Can you stop taking Latuda immediately?

Talk to your doctor before stopping Latuda (generic name: lurasidone) or changing your dose, even if you are feeling better. If you stop taking Latuda, your symptoms can worsen or you may suffer from unwanted side effects. Always take Latuda exactly as prescribed by your doctor. If you are having serious side effects due to Latuda, call your doctor or get emergency help right away.

The American Psychiatric Association recommends that all antipsychotic medications be slowly stopped to avoid withdrawal symptoms and to lower the risk for a return of your symptoms. Your doctor can determine if you need to stop treatment, adjust your dose, or change to a new medication.

Withdrawal symptoms from abruptly stopping antipsychotic treatment such as Latuda may include:

• abnormal body movements
• anxiety
• diarrhea
• dizziness
• headache
• loss of appetite
• muscle pain
• nausea
• restlessness
• sweating
• tingling or numbness in hands or feet
• trembling
• vomiting

In addition, do not start or stop any other medicines during treatment with Latuda without talking to your health care provider first.

• Latuda has drug and food interactions that may affect your treatment. Always have your doctor or pharmacist check for drug interactions with Latuda.
• Give your health care providers a list of all of your medicines, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, and herbal or dietary supplements like vitamins.
• Do not drink grapefruit juice or eat grapefruit while you are taking Latuda. Grapefruit can increase the levels of Latuda in your blood and may worsen side effects from the medication.

You should not take Latuda if you are allergic to any of the ingredients or take certain medicines called CYP3A4 inhibitors or inducers. Ask your health care provider if you are not sure if you are taking any of these medications before you are prescribed Latuda, and each time you get a new prescription.

Related Questions

• Does Latuda make you sleepy?
• Is Latuda a mood stabilizer or an antipsychotic?
• How fast does Latuda work?

Why is Latuda used?

Latuda is approved by the FDA for the treatment of adult and adolescent patients aged 13 to 17 years with schizophrenia.

Latuda is also approved for the treatment of bipolar depression (major depressive episode associated with bipolar I disorder) as a single treatment (called "monotherapy") in adults and children 10 to 17 years of age.

Latuda can also be used in combination with lithium or valproate for the treatment of bipolar depression in adults.

Bottom Line

• Talk to your doctor before stopping Latuda or changing your dose, even if you are feeling better. Your symptoms may get worse or you may suffer from unwanted side effects if you stop treatment abruptly.
• Any time you start taking new medicine, be sure to tell the doctor who prescribed your Latuda and your pharmacist. Latuda can have certain drug interactions that may affect your treatment. Your doctor and pharmacist can check for these interactions.
• Do not drink grapefruit juice or eat grapefruit while you are taking Latuda, as grapefruit juice may also worsen side effects with Latuda.

This is not all the information you need to know about Latuda for safe and effective use. Review the full Latuda prescribing information here, and discuss this information with your doctor or other health care provider.