Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews (Page 4)

• MD1...
• June 22, 2017

"I have been on Vraylar for probably 4 or 5 months now. It has been great. At first, I didn't think it helped, then we doubled my dose from 3 mg to 6 mg, and it started to work. It keeps my mixed episodes at bay, which are always the ones that get me hospitalized. Any drug that will keep me out of the hospital is a miracle drug for me. Also, I have gained no weight on it (I've actually lost 7 lbs) despite the studies showing quick weight gain. Overall, I'd say give Vraylar a shot if your doctor recommends it. There are very few side effects compared to the other atypicals I've been on, and I've been on quite a few. Also, go to Vraylar's website and get the coupon called Vraypay. It reduced my copay to just $15!"

• Wei...
• February 11, 2017

"I started this medication 3 days ago, and I never get side effects from medication ever. This medication messed me up. From the first day, I started getting headaches, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting multiple times a day. I completely lost my appetite, and the weird side effect I got is hiccups. I literally get hiccups 8-10 times a day. I'm stopping this medication because it's not worth feeling like poop all day."

• Ste...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 4, 2019

"After 20 years of being medicated, I can finally say that I’ve found a pill that makes people feel more violent. It’s Vraylar. I took it for about 10 days. I felt myself becoming more angry and easily agitated as I continued to take it. I took it at night and would notice myself becoming a bit insane around 2 pm every day. I’m literally afraid of this medication."

• Dee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 2, 2019

"For the first 3 days, I felt a reduction in anxiety but had a cloudy feeling. Over the next week, I started to get depressed and increasingly groggy. In weeks 2 and 3, I thought I was going to die. I was up all night long shaking and extremely agitated. My heart was thumping. I had a terrible headache and dizziness. I only slept 2-3 hours and only during the day. For anyone who is experiencing these side effects, I hope you find some peace knowing you are not alone. The drug has a long half-life, so it’s going to take me a few days, but I hope I can get back to my regular state."

• tes...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 31, 2016

"It worked for me. In the beginning, I thought it wasn't working, but it was just building up, I guess. I was still having auditory hallucinations when I did too much stuff and didn't sleep properly, but that was just me. The Vraylar stopped my delusions of 'everyone is trying to modify me' or 'everyone is plotting to put me in the mental hospital.' I am getting along fine with everyone now! Unfortunately, even with the copay, I can't afford it. So I'm switching to another antipsychotic. Just sharing that this medication does work. My blood sugar didn't go sky high, which was a huge fear of mine because I did go full-blown diabetic and had to be hospitalized on other antipsychotics (which I will not name). I did not gain any weight."

• Tra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 19, 2019

"I was given Vraylar for rapid cycling depression. I also have ADHD. I had no negative side effects, or so I thought. I stayed on it for about 5 months and in a state of extreme mania the entire time. I lost 30 pounds. I loved it because I finally felt good and did not disclose everything to my doctor, like cheating on my husband, which I would NEVER have done before. But I finally had to come off of it as the mania increased. Now I’m diagnosed with bipolar unspecified because of my reaction to it."

• Pic...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 10, 2020

"I love Vraylar. I feel amazing on it. I’m totally stabilized, but the issue I have is ever since I started taking it, I haven’t had a period. And I’m not sure if this is a side effect of the Vraylar. Been to the gyno, and everything is fine via blood work and uterine biopsy. So I don’t know, maybe something to look out for."

• Run...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 4, 2020

"I have treatment-resistant depression, and the Vraylar, so far, not so good. Super hyperactive on it. Cleaning everything. Can't sleep, but exhausted at the same time. Also, can't hold anything down, I'm so nauseated all the time! Hate it! It's been about two weeks now."

• Kou...
• October 9, 2017

"I have been on Vraylar a year now, and it's by far the best medication I have been on. I did have restlessness at first, but I have lost over 50 pounds since being on it. I feel like I got my life back."

• AJa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 16, 2019

"I have been on Vraylar 1.5 mg for a month. It causes me to bite and chew my lips and tongue uncontrollably, till they bleed. I also clench my jaw. I take Artane (trihexyphenidyl) 5 mg 2x/day for side effects. It works, but if I forget to take Artane, my life is a misery of chewing my face. I still have problems with my mood, but my psychosis, paranoia, and delusions are gone. I never realized I was psychotic all the time until taking Vraylar."

• Fra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 4, 2018

"I've had severe depression alongside bipolar. I've been on Vraylar for about 3 months. My depression lessened significantly. Recently, I've been restless and dealing with insomnia (even with sleeping medicine), and I have constant anxiety and intrusive thoughts. I have also gotten agitated, and it feels like it's almost pushing me into a manic episode. It's very scary and lonely to be put in this position. These side effects were not discussed at all. I don't suggest this medicine."

• Yea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 11, 2019

"I started on Vraylar 1.5 mg and took samples for about 2 months. I felt great on it, like I never had before on any other meds. But the side effect that I can’t shake is the drowsiness and 'fog' that started almost immediately. I didn’t want to quit because I felt better in every other way. I quit 2 days ago, and I feel extremely less tired. I am going to have to find another medicine. I wouldn’t be able to afford it anyway!"

• Geo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 10, 2018

"Let me say that Vraylar 3 mg has been a Godsend for me. I am not all over the place with my moods and not agitated. I felt like I was going down the rabbit hole, and this changed all of that. I am not aware of any side effects on myself. I’ve been on this for a year and a half and would encourage anyone to try it when your doctor suggests it. I also take Luvox and Trazodone to sleep. I do have trouble sleeping, but had that before ever starting the Vraylar."

• Mai...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 10, 2019

"Good for handling mania. Gave me energy back. When my dosage was increased due to mild depression, I experienced weight gain of about 40 pounds! I'm a petite woman, so the weight gain was just too much for me. I tried to stick with the med, but I could not fit into anything. My appetite kept increasing, and the depression did not go away."

• Rho...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 13, 2023

"Severe anxiety after taking the first dose. My doctor gave it to me to help with sleep. It kept me up all night. I had restless legs that would jerk. I also developed a mild rash. It was the worst decision of my life to take this medication. You couldn't pay me enough money to continue taking it. I really wanted it to help, but it didn't."

• Cam...
• March 25, 2017

"I started this 2 weeks ago. I have mixed manic bipolar disorder. I was on Latuda and Risperdal for 3 years. I finally got off of them after the doctor realized it was messing with me. On Vraylar, I noticed I sleep less, like only 8 hours instead of 10-12. I also feel better, I don't hear voices anymore, and I felt good enough to cut and color my hair. 2 weeks ago, that would've been out of the question. I've started exercising, and I've noticed the side effect of restlessness. I hope it goes away! Overall, this is a wonder drug!"

• Dra...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 5, 2019

"My psych doctor started me on this, and at first, nothing happened at the 1.5 dose. Once he increased it to 3 mg, everything went south. I started hallucinating and not sleeping. It exasperated my bipolar problems. Needless to say, I am no longer on it."

• rac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 26, 2017

"This medication has been a life changer for me. No weight gain. Side effects for the first week or so. I did become dependent on it and became crazy after missing a few doses of it. It is absolutely perfect for mixed episodes. It is the best medication I have found so far. I have been taking it for about two months, I believe."

• Luc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 3, 2023

"For a drug that costs as much as a monthly mortgage payment, you would expect much better results. Tremors, overheating, restlessness. This drug simply made me feel no emotions but gave me such bad tremors I feared going out in public. Luckily, the side effects faded, but you can get far more effective bipolar meds for a fraction of the price. Avoid."

• Kp1...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 1, 2020

"This is the worst medicine I have ever taken. It actually made my manic and compulsive buying worse. It messed with my sleep schedule and my blood sugar. I’m normally 103-105 lbs. I was constantly hungry on this, and my blood sugar would plummet between meals. I gained 7 lbs in 2 months after my doc put me on 3 mg. I have switched to lithium and feel like a new person."

• Jen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 7, 2022

"I am on day 2 of Vraylar at 1.5 mg for manic depression and bipolar. I feel really weird. I feel cloudy. Like a zombie. As if someone has their finger on top of my head holding me down so I don’t get up. My face feels heavy. I want to talk but feel as if I can’t. Does that make sense? I will not be taking this med again. I feel really out of it. No emotions. You cannot tell me that in clinical studies none of these side effects came up. Messing with my brain, that’s for sure. I am tired and feel like I am about to have a MAJOR panic attack. I can’t wait for this feeling to go away. It’s scaring me. I feel unsteady, as if I could easily fall. No way I could drive. Things are really slowed down in movement. Weirdest I’ve felt since taking lithium. Vraylar is going to be a huge NO for me."

• Ayl...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 1, 2023

"This medicine was the MOST effective drug I have taken since I started taking medications, and that includes 10+ medications. I actually felt incredibly happy for the first time in years. It is super effective for both bipolar depression and mania. Unfortunately, I gained 40 pounds in under a year. It makes me sick that I had to choose between my mental health and my physical health. The weight gain, besides the obvious huge changes to my body and self-esteem, has caused significant back pain to the extent of seeing a chiropractor as well as knee pain. Sciatica was part of the back pain sometimes, which is miserable. I just kept gaining weight. Now, when I mentioned to my psychiatric doctor I needed to change again because of the weight gain, he blithely mentioned that now they automatically start people out with metformin or similar medication when prescribing Vraylar and it keeps the patient from gaining weight. So, with that info, maybe it will help someone else."

• Cat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 28, 2020

"My doctor at a mental health hospital prescribed me this because along with bipolar, she said I had severe impulsive borderline personality disorder (BPD). This medicine really calms me down, but the indigestion and the insomnia are a pain. What can I do to help those out? I'm going to talk to my doctor today too."

• Rel...
• September 22, 2018

"I’ve been on Vraylar 1.5 mg for 1 month for bipolar disorder. Manic episodes, mood swings, random anger/crying were completely out of control. I started taking this in the morning, but it was making me nauseous half of the day even with a light breakfast. I switched to bedtime, and it interfered with sleep. I am now trying a lunchtime dose, which seems to be better. I have learned I cannot take it on an empty stomach (I don’t usually have that issue with medications). It suppresses my appetite. My doc added a sleep aid, and this seems to be a good combo. Once I learned the correct way to take it, it has been an amazing help to me so far. I just increased to 3 mg 2 days ago, and so far, so good. I feel like I am more alert and have more energy a lot of the time. Also, I feel the need to always keep moving, which can be tiring at times. I’ll take that over the manic and other symptoms any day! I hope it helps others the way it has me so far. The cost of this med is crazy though!"

• Lee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 26, 2017

"This is my second post. I was waiting for my insurance to approve this med. I've been on samples starting at 1.5, then to 3 mg, and now 4.5 mg. Other than a little bit of restlessness, I am tolerating this med quite well (after trying over 40 other meds). It has been 2 months since I began taking it, and at least some of the suicidal thoughts have dissipated. I will continue to take it and work up to 6 mg starting next month. But by far, one of the best bipolar meds I have tried in over 9 years!"