Iloperidone and Weight Gain: What Users Say

• Naa...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 3, 2019

Iloperidone for Schizophrenia "I was on 24 mg of Fanapt for about 2.5 years. Prior to that, I had tried probably every antipsychotic, and the only ones that worked were Seroquel and Zyprexa, but I gained 60 lbs on them. I finally came to the realization that Fanapt wasn't actually doing much for me. I still had hallucinations and delusions and was acting crazy, so I decided to come off it because I didn't see the point in taking it anymore. I do have to say it had the least side effects compared to others I've taken. The only thing it helped was my daily cycling of bipolar disorder, but I'd rather not take anything than take an antipsychotic. After quitting Fanapt, I've lost all the weight."

• sjA...
• April 14, 2010

Iloperidone for Psychosis "I've been on this for a month. The symptoms I was put on this medicine to control are under control. It's worked great for that. The problem lies with the side effects. I'm sleepy constantly. I went from sleeping less than 4 hours a night to sleeping more than 12 hours a day. I'm exhausted. I've put on weight, and I have a stuffy nose, head cold symptoms all the time. If I miss a dose, the cold-like symptoms let up, but when I take the next dose, it's back in full force. I have been 'sick' for the last month. No medicine that I've been put on for the 'cold/allergies' helps. It has to be the Fanapt causing it. I'm miserable. I stopped taking it 2 days ago, and the cold just magically went away. Imagine that!"

• Ton...
• December 14, 2020

Iloperidone for Schizophrenia "Been on Fanapt since 2016 until I stopped taking it and got myself in trouble. We then started trying different medications, including Latuda, Abilify, and Invega. I got back on in 2018, and it seems like this is the only one that keeps me stable, lessens the hallucinations, delusions, and anger, along with keeping me out of trouble and from doing crazy things. The Latuda caused tardive dyskinesia and caused me to not sit still. It also caused nerve damage in my body, which later I had to be treated for. The Invega made me very tired, and I was unable to work full-time. However, unfortunately, the side effects are really bad. I’m unable to ejaculate and enjoy having sex with my wife. I also am frequently tired and am restless throughout the day. The other terrible side effect included is the massive weight gain."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 5, 2023

Iloperidone for Schizophrenia "I have been taking the medicine for 3 years now. It helps to take away the bad thoughts. It has some side effects, a little bit of weight gain, but it can be controlled by a diet. Compared to other medicines, it causes less motorization problems and less muscle pain. Overall, it is a good medicine."

• Dar...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 13, 2024

For Bipolar Disorder "I have suffered with BP I my entire life but wasn’t diagnosed until 5 years ago. Until I found Fanapt, I had awful experiences with other medications. I took a med that lowered my WBC to a deficit that was dangerous and switched. I had severe weight gain (35 lbs) and grogginess with another. I tried Vraylar and I began having twitching in my face and in my hands. This brought me to a breaking point. Most of the meds had some positive effects but were so overpowered by the enormous life-changing side effects. After this, I changed to Rexulti, but the twitching did not stop. I feared it was irreversible and would be with me for the rest of my life. About three weeks after switching to Fanapt, the twitching ceased! My doc said he has seen this with other patients as well. My weight returned to normal and I began to have a feeling I had never experienced before; calmness. I am so grateful for this medicine. It has truly changed my life."

• Nat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 6, 2024

For Bipolar Disorder "My doctor switched me to this new med because I had tried three others and had horrible side effects with all of them. Vraylar, Risperidone, and Lamictal. I had really bad restlessness and gained weight with all of them. I was getting scared I wasn’t going to find one to help. I have been on this new one for two months and it’s the most even I’ve ever been. I had a fast heartbeat at first but it went away. I take 6mg twice a day."