For boys and young men taking the popular antipsychotic medication, Risperdal long term side effects may be more severe than indicated.

A growing number of patients and their families are reporting Risperdal long term side effects, including gynecomastia, a condition marked by abnormal male breast growth. In response to these Risperdal long term side effects, some patients and families have chosen to file a Risperdal lawsuit.

Background of Risperdal

Risperdal (also known by its generic name, risperidone) is a widely used antipsychotic also marketed as Risperidone and Invega. Risperdal has been around for some time, and was first approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration back in 1993 as a treatment for schizophrenia. In the years since that initial approval, Risperdal has also been approved for the treatment of bipolar mania, obsessive compulsive disorder, and certain symptoms of autism. Risperdal is now one of the most popular antipsychotics available.

Risperdal is known as an atypical antipsychotic, which work to treat conditions by helping to restore the balance of various natural substances in the brain. While Risperdal was initially not approved for use in children, it is now.

Despite the undeniable popularity of Risperdal, many who have used the drug have begun filing lawsuits, alleging that it can cause serious complications. Most of these lawsuits cite gynecomastia, a condition that causes abnormal breast growth in males.

Risperdal Long Term Side Effects

Any medication will come with certain minor side effects, and Risperdal is no exception. Mild side effects of Risperdal include involuntary motion, dizziness, fatigue, anxiety, nausea, and skin rashes, all of which mild enough that they should go away on their own without further treatment.

Unfortunately, there are Risperdal long term side effects as well, and these may be more common and more significant than patients have been led to believe. Risperdal long term side effects include, most prominently, a condition known as gynecomastia.

At its most basic, gynecomastia is the abnormal growth of male breast tissue. Hundreds of boys and young men who have been prescribed Risperdal to treat their mental and mood disorders have developed male breast growth as a side effect of the medication. In some cases, boys had gained such excessive breast tissue that the breasts grew to be the size of “D” cups. Breast growth from Risperdal became such an issue in the daily lives of some of these young men that they ended up undergoing surgery to remove excess tissue.

Filing a Risperdal Long Term Side Effects Lawsuit

For some patients, treatment for gynecomastia can be as simple as stopping their intake of Risperdal, allowing the side effects to recede. However, in other cases, the condition will not go away on its own. For some, Risperdal long term side effects have forced boys and young men to undergo tissue removal surgery.

Hundreds of families have filed lawsuits against the drug’s manufacturer, alleging that patients have been affected by these serious Risperdal long term side effects. These lawsuits allege that the company failed to adequately warn the public and the medical community about the risk of Risperdal long term side effects like gynecomastia linked with their antipsychotic medication.

If you or someone you love has experienced Risperdal long term side effects such as gynecomastia, you may be able to file a Risperdal lawsuit. While filing a lawsuit cannot undo the effects of gynecomastia, it can help to alleviate the financial burden caused by medical expenses.