So i told this to my doc and he said i could switch to another AP. Some of the possible alternatives are: aripiprazole, sulpride, amisulpride.
How do they compare to risperidone? I'd like to hear some personal experiences.
I'm currently on Risperidone but have tried both Aripiprazole & Amisulpride in the past for treating my psychosis. I can't offer you too much advice on how well they will work for your symptoms, especially for something like HPPD but I can offer you some insights on what to expect.
Aripiprazole & Amisulpride are some of the least sedating APs there are. Both have some similar side effects in that they are known to cause akathisia
i.e. a feeling of inner-restlessness. With Amisulpride this manifested as me constantly tapping my foot whilst on Aripiprazole it led to me constantly shuffling in my seat & moving my legs around. Although this is a fairly common problem don't be put off as a) it might not affect you & b) there are medications to help relieve akathisia. It is also dose dependant so it's best, as always with APs, to aim for the lowest effective dose. Also bear in mind that often these problems will appear when starting medication but may get better as your body adjusts to the medication.
Also on both of them I suffered from problems with muscle rigidity. This would come in
"attacks" & would seize up muscles in my back or jaw which was both sore & very uncomfortable. I suffered through this without getting any help whilst on Amisulpride but when it happened again with Aripiprazole I was given some medication which would take care of it within 15 minutes. I don't think this is as common a side effect, in fact my p-doc was surprised it happened on Aripiprazole but it's something to look out for.
Strangely enough I got sedated on both APs despite the fact they are meant to be some of the least sedating. That in itself was very unusual & I wouldn't expect that yourself. I think I am just very sensitive to APs in that regard. It just goes to show you how they can affect individuals very differently.
I can also relate to the lack of motivation that can come alongside being treated with APs. Personally the worst for me was Amisulpride but I believe that was because I was on a very high dose. It's hard to predict what APs will do in that regard but don't suffer in silence. If it is negatively affecting you that way then tell your doc as a dose reduction or change of medication might make a significant difference.
As far as how they compare to Risperidone, they are both weight neutral so are unlikely to cause any weight gain unlike Risperidone. Amisulpride is also similar to Risperidone in that they can cause high levels of prolactin. What this means is that you can be prone to having sexual side effects as well as the risk of gynaecomastia. Personally I found on Amisulpride that I had little interest in sex & it was difficult to get an erection as well as other more embarrassing problems I won't mention here. Lastly, Risperidone is known to cause hypotension but both Amisulride & Aripiprazole tend to be neutral on that front.
Although I've never tried Sulpride I will just make the observation that is similar to Amisulpride. As such I would imagine it has a similar side effect profile although don't quote me on that.
In the end of the day, APs effect individuals quite differently in terms of both effectiveness & side effects so it's hard to second guess what your experiences with them may be. The best advice I can give is just to give one a try & see how it goes. Don't be scared to bring up side effects with your doc as often times there is something that can be done whether it's a dosage reduction, extra medication or if all else fails switching to another AP.
Let us know what you decide to take & how you get on with it... hopefully it will prove to be better for you than Risperidone.
