Is it safe to take Risperidone for hallucination for a long time?

Question

Hi doctor,

My brother had five to six episodes of hallucinations, and he takes Risperidone 2 mg for one year. Is it safe to take this medicine for such a long time? Can psychosis come back after stopping the medication? What are the side effects?

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Antipsychotics are usually required for long-term. But if the person is suffering from acute and transient psychotic disorders, then these drugs are used for three months to one year depending upon the situation. After completing the drug treatment, relapse of psychosis can also occur. Risperidone is generally a safe drug, but it also has side effects. It requires blood sugar, and lipid profile monitoring. As on long term, it can cause metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome causes an increase in blood sugar, blood pressure, and deranged lipid metabolism. So regular monitoring is required. I hope this helps. Thank you.