What is this medication for?

Risperidone belongs to a class of medications known as atypical (second-generation) antipsychotic. It is used to treat and prevent the return of symptoms in Schizophrenia and other mental health related conditions such as:

• Hearing, seeing or sensing things that are not real
  

• Having mistaken beliefs

• Being overly suspicious

• Uncontrolled anger

It can also be used to treat symptoms in bipolar disorder such as:

• Overly excited mood

• Feeling irritable

• Increased activity and energy

• Low mood

Risperidone may be used for other conditions. Check with your healthcare professional if you are unsure why you are given this medication.

How should I take/use this medication?

For Risperidone tablet:

• Follow the instructions on your medication label and take this medication as prescribed by your doctor.

• This medication should be taken with or without food.

• This medication needs to be taken regularly for a few weeks before you feel its full benefits. You should not stop taking this medication even if you do not feel better at the beginning. Continue to take this medication even after you feel better to prevent your symptoms from returning.

• Do check with your doctor on how long you will have to be on this medication.

• Do not stop taking your medication without checking with your healthcare professional.

For Risperidone oral solution:

• Measure the dose carefully with the pipette (measuring tube) provided

• You may mix the dose of oral solution with a small glass of water, coffee, orange juice or low-fat milk. Do not mix with tea, cola or alcoholic drinks.

For Risperidone depot injection:

• It is injected into your upper arm or buttocks.

What should I do if I forget to take/use this medication?

For Risperidone tablet/oral solution:

If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose. Then take the next dose at your usual timing. Do not take two doses to make up for the missed dose.

For Risperidone depot injection:

Please call up your doctor to arrange for an appointment visit.

What precautions should I take?

Inform your healthcare professional if:

• You are allergic to this medication or any of the other ingredients of this medication

• You are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. If you are pregnant and/or breastfeeding, your doctor would have discussed the potential benefits and side effects with you and should you have further questions or concerns, do consult your doctor.

• You are taking any other medications including over-the-counter medications, supplements, traditional Chinese medicine and herbal remedies. Some of them may affect how this medication works or cause serious drug interactions.

• You have diabetes. Risperidone may sometimes worsen blood sugar control in diabetes. Maintain regular check-ups with your doctor.

• You have or have ever had:

  • Other drug allergies

  • Medical conditions such as:

    • Kidney or liver disease, breast cancer, irregular heartbeat or other heart problems, stroke

    • High or low blood pressure, high cholesterol/ fats in the blood, seizures (fits), Alzheimer’s disease (a type of dementia), Parkinson’s disease

What are some common side-effects of this medication?

The mentioned side effects generally affect up to 10% of patients.

• Difficulty sleeping

  • Discuss with your doctor if you can take this medication at a different time of the day.
  • Avoid daytime naps, listen to relaxing music at bedtime.
  • Avoid overeating or drinking before bedtime
  • Limit caffeine intake at least 8 hours before bedtime

• Feeling tired or drowsy
• Discuss with your doctor if you can take this medication at a different time of the day.
• Avoid driving, or engaging in activities requiring concentration

• Nausea or vomiting
• Take the medication with or after food
• Take small but frequent meals and avoid fatty or spicy food

• Constipation
• Drink more water (if not on fluid-restricted diet), eat more high-fiber foods, and exercise regularly
• Speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you need a medication to help with your constipation

• Light-headedness (especially during sudden change in posture)
• Get up slowly from a sitting or lying down position

• Increase in appetite, weight gain
• Observe healthy dietary habits and exercise regularly

• Dry mouth
• Chew sugar-free gum, suck on sugar-free hard candies or ice chips, sip water regularly

• Increased prolactin hormone in the body (hyperprolactinemia):

  • This may result in changes in menstrual cycle in females (irregular or stopping of menstrual periods) and/or abnormal breast swelling, soreness or secretion (in both men and women)

  • Speak with your doctor for further management

• Involuntary shaking of limbs (tremors) and/or restlessness or need to keep moving constantly (akathisia)
• Speak to your doctor if it affects your daily life
  

• Headache, feeling anxious, stuffy or runny nose
• Speak to the doctor if any of these become bothersome
  

• Mild pain, itchiness, redness or swelling at the injection site (For Risperidone injection only)
• Speak to the doctor if any of these become bothersome

Most of the side effects listed here will improve with time. Speak to your doctor if they persist, get worse or are affecting your daily life.

What are some rare but serious side-effects that I need to seek medical advice immediately?

The symptoms of a drug allergy include one or more of the following:

• Swollen face/eyes/lips/tongue

• Difficulty in breathing

• Itchy skin rashes over your whole body

Rarely this medication may cause:

• Seizures (fits)

• Confusion, high fever, severe muscle stiffness, irregular blood pressure (signs and symptoms of neuroleptic malignant syndrome)

• Muscle stiffness and spasms (such as in the face, neck and back, difficulty in speaking or swallowing, twitching, or upward rolling of eyes (dystonia)
  

• Uncontrollable movements (such as in the face, tongue, jaw or other parts of the body) (tardive dyskinesia)
  

• Blurred vision
  

• Difficulty controlling or passing urine (urinary incontinence or retention)
  

• Sudden weakness or numbness in the face, arms or legs, and speech or vision problems
  

• Fast or irregular heartbeat, fainting episodes (signs and symptoms of an abnormal heart beating rhythm (prolonged QTc interval))
  

• Fever, sore throat and/or mouth ulcers that do not go away (symptoms of blood dyscrasias)
  

• Severe chest pain, difficulty breathing, or severe pain or swelling in either of the legs (symptoms of venous thromboembolism)
  

• Excessive hunger, unusual increase in thirst or passing large amount of urine (symptoms of high blood sugar)

If you experience any of these side effects, you should stop your medication and inform your healthcare professional immediately.

Please also take note that the above listed side effects are not exhaustive. If you have any concerns about your medication or if you have other side effects that you think are caused by this medication, please consult your doctor or pharmacist.

What food or medication should I avoid when I take this medication?

Avoid drinking alcohol while taking Risperidone as it can cause excessive drowsiness.

How should I store this medication?

Store in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight. Keep this medication away from children.

How should I throw away this medication safely?

Pack this medication into a black trash bag and seal it tightly before throwing into the rubbish chute or bin.

Disclaimers

If you take more than the recommended dose, please seek medical advice immediately. The information provided on this page does not replace information from your healthcare professional. Please consult your healthcare professional for more information.

This article is jointly developed by members of the National Medication Information workgroup. The workgroup consists of cluster partners (National Healthcare Group, National University Health System and SingHealth), community pharmacies (Guardian, Unity and Watsons) and Pharmaceutical Society of Singapore. The content does not reflect drug availability and supply information in pharmacies and healthcare institutions. You are advised to check with the respective institutions for such information.

Last updated on June 2021