Cariprazine and Irritability: What Users Say

• ADH...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 5, 2024

Cariprazine for Major Depressive Disorder "Vraylar 1.5 mg daily, combined with Adderall 90 mg, has been a game changer for me. After years of trying various medications, this combination has finally brought me the relief I've been seeking. Previously, Wellbutrin amplified side effects like agitation and anxiety, and SSRIs didn't do anything for my depression. In contrast, Vraylar has significantly improved my mood and motivation without any side effects. It works perfectly alongside Adderall, enhancing its benefits without any interference. For the first time in nearly 30 years, I feel genuinely good, productive, and normal. If you're struggling to find the right medication balance, this one may be very worth it. In low doses, it's more of a dopamine agonist/stabilizer than anything."

• Myt...
• November 8, 2019

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "After trying numerous meds, this finally worked for me. The only bad part is it has caused me to gain 20 lbs. I started at 155, now I'm 175. It makes me constantly hungry. Why did I rate it so high? I finally feel like the old me. I have energy, my moods are better controlled, and it controls my anxiety. The pluses outnumber the negatives. I started on the lowest dose, now I'm on 3 mg. It made me nauseous and irritable the first few days. But I noticed the difference quickly. I hope this will help someone who is looking for a new med."

• Jay...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 10, 2021

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "What I’ve noticed after reading all these reviews is nobody talks about how long the initial side effects last and how long until you can expect to start working. After so many drug trials that I know everyone can relate to, I finally found the Zyprexa and Cymbalta combo to stabilize me for many years until it stopped working and I started numbing myself with alcohol until that stopped working. Started with drug trials again. Latuda made me feel like I was crawling out of my skin for weeks, so I discontinued it. Started Vraylar and started at 1.5 for a week, which at first was awful with numerous side effects including agitation, loss of interest in everything, on and on. So I started tapering every other day and cutting the capsule in half for now. I started feeling better and noticed a decrease in my anxiety within days. Everybody’s chemistry is different, but keep the faith and fighting through the side effects can be worth it. God bless."

• Boo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 28, 2019

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "Question for people who've been taking Vraylar for a while. What's the best time of the day to take this medicine? Because I feel like it makes me sleepy, but when I took it at night, I've noticed the next day I was still snappy and in a bad mood, so advice on when to take it, please? And other advice as well, I would appreciate it because I am a beginner on this medicine!!!"

• RMC...
• April 29, 2016

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "I have tried Abilify (worked but caused massive weight gain) and Latuda (worked at first, then just made me restless and agitated) and now Vraylar for depression/mixed episodes in BP II. I have only been on it for about a week, but I noticed a HUGE difference in my mood and agitation. I do not feel depressed and hopeless and am no longer agitated at all. I hope this med continues to work! It is VERY expensive, but you can go on the website and get a savings card where you only pay $15/month."

• JJs...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 25, 2019

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "I was just wondering if anyone else was experiencing rapid weight gain with this medication, Vraylar. I’m on week 3, and I’ve already gained weight, and my agitation is terrible. Any advice would be appreciated."

• mom...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 6, 2020

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "I was on this for major depressive disorder, anxiety, and ADD. This medicine would have been perfect if not for the akathisia. I could wake up in the morning and stay awake throughout the day. I could complete tasks and was more productive. Unfortunately, the feeling of needing to constantly move around and the irritability it caused outweighed the positive."

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

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "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

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "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."

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

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "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."

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 30, 2019

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "Started on Vraylar 1.5 mg for 3 weeks, mild side effects... went up to 3 mg and the insomnia, restlessness, and agitation were horrible. I made it in 5 days and then saw the doctor. I have Bipolar I, and she suggested I go back down to 1.5 and added 5 mg of Abilify. My body was sore for the first few days, but I’m starting to feel good again, and taking the Abilify at bedtime helps with sleep."

• Les...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 6, 2018

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "I was diagnosed with bipolar I many years ago but have only really started taking meds and managing it. I've been on Lamictal 150 mg twice a day and Klonopin 1 mg as needed. In the last month, I started having more anxiety, and the Lamictal just didn't seem as effective anymore. My doc started me on the Vraylar 1.5 mg 10 days ago, and I'm most definitely worse with it. I'm more agitated, emotional, shaky, can't sleep even with sleeping meds. My paranoia has significantly increased. I don't recommend this med at all."

• Car...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 23, 2019

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "My husband took this medication for 3 days. Each day became progressively worse. He was getting more agitated, huge appetite increase, restless, and anxious by the day. Not to mention the minimal to no sleep he was getting. I was surprised to see the side effects appear so quickly, but I am glad. We are now on day 4 off the medication. I'm hopeful he will be getting back to baseline soon. With detox, he has brain saps, interrupted sleep, restlessness, and anxiety. Last night was better than any night in the past week. Given the side effects and length of time the med stays in your system, I am glad we stopped the med after 3 doses."

• Ang...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 11, 2019

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "I love Vraylar so far. Really has helped me see life a different way. I feel more optimistic and happy. A problem that I have noticed is I have become more agitated, but I’ve only just started the medicine two weeks ago. So hopefully, the agitation will go away."

• L-T...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 1, 2022

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "I am prone to anger and rage, and this medicine brought it out of me in its extreme. I had never been so hostile, angry, irritable, and aggressive in my life. I’m glad I figured out what was going on before I did any permanent damage. If you’re a person living with BD and are prone to getting angry, avoid this medicine like the plague."

• Bla...
• June 29, 2018

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "My doctor just diagnosed me as bipolar 2 weeks ago and prescribed Vraylar to help with my moods. I'm always nervous to start new medications, so I just started it a couple of days ago. So far, the side effects are making me want to quit taking it. I was told to take it before bed, but it makes my mind race so badly that I've been laying here for 3 hours and still can't sleep. And I can't take it in the morning because it makes me feel drunk-tired and, for lack of a better word, completely high. As exhausted as I am, I still feel like I could take on the day without sleep. Other side effects are dizziness, restlessness, shakiness, headache, upset stomach, intense hunger, feeling like I'm catching a cold, can't stay asleep, blurred vision (I'm typing with one eye closed), irritability, difficulty concentrating, and an intense manic episode starting about an hour after taking the pill, lasting all day. I'm super sensitive to meds, and I really don't think this is the med for me."

• Lis...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 25, 2024

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "I've been taking Vraylar for about a year now. At first, it does work like a charm… clearer thoughts, feeling more stability. However, the first few doses of the medication were not working. I went up from 1.5 to 4.5 and now I’m on 6 mg, and problems are starting to occur. For example, I’ve had more homicidal thoughts than I’ve ever had on any other medication, and quite frankly, it’s terrifying. Also, I’m more prone to arguments, so it’s been hell for my husband living with me right now. I also go to bed at 9, and it’s 6 in the morning, and I can’t go back to sleep. So, yes, Vraylar is great at first, but over time, it does get worse. I originally got off of Abilify because I thought it was a weight gainer. But I’m planning to go back to that one and just eat right! I was on that one for 15 years and never felt as contentious, irritable, and homicidal as I feel now! I suggest if you do use it, don’t do the highest dosage and don’t stay on it for more than a year."

• liv...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 29, 2022

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "It was the worst experience on any psychiatric medicine I ever tried. I was put on it for depression/anxiety, and it made me feel extremely agitated, restless, and like I wanted to crawl out of my skin. This was on the lowest dosage too. I quit taking it within 2 weeks."

• Sco...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 4, 2018

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "I was put on Vraylar because of a manic episode. I was told it would be gentle and would NOT hit hard. Within half an hour of taking the first dose, I had a full psychotic break that lasted two days. On the second day, I took another dose and was highly agitated afterwards. We reduced the dosage to every other day (1.5 mg). Two weeks after starting it, the Vraylar hit me like a truck and I went from somewhat manic all the way down. After four days of deep dark depression, I stopped taking it. I feel much better now, but I am left with genital numbness, exacerbating an existing problem that had actually gone away, but came crashing back even worse than before. I'm on different, much better meds now, older meds, but the genital numbness persists despite my having no problems with desire."

• Amy...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 5, 2023

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "It helped at first, seemed like. Lower dose. But as the dose continued I began to feel grumpy all the time. Exhausted, skin sores, bumps, depression, angry, and physically aggressive. I no longer take the medicine."

• Sta...
• November 5, 2019

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "Vraylar is the first antipsychotic I've tried for my recent diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Even in just a few days, I noticed such a change. I was happy, motivated, not snapping on everyone, the list goes on. It was really GREAT! However, now I am experiencing horrific vertigo, to the point where I am falling and getting injured. Stopped taking the med (lowest dose, 1.5 mg) 3 days ago, and I cannot wait until it is out of my system. Also, I noticed some bad rebound agitation. Maybe because I am so worried and anxious about my dizziness, but the agitation is pretty bad. Took for two days, stopped for four days (was getting bad leg cramps and NP advised me to stop this and see if that was the cause). Started back and was going on four days, and the charley horses and dizziness began. Kept taking the med until day six. Now awaiting to see if stopping the med will make the dizziness go away. Vraylar has a long half-life, so it can take several weeks to clear one's body."

• Kat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 1, 2024

For Bipolar Disorder "Doctors prescribed me cariprazine (Reagila) while I was hospitalized for the 4th time during an intense depressive episode. I have rapid cycling Bipolar Disorder 1 and incredible instability. I took this medicine for about 3-4 weeks. It was like oil in fire. I got a mixed episode, hyperactivity and, for the first time in my life, extreme irritability. It was extremely difficult to stay still, and I couldn't sleep. It took me months to recover from this. All the side effects, no help at all."

• SWa...
• February 16, 2021

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "I have taken Vraylar for a year. It has been great for me and has adjusted my mood so that I am not crying all the time. I don't have manic episodes anymore. I went through the agitation/insomnia days 1-14. Gained and cannot lose the 40 lbs. New doc who tells me I can take something else that will replace Vraylar and I can always go back on it if I need to, but I am ready to get this weight off, so I'm going to take the chance. The average weight gain was 2.2 lbs for a 6-week course, and I, of course, am above average, but even going to the gym has done absolutely nothing to get the weight off. But this medication has worked wonders for me and is the first bipolar medication I have ever taken, so I have to recommend it highly if you don't mind gaining a few - or several - extra pounds. Good luck to everyone! We are not alone."

• Sha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 2, 2022

Cariprazine for Bipolar Disorder "Taking Vraylar for the last month, extreme restlessness, feeling anxious, agitated, and high heart rate, manic episodes too. Not feeling good but hoping for side effects to reduce. Few positive thoughts and will continue the next few weeks. An engineering student but took a break as not able to concentrate. Was on olanzapine for 6 months but that made me groggy, sleepy, so stopped."

• Tra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 5, 2021

Cariprazine for Schizophrenia "I had very bad agitation, and this medicine did not do a thing for my psychosis, voices, racing thoughts, and things of that nature. Massive weight gain as well, risk everything for no reward."