Seroquel, and Risperdal

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This information was compiled from links off WebMD and

Medications4Dumbbells.com. Side effect definitions came from Dictionary.com.

Seroquel, (Quetiapine), and Risperdal® ((Risperidone) Belivon®, Rispen®), are of

the class of atypical antipsychotics. The atypical antipsychotics (also known as

second generation antipsychotics) are a class of prescription medications used

to treat psychiatric conditions.

All atypical antipsychotics are FDA approved for use in the treatment of

schizophrenia. Some carry FDA approved indications for acute mania, bipolar

mania, psychotic agitation, bipolar maintenance, and other indications.

Risperdal has approvals for the treatment of delusional psychosis (including

schizophrenia), some forms of bipolar disorder and psychotic depression.

Risperdal is increasingly useful in Tourette syndrome, Autism, Asperger's, as

well as other Pervasive Development Disorders.

Common side effects of Risperdal include nausea, anxiety, dizziness, insomnia,

low blood pressure, muscle stiffness, muscle pain, sedation, tremors, increased

salivation and weight gain (it is not uncommon for patients taking risperidone

over long periods to gain upwards of 50 pounds or even more). It has also been

known to cause sexual dysfunction, and occasionally lactation in both genders,

through effects on hormones such as estrogen and prolactin. For some personal

reports of the effects of using risperidone for autism or Asperger's syndrome -

occasionally beneficial especially at very low doses such as 0.5mg per day, but

sometimes severely distressing even at low doses.

Seroquel has approvals for the treatment of schizophrenia and acute mania in

bipolar disorder (Anti-Manic). It is used " off-label " to treat other disorders,

such as post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, anxiety

disorders, and as a sedative for those with sleep disorders.

Side effects of Seroquel: The most common side effect is sedation. Seroquel will

put the patient into a drowsy state, and will help the patient fall asleep. Even

though official guidelines call for the quetiapine dosage to be divided

throughout the day, many prescriptions call for the entire dose to be taken

before bedtime because of its sedative effects. Although quetiapine is approved

by the FDA for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, it is

frequently prescribed for " off-label " purposes including insomnia or the

treatment of anxiety disorders. Presumably because of its sedative properties,

reports of quetiapine abuse (sometimes by snorting crushed tablets intranasally)

have emerged in the medical literature. Other common side effects include:

agitation, memory problems, and upset stomach.

All antipsychotics, can also potentially cause other rare side effects such as

tardive dyskinesia {TD is characterised by involuntary repetitive movements;

involuntary meaning uncontrollable by free will or conscious effort. These

movements can be either smooth or jerky. The movements stop during sleep or

momentarily whilst making specific and conscious movements.}, Extrapyramidal

Symptoms {EPS is essentially the same as TD}, and Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome

{(NMS) is a life-threatening, neurological disorder most often characterized by

Fever, Encephalopathy, Unstable Vitals, Elevated CPK enzymes, Rigidity of

muscles}, although the risk is generally less than for the older typical

antipsychotics.

For me, Bi-Polar is a co-morbid of Asperber's, and most of my symptoms respond

well to the meds I use there. There seems to be a link, in some cases, between

Asperger's and Bi-Polar because of a deficiency of the Valproic Acid base

chemical.

Dave

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