Risperdal gynecomastia treatment may require surgery to correct adverse side effects even after the patient has stopped taking the medication.

Gynecomastia, also known as “man-boobs,” is a potential side effect of taking Risperdal, generically known as risperidone, for pre-pubescent boys or even grown men.

Risperdal, an antipsychotic, is used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and the irritability associated with certain types of autism spectrum disorders.  Invega, another antipsychotic used to treat similar symptoms, shares similar adverse side effects to Risperdal.

Risperdal was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2006 for use in children. Critics say this approval came without a full understanding of the side effects that could occur when used in young people.

The development of breasts in boys is a socially humiliating and psychologically devastating adverse effect that has led to several lawsuits against the manufacturers and promoters of Risperdal, Johnson and Johnson Inc. and Janssen Pharmaceuticals.

The Chemical Reason Behind Gynecomastia

Risperdal gynecomastia treatment often requires that the patient switch to another medication to support the mental health issues for which Risperdal was prescribed in the first place. Patients should not stop taking a medication without first consulting their medical provider.

Researchers believe the reason Risperdal gynecomastia treatment may require a patient to switch medications is due to how the medication functions.  Risperdal blocks the work of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain, including in the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland generates human hormones that regulate and control many body processes.

By blocking dopamine’s effects, Risperdal may stimulate the pituitary gland to produce more of a hormone called prolactin. Prolactin starts breast tissue growing in pre-pubescent girls, and in pregnant women it starts the process of milk production.

Unfortunately for male patients taking Risperdal, breast and milk production has occurred in boys as young as 4 years old.

The uneven manner in which gynecomastia can develop makes it difficult to hide for a male approaching adolescence. Sufferers have been known to grow breast tissue unilaterally or even to extreme proportions.

Risperdal adverse side effects may also include nipple enlargement, tenderness, or discharge. These side effects along with the young age of the patient can make the mental devastation from the disorder last for a long time.

Risperdal Gynecomastia Treatment with Surgery

Risperdal gynecomastia treatment may require surgical intervention once the medication has been switched out. Gynecomastia can cause a permanent change in the tissue rather than just an increase in adipose or fatty tissue deposits.

Some cases will require mastectomy or breast reduction surgery. If not a lot of actual breast tissue has developed, liposuction might help curtail the condition.

A History of Legal Trouble for the Manufacturers

In March 2015, a Philadelphia jury awarded a young man with autism, prescribed Risperdal for a five-year period as a child, $2.5 million in damages at the expense of Johnson and Johnson, Inc. Two years earlier, in 2013, the pharmaceutical giant paid $2.2 billion in penalties to settle a prosecution brought by the U.S. Justice Department (DOJ). The DOJ alleged among other things that the company targeted and promoted Risperdal to children, elderly, and adults with developmental disabilities.