with even a smaller cut. I do think

returning everyday to this group helped me realize I wasen't alone. I

thank God for it!

> ** You're looking at a 25% cut. This is still too large. He'll

go

> through hell with this. Begin with a 10% cut. This would be best

> taken from the night time dose as it is the largest dose and he

> doesn't have to be doing anything. You can see how he responds to

> couple of 10% reductions before reducing daytime doses or increasing

> decreases.

>

>

> Something to be mindful of is that there is often a lag time for

> children between the time you reduce the drug and their bodies begin

> reacting to the reduction. This leads many to believe this is the

> 'illness'.

>

> C