Hey, I have a question if you wouldn’t mind my asking. I’ve just been diagnosed with PMD (psychotic depression) and was told I’d be given an antipsychotic for it. I’ve read a lot about bad side affects with antipsychotics, and I’m quite concerned about having them. I was wondering, have you ever had any bad side effects from your medications? I’m sorry if it’s a bit personal. Thank you!
Hi anon! Of course I don’t mind, I’m here for a reason! I’ve been on Risperdal and Seroquel, Seroquel is what I’m on now. I haven’t had any serious side effects with the Seroquel, but I did with the Risperdal. Most of the serious side effects you see advertised are quite rare, but they do happen. With the Risperdal I experienced frequent urination (like I was literally having to get up to pee 6+ times a night), I started sleeping on the couch so I wouldnt have to go up and down the stairs that many times. I also experienced breast growth. This is one of the more rare ones, It was really unfortunate since I already had relatively large breasts, and I’m a trans man with no desire to have any breasts at all. Unfortunately breast growth from psych meds is usually permanent, even if you do stop taking it. Some people who experience this side effect also experience lactation, this includes cis men and trans women also. I was lucky to have only gotten half of that situation lol… This is rare though, I wouldn’t worry about that one too much. The frequent urination went away when I stopped taking the Risperdal and started taking Seroquel. I know the vast spectrum of side effects can be scary, but my recommendation would be to try it. The serious ones are rare, and the mild ones are usually worth it if you really need the medication to do well mentally. But ultimately the pros and cons and risk factors are up to you to weigh. I hope things work out for you alright, let me know if you have any further questions :)Oh EDIT: I wanted to add, there’s a LOT of different kinds of antipsychotics, and if one doesn’t work for you or if one has more side effects than you’d like, there’s always the option of trying something else (assuming your doc is on the same page). If you do end up in one of those “finding the right one” cycles, try not to get discouraged, I’ve been there. It takes awhile to find one that works well and doesn’t cause more problems sometimes, but it’s worth it in the end when you finally find that one (or more if needed).
