Medication to counteract sedative effects of antipsychotics?

Hi there!

For all of you on antipsychotics, do you take anything to counteract their sedative effects? I'm on 1.5 mg of risperidone, and although it's better than quetiapine since I can actually wake up, I'm having a hard time staying awake, I mean, I am awake but my brain seems to be asleep. I'm currently taking 200-300 mg of modafinil every morning plus around 3 cups of coffee a day, but still I feel foggy and like I'm saying is my brain that's asleep not my body, unlike clonazepam that seems to relax your whole body and at least I don't feel so foggy. I remember some time ago I was on 3 mg of risperidone and I took modafinil but it seemed to work, not anymore, it wakes me up but not enough and I hate this numbness. I want to quit antipsychotics all together but I'm afraid if I do it may trigger something. How do you deal with sedation, are there any other medications that can help you waking up so I may suggest them to my doctor? Or is there an antipsychotic out there that does not cause so much sedation? I really can't stand this numbness, I want my brain to be active!

Thanks

Any advice? I'm seeing my psychiatrist tomorrow...

These are really the best questions to ask your doctor. I am not sure about medications to counteract sedative effects. I have heard that some people have found ADHD medications helpful though these would all be questions to speak to your doctor about. In my experience, I've just had to make a change to a different medication.

Hey!

I'm just back from my psychiatrist and instead of giving me an stimulant he lowered down my dose of risperidone from 1.5 to 0.5 mg since he saw I was doing very well with my mood so that could be done. Lithium and Lamotrigine stay the same because they don't sedate me and have been really impotant in keeping a stable mood.

Thanks for the update L0rena. I hope that things go well with the lower doses of risperdal!

Glad that your Dr acted on this - hope the med change helps

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CrackedGirl wrote:Glad that your Dr acted on this - hope the med change helps

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Thanks Cracked! I just wanted to say I love your avatars!

Thank you very much I spend far too much time searching for them lol

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