Posted by mard on December 27, 2001, at 20:50:49
92 year old mother began Risperdol in May. Always was an anxious person; began having hallucinations a few months after her husband whom she'd been dependant on had a stroke and was in a nursing home. Was on Klonopin 4x day for approx a year, which calmed her after each dose, as well as Vasotec & glaucoma drops. In May also discontinued Neurontin, prescribed for roaring noises at night. She entered the nursing home a month after beginning Risperdol, was essentially cold-turkeyed off of Klonopin, then Ativan added & vasotec & glaucoma drugs were changed to generic, except Risperdol kept the same. Added another med for "agitated depression". She experienced horrible reactions to the changes, but recently stabilized somewhat. Then Sept or Oct her eyes stopped focusing, vision drifted, and she began heavy jaw tremors and drowsiness. Doctor recently dropped half of the Risperdol and within a week her eyes are in focus, jaw tremor lessened, and now she talks and jokes with us --dementia much less. Drwsiness and jaw tremors are beginning to build up again, but she still is usually in real time. Is this a common Risperdol reaction with elderly? We saw no psychotic withdrawal to Risperdol cut in half. I'm convinced much of her dementia is medicine induced, and this experience supports this. I'm asking the dr. to consider dropping the rest of the Risperdol. Any other suggestions?
poster:mard
thread:87991
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011222/msgs/87991.html