Consuming Risperidone should improve your mental health. However, Risperidone male breasts effects give male consumers embarrassing conditions. As a result, many male patients receive humiliation and traumatic experiences due to the drug’s side effects.
Find the connection between Risperidone, gynecomastia effect and the influence on male consumers in this article. Keep reading to find out more!
The Overview of Risperidone
Aside from Risperidone male breasts effects, this medication is basically an antipsychotic to treat patients with mental illnesses. The drug that is also known by the brand name Risperdal, works to improve the levels of serotonin or dopamine in the brain.
Thus, it could help psychotic patiens regulate moods, thoughts, and behaviors. However, the medicine does not actually cure your mental conditions. Instead, it helps to keep your symptoms or mental health under control.
Therefore, Risperidone tit to treat certain mental illnesses, for example, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and aggressive behavior due to autism or Alzheimer’s disease.
Nevertheless, this drug has a black box warning, which means the medication has severe side effects. Therefore, you must get the doctor’s prescription to use it.
The Connection of Risperidone Male Breasts
One of the most controversial side effects of Risperidone is gynecomastia. It is a condition where men or boys develop breast tissue enlargement. On further symptoms, the drug could trigger galactorrhea or abnormal conditions of breast milk leaking. Keep track of the following comprehensive explanation regarding this one!
1. Cases of Gynecomastia in Young Male Consumers
A study in 2015 found that Risperidone taking has a relation to gynecomastia in male consumers, especially boys and young adult men. The research shows that the risk of developing breast enlargement in males is four times higher for Risperdal users than non-users.
Furthermore, children or adolescents (≤18 years old) who take Risperidone are five times higher than children who don’t take the medicine.
In broader circumstances, the consumption of Risperidone could also provoke hyperprolactinemia. This condition increases the hormone prolactin, which stimulates breast milk after pregnancy.
Although hyperprolactinemia rarely causes gynecomastia, other adverse effects might occur, including osteoporosis, erectile dysfunction, metabolic syndrome, and even breast cancer.
2. The Symptoms and Risk Factors of Gynecomastia
The effect of Risperidone male breasts affects the male users who take long-term medication. These gynecomastia symptoms might rise due to several factors. Look at the explanation below to learn better.
a. The Symptoms of Gynecomastia
Risperidone-induced gynecomastia might come out with several symptoms, including:
- the enlargement of the breast on one side or both;
- breast pain or tenderness;
- nipple discharge; and
- sensitive nipples when rubbing against the clothes.
It is important to note that there are differences between gynecomastia and male breast cancer. Breast cancer usually appears on one side of the breast and doesn’t feel hard or firm. Moreover, breast cancer may have a relation with nipple discharge, skin dimples, and nipple retraction.
b. The Risk Factors of Gynecomastia
Aside from Risperdal’s side effects, another factor could influence the development of gynecomastia. The risk factors may involve:
- hormone imbalance;
- adolescent;
- older age;
- obesity;
- alcoholism;
- using anabolic steroids to boost sports performance;
- kidney and liver disease;
- hormonally active tumors;
- thyroid dysfunction; and
- Klinefelter syndrome.
3. Treatments for Gynecomastia
Risperidone-induced gynecomastia may require surgery to treat the condition. There are three possible treatments for this male breast enlargement. Before taking these treatments, the doctor will inject anesthesia into the patient. Therefore, they would not feel pain during surgery.
a. Liposuction
In some cases, the treatment of gynecomastia may only require liposuction. This method inserts a suction hose through numerous little incisions in each breast. Then, it would remove the excess fat and/or glandular tissue by vacuum suction.
b. Tissue Excision
Excision would be advisable treatment if you have excess skin, fat, and tissue. This treatment allows the surgeons to remove a larger amount of fat and tissue through a larger incision. The surgeon may also reposition the nipple and areola during the procedure. The incision pattern can vary depending on surgical conditions.
c. Combination of Liposuction and Excision
In some cases, the patient may need both liposuction and excision. The doctor may check the patient’s condition if they need both techniques.
The Lawsuits Regarding Risperidone Male Breasts
Due to its gynecomastia effects, many males suffer humiliation and psychological burden. As a result, many plaintiffs sued the company, Johnson & Johnson (J&J), for concealing the side effect from the public. For a further understanding of this case, dip your nose into the explanation below.
The Allegation of Risperidone Lawsuits
Starting in 2010, Johnson & Johnson and other associated companies, like Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., received thousands of lawsuits from male patients who got gynecomastia after taking Risperidone.
The plaintiffs accused the manufacturers of obscuring the facts about the side effects of the medication. Moreover, the complainants claim the companies also illegal marketing medicine to children.
As a result, in 2013, J&J agreed to pay the settlement for the illegal promotion of Risperidone between 1998 and 2005 for over $2.2 billion.
Eventually, the settlement of Risperidone cases became one of the significant healthcare resolutions in the United States. The agreement includes the penalty and criminal fines of $485 million and a civil settlement of $1.75 billion with the federal and various states.
As of 2022, the manufacturers had resolved or dismissed almost 9,000 Risperdal lawsuits against them over the development of male breasts.
The Risperidone Jury Awards
Several Risperdal lawsuits have gone to court, leading to various verdicts. Here are some overviews about the Risperdal trial and reported settlements.
a. Austin Pledger
In 2015, Austin Pledger became the first plaintiff who won the trial regarding Risperidone. He claimed that the manufacturers don’t give proper warnings about the side effects of the medication. As a result, he developed a size 45 DD breast. Eventually, the jury awarded him $2.5 million as compensation.
b. Andrew Yount
In 2016, a Tennese teenager, Andrew Yount, sued Janssen regarding Risperidone male breasts after developing female-sized breasts. Hence, a Philadelphia jury granted him a remarkable $70 million for his lawsuit.
c. Timothy Stange
Timothy Stange took Risperdal when the FDA expanded the drug function to treat bipolar disorder. He took the medication from 2006 to 2009 which caused him male breast development. Thus, the jury awarded him a $500,000 verdict.
d. Nicholas Murray
Nicholas Murray developed breast after taking the medication for five years. In his fourth trial, the jury awarded him 1.75 million. However, on the subsequent trial, the jury awarded him a punitive damage of 8 billion.
Are You Also the Victim of Risperidone Male Breasts?
The side effects of Risperidone male breasts give significant psychological burdens on men and boys. This case should be a reminder for healthcare professionals to be more careful when prescribing this medication. Hopefully, there will be antipsychotics that give fewer side effects, including gynecomastia.
