The Risperdal long term side effects reported by patients range from man boobs to movement disorders, which have resulted in manufacturer Johnson & Johnson facing major legal action.

At the center of the Risperdal long term side effects is gynecomastia, or male breast growth, from primarily younger male patients. These patients allege they developed these Risperdal long term side effects soon after being prescribed the medication to treat their psychiatric conditions.

Risperdal was approved by the FDA in 1993 to be an atypical psychotic treatment medication for adults suffering from extreme mental disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. A little over a decade later in the mid 2000s, Risperdal was approved to treat children with similar conditions along with certain forms of autism.

Overview of Risperdal Long Term Side Effects

Risperdal works by balancing the serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain to obtain ideal mood stabilization. With dopamine being the brain chemical responsible for pleasure and rewards, Risperdal quickly became a popular choice for patients who wanted an antipsychotic that did not effect the entire brain.

However, this treatment mechanism has allegedly been inducing the Risperdal long term side effects indicated in injury reports, with the drug primarily interacting with the pituitary gland. Gynecomastia occurs due to a severe overproduction of prolactin in young males, which is the hormone primarily responsible for breast development in young girls.

Prolactin is produced in the pituitary gland, which is significantly increased due to its interactions with Risperdal. Patients taking Risperdal may also experience severe weight gain and type-2 diabetes due to the changes in blood sugar levels.

The risk of gynecomastia in conjunction with Risperdal long term side effects is especially prevalent in young boys, as they may be more susceptible hormonal changes near puberty. In addition to the drastic physical body alterations, Risperdal long term side effects may induce movement disorders in patients.

Patients who develop gynecomastia often have to contend with intense emotional trauma from stigma and bullying, and will most likely have to undergo surgery to remove the excess breast tissue. Gynecomastia complications young patients often experience include nipple pain, nipple discharge, breast tenderness, and uneven breast sizes.

Young male patients or their loved ones have opted to file legal action against Johnson & Johnson for allegedly failing to warn them against Risperdal long term side effects. Even though Risperdal was eventually approved to treat children, Johnson & Johnson allegedly marketed the drug for pediatric use before being officially approved to do so by the FDA.

Johnson & Johnson allegedly conducted this marketing campaign after seeing the rates of off label prescriptions being written by doctors to treat children. While it is not illegal for doctors to prescribe medications for off label purposes, it is illegal for manufacturers to market the drug for this purpose.

Johnson & Johnson allegedly downplayed the Risperdal long term side effects to protect the drug’s market value.

Patients who may have experienced Risperdal long term side effects may be able to file legal action and should contact a specialized lawyer to determine eligibility.