Uses of Risperidone+Trihexyphenidyl

The combination of Risperidone+Trihexyphenidyl is used to manage schizophrenia and acute manic episodes in affected individuals.

Therapeutic Category

Risperidone+Trihexyphenidyl: Atypical antipsychotics and Anticholinergics

How Risperidone+Trihexyphenidyl works

Risperidone improves mood, thoughts and behavior by decreasing the levels of dopamine and serotonin (chemical messengers) in the brain, and Trihexyphenidyl improves muscle control and reduces stiffness in Parkinson's disease (brain disorder) by decreasing the level of acetylcholine (chemical messenger) in the brain, thus improving the symptoms in affected individuals.

Common side effects of Risperidone+Trihexyphenidyl

• Difficulty staying asleep
• Signs of Parkinson's disease (brain disorder) such as slow or impaired movement, sensation of stiffness or tightness of the muscles (making your movements jerky), and sometimes even a sensation of movement “freezing up” and then restarting, a slow shuffling walk, a tremor while at rest, increased saliva and/or drooling, and a loss of expression on the face
• Feeling sleepy
• Headache
• Pneumonia (serious illness of lung)
• Infection of the chest (bronchitis)
• Common cold symptoms
• Sinus infection
• Signs of urinary tract infection such as strong urge to urinate, burning sensation while urination
• Ear infection such as ear pain, trouble sleeping, loss of balance
• Feeling like if having flu
• Signs of hyperprolactinemia (high prolactin levels) in men such as breast swelling,  difficulty in getting or maintaining erections, decreased sexual desire or other sexual dysfunction. In women signs might include breast discomfort, leakage of milk from the breasts, missed menstrual periods, or other problems with your cycle or fertility problems
• Weight gain
• Increased/decreased appetite
• Sleep disorder, irritability, depression, anxiety, restlessness, nervousness
• Signs of dystonia (muscle disorder) such as abnormal movements of the eyes, mouth, tongue or jaw
• Dizziness
• Dyskinesia (a muscle disorder marked by uncontrolled, involuntary muscle movement) such as repetitive, spastic or writhing movements, or twitching
• Tremor (shaking)
• Signs of eye infections such as blurry vision, or pink eye
• Rapid heart rate
• High blood pressure
• Shortness of breath
• Sore throat, cough, nose bleeds, stuffy nose
• Abdominal pain/discomfort, vomiting, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, dry mouth
• Toothache
• Rash, skin redness
• Muscle spasms, bone/muscle ache
• Back/joint pain
• Incontinence (lack of control) of urine
• Swelling of the body, arms or legs
• Chest pain
• Weakness

When to consult your doctor

Consult your doctor:

• Signs of stroke such as dementia, sudden change in your mental state or sudden weakness or numbness of your face, arms or legs, especially on one side, or slurred speech, even for a short period of time
• Signs of tardive dyskinesia (neurological disorder) such as twitching or jerking movements that you cannot control in your face, tongue, or other parts of your body)
• Involuntary rhythmic movements of the face, mouth, and tongue
• Convulsion (fits)
• Fainting
• Atrial fibrillation (an abnormal heart rhythm)
• Slow heart rate
• Signs of blood clots in the veins, especially in the legs such as swelling, pain, and redness in the leg), which may travel through blood vessels to the lungs causing chest pain and difficulty breathing
• Signs of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (life threatening neurological disorder) such as fever muscle stiffness, sweating or a lowered level of consciousness
• Signs of priapism (sexual disorder) such as prolonged or painful erection in man
• Signs of severe allergic reaction such as fever, swollen mouth, face, eyelids,  lip or tongue, shortness of breath, itching, skin rash
• Drop in blood pressure
• Glaucoma (increased pressure within the eyeball)
• Rhabdomyolysis (condition of breakdown of muscle fibers and pain in muscles)
• Dangerously low numbers of a certain type of white blood cell needed to fight infection in your blood
• Lightness in chest
• Difficult swallowing
• Restlessness
• Agitation
• Confusion
• Delusion (loss of sense of reality)
• Hallucinations
• Difficulty in sleeping
• False sense of well being
• Immediate or short-term memory loss
• Worsening of myasthenia gravis
• Large pupils
• Lack of near vision
• Eye discomfort
• Increased sensitivity to light
• Faster heartbeat
• Being sick
• Dry and redness of skin or skin rashes
• Inability to pass urine
• Difficulty while passing urine
• Thirst
• Fever

Health Tips for Risperidone+Trihexyphenidyl

• Always take Risperidone+Trihexyphenidyl as prescribed by your healthcare provider. Do not skip doses or stop taking them without consulting your doctor
• Drink plenty of water while taking Risperidone+Trihexyphenidyl to help prevent dehydration
• Avoid alcohol consumption and caffeine as it may increase the risk of stomach irritation and other side effects
• Certain medications, including over-the-counter drugs, may interact with Risperidone and Trihexyphenidyl, So avoid over-the-counter drugs
• Attend regular check-ups with your healthcare provider to monitor your response
• Risperidone+Trihexyphenidyl is not recommended for use in pregnant or planning for pregnancy or breastfeeding women