Invega, an antipsychotic medication commonly used to treat schizophrenia and other disorders, has been linked with major Invega side effects including gynecomastia.

Invega (generic name paliperidone) is also marketed as Risperidone and Risperdal, and is prescribed to adults and adolescents over the age of 12.

Atypical antipsychotics like Invega work to help restore the balance of certain natural substances in the brain. Invega was introduced to the market after approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2006.

An increasing number of Invega side effects lawsuits have been filed in recent years, alleging that Janssen Pharmaceuticals failed to adequately warn the public and the medical community about their drug’s serious Invega side effects.

Invega Side Effects

Lawsuits targeting Janssen Pharmaceuticals may include a number of Invega side effects, including gynecomastia (or male breast growth), painful breasts, nipple pain, diabetes, and movement disorders.

Gynecomastia is a more common side effect in adolescent males taking Invega than it is in adults. The nature of gynecomastia symptoms is often embarrassing for young men, and can cause severe mental trauma.

Gynecomastia is not caused by excess fat, as many people may assume, but is instead excessive and unusual breast tissue growth. Gynecomastia is most often attributed to an imbalance of the body’s hormones, such as increased levels of prolactin.

As Invega works to stabilize various mental conditions, it also increases the amount of prolactin in a person’s body, according to research. Prolactin is a hormone that stimulates breast growth in women. Young men whose prolactin levels increase drastically may develop gynecomastia.

Prolactin is a product of the body’s pituitary gland, and is controlled by dopamine. Invega works to block dopamine receptors, which ends up increasing prolactin levels.

Invega is more likely than other antipsychotics to cause increased prolactin levels, according to the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority. More than 90 percent of people taking Invega have elevated prolactin levels. This makes them more likely to eventually develop gynecomastia.

According to a study from the University of British Columbia, young men who took Invega increased their risk of developing gynecomastia by 69 percent. Another study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology in 2006 supported these findings.

Hundreds of boys and young men who have taken Invega have develop excessive breast tissue.

For some, this condition is hardly noticeable. For others, however, it can be quite severe and embarrassing. In some cases, boys may develop such excessive amounts of breast tissue that they have “D” cup breasts.

Treatment for gynecomastia can be as simple as stopping intake of Invega. However, in other cases, the condition will not go away on its own, and users may be forced to undergo surgery for tissue removal.

In response, hundreds of families have filed gynecomastia lawsuits against the manufacturers of Invega and Risperdal.

These lawsuits allege that manufacturers like Janssen Pharmaceuticals failed to adequately warn the public and the medical community about the risk of gynecomastia linked with their antipsychotic medication.

If you or someone you love has suffered Invega side effects such as significant male breast growth or gynecomastia after taking the medication, you may be able to file an Invega lawsuit.