Asenapine for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews (Page 3)

• johne...
• February 22, 2010

Saphris (asenapine) "Dissolves very quickly compared to other sub-lingual tablets that I have taken - tastes horrible though! I have experienced no negative side effects, and it has definitely elevated my mood and taken away the "shadows" and some of the "noises" that accompany my diagnosis....overall seems to be much better than the last two meds I was prescribed (Lamictal and Abilify). I give it a ten!"

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

Saphris (asenapine) "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 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 bi-polar disorder"

• Boxer...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 25, 2012

Saphris (asenapine) "I have been taking Saphris for 10 days. I went cold turkey off Seroquel 600mg/day. I have had terrible insomnia. My psych said this should improve over next few weeks, I hope so. Agreed that it tastes awful and numbness under tongue only lasts approx half an hour. My mood improved the next day after my first 5mg dose. I feel so happy and enthusiastic about life, which is amazing. The Seroquel fog has lifted and I have lost 3.5kgs in 7 days (Seroquel munchies are gone)."

• kenboy
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 25, 2018

Saphris (asenapine) "I don't know what the big deal is about the taste---I have the cherry and yeah, its not great, but if you want to feel better than 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---"

• Kenis
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 18, 2015

Saphris (asenapine) "I have been on Saphris now for 1 month. I have not been this happy in 35 years! I am working out ever 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 $$$$$"

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

Saphris (asenapine) "I like saphris but have experienced the nasty side effect of weight gain. I had tried 4 other anti psychotics and all of them made me put on weight without relieving me of my bi polar 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."

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

Saphris (asenapine) "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 mths. 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 min. No longer using sleeping meds. For one week of use I think it's a great medicine."

• Lunabee
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 2, 2016

Saphris (asenapine) "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 clonezepam 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."

• Anonymous
• January 31, 2011

Saphris (asenapine) "I've been on Saphris for a week now. 5mg/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 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."

• Tonya...
• March 31, 2012

Saphris (asenapine) "I am bipolar and I was not on a mood stabilizer, due to severe sensitivity to side effects. I take Klonopin 1 mg and Lamictal 150mg twice a day. I was taking Ambien for sleep, but now with the Saphris, I don't need any sleep medicines and I am so much more relaxed and not stressed out. I'm very happy that I've finally found something that is working. My mind has slowed down, deeper sleep modes and less stress reactions to people. I feel great. Not manic great, just great. I'm thankful to my family for their support and standing by me in the rough times of the disease. My family is benefiting as well. I have to rate this as a 10. The taste is bad, but the cherry is helping. Much luck to all to try and see if it can help you too!"

• Anonymous
• March 19, 2012

Saphris (asenapine) "I have struggled with bipolar disorder for twenty-some years and never been stable. I've tried most of the atypicals and all the mood stabilizers. After Saphris, I am stable for the first time in my life. The shadows, delusions, mania, depression, anxiety and sleep problems are all gone. I take the black cherry as I cannot tolerate the original, but the taste is worth it in how well it works. Two weeks after starting it it was like someone turned the lights on. The world was literally brighter! I am back in school, working part time and happy and I didn't think it possible. I've been through 38 ECT treatments and every medicine without success before 20 mg Saphris. It's a miracle for me. I now take two medicines, down from 9!"

• Yveron
• March 28, 2016

Saphris (asenapine) "I've been on Seroquel for 6 yrs 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 hrs sleep on Saphris where I've been sleeping 12 hrs a night previously on Seroquel then still a zombie for the next 3 hrs. The morning dose sedated me so I'm changing to 10mg 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 its subsidised by the govt. I feel very sad for everyone in the USA with chronic illnesses. It's just not fair."

• AJano
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 16, 2019

Saphris (asenapine) "I was on saphris for less than a month. Made me feel like 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."

• Review...
• February 11, 2014

Saphris (asenapine) "Been bipolar for seventeen years, Saphris for two months, started out eating right after I took it and I was very sleepy. The eating eventually subsided but within ten days I started having jaw muscle tension. At first I had energy and the racing thoughts and paranoia went away. The sublingual dosing and taste seemed to be minor in the hopes that it would help symptoms. I would take it at night only, after getting everything done for the evening because it really made me sleep deeply, within fifteen minutes, when I really didn't have a sleeping problem before taking it. It did make me more alert during the day, which almost led to panic on several occasions. It was addressing psychosis symptoms but I continued a low level of depression"

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

Saphris (asenapine) "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 5mg 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 real bad. If in doubt, this could be the one! Give it a try."

• Janedeb
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 14, 2018

Saphris (asenapine) "I started on 5mg at night for 6 nights and then went on to 10mg 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 sleep and am wide eyed but I still don't have much motivation or energy."

• Peanut
• January 14, 2020

Saphris (asenapine) "I’m 59 and have been on and off meds since my 20’s. 10 years ago a new doctor I was going to had put me on Wellbutrin and ambilify. 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 mor patience. I’m not seeing things that I thought I might of caught a glimpse of. I don’t cry out of frustration all the time."

• Nick
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 8, 2015

Saphris (asenapine) "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"

• clbhrs
• December 4, 2010

Saphris (asenapine) "Felt better after first day, working on day 5 can't believe how super, great, wonderful, alert, and alive, I feel. After 27 years of fighting bi-polar disorder, I am amazed. Hope it lasts. No side effects so far, hasn't helped my grammar or spelling. Oh, taste? what taste?"

• Inky
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 10, 2016

Saphris (asenapine) "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 my self down and getting off saphris as much as I hate the side effects I am scared to see what my life will look like with out it. Oh my daughter was on it for two months and she gained 18lbs. Why can't we have both sanity and without gaining 50 freaking pounds. Grrr"

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

Saphris (asenapine) "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 stabler, 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."

• Sammi
• November 24, 2012

Saphris (asenapine) "I was very hopeful when starting Saphris, but it didn't take long for my family and I to see this was NOT the medication for me. I asked doctors to take me of this but I kept on being told to give it more time. I would sleep over 12 hours a day and if I could SOMEHOW manage to stay up with the use of coffee and energy drinks, I was a shell. I would sit there confused, unable to really talk or take care of myself. I took it twice a day once in the morning and once before bed, and rather than give me my life it was robbing me of what little I had. It also didn't help with my delusions or paranoid thinking. I even still saw shadows and things of that nature from time to time."

• Reeena
• May 10, 2014

Saphris (asenapine) "I have been on Saphris for about 3 months now. I take 15mgs 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!"

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

Saphris (asenapine) "I am taking Saphris 10mg 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 soars and skin peeling under my tongue where I put the Saphris. Woke up a month ago with white sores all along my tongue. Hasn't fully healed. Plus deformation of my tongue. Very sad bc now I have to go off it."

• Patri...
• October 9, 2010

Saphris (asenapine) "This medication has been a God send. Never felt better in 24 years since diagnosis...been on everything before. Saphris is amazing. Down side is dry mouth and water retention. Upside is everything else. Thank you Merck...you hit the target this time."