Has anyone switched from Abilify to Risperdal (Risperidone) ?

[DonPepe]

There is anecdotal evidence of people making seemingly miraculous recoveries from the drug Risperidone at low dose 0.25 - 0.5mg.

Has anybody successfully moved onto Risperidone after Abilify poop out?

 

[DonPepe]

From Reddit

I went on LDN 0.13mg and Risperidone 1.5mg at a similar time and got 90% recovered after about 3 months from being ill for 7 years and completely bedridden for over a year. Whenever I have tried to come off either medication I crash again. It could be working symbiotically, or perhaps they do nothing and just any change of brain chemistry causes a crash.
Side effects, it made me sleepy (my CFS wasn't sleepiness, rather muscle weakness and cognitive impairment), so I take Pristiq to counter the sleepiness. I've always been suicidally depressed, however, it has made me exponentially worse mentally, terrible apathy, anhedonia. As well as night sweats and weight gain so I starve myself on 1000 calories a day (down from 4000) to stay under 18% bf.

 

[Dude]

I benefited greatly from Abilify for a while and later tried low-dose Risperidone. It made me so extremely tired that I could hardly work. It had no effect on my other symptoms. After just a few days, I had to stop taking it, and the fatigue disappeared immediately. I believe it works in the exact opposite way to Abilify; while Abilify modulates dopamine, Risperidone blocks dopamine. This might explain its effect on me.

 

[DonPepe]

nonol
Posts : 4
Posted 5/14/2009 10:18 PM (GMT -8)

Hello,

Has somebody tried Risperdal at low dose ?
I take it and recovered nearly complety from idiopathic fatigue thanks to Risperdal.
My case is not unique and it works against the fatigue in fibromyalgia.
I specify that although I take an antipsychotic drug, I was never diagnosed as depression or psychosis.
Rgds

nonol
Posts : 4
Posted 3/5/2010 5:49 AM (GMT -8)

Hi everyone,

Nearly one year after I have posted this sujet I come back to you.
I confirm that this treatment works very well, without any side effect.
I am quite surprised nobody replied on this subject... nobody is interested ? nobody tried it ?
Did somebody talked about it with his doctor ?
Feel free to discuss or ask question if you need to know more.
Regards

 

[DonPepe]

I benefited greatly from Abilify for a while and later tried low-dose Risperidone. It made me so extremely tired that I could hardly work. It had no effect on my other symptoms. After just a few days, I had to stop taking it, and the fatigue disappeared immediately. I believe it works in the exact opposite way to Abilify; while Abilify modulates dopamine, Risperidone blocks dopamine. This might explain its effect on me.

I know you mentioned low dose but as a matter of interest precisely what dose?

I’m taking 0.5mg Abilify and 25 mg Amisulpride at the moment. Abilify has worked on two or three occasions for me until poop out.

 

[Hip]

Risperidone 0.25 to 0.5 mg daily is one of Dr Jay Goldstein's top 23 ME/CFS treatments.

I tried this drug, but unfortunately it increased my anhedonia, and decreased my enthusiasm for doing things. And I did not notice any benefits for ME/CFS. But it may work for other ME/CFS patients.


Note that risperidone inhibits mitochondrial complex I. So if taking it, it might be worth experimenting with a complex I booster supplement such as pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ).

 

[DonPepe]

Risperidone 0.25 to 0.5 mg daily is one of Dr Jay Goldstein's top 23 ME/CFS treatments.

I tried this drug, but unfortunately it increased my anhedonia, and decreased my enthusiasm for doing things. And I did not notice any benefits for ME/CFS. But it may work for other ME/CFS patients.


Note that risperidone inhibits mitochondrial complex I. So if taking it, it might be worth experimenting with a complex I booster supplement such as pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ).

Thanks for the advice. Did abilify work for you Hip?

 

[Hip]

Thanks for the advice. Did abilify work for you Hip?

Low dose abilify I found quite overstimulating for some reason, so I stopped it after a week. I never really gave it long enough to see if it might have benefit for ME/CFS. I am going to try it again at some point; but the overstimulation sensation is not that nice. Possibly the overstimulation might have arisen because I was also taking the MAO-A inhibitor antidepressant moclobemide at the same time.

I have taken low dose amisulpride for over decade (see this thread), and find some benefits for the sound sensitivity and irritability symptoms of ME/CFS from this, but no major benefits.

 

[DonPepe]

Low dose abilify I found quite overstimulating for some reason, so I stopped it after a week. I never really gave it long enough to see if it might have benefit for ME/CFS. I am going to try it again at some point; but the overstimulation sensation is not that nice. Possibly the overstimulation might have arisen because I was also taking the MAO-A inhibitor antidepressant moclobemide at the same time.

I have taken low dose amisulpride for over decade (see this thread), and find some benefits for the sound sensitivity and irritability symptoms of ME/CFS from this, but no major benefits.

Yes Hip

I’ve been regularly following you for 4 or 5 years. In your experience have you found anything that helps you over the last 10 years. In order of most effective first?

 

[Hip]

In order of most effective first?

My profile page details things that helped me. For treatments that have helped ME/CFS patients in general, see the first post in this thread.

 

[jasperZA]

I know you mentioned low dose but as a matter of interest precisely what dose?

I’m taking 0.5mg Abilify and 25 mg Amisulpride at the moment. Abilify has worked on two or three occasions for me until poop out.

So you managed to reverse your abilify tolerance with amisulpride?

 

[DonPepe]

So you managed to reverse your abilify tolerance with amisulpride?

Im not sure if it’s working yet. I’m now in 1.mg Abilify and 40 Amisulpride. I feel an improvement in mood and I think it’s the Amisulpride. I will gradually increase the Abilify toward 2mg. Abilify has worked for be three times before so keeping my fingers crossed.

Valcyte is in the post. I’m planning a protocol of very high dose supplements, Abilify, Amisulpride, Lorazepam every 48 hours, plus Valcyte ( Valtrex did nothing ). It’s my last throw of the dice. If no improvement after 6 months I will probably be looking at Dignitas. The only problem is I probably won’t have money to pay them having spent it all on supplements and medication. You’ve got to laugh.