Asenapine for Schizoaffective Disorder User Reviews

• Anonymous
• March 30, 2010

"Wow - this is interesting. First I was scared to try another antipsychotic as I typically get akathisia, but for some reason I have not had issues with it this time around (so far). I have to say that Saphris works wonders on negative symptoms that most medicines would not really touch. I find myself actually wanting to go outside and be around people and just do things in general - my lack of desire has just gone. This makes me so much happier. I just didn't think it was possible, and that I was just stuck the way I was. It tastes nasty though and it numbs your tongue for 15-20 minutes. Also, it puts me to sleep. But other than that I have to say the pros definitely do outweigh the cons. I just wish it would come in pill form!"

• Rit...
• August 7, 2014

"I've been taking Saphris for about six months, and it's been a wonder of a miracle! I can finally function and accomplish daily tasks. Before, I was depressed all the time, now I have lots of energy, and I think more clearly. It's heaven-sent."

• Fac...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 17, 2012

"This medicine is a miracle for me. I used to be on Zyprexa, I am also on Abilify, Trileptal, and Klonopin. On Saphris, I was able to diet and exercise and lost about 28 pounds. Occasionally, I have difficulty sleeping, but this medicine is the best I have come across. A long time ago, I used to be on Lithium. I have also responded well to Navane. I almost was in the hospital until I tried Klonopin. Anyone trying this medicine, in my opinion, should be careful because it is so new. I have read the product insert, and reactions with other medicines are not well studied. Currently, I am dieting and exercising, socializing, and just about normal. I do have periods where my mood swings are present along with a little paranoia."

• Mid...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 26, 2012

"Before taking Saphris, I had hallucinations, both aural and visual; zero motivation, interest, and energy; a very flat mood; and paranoid delusions. Saphris has kept the visual hallucinations away. I do not hear voices anymore. I have interest, motivation, and energy, my mood is no longer flat, and I have been feeling pretty good. It has not done anything for my delusion, but I have hope that it will eventually help. I have experienced no side effects. I am on 10 mg a day, 5 taken in the morning and 5 at night. I am not at 100%, but I am so much better than I was."

• jcl...
• February 2, 2011

"This medicine is fantastic. I have been on almost all the medicines available for my disorder, and I was previously on Fanapt, which caused me to gain 15 pounds, and I think I might have gained a little with Saphris as it made me really hungry about half an hour after I took it for the first two weeks. But now that has tapered off, and I find myself having to remind myself to eat. The only thing I don't like about it is the taste, but I take it with a sweet tart (candy) on my tongue as it is dissolving under my tongue, and it's not too bad. I get a good night's sleep on it as well, and I don't feel the 'hangover' effect that most psychiatric medications can give you. I'm up and ready to go!"

• Kah...
• June 8, 2010

"The medicine tastes bitter. It causes temporary numbness in my tongue. I take the 10 mg sublingual form twice a day. I am careful to space it 12 hours apart because it drops my blood pressure taken too close together. Other medicines that cause sedation make me much sleepier than they did before. Sometimes I feel restlessness or muscle stiffness. My moods are much more even than they were before. The audio or visual hallucinations I was having are almost completely gone. I am responding to this medication a lot more than any of the others (I have tried almost everything). Putting up with the side effects is definitely worth the good effects of the medication I am having!"

• Ben...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 9, 2014

"This has been a very good medication for me. I still have some symptoms like voices and seeing things that are not there, but I am able to realize that they are not real, and I can better take control of the situation."

• nov...
• December 26, 2010

"After going through another 23 drugs in the past six years, Saphris seems to be the one medicine that helps. I took the chance of taking this medication without Cogentin to see what the side effects would be, and what I experienced was some restlessness in feeling that I needed to pace the floor, as well as agitation. Taking this medication with Cogentin has rid the restlessness entirely. Saphris has calmed some of my mood swings and response to negativity from others. As for the schizophrenic side, it has kept the paranoia at bay."

• Anonymous
• November 23, 2011

"Definitely ask for the black cherry flavor! I have been taking this since September, and my dose was recently increased to 20 mg. I REALLY LOVE SAPHRIS! It can work on any symptom you have: depression, mania, psychosis, anxiety. You may even be able to get samples from your doctor since it is so new. If you take it all at night like I do, make sure you get 7-8 hours of sleep. 6 will not do!"

• Anonymous
• November 2, 2011

"Ask for the black cherry, the taste is better by far. It is the only medication that has helped me, and I do not feel hungover in the morning, nor have I gained significant weight as I did while taking Seroquel. Happy to have a medication that has few side effects and leaves me able to function."

• zer...
• April 3, 2010

"Started on this medicine in the hospital. So far it has worked at least as well as Zyprexa. It does have a bitter taste to it, but I have gotten used to it. The only thing I can say is I have a little bit more anxiety on it than Zyprexa, but Ativan controls it pretty well, and I sleep very well on it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 16, 2012

"The first time I took Saphris, this feeling of panic came over me, and I had to call someone to talk me down. I took it for 2 months, for the 1st month, it was okay, but into the 2nd month, I had such extreme anxiety that I couldn't leave the house and had to take sick leave from my job for a month. It didn't work for me."

• dov...
• January 28, 2010

"This medicine has good and bad points with me so far. I agree with the others-it makes my tongue go numb for a while and tastes horrid. The only side effect I experience (and I usually get the weird ones) is a slightly alarming drop in blood pressure. I just follow instructions and sit and stand very slowly and carefully. So far at 10 mg 2 x day, it is doing a great job of controlling both mood swings and hallucinations."

• Anonymous
• October 20, 2011

"I am on Day 2 of taking Saphris, and I think it is a miracle. My doctor put me on 10 mg at bedtime, and I have slept like a baby for the first time in 3 years. He kept me on 1200 mg of Trileptal, also at bedtime for mood swings. He also added Neurontin to take 4 times a day with my Klonopin. Yesterday, I actually got out of bed and cleaned my apartment from top to bottom happily. I feel wonderful. I'm not tired or hung over, and my mood is great. Also, my anxiety is almost gone. I have not had any auditory or visual hallucinations so far. I have noticed that I eat like crazy for about 30 minutes after I take Saphris, but then I get dizzy and fall fast asleep and don't wake up until morning."

• Anonymous
• November 2, 2011

"I have the black cherry version because it is not as bitter. This medicine is quite expensive, however, it works well for me. My paranoid thoughts still come to me a few times a week, but I am not delusional at all. My mood is stable, and I feel very 'normal.' Great medicine!"

• cdm...
• February 26, 2012

"This medicine has really helped me. I can focus in school, get my work done in time, and it controls my temper. This medicine tastes very horrible, but regardless, it does a good job and keeps me steady. It also helps me sleep a lot better at night. But I have been gaining a couple of pounds."

• jma...
• January 3, 2013

"I've been taking Saphris, and it puts me to sleep. I've been taking it for almost 2 months. The only problems I have on it are that I have an extreme drop in blood pressure, becoming very dizzy, easily agitated, plus suicidal thoughts. It's a good sleep medicine, though. I've been sleep deprived for several months, and since I've been on this medicine, I've been getting the proper rest that I need. Other than that, I've been okay on taking Saphris."

• Anonymous
• March 1, 2011

"It's under my tongue right now, and it does taste terrible. This medicine has been the best at controlling the depression and hallucinations for me, and I have tried many different medicines. The side effects I have are involuntary tongue 'flipping,' it makes me extremely sleepy. I have to work really hard to stay awake after I take it in the morning, and sometimes I get a sore under my tongue, or my skin peels in my mouth. I've had some really bad stomach/intestinal problems since I've started taking it, but I'm not sure if that is a coincidence or not. It's also hard to keep a pill under your tongue for ten minutes twice a day, especially if you need to say something. Better than the alternative, though."

• Anonymous
• May 25, 2011

"I only take 5 mg of Saphris in the morning, plus Estroven that helps my anger, and it has helped me a lot. I used to take 10 mg, but it gave me suicidal thoughts, so I just take 5 mg in the morning, only taking it day by day."

• Kaz...
• July 2, 2011

"I'm not good with any atypical antipsychotics. After the third day, I swelled up 7 pounds, my face, hands, calves, and feet were swollen. I was VERY asthmatic. I'm schizoaffective, depressive type. Mentally, for three days on 5 mg morning and evening, I didn't feel half bad. But I got a little strange mentally that I cannot quite describe. Almost as if it made me somewhat loopy. It never made my tongue or mouth numb, had a bad taste for about 5 minutes. I don't know quite what happened, but it was lousy waiting out the half-life of the drug. I don't know if it interacted with one of my other medications."

• sti...
• November 28, 2013

"I took Saphris for the first time recently. First, I was sad, then couldn't sleep, then paranoid and went into psychosis. Was told it wasn't very sedating. Much prefer Seroquel!"