Asenapine for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews (Page 3)

• Ken...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 18, 2015

"I have been on Saphris now for 1 month. I have not been this happy in 35 years! I am working out every day now at the local health club. Last night, I swam for over 40 minutes straight. The only side effect of this med is excellent REM sleep and a good night's rest. Heaven help you if you don't have insurance... Very pricey $$$$$."

• Hei...
• February 18, 2016

"I took Saphris and was given 10 mg samples from my Dr. I felt great! After a few weeks of samples, I went to fill my prescription. After insurance, it was $400.00! I couldn't afford to get it filled. It really stinks that a medication that made such a difference for mental health could be so costly. I can only imagine this is why so many go without medication for mental illness."

• ken...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 25, 2018

"I don't know what the big deal is about the taste-I have the cherry, and yeah, it's not great, but if you want to feel better, then you have to deal with it-feeling better is all worth it to me... has helped me greatly-do not be afraid to try it-"

• HiS...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 7, 2015

"Diagnosed ADHD, bipolar, major depression, GAD, panic disorder. Have been on Saphris 5 mg at night for 1 week. After the first dose, I could tell a huge difference in my mood. For the first time in months, I woke up in a great mood. After a few days, I knew I was no longer in mania, which I've been in for at least 4 months. My thinking is back to normal. The only problem I'm having is keeping my mood stabilized. When I take it at night, it puts me to sleep in 15 minutes. No longer using sleeping meds. For one week of use, I think it's a great medicine."

• dje...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 29, 2014

"Bipolar with mixed episodes, ADHD, and severe anxiety. Saphris was a miracle for me also. I've been on disability for 10 years, and this is the first medicine I've taken that has made me functional. Absolutely can't take it in the morning; it makes me incoherent for about 3 hours, and I eat everything in sight. So I take all 20 mg at night and am doing fine. Have mouth sores, though. My doctor said to alternate between taking it sublingually, supralingually, and buccally, and it's helping."

• Tat...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 3, 2020

"I've been on Saphris for about 6 years or more. In my personal experience, I believe I have been exceptionally well. When I miss a few days, I realize how off I become, but I go back to normal while I'm on this medication. I think doctors should familiarize themselves with this medication more because I think it would be great for others that suffer with bipolar disorder."

• Anonymous
• January 31, 2011

"I've been on Saphris for a week now. 5 mg/night. Here are my initial thoughts: I feel like it’s summer. It’s a good calmness. The mouth numbing was really bad at first when I took it, slowly getting less each day (it’s always gone by morning). I felt the first couple of days like I had taken a Sudafed; very awake the next morning. That effect is also wearing off day by day. I have been taking it at bed, so I’m not sure if it makes me dizzy still. I can think clearer. I’m sleeping like a log. I feel less cold. My sinuses feel wetter. I actually get hungry now. I feel super non-stressed out. I’m stretching better in my dance, and my joints no longer crack. I feel normal again."

• clb...
• December 4, 2010

"Felt better after the first day, working on day 5. Can't believe how super, great, wonderful, alert, and alive I feel. After 27 years of fighting bipolar disorder, I am amazed. Hope it lasts. No side effects so far, hasn't helped my grammar or spelling. Oh, taste? What taste?"

• Jus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 20, 2015

"I like Saphris but have experienced the nasty side effect of weight gain. I had tried four other antipsychotics, and all of them made me put on weight without relieving me of my bipolar symptoms. I am staying on Saphris because for the first time I feel normal. No more high highs or low lows. However, the increased appetite drives me nuts. I literally obsess about food all day. I recently cut out all processed sugar to see if this helps. If anyone has any advice, I'd love to hear it."

• Lun...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 2, 2016

"Have been on and off Saphris several times. For me, being on Saphris is like turning a light switch on. I go from being manic/depressed to functioning like a normal human. But... the side effects have made me quit several times - irregular heartbeat, fainting, nausea, etc. Now back on at a low dose with Lamictal and clonazepam for panic disorder. Feel pretty good. Hope it will last. Without Saphris, I am non-functional - so doing my best to manage the side effects while getting the benefits of this medication. Best of luck to all."

• AJa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 16, 2019

"I was on Saphris for less than a month. Made me feel so bad. Like I had the flu. Also, it gave me OCD. I was obsessing over finding pennies. I had a few jars at home too. I was so consumed by this penny obsession. I took off from work so I could organize all my pennies in chronological order. . . ??? This is so bizarre to me. I stopped the Saphris not long after. I could not function at all because I was so obsessed with pennies."

• Pea...
• January 14, 2020

"I’m 59 and have been on and off meds since my 20s. 10 years ago, a new doctor I was going to had put me on Wellbutrin and Abilify. I was still crying all the time and very depressed, so he doubled my dose of Wellbutrin to 300 mg. I started imagining things and crying uncontrollably. Pristiq in the morning and Saphris at night. I had never heard of either one of those drugs, and I had tried and failed with a lot of them. I walked out of there 1 week later with a new lease on life! The Saphris may make your mouth a bit numb because it’s a disintegrating tablet you put under your tongue. I don’t get so many highs and lows, I stay level and calm. I feel more patience. I’m not seeing things that I thought I might have caught a glimpse of. I don’t cry out of frustration all the time."

• Bru...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 21, 2012

"Thanks to this forum, I decided to give Saphris a try. Have previously been on Zoloft and later on Pristiq with zero effect and awful side effects. I was very hesitant to try a new medication but did some research and was so surprised to see the positive feedback. Have only been on Saphris for 10 days, but the improvement has been immediate with virtually zero side effects. Within an hour of taking 5 mg Saphris, I can feel the calming effect. Mood swings have been a lot less, and the panic reduced dramatically. If you drink alcohol, make sure you take Saphris in the morning before you have any alcohol later on in the day, otherwise, the 'hangover' is really bad. If in doubt, this could be the one! Give it a try."

• Yve...
• March 28, 2016

"I've been on Seroquel for 6 years and have had nightmares the whole time. I switched to Saphris 4 days ago, 5 mg morning and night plus 112.5 mg Effexor. I'm amazed at waking up early in the morning after 8 hours of sleep on Saphris, where I've been sleeping 12 hours a night previously on Seroquel, then still a zombie for the next 3 hours. The morning dose sedated me, so I'm changing to 10 mg at night and also adding lamotrigine this week. I haven't felt this good in many years, but I'm not elevated, I have BP 1 and live in Australia. As I'm on disability, all of my medications only cost $6.20 each as it's subsidized by the government. I feel very sad for everyone in the USA with chronic illnesses. It's just not fair."

• Ink...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 10, 2016

"I have been on Saphris for three years. I loved how calm and focused I was. But I have gained 60 lbs. I told my Dr. a million times, but she says it doesn't cause weight gain. Well, I am very depressed. I exercise, I eat very little, and I can't lose a pound. Well, now I am morbidly obese. And all the stuff I can't do because I'm so big has really got me down. I am weaning myself down and getting off Saphris, as much as I hate the side effects, I am scared to see what my life will look like without it. Oh, my daughter was on it for two months, and she gained 18 lbs. Why can't we have both sanity and without gaining 50 freaking pounds? Grrr."

• Pat...
• October 9, 2010

"This medication has been a godsend. Never felt better in 24 years since diagnosis...been on everything before. Saphris is amazing. Downside is dry mouth and water retention. Upside is everything else. Thank you, Merck...you hit the target this time."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 22, 2016

"I am taking Saphris 10 mg for bipolar disorder with manic episodes that turn into schizophrenia. I have been taking Saphris for 8 months. It has been the most effective medication so far for my symptoms. I take the dissolvable tablet you put under your tongue at night. After I take it, I can fall asleep within 20 minutes, which has been a godsend. During the day, I have no drowsiness and sleepiness. I have to stop taking Saphris, though, because of what it is doing to my tongue and under my tongue. Four months ago, I started getting white sores and skin peeling under my tongue where I put the Saphris. I woke up a month ago with white sores all along my tongue. It hasn't fully healed. Plus, deformation of my tongue. Very sad because now I have to go off it."

• Roo...
• August 24, 2010

"I have bipolar with depression, mood swings, panic attacks, racing thoughts, voices, and suicidal tendencies thrown in with seizures. On top of all that, I cannot sleep. I've tried just about all the medication out there for bipolar, but after a time they stop working. Saphris 10 mg has worked miracles for me. All those symptoms are now gone with this fast-acting pill. You can stop a panic attack within a minute or two. The downside is weight gain, it is a very bad side effect. Recently, I had two packages that I had to take to the pharmacy because they just would not open. They had to break the finger tab and unlock the clip beneath it. Bad design, but otherwise very happy with this medicine."

• Rey...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 9, 2013

"Saphris is the best. 10/10. For those of you who had a bad experience starting out, I suggest trying it out again from a low dose. The key is to get the medicine in your system until it builds up in a few weeks. When all else failed, Saphris was the one that had saved my life and improved it like it has reversed the chemical imbalances associated with my bipolar. My mind and sense of attention have been brought back from the severe depression and mixed episode. And severe agitation. When I first started Saphris with 5 mg, it too gave me severe akathisia (restlessness). Thankfully, after finding out that my other medication, mirtazapine (Remeron), reduced restlessness, I can now sleep well after taking the Saphris with the Remeron without any insomnia."

• Jan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 14, 2018

"I started on 5 mg at night for 6 nights and then went on to 10 mg and have been on this for another week. So far, no real problems. It puts me to sleep straight away, which is a godsend, and I am much calmer. The only issue is that I wake up after 4 hours of sleep and am wide-eyed, but I still don't have much motivation or energy."

• Ree...
• May 10, 2014

"I have been on Saphris for about 3 months now. I take 15 mg at night. I'm able to sleep now without the help of any other medicine. I get restless from time to time but subdue it with Vistaril. Sometimes I get boosts of energy, which can be good. My moods are more balanced than ever before. I can laugh things off instead of getting angry. The reason I gave Saphris a 9 is because it affects my libido. I recently started taking Wellbutrin to combat this. I hope it works!"

• Nic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 8, 2015

"I suffer from ADHD, bipolar disorder, and PTSD. Saphris has helped take the edge off the bipolar symptoms. I would have to leave the office, whether to walk around the building or to go to the bathroom to splash water on my face, but now I can stay at my desk the entire day most days and am good with only leaving for bathroom breaks or to go get water. I went from having PTSD nightmares 1 - 6 nights a week and waking up myself and my fiancée from moaning, growling, or yelling to having the nightmares about once a week on average or sometimes even going a week without any. I take it at bedtime, and within 10 - 15 minutes, I am really drowsy and falling asleep, which has also helped me. As a result of these last two, I am now more rested."

• Anonymous
• January 24, 2011

"Saphris seems to really calm my manic symptoms, especially the racing thoughts and restlessness. My doctor gave samples of the new Black Cherry Saphris, and the taste is 1,000 times better! It's almost pleasant tasting. And to top it all, I've only gained 3 pounds in the 6 months I've been on it."

• Noo...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 18, 2017

"Saphris changed my life - but not until I went to 10 mg. I was finally 'normal' - completely taking care of myself, my house, my business affairs... I even realized I had hoarding tendencies and was able to rid my life of all the clutter. Then the wheels came off: tardive dyskinesia. I can't think of a more humiliating side effect, and it started a year before I finally got a second opinion and was diagnosed. TD worsened when I stopped taking Saphris, and unfortunately for me, all my 'old' habits are back. It was so nice to be normal for the time it lasted -- but TD is horrific, and a truly unfortunate side effect."

• Bra...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 11, 2012

"My experience on Saphris has been mixed. None of the other atypical antipsychotics has addressed my manic symptoms better. It really helps with my sleep. My moods are more stable, I'm less of a trouble/burden for my family, and I'm happier than I've been in the past. Now the problems: First, when I'm on Saphris, it lowers my sex and creative drives. I've had trouble in bed, and I've found it really difficult to generate new ideas for paintings and drawings, and the quality of my art overall has decreased. Second, Saphris appears to be impacting my long-term memory. My spouse has noticed this. I'm just not remembering my past with reliability-memories are faint and/or scrambled, and I usually get details and dates wrong."