Latuda and Weight Gain: What Users Say (Page 3)

• BBP...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 3, 2017

For Schizophrenia "Diagnosed as bipolar with depression and severe anxiety years ago, however my reason for Latuda doesn't quite fit in the 'bipolar' category, so I'm posting it here. I have been on another AAP (Zyprexa) for two years, but it doesn't cover all the bases for me. Got to the point where 'paranoid thoughts' (as my Dr. calls them) dominated a lot of my time. I was blockading my door, wouldn't leave my apartment after dark, etc. Dr. added 40 mg of Latuda to my cocktail. I don't know how long it took, but one night I realized that I haven't been blocking the door. Sadly, I gained 15 lbs in two months, so I tried to quit the Latuda. As soon as I did, I went right back to paranoid me. I will have to deal with the weight (only side effect for me) to keep semi-sane."

• spa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 2, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "I've been taking Latuda for over a year now for bipolar 2. It seemed to work well for a few months at 40 mg, then stopped working. Upped dose to 60 mg, worked for a few months. Increased again to 80 mg, now ineffective. Now I'm on lamotrigine concurrently - if that helps, I will stop taking Latuda. Side effects have been very bad. Never had a panic attack in my life until I took Latuda, now I've had several. Nausea every time I take it. Supposedly this medicine is 'weight-neutral,' but I gained at least 30 pounds over the past year and a half (I didn't change my diet or exercise habits from before taking it). Now I am eating better and working out, but I doubt if I can lose the weight until I'm off Latuda. Hope to get off it soon!"

• bfl...
• June 1, 2019

"37 F - I am taking this drug 'off-label' for major depressive disorder. Nothing worked previously, and I’ve tried more medications and non-med treatments than I can count. This one has finally pulled me out of the gutter, and it worked FAST - none of that '4-6 weeks' rubbish. I was buried in complete misery and had passive suicidal thoughts (wishing I wouldn’t wake up in the morning, wishing I had never been born). I was at the point where my providers were pushing me to go to a day outpatient program (IOP). Now, I still have to watch out for triggers that send my mood spiraling, but my anhedonia and 'baseline' have improved, and I am able to reframe negative thought patterns. Negative side effects - fatigue, but the weight gain has been the worst. I’ve gained over 10 pounds in 2 months. My psychiatrist has suggested metformin to address this. I’ve never been this heavy in my life. And this is on top of the 15 lbs I’ve gained from Zoloft and then Pristiq."

• Kae...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 15, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "It makes me go off on these rage-filled tangents and tantrums - that scare my family and me. But whenever I tell them the Latuda makes me feel this way, they ignore what I say, and so does the pdoc. I am so depressed, I have gained 20 lbs+ from taking it. I don't like this med, but nobody listens to me."

• Awa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 13, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "I took Latuda for a little over a year, and I had so many side effects. I was so tired all the time, I couldn't function at work, and I was a cashier. My throat got smaller, I would gag brushing my teeth, and I used to be able to take three pills at once without a problem. When I was on Latuda, I could barely swallow one, and I still gagged. I had memory loss and weight gain. I was miserable, and I couldn't figure out why. Then I realized that it was Latuda. So, I got weaned off of it, and I felt ten million times better. I lost fifty pounds since I've been off of it, I can function again, my memory is slowly coming back, and I don't gag when I brush my teeth, and I can swallow more than one pill without gagging."

• Sis...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 14, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "I am bipolar 1 with IED (intermittent explosive disorder). I spent 47 years of my life on different antidepressants and antipsychotics, all to no avail. Finally, after years of suffering, losing my job, and having no coverage, a state-sponsored TN facility put me on Rexulti, which gave me severe twitches, so they switched me to Latuda. I wish I had found this drug as a teen/early adult, as my life would have been more productive and had less interference from my mood swings. I now have stable moods, increased energy, and the depressive and negative thoughts are all but gone. No issues with side effects besides a few pounds of weight gain, but with increased activity, it's been easier to lose. I would recommend this drug to anyone suffering from bipolar 1 or similar type disorders. I went from 20mg to 40mg after a few months and felt a little sleepier, but after a week or so, it leveled out again. Least side effects of anything I have ever had to take."

• phy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 14, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "After 5 months on this medication, it did nothing for my 'manic-depressive bipolar disorder' that I was diagnosed with. It caused me to rapidly put on fat and riddled me with anxiety. I've never had a panic attack in my life until I took this medication. I was prescribed Latuda 40 mg, after 2 months, I had numerous panic attacks and gained over 15 lbs of fat, made me very angry and antisocial. It's also expensive as hell, even with insurance. I quit taking it and forced myself to work out and eat clean, and I feel 10 times better than when I was taking this crap. No more depression, no more panic attacks or anger. My bipolar symptoms are completely gone from just changing my diet and adding structure to my chaotic life."

• J00...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 17, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "I have been on Latuda for 3-4 years at 40 mg. I also take Celexa for my bipolar 1 disorder. The Latuda has helped me feel better, but the weight gain of 50 lbs I put on has depressed me to the point that I stopped taking Latuda this week. So far, I have just experienced some insomnia and racing thoughts. I pray that these symptoms will pass soon. I am looking into treating my bipolar 1 with vitamins and minerals. If you have any suggestions or thoughts, please share them. I am hoping to lose all the weight I gained. Thank you, and God bless."

• lik...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 29, 2013

For Bipolar Disorder "cont. So my diagnosis is Bipolar II, Panic Disorder, ADD. Wellbutrin, Lamictal, Xanax, Adderall, and now this. Anyone else on so many different things? I hope I get as lucky as most of you. I've been so low over the last several months, and for the longest time, my memory has been just awful. I'm always anxious. Always. I don't expect this medication to fix that, my Xanax dose is increasing for that. I'm afraid of weight gain. Wellbutrin has helped me be smaller again, and I can eat whatever. I'm not prepared to lose that."

• Kay...
• July 18, 2017

For Schizophrenia "I took this medication for nearly two years at the highest dose of 120 mg for schizophrenia. It completely helped with my hallucinations and delusional thinking. I had been on 650 mg of Seroquel prior to starting Latuda, and I would still hear voices. I take Latuda with a snack at 8 p.m., and I am ready for sleep between 9:30 - 10 p.m. and sleep well through the night. My only complaint is that it does cause an increase in appetite and weight gain. At this present time, I take 900 mg lithium, 150 mg Luvox, 72 mg Concerta, and Latuda dose has been lowered to 80 mg. I have noticed that my appetite has decreased. Delusions and hallucinations have not returned."

• tda...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 13, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "My experience with Latuda is mostly negative. I have been on it for 5 months and will be tapering off in a couple of weeks, thankfully. The only good thing about it is it stabilized me in a severe mixed mania with a psychosis episode, but other than that, the side effects are horrible. It has done nothing for my depression the past two months, and I have had anxiety and major irritability on it. The nausea and vomiting are miserable. I was prescribed Zofran to offset the nausea, but that is not so helpful either since the Zofran causes constipation. The 350 calorie requirement is a pain because you can't take it with dinner or you fall asleep instantly, so I take it with a late-night meal to last a few more hours, hence more weight gain."

• Bai...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 9, 2021

For Schizophrenia "I tried 4 different antipsychotics before finding Latuda. All the other antipsychotics made me gain weight, about 30 lbs, which qualified me as being obese. When I started taking Latuda, all the weight the other antipsychotics had made me gain just fell off, and I went back down to being 120 lbs (I'm 5'4). I have been taking Latuda for 2.5 years, and it has done a better job treating my schizophrenia than any of the other antipsychotics."

• tnh...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 25, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "I started taking Latuda a month ago, and it is the most debilitating drug I've ever had. I feel like I can't move or have any motivation to do anything. I've also gained 20 pounds. I'm absolutely miserable. Do not take this! It's not worth feeling like a slug all day."

• Fra...
• January 6, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "I was diagnosed with bipolar in 12/28/2015. It has been very hard from then until now. I first was on lithium, it didn't work for me. I was still manic. I switched doctors and was put on Latuda. My doctor called it the Mercedes of meds. So I went with it. It took 4 months to see a difference. I had to take meds faithfully. 9 months and Latuda has changed my life. I did gain weight. Now I'm working out on getting it off."

• con...
• November 3, 2015

For Schizophrenia "After years on a number of meds, all these arguments in my head are starting to quiet down some and starting to make sense. 50 pounds later and completely isolated from the world, feeling like I can make a reality check and at least have hope of a better and brighter day. Just checked out after an episode and hope they got it right finally. Started at 40 and just ate and took my first 60... Feeling positive at least with sample packs."

• Jab...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 12, 2022

For Schizophrenia "I have only been taking Latuda for 4 weeks, so I'm aware that I might be talking too early. But I don't care. I think I've found a miracle cure! I've taken antipsychotics since 2019... Olanzapine was okayish but made me put on weight, and I went from 76 kgs to 96 kgs in 3 months! Risperidone didn't help much. For the first time in 3 years, I feel back to my normal self (nearly) after 4 weeks of taking Latuda/Lurasidone. The violent and paralyzing visions I've been experiencing have been suppressed, almost from the first dose. I can't wait to tell my story! But I don't know if it's side effects or what? About one week ago, I experienced sharp pain around my waist, as though the pressure I used to feel in my head had moved to my waist. I went and saw the doctor. He said it must be muscular pain and it will settle down. Sure enough, the pain has eased. I am so happy with Latuda, I can't wait to tell everyone!"

• Mis...
• February 2, 2021

For Schizophrenia "I’ve been on Latuda for nearly four years now for schizophrenia. It gets rid of the auditory hallucinations and delusions completely, so cognitively I am back to normal. Side effects include leaking breasts, weight gain of approx 25 kg, though it happened gradually, and inability to orgasm on 160 mg. My psychiatrist has put the dose down to 120 mg to see if that deals with the sexual side effects, but that was only yesterday, so I don’t know yet if it worked. I also get hot overnight (I take it in the evening) and sometimes get a tremor in my hands during the night. I have also tried Seroquel and Abilify, but Latuda is better for side effects (except for the sexual ones). Given how awful antipsychotic meds are, this one is not too bad really."

• Cor...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 25, 2018

For Schizophrenia "Latuda worked really well at controlling my schizophrenia for the 2 years I was on it, but I occasionally did hear some voices on it still at 80 mg. Unfortunately, it had some side effects on me that I didn't like - gained weight, lost libido, and slept 12-13 hours a day on it. So eventually, the side effects just got to me and I changed to a different antipsychotic. Now I'm on Rexulti, and my voices have gone away completely and have no side effects. So I would say Latuda was an OK medication for me, could have been better, could have been worse."

• AUD...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 20, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "It's been great. I felt pure relief within days. Within weeks, I stopped feeling depressed, stopped having frequent negative thoughts, and I've regained my energy. I am able to go to work and school without feeling exhausted. I was anorexic; I was severely underweight, but it's been stabilizing since being on this drug. My appetite that left me because of the depression is now back. I am very satisfied (for those complaining about their increased weight on this drug: exercise more, eat less). This is the best antidepressant I've been on so far."

• Sal...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 19, 2018

For Schizophrenia "I was on Seroquel for a long time, couldn't take the sleeping and weight gain. I switched to Latuda. Nauseated after taking, so now I take it late with a late dinner, 350 calorie meal, no more nausea. I'm rather fatigued from it, so I tend to drink coffee during the day to keep me going. I'm losing weight finally on it. Good antipsychotic, I use it for anxiety and depression along with Cymbalta and Inderal in the AM. Lost 20 lbs. Zyprexa and Seroquel were awful."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 4, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, anxiety, and OCD last year. I came off of Zyprexa to try Latuda, and that was a pretty bad decision because Zyprexa did wonders (the weight gain became an issue). I took Latuda with 75 mg Lamictal and 30 mg Prozac. The first week of Latuda (went from 20 mg to 40 mg) I felt so hyper, unproductive, not focused on school work, and just uncomfortable. My obsessions got worse too. But I did NOT feel depressed at all, so that was good. I started losing a couple of pounds and got my libido back. After taking the pill at night, I was super nauseous, wanted to puke (but ginger ale helped a lot), and felt sleepy throughout the WHOLE day. I finally got off of it after a week. Try to go into trying Latuda with an open mind, and it may work for you. Also, with my insurance, I paid $70 for a bottle of 15 pills. Pretty expensive!!"

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 16, 2021

For Bipolar Disorder "My doctor prescribed Latuda in 2014 for my bipolar disorder. I didn't notice much improvement in my symptoms, but weight gain, high blood pressure, increased A1C, and high cholesterol. After stopping that awful drug, my weight receded, and all my numbers returned to normal. Marijuana has helped my moods with no side effects! Not even weight gain."

• dav...
• October 3, 2021

For Bipolar Disorder "Have bipolar type II, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive traits. Latuda changed my life and made me more functional. The pros: clear-headed, focused, makes me wake up early in the morning, helps with going to sleep if taken at dinner. My weight gain was minimal (5 to 7 pounds). I am in my mid-thirties and walk every other day, work out 2x a week. I am 170 lbs. This drug helps me so much with suicidal ideations and boosts me. I barely notice the depression bouts anymore. My cycle is hypomania 10 days, 10 days depression, ten days euthymia. The cons: it doesn't work well for hypomania. I have chronic insomnia, and I feel slightly lethargic. I'm at 80 mg but will try to go down to 60 mg again. I tried Risperidone and Seroquel. Both utter failures. Give it a try."

• jen...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 5, 2013

For Bipolar Disorder "Latuda took away the voices, but caused me to have bad thoughts and depression, especially at night. It, however, allowed me to lose 20 lbs. I discontinued it and started on Geodon last week, my mood has dramatically improved, and I feel great. Hopefully, it doesn't cause weight gain."

• cJa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 6, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "When I started off, I was on a very low dose of Latuda. And it was horrible. I felt like I just needed to jump out of my skin, and my anxiety was so high I couldn’t even leave my house. And then finally my doctor put me on 120 mg of Latuda, and it has been amazing so far. I’ve gained about 15 pounds, and I feel sluggish 90% of the time. When I talk to my doctor about the dose that I am now on, he mentioned that most psychiatrists feel a low dose would be best for patients, but then they are starting to realize that a higher dose of Latuda is best for the patient. There is no tolerance buildup for this medication. And so I recommend that if you have any issues regarding taking Latuda that you ask your psychiatrist about the dosage. Because for each person, there’s a magic number."