Asenapine for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews (Page 4)

• Rev...
• February 11, 2014

"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."

• Anonymous
• May 1, 2012

"I was diagnosed with a mood disorder about 5 months ago. I tried Abilify and gained 10 pounds in a week and tried Lamictal, but I kept getting the rash on my face, so finally my doctor put me on Saphris. It made a world of difference. It's been 2 months now, and I'm no longer on any antidepressants, and I have been without any depressed episodes since a week after I started it. I had to start taking 20 mg at night because it made me so tired in the morning. I'm still on Klonopin because I have really bad restlessness still, but I'm slowly phasing that out with lifestyle changes. The bad taste gets better with time, and the side effects are greatly outweighed by the benefits. I have and would recommend it!"

• Anonymous
• September 19, 2010

"I have to say this is a great medicine for people to try, especially if those having difficulty sleeping. I had mania, and my highs and lows have become stable. I have been taking this for about a month and noticed a difference the next day. It does have an awful taste, but it is worth the benefits. My cocktail currently for Bipolar 1 is Effexor XR, Depakote, Lamictal, and Saphris. I plan to wean off some of these medicines since Saphris has been working well. I have tried Abilify and Seroquel and had bad reactions."

• sou...
• November 26, 2015

"I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder a month ago, previously bipolar 1 with mixed episodes. Saphris changed my life for the better in so many ways. It helped cut down the agitation and anger associated with the mixed episodes almost right away. The paranoia still bites me every once in a while, but it has been majorly decreased, as well as the hallucinations and delusions that were plaguing me continuously. I sleep so well and don't have the medication hangover that risperidone was giving me at the dose I required. I started at 5 mg and am now at 20 mg at bedtime, and it's working great. Hope the best to all who are trying to get the right med combo!"

• Neg...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 10, 2022

"This drug ruined my life. I started taking it when I was 9 years old until I was 17. I gained 30 pounds. It made me so tired to the point I couldn’t wake up in the morning. I would miss school and sleep till 2 PM. My parents tried to wake me, and I would start throwing up every day if I woke up before 12 in the afternoon or pass out. It was nearly impossible to wake up. Keep in mind-I went to bed at 8 PM daily. I missed out on a lot of my life and failed high school because I couldn’t wake up, which made me unable to go to college. I would wake up drenched in sweat. I would get extreme stomach problems. I got nightmares so bad I woke up screaming. It made me socially awkward, and I slurred my words on it and started to forget how to speak. I had to go to a speech therapist. My parents forced me to take it. I secretly stopped taking both at 17, although I feel it has changed my brain permanently, not for the better, and long-term health issues. My life became better as soon as I got off it and happier."

• Anonymous
• September 8, 2011

"I have tried everything under the sun for depression and anxiety over the past 15 years. Saphris is an amazing medicine. I take the black cherry flavor, which does not taste horrible, but is good (the other flavor does taste horrible, though), and I feel like my depression has been majorly lifted, my manic episodes and irritability have decreased greatly, and I am doing things in life that are productive for the first time in years and years. I must say I must also take Lamictal, though, as without that the mania goes out of control even with Saphris. But together, excellent combination."

• ky1...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 8, 2019

"I was prescribed asenapine 5 mg 2x/day. Was assured by my psychiatrist that it would only make me mildly drowsy. The very first dose hit me hard. Within 40 minutes, I was nodding off while trying to talk to people. I slept for ten hours after that. Side note, medications don't typically affect me like that! This made me scared to keep taking it at all, but my psychiatrist said I could just take it at night and see how it went. Over the course of a month, I began feeling extremely agitated (like a mixed episode but worse), and it put me in a dark place. Looking back, I'm honestly surprised that I didn't attempt suicide, that's how bad things got. I'm glad to see that this works for so many, but it's 100% a no from me. For those worried about the taste, it isn't good, but I got used to it after the first dose. It does make your tongue numb, which lasted about an hour for me, but I think it's definitely something you can get used to. I'm quite sensitive to taste and have a sensitive gag reflex, but that aspect was tolerable."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 22, 2013

"Saphris has slowed my thoughts down a lot! I have the black cherry flavor. I do feel suicidal, but I felt that way before the meds. The only problem I have is the weight gain. I've been on Saphris for almost 2 months and have gained 20 lbs. I find it hard to shed the weight."

• Bip...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 24, 2018

"Took Saphris for about 2 1/2 weeks for bipolar one mixed w/ psychotic features. First time taking it, hated black cherry taste, but after that, it didn't bother me anymore. First week was wonderful. High-flying mania delight. Cleaned my house like crazy. Mania wasn't 'too high' though. Was in a great mood, but no major shopping sprees. Week 2, I started backing down on the cleaning and happiness and started getting agitated mania. Moods were all over the place. Cried for an hour after a death in a TV show and felt like I was going to die of grief. Then it changed to anger and then depression. Moods were a little scary and rapidly changing. After that, it lessened in intensity, but I was still having depression, so I decided to come off and try another med. Also had bad heartburn and gained 5 lb in 2 weeks. May work for some but not me."

• Mis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 3, 2016

"I have found Saphris to be very effective, especially for my bipolar depression. I felt happy for the first time in 4 months, and it's only 2 or 3 days to work! I was taking lithium and lamotrigine, but the lamotrigine didn't bring my mood up, and the lithium didn't either. Needless to say, I was feeling pretty down. Saphris made me feel clear thinking, motivated, and reduced my anxiety. And it has only been a week and a day since starting it. I am very pleased. I still have a ways to go in terms of my overall experience with this medication. All the best."

• ABC...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 1, 2012

"I was very hesitant to start taking this medicine. I have tried so many different kinds before, and they had done more damage than good. I read a lot of the reviews on here, and after serious thought, I decided to try it. I'm so very happy I did. I'm about two weeks in, and I believe I have found the correct mix. I'm so happy and excited! It's almost hard to believe. If anyone is on the fence about this, I would recommend taking it. If you trust your psych doc, I would assume you do, then go for it. I was told you can tell the next day if you should stop taking it. I have bipolar 1 disorder, and I also take Wellbutrin XL 150 mg 3x a day, Klonopin 4x a day, and now Saphris 5 mg at night. I love it!"

• Anonymous
• May 18, 2012

"I recently wrote when I was 2 weeks in, now I'm going on week 4. I'm still feeling pretty well. I seem to be able to get a lot accomplished now. I did before but was always overwhelmed with it. I'm no longer overwhelmed. The worst side effect of this medicine, in my opinion, is being sleepy. It knocks me out within a few minutes of taking it. Other than that, no other issues."

• Sam...
• November 24, 2012

"I was very hopeful when starting Saphris, but it didn't take long for my family and me to see this was NOT the medication for me. I asked doctors to take me off this, but I kept 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."

• jin...
• January 19, 2012

"Miracle. I have felt so good after 15 years. I'm finally like I used to be, happy and strong and ambitious. I'm 52, and I'm going back to school. Yay for me. I highly recommend this for bipolar disorder. It started working the next day, and I sleep great."

• Jen...
• October 25, 2011

"I recently got my life back. I was finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I have been on about every medicine for depression you can name over the last twenty years. None had any good results. A lot of them had severe bad side effects. I did not sleep well, cried all the time, was agitated, reclusive, and unmotivated. Bless my PNP for trying me on Saphris! I can honestly say for the first time, in a long time, that life is good."

• Dee...
• May 31, 2016

"Bipolar II with severe anxiety. Saphris doesn't work for most people, but for the ones it does work for, it can be a life-changing miracle drug. That's been my experience. I spent 10 years either so depressed or anxious that I could barely get out of bed. I took my first dose at bedtime, and when I woke up the next morning, the anxiety was gone. It gave me my life back. I take the whole daily dose at night. It knocks me out cold for at least 3 hours, and I can't function at all if I take it in the morning. I had horrible mouth sores. Finally, I figured out that it was from the dry mouth caused by my other meds. Now I take a sip of water first, and after it dissolves, I suck on a caramel or a couple of pieces of candy."

• P J...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2016

"I've been actively seeking a remedy for my 'weirdness' for 40 years. I've tried counseling, antidepressants, and bipolar meds. While all of these have helped, none of them could do what I really needed for them to do to reach my ultimate goal: to fit in with society. I went to a shrink for GAD and was prescribed Saphris. The effects were virtually immediate. The list of improvements in my life is 26 items and counting. The drug is over $200/month in the States with good insurance. I found online pharmacies in Canada that sell it for $90 for a 3-month supply. It is shipped from India, which scares lots of folks because of their legendary lack of government regulations. I'm not made of money, so to me, the risk is worth it!"

• 831...
• November 30, 2016

"I have been taking this med for years, and I feel trapped. I don't think it really does anything for me. The problem is that I tried to stop taking it, and I became completely useless, tired, irritable, and full of anxiety. Right now, I have not taken it for two days because I forgot it before I went out of town. I am tired, got insomnia, and I feel like I am hung over and nauseous. The withdrawals from taking this medication are awful. So, I think anyone that wants to start this med should seriously consider this when making a decision to ingest this. I am not the only one who has experienced this. There is a lot about withdrawing from this med on the net."

• Anonymous
• October 1, 2010

"Started taking this a few days ago. The comment about the bad taste-UNDERSTATEMENT, it tastes NASTY, but seems to be working well. I am currently on Seroquel 200 mg, temazepam 45 mg, and Xanax as needed. I am dropping down on the Seroquel until I'm completely off. Horrible weight gainer, but does help. Since starting this, I have not taken ANY Xanax, and I have energy during the day, and it seems to curb my hunger."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 25, 2012

"I responded well to this medicine, but I gained 50 pounds and was tortured by unending hunger. Eventually, I had to get off of it, and that wasn't easy. It took about a month to get over the withdrawal symptoms."

• Sea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 2, 2015

"I have been taking Seroquel for 7 years and was initially happy with the effects, but the medication hasn't been working as well lately, and I have gained 40 kg in those 7 years. So I was put on Saphris 3 weeks ago. The benefits have been amazing, with increased energy, memory, and positive thoughts. Unfortunately, I had a severe allergic reaction to Saphris a few days ago, and I've had to stop taking it. I hope to find something just as good. I suppose the good news is that now I know that there are other atypical antipsychotics that could help me."

• Anonymous
• November 19, 2011

"I have been taking Saphris for the last week, and I have to say that I am impressed. Before this, I tried Abilify, and that was a nightmare. I was sick for three days off one 2 mg dose. My whole life, I have had huge amounts of anxiety and racing thoughts. I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder, not bipolar disorder, until two weeks ago. Saphris has destroyed my anxiety, my racing thoughts, my negative attitude, and my aggravation at everything and everyone in sight. My family notices a difference like night and day. The only side effect I've had is a touch of Restless Leg Syndrome, and for the first few days, sleepiness, but that went away. I use a heating pad on my leg to stop the RLS and otherwise side effect-free."

• Sea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 28, 2015

"I was on Seroquel for 7 years when I had to start trialing something else due to weight gain. I was taking Saphris for 3 weeks, and I had a severe allergic reaction. Saphris was changing my life for the better, and so I'm sad that I can't take it anymore. I had motivation, great memory and concentration, positive thoughts, the ability to plan and function highly, and loads of energy. I can't take the tablets anymore, but I'm going to miss how good they made me feel. Now I'm looking into Zeldox or Latuda. I definitely need an antipsychotic for my bipolar."

• MYA...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 27, 2013

"I have had some success in using Saphris, however, the side effects are somewhat mixed. I don't like feeling groggy or fussy the morning after taking the medicine. I also don't like having short-term memory loss. I like the stabilizing mental moods and the reduced depression and manic episodes. The medicine numbs my tongue and makes me hungry all the time, so I am hoping after time this stops. I have been taking this medication since May, 20mg."

• Pra...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 1, 2016

"I'm currently on Saphris. I just started working for the first time in 3 years. I've been on Saphris for about 10 months. Two days ago, I woke up and had white canker sores in my mouth and tingling lips. This drug is so great, I can take it and wake up 6 hours later and not feel tired all day."