Latuda for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews (Page 4)

• abe...
• August 18, 2011

"I am in month 2 of taking Latuda. I have bipolar with psychotic features. When I started Latuda, it was bad. I was sleeping all day and night. Then it switched. I was going to sleep at 10 pm and would be wide awake at 4 am. I have lost weight since starting it, which is welcome due to having gained weight on lithium. My moods are great and any irritability I experience subsides quickly. I have had no psychotic thoughts or actions since I started the Latuda. Even better, it has barely any side effects. I do notice a tiny bit of anxiety and restless legs though, but not every night. REMEMBER TO TAKE WITH 350 CALORIES OF FOOD."

• AMK...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 2, 2016

"This medicine has changed my life! I have battled depression for years. Although my psychiatrist had me on more than 1 antidepressant, I would still have days where I would get up and be in a black hole. I never knew how long it would last - days or weeks. My diagnosis was Major Depressive Disorder - Recurring. I just couldn't understand why I still struggled so much with the monster of depression, despite all the meds. I talked to my psychiatrist about it, and he started me on Latuda. The sky is bluer, the grass is greener, and I know what joy is!"

• Mr ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 15, 2014

"I've been on Latuda for about 6 weeks for Bipolar depression. It is one of the most effective medications that I have taken for depression, but I'm dealing with a few side effects that I hope will go away. I have the paradox of extreme tiredness followed by difficulty sleeping. If I take it during the day, I will have a few hours of fighting falling asleep. When I take it at night (which is what I do now), after the initial sleepiness wears off, I wake up several times and am somewhat restless. Hopefully, I will be able to adjust better over time. If you need something that works fast for depression, I would recommend."

• cnt...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 5, 2013

"I've only been on Latuda for a week, what a difference it has made in my mood. It has lifted the depression & debilitating anxiety. I take it along with Depakote & Klonopin (both of which I've been on for many years). I take it at night because it makes me sleepy. It does give me a 'lump in the throat' sensation, for some reason, about an hour and 1/2 after I take it and that feeling lasts about 2-3 hours. The next day it's gone. I will talk with my psych PA about it, to see what it may be. I haven't had this much motivation in a very long time, and it's not a manic or hypomanic feeling, I just feel like living again. I hope it continues to work well and doesn't cause any intolerable side effects."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 19, 2014

"From day one, my mood immediately improved. I felt happier and more energized and started enjoying life again. The problem I have with this medication, however, is that about an hour or two after taking, I am overcome with extreme exhaustion and have to sleep immediately. I can afford this thanks to the discount card, making it around $30 a month."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 28, 2013

"I started taking 20 mg of Latuda in addition to the 900 mg of Lithium that I've been on for over 10 years. Even before the dosage was increased to 40 mg after one week, I noticed a difference in my mood: I became less depressed, wanted to do things like cleaning up, less withdrawn, and the suicidal thoughts disappeared. My sleeping is still not as good as it should be, however, even with the 25 mg of Seroquel, I sleep very poorly without. I also take Lorazepam as needed for anxiety. I am starting on an 80 mg dosage of Latuda shortly, and if all goes well, my psych said the Lithium may eventually be dropped."

• owl...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 23, 2014

"I was on Latuda (started at 40mg and ended at 80mg) for about a month and a half before deciding to switch. The best thing about Latuda was the significant decrease in my appetite, but that could have been an effect of removing Seroquel from my regimen. When I first started, I had a very hard time sleeping due to restlessness, but that went away with time. The main issues I had with Latuda were a feeling of 'numbness' to the world around me (no desire to do anything or say anything), a definite decrease in my sex drive, and the cost. Neither of my insurance plans will cover it, so unfortunately, it's no longer an option. If you do decide to try it, take it with plenty of food, otherwise you may get nausea."

• Dan...
• September 13, 2013

"Have tried almost everything since being diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder I 4 years ago. I have been on 40mg for a month now. Couldn't be happier. My time at work used to drag and make for an even more miserable day, but no longer. Happier thoughts and no mind racing. I have even been able to stop drinking alcohol while on this medicine. I guess it took away the need to self-medicate. I take this medicine at night with dinner, but after an hour, I can't sit still yet I am very sleepy. I try to sleep but keep having to turn over and over until I fall asleep about 3 hours later. It is a miserable feeling, but sleep very well once I do fall asleep. Small price to pay for feeling so much better. Good luck to all!"

• Nic...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 30, 2013

"So my experience with this medication is a good one. I have tried just about everything for bipolar with schizoaffective features, but this is the only thing that seems to keep me out of the hospital. I don't overeat on this medication and I don't have hardly any side effects. I am currently taking 80mg at night and I seem to be getting quality sleep and feeling as good as you can feel with bipolar disorder the next day. I don't give it a 10 because I still have some unusual thoughts, but I have yet to take a medication that can completely take care of them or I think they are also called intrusive thoughts. If you read this, I hope your experience with this medication will be as good as mine."

• Lat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 6, 2014

"I'm a female in my 60s. I have been on various antidepressant medications for about ten years. Nothing has helped much. I finally gave up on them all. My diagnoses: Depression & post-traumatic stress disorder. For the last 2 weeks, I've been on 20mg of Latuda. What a positive experience! It definitely helps me focus better and helps decrease my depression. The only complaint is that I'm hungry more. My doctor said I could increase to 40mg of Latuda and/or add Wellbutrin. Right now, I'm okay with just 20mg of Latuda. I don't want to change anything right now. Yes, I recommend it. I don't know whether my Medicare will cover Latuda. My doctor gave me samples."

• Anonymous
• November 21, 2012

"As far as I'm concerned, it's a miracle medicine for bipolar. A week and a half ago, I was so bad off that I didn't want to live. My mother called my shrink at about 6 PM, he called in a prescription, and I took 20 mg at around 7 PM. When I woke up the next morning, I felt fine, and I've pretty much been that way since. Some of it may be due to the placebo effect, but I don't think a whole lot because such a dramatic improvement has never occurred when I've started other medicines."

• lov...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 18, 2016

"I've been on Latuda for now almost a year, what a difference it has made in my life! It keeps my mania and depression at a minimum. It has also helped me with my irrational fears, OCD, and ruminations! Thanks to Latuda, I'm back to a lovely creature!"

• dmi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 29, 2016

"I switched from Zyprexa to Latuda about 2 months ago. At first, I was having a little bit of trouble staying asleep. Now, I feel much more energized when I wake up. It keeps symptoms at bay. I was also able to lose almost 50 pounds (through diet and exercise). It is possible to lose weight on this drug as you are not constantly thinking about food and feeling sluggish. Definitely recommend for those looking for an alternative."

• Jov...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 27, 2014

"It has been great, but I am too relaxed and have not much desire to do things. But when I need to do things, it's not a problem. In fact, my work has been much faster than it has been in years. I am more focused and content. The unusual effects have been it has stopped my hypoglycemia, caffeine has no effect on me any longer, and I have no withdrawals at all when stopped cold."

• Jea...
• March 21, 2013

"I have been taking Latuda for about three weeks now for bipolar II. I don't suffer too badly from it, mostly slight depression and irritability. Started week one on 40 mg and was still slightly depressed but not cranky. Upped it to 80 mg and am feeling sunshiny again. Positive attitude is back, interest in things, no longer cranky, more focused, more outgoing. The only MAJOR problem is I am sleepy all the time! I tried taking it at dinner, bedtime, and lunch. I pass out at 8:30 at night, can't get up in the morning, and fight to stay awake at my desk at work. I have read lots of other posts that people have said it passes after a month or so, I really hope so because otherwise it's a great med. No other side effects for me."

• rus...
• April 10, 2021

"My physician put me on Latuda about a year or two ago, and I finally settled on 80 mg per evening with food. It all seemed to be working well, except on the weekends when I’d usually only eat two meals. I would take my Latuda at lunchtime, and on 80 mg, I struggled with the ability to keep still. I would just constantly feel the need to move around when lying down watching TV. This only occurred on weekends for some strange reason, as when I’d come home from work on each weekday, I’d eat something and take it around 5 pm and usually fall asleep. No side effects, no nothing. The weekends, on the other hand, became more troublesome, and I requested to be taken off Latuda, which my physician did, but placed me on 0.25 mg of Risperdal. Bad idea. I couldn’t stay awake and was drowsy at work and had to leave work on two occasions. So I go back to see my PA, and he suggests Latuda 60 mg. Problem solved. The side effects of wanting to move around all the time went away."

• Cel...
• July 5, 2016

"This drug is AMAZING! My negative thoughts and mood swings are a thing of the past. FINALLY! I've been on Prozac, Cymbalta, and Fetzima (the last one made me manic). This is finally the one that worked for me! No side effects as of yet on 20 mg for 3 weeks. Give it a try for stabilizing mood."

• Hap...
• July 3, 2016

"I have recently been diagnosed with BP2. I spent years being depressed, with one suicide attempt. I had been taking fluoxetine for over 10 years. When I finally went to a psychiatrist, he put me on Latuda and Lamictal. What a difference! My primary care physician asked me to go off the Latuda for a few days, and I definitely noticed a difference for the worse. Latuda and Lamictal have saved my life, I am much more productive, motivated, and happy."

• hoo...
• April 3, 2016

"I am in my 50s and have had issues since my 20s, but I have never written a review. My diagnosis is bipolar II (I'm not sure I agree), but I also have sleep apnea, hypothyroidism, and seem to have ADD (only hyperactivity is my non-stop brain). I have taken Wellbutrin, Prozac, Geodon, Abilify, Seroquel, Lamictal, Cymbalta, Zyprexa, lithium, and others, all at ridiculously high clinical doses-I stopped each one cold turkey without issue. Lamictal worked a little at one point, but Latuda (80mg) is the ONLY drug that has given me hope of feeling normal (along with ADD and thyroid treatment). I'm working on the CPAP and hoping Latuda keeps working. This brain stuff is a lot of guessing, and after 30 years in, I was about to give up on ever feeling okay again-this is awesome! I remember being me and love it. :)"

• mr ...
• August 13, 2011

"Latuda is awesome, I've been on it for about 3 weeks and I seem to be feeling better every day. I am also on Prozac, Dexedrine, and Klonopin. But we switched out Zyprexa for Latuda, and it's been a miracle so far. I don't really notice many side effects, and I'm losing weight like crazy and not trying to. I hope it keeps up the good things."

• Anonymous
• September 27, 2011

"I've been on Latuda for 3 months after being on Lithium for Bipolar Disorder and have experienced nothing but great results. Lithium, which I was on for 10 years, began to rot my teeth because of dry mouth, so I asked for a new medicine. The doctor told me Latuda was brand new and is used primarily for schizophrenia but is also used for Bipolar Disorder. About 5 days into treatment, I had experienced noticeable changes. There was a sense of calm without the 'tunnel vision' and tiredness. I am a little more manic, but not bad, it's more like just being awake more, not bouncing off the walls. I sleep about 3 hours less, but because of the awake aspect of the medicine, you can't really notice. So, I say it's an excellent medicine and is worth a try."

• Ric...
• January 28, 2015

"Have been on Latuda (80 mg) for 3 months and it has done wonders for me. I am primarily manic and Latuda has helped me greatly. Much better than Seroquel and a whole bunch of others. Some mild nausea but if I take it with the 350 calories required this equates to no nausea. Still suffer from elevated anxiety but that's another issue."

• Tin...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 20, 2014

"Latuda changed my life. I feel normal. I'm 48 years old and have been on many, many different types of meds for Bipolar type 1. I was diagnosed when I was 28, and have had quite a roller coaster time until I was put on Latuda 80 mg as well as Wellbutrin XL 300. I also had to add Trazodone 100mg later for sleeping. It's been 3 1/2 years now and I'm married now and taking care of both of my daughters, my grandson, and my husband. It truly has changed my life to stable and normal."

• Exc...
• January 18, 2013

"I've been on Abilify seems forever. It did work well except for my sleep. So I began Latuda 4 weeks ago and so far my sleep is really improved and so have my moods. I haven't had any side effects except for the sexual one, which they all seem to take away from that. Highly recommend Latuda. Very expensive though."

• min...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 12, 2013

"I started taking 40mg of Latuda alone about 6 weeks ago now. Before that, I was wondering day-to-day if I would make it. Now, aside from being sleepy (that is the biggest side effect, but who doesn't like a nice mid-day nap) I am much more productive, I can get out of bed in the morning, I don't cry uncontrollably, and best of all I don't have those same impulses I did before with shopping and drinking, etc. This really is a miracle in a way. I am on Klonopin now to help sleep, as by the time I go to bed I am all worked up, and it helps. It also helps for meltdowns, although I am going to talk to my psych to see if upping Latuda to 80mg is wise to prevent the meltdowns altogether. 23 and happy now, who would have ever guessed."