Valproate or Risperidone - Which would you choose ??

[FreezingFingers]

Have recently stopped taking Quetiapine as it has turned me into an elephant of gigantic proportions - which has helped my mood no end
Psychiatrist agreed for me to stop taking it & gave me info about Valproate & Risperidone for me to decide which one to try next.....
Anybody have any experience or advice on either drug
Would love one with side effects of losing lots of weight & having lots of energy

Abilify helps loose weight and gives energy.

I couldn't get on with Valproate. It gave me a headache that you get from eating ice cream. Also gave me tremors.
I haven't taken Risperidone. Abilify made me very agitated like I had the worse PMS ever.

I am on valproate but I'll be honest I find anti psychotics easier to tolerate so personally would vote risperidone. I have been on Abilify it was horrid and didn't work for me and I certainly didn't lose weight.

I'm on valproate it's fine-but, like I'msuchamess I find drugs very easy to tolerate. I was on 1200mg of quetiapine at one point and still doing a degree! Maybe if you struggle with quetiapine i would go with the Risperidone?

Also just to point out alcohol is a big no no with valproate.

I loved risperidone. You have to build up the dose very slowly - like by 0.5mg every week because otherwise it can be very sedating. On it I lost weight and had no problems with feeling drugged up. It can affect your periods which is why i stopped it.

I have just started (a month ago) on 10mg of abilify and have had no side effects what so ever which is brill. I have also lost weight on it.

both meds stopped my psychotic symptoms

I have no experience of valproate but I really wpild recommend either of those anti psychotics.

Thank you all for the replies
Been a bit spaced out with the news from the DVLA :(
I think I will go with the risperidone if I am still given the choice tomorrow