Risperdal, a widely used antipsychotic drug, has been linked to causing thousands of boys and young men to develop male breasts.

In some cases, excess breast tissue goes away on its own. But in other cases, many young men have found themselves with large, female-like breasts that will not go away.

This Risperdal gynecomastia side effect can be extremely humiliating for young men, especially since the breast tissue can grow, in some instances, to D-cup breasts. Many young men affected by Risperdal gynecomastia undergo male breast reduction surgery in order to get rid of the Risperdal gynecomastia side effects.

Risperdal (risperidone) is an antipsychotic developed and sold by Johnson & Johnson. Risperdal was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of a variety of mental and mood disorders, from schizophrenia to bipolar mania to autism.

Atypical antipsychotic medications such as Risperdal work by helping patients think more clearly, restoring the balance of various chemicals in the brain.

Risperdal Side Effects

Any medication comes with side effects, and the same holds true for Risperdal. Many of its side effects are mild, including the following:

• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Anxiety
• Nausea
• Skin Rashes
• Involuntary motion

These kinds of side effects are normal for medicines like Risperdal, and the labels warn patients about these relatively minor risks.

While Risperdal gynecomastia is not life-threatening or even what most might call dangerous, it is a serious and difficult to treat side effect that can dramatically impact a person’s life.

While Risperdal gynecomastia most often affects both breasts, the condition can in some cases affect just one. Even when both breasts are affected by gynecomastia, each can be affected at a different rate and by different amounts. For instance, one breast can grow to be visibly larger than the other.

For a condition that already places a great deal of social stigma on a patient for having “man boobs,” this possibility makes that stigma even worse. For some men who have been affected by Risperdal gynecomastia, males actually produce breast milk.

The treatment of gynecomastia varies, depending on the patient. Usually, for children and teenagers, the condition will go away on its own without treatment. For those who developed gynecomastia because of a medicine or disease, the condition can usually be treated by stopping the medicine.

Unfortunately, some gynecomastia patients are not able to treat the condition with more simple measures. Breast growth from Risperdal gynecomastia can become such an issue in a young man’s daily life that he may opt for surgery for excess tissue removal.

Risperdal Gynecomastia Lawsuits

Hundreds of boys and young men who have suffered from Risperdal side effects have filed Risperdal gynecomastia lawsuits against Johnson & Johnson. These lawsuits claim that that Johnson & Johnson failed to adequately warn patients about the potential side effects of the drug.

If you or someone you know has developed male breasts due to taking Risperdal, you may be able to file a Risperdal gynecomastia lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson for failing to adequately warn about the potential Risperdal side effects.