Lurasidone and Tremors: What Users Say

• Che...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 27, 2020

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "Latuda was a NIGHTMARE. Akathisia was so bad it physically hurt. I tried to power through for 3 weeks to see if there was a light at the end of the tunnel, but it just continued and got worse. My Dr. took me off of it 3 days ago, and besides sweating and jitters, I'm back to 'normal'. For some, Latuda is a miracle drug, but for me, it was a total nightmare that put me into a suicidal, desperate place that I never, ever want to be in again. Good luck with your search for peace everyone!"

• she...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 7, 2014

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I don't review medicines often, but thought this might be valuable. Love this medicine, been on everything, like most of us. I take it as monotherapy for bipolar II. No bad side effects. When first started, I had a headache for a few days. That went away completely and now it helps prevent them. I also tire a little more upon exertion, but not too much. I feel slightly shaky, but even that has improved. In the beginning, I had slightly restless sleep, but now have great sleep with pleasant dreams. I feel normal, calm, happy, and stable. I have NEVER felt this way. Definitely not manic at all. I have not gained or lost weight. I have no nausea, and my cognition is good. I hope this helps. Give this medicine a try."

• Dep...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 20, 2024

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I'm bipolar II, and while I've done well on Lamictal for mania, the depressive side has NOT responded to anything. I have tried SSRIs, SNRIs, ECT, Seroquel, tricyclics, and none have helped. Lithium DID help greatly, but the side effects of tremors and frequent urination were intolerable. If you haven't tried Lithium for bipolar depression, consider it. Yes, there are horror stories, but usually, the dosing for bipolar depression is lower than for monotherapy for the full spectrum of bipolar. So anyway, my MD suggested Latuda, but based on the stupid name, I resisted, plus, I didn't want to be on an antipsychotic. But I relented and it has been a HUGE help. I'm at 40 mg daily. Exercise helps me too, so I hit the gym nearly every day of the week. But Lamictal and Latuda are the cornerstones of staying well. I still have depressed days, but they're not nearly as dark or long as before Latuda. I can't say it's gotten rid of all my symptoms, but it has really helped!"

• BP1...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 23, 2016

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "For me, Latuda is the best drug available, and so far, I've lost 25 lbs. My emotions are in check, paranoia and hallucinations are gone. I feel real and as close to normal as I've been in a really, really long time. Other than a slight tremor, I've noticed no other side effects. I'd highly recommend trying this medication."

• ste...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 28, 2013

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I have Bipolar I disorder with a history of psychotic features. I have just started taking 40 mg of Latuda per day, as I am being weaned from 900 mg of lithium. I was having so many adverse side effects, such as tremors, extreme dry mouth, weight gain, and thyroid issues. Additionally, it didn't seem to be working very well. After a few days, I noticed an amazing positive change in my mood, my appetite, and my stability. I am still on 800 mg of Seroquel per day and 150 mg of Pristiq, but it all continues to go well, Seroquel will be the next to be reduced. I am very optimistic and have not felt this way in a long time."

• Jil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 12, 2022

Lurasidone for Schizophrenia "Taken for three months. Only slightly stopped paranoid thoughts. Within weeks caused severe akathisia 'restlessness or need to move,' which really means having to move 24/7 while knees and feet hurt, terror anxiety, inability for any stimulation, tremors, insane insomnia like an hour -3 a night, nausea, and diarrhea. These symptoms didn’t stop until months after stopping the med. Insomnia and outside and inside tremors after the meds took over a year. When I go to an online support group for those with akathisia who took Latuda, they all have the same issues. I’ve heard multiple times from doctors that this drug doesn’t work for schizophrenia. I often wonder where these positive reviews come from."

• Win...
• May 3, 2019

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "Because of Latuda, I now have side effects of constant restlessness. I'm always sleepy, I have uncontrollable facial movements, teeth grinding, blinking excessively at times, very dizzy a lot of the time and lightheaded, lots of nausea and vomiting, major loss of appetite. I lost 40 lbs, inability to keep still most of the time, agitation, blurred vision, no sex drive, confused, dry skin, stiff neck, I can't turn all the way, twitching uncontrollably of my eyes, mouth, tongue, face, arms, legs, lips. My back is always sore, my anxiety attacks are worse. I'm hyperactive, I feel manic all the time, always feel nervous. I have tightening of my jaw and snapping, and I even chipped a tooth. Constant headaches, back lower skull always tense, trouble collecting my words, weird jerking movements from my fingers, toes, arms, legs, face, lips, mouth, tongue, and eyes. Unsure of what to do next, restless, confused, looking for something to do constantly. I always feel weak, sweating of my hands and feet. And it won't go away!!"

• Sta...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 17, 2019

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I’ve been on Latuda for 5 years. It saved my life after struggling not to commit suicide every single day for over 7 years. I had to put out a great deal of effort not to blow my brains out. I had it all planned and thought about it constantly. Now, though I will tremble forever (I had whatever it’s called, the trembling), but I would gladly have this than the constant thoughts of suicide. When my doctor, during those years, would ask me if I felt suicidal, I would always say no because I’ve been in a psychiatric hospital before and don’t ever want to go back. One day, I told him the truth. I was so depressed that I figured a hospital was better than my two little girls having to deal with my death. I can’t tell you what it’s done for my life and that of my girls and husband’s lives as well. I will be forever grateful for this drug."

• Wei...
• August 12, 2015

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "Sure, I feel great. But I've gained 20 pounds. I was 125, now I'm nearly 150. I'm a teenager, I don't need this. I don't even know why they put me on this drug in the first place. Not to mention that my hands have been shaky and slow. I'm an artist. This just isn't right for me."

• Har...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 22, 2023

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "The withdrawal is horrific if you already have akathisia. One of the biggest side effects is akathisia, and no one talks about it. I had akathisia from coming off meds cold turkey. Before being put on Latuda, I was rapidly tapered off all my meds and given no time to adjust. The guy started Latuda along with another cocktail. I’ve been diagnosed as bipolar with depressive episodes. I’ve never been psychotic or had mania or even hypomania. The doctor tapered me too fast off Latuda, and now I have all kinds of issues. New symptoms include grinding of teeth, jaw clenching, cracking jaw, flu-like symptoms, nausea, vomiting, muscle aches, muscle twitches and spasms, itching, headaches/migraines, diarrhea, irritability, fatigue, chills/sweats, brain fog, and more. My symptoms of akathisia and insomnia are unbearable now after being tapered too fast."

• tin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 13, 2016

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I took Latuda for my recently diagnosed bipolar II. I started on 20 mg, and it was great for my mood. It did have a strange side effect of making me incredibly anxious to go to bed. I physically had to go to sleep at the same time every day, or I would be jittery, irritable, and anxious the whole time I stayed up. My doctor thought going up in dosage could reduce this and help my mood more, but it just made the akathisia worse, leaving me with shaky hands and a clenching jaw as well. I wish this drug didn't have the physical side effects because, during the day, I felt great!"

• Ban...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 13, 2020

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "Took Latuda 3 years ago for major depressive and anxiety disorder for about half a year at 20 mg, and it worked incredibly well, but I lost insurance. Side effects that I remember were mostly tremors. I was able to get a trial from a new doctor this year, but he only had 120 mg. I know it's seriously ill-advised, but he suggested I cut the pill into 6 pieces. I did that out of desperation and even shaved them down to make sure it was less than 20 mg. I've been doing this for about 3 months. It helps, but the side effects can be bad. I feel discomfort during the day sometimes that I can't really describe; I feel irritable and scared when I'm going to sleep, which is the worst of my side effects: head tremors. I also gained some weight, but only a couple lbs at best. Obviously, my current experience is through manipulation of the pill, which you definitely should not do, but hopefully it helps someone weigh their thoughts."

• Rue...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 22, 2019

For Borderline Personality Disorder "Latuda is literally a lifesaver. I have been taking Latuda 80 mg for about, I want to say 1.5 years now, and it has been the only medication to help with my BPD symptoms. I take Wellbutrin 300 mg along with it, which helps with depression a lot, but doesn’t help with anything else. Latuda keeps me clear-minded and at ease. I don’t have as much social anxiety or paranoia when I take it, and I don’t dissociate nearly as often or as badly when I do. Arguments are not as bad as they are when I don’t take it, and I don’t seem “insane.” However, there are days where I am slightly unstable and do bad, impulsive things, but I feel guilty about it whereas when I am NOT taking Latuda, I don’t feel any sort of guilt at all, and there aren’t days of instability, but every day is unstable. The only reason I give 9 stars is because of the side effect that I have because of it. I am super shaky, like, can hardly eat rice on a fork without it all falling off - shaky."

• Dai...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 16, 2019

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I took Latuda 40mg for 10 months, and I felt it was effective for my mood swings. However, I began having intense anxiety. I’m talking paranoid, terrifying, nonstop anxiety. I had akathisia and outrageous muscle twitches. I couldn’t eat, I lost 17 pounds in 6 weeks. I didn’t need to lose, by the way. I finally tapered off, which was extremely difficult. It has been 6 months since I’ve stopped taking it, and I am still having some side effects! Please do your research before taking this medication! It’s absolutely not worth losing your mind. The long-term side effects are still unknown. I’m still trying to heal. I couldn’t even leave my house! So, just a heads up...if you’re going through this, you’re not alone! It does get a little better once you get away from it."

• bpe...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 13, 2019

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "Started taking Latuda about 1 year ago for bipolar and never did its job, as I never saw any positive effects. I did, however, have issues with the side effects of it knocking me out, tremors, and muscle stiffness. The fact that it makes me want to sleep all day makes me very depressed. I also started having more than usual really dark thoughts. Started seeing a new doc, and he is taking me off it, but the withdrawals from Latuda are horrible."

• meg...
• August 26, 2015

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I had tried every medication that my doctor gave me for bipolar disorder, and none of them worked. Then they put me on Latuda. It worked wonderfully for me. I was on it for a year and a half. Then I got tired of the tremors. I have been off of it for over 6 months now, and I still have the tremors. I'm a diabetic, and because of the tremors, I can't tell when my sugar is low. I also can't feel when it is high either. This medication works great for bipolar, but the side effects suck."

• Onl...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 21, 2019

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "Been on a variety of different med cocktails on and off until steadily starting Topamax around 2008 for Bipolar Disorder I, mixed episodes, generalized anxiety, and ADHD. Just for my bipolar and mixed episodes, I am currently only taking Topamax 800 mg and now Latuda, which I started in February at 20 mg. I noticed a huge positive benefit within 2 weeks. At my third month, my doc and I increased my dose to 40 mg. I was only on that dose for maybe 6 weeks and was still feeling some depression leaking through, so we recently upped my dose to 60 mg. I have noticed myself shaking my foot some and feeling anxious a little, but I also could relate that to my annoying family members who are in town. Don’t forget to keep in mind us bipolar people are highly triggered by our surrounding environment, so don’t be too quick to blame your meds, especially if you’ve already been taking them for several months and your doctor was smart enough to start you low and work you up in dosing."

• Mis...
• February 2, 2021

Lurasidone 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."

• Nic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 3, 2015

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I have been severely suicidal for 15 years with no attempts in that time. Just could not escape the repetitive desire to escape my bad depression. Started taking Latuda 4 months ago, 80 mg, and suicidal thoughts have diminished greatly. Problem sleeping now and some twitching, doc put me up to 120 mg and sleeping only 3 hours a night usually. I am 250 pounds and was 290 before bipolar medicine. Food cravings have pretty much ceased. Amazing thing is even with little sleep, I am not having nearly as many haywire thoughts from my schizophrenia as I usually do without much sleep. Actually want to try now. I am back down to 80 mg and think I am going to halve that to 40 mg in a week to get sleep back under control. Xanax and Unisom are helping for sleep now."

• ale...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 14, 2019

For Borderline Personality Disorder "It's a little disheartening to see a lot of positive reviews for Latuda with other BPD patients, but this was the worst medicine I've taken, besides lithium carbonate. Two weeks into Latuda and I had severe akathisia, so bad that I was nearly convulsing and had to leave work and immediately go to my psych to drop the medicine. We tried splitting the pill in half (to take 20 mg daily instead of 40 mg), and within two days the same shaking and restlessness kicked in. I'm glad it worked for other people, but beware of some of the side effects if you're taking it for the first time. Anticonvulsants work better for me."

• Bee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 16, 2020

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I cannot stand this medication Latuda. It gave me tremors after stopping it, these tremors persisted for two years even after I quit taking it. I felt like my airway was clogged every time, and my psychotic features got worse."

• Eve...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 12, 2022

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "This is among the most tolerable antipsychotic medications you could take, ignoring the few hours of anxiety that could range from dread to panic attacks after taking the medication, and this is something almost impossible to deal with, so I’d advise taking it when you are very, very sleepy. If you don’t eat enough, you will become nauseous, and nausea/headaches are a real issue. Restless legs too. Weight gain is a minimal issue, and the nausea can even reduce appetite, I find. As for sleep, you could find yourself sleeping for up to 12 hours initially, but after some months, insomnia could become a problem, or sleeping 3 hours, then dozing off in the day for at least 10. Now, the real issues would be hair loss to the extent of balding, facial muscle irregularities and tension (felt this in my jaw and had extreme asymmetry then went off and I look ok-ish), mild hypotension, very dry skin, tremors/trembling and shakes (this could be dramatic), and manic symptoms missing a dose for 2+ days."

• Eve...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 12, 2022

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "This is among the most tolerable antipsychotic medications you could take, ignoring the few hours of anxiety that could range from dread to panic attacks after taking the medication, and this is something almost impossible to deal with, so I’d advise taking it when you are very, very sleepy. If you don’t eat enough, you will become nauseous, and nausea/headaches are a real issue. Restless legs too. Weight gain is a minimal issue, and the nausea can even reduce appetite, I find. As for sleep, you could find yourself sleeping for up to 12 hours initially, but after some months, insomnia could become a problem, or sleeping 3 hours, then dozing off in the day for at least 10. Now, the real issues would be hair loss to the extent of balding, facial muscle irregularities and tension (felt this in my jaw and had extreme asymmetry then went off and I look ok-ish), mild hypotension, very dry skin, tremors/trembling and shakes (this could be dramatic), and manic symptoms missing a dose for 2+ days."

• Eve...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 12, 2022

Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder "This is among the most tolerable antipsychotic medications you could take, ignoring the few hours of anxiety that could range from dread to panic attacks after taking the medication, and this is something almost impossible to deal with, so I’d advise taking it when you are very, very sleepy. If you don’t eat enough, you will become nauseous, and nausea/headaches are a real issue. Restless legs too. Weight gain is a minimal issue, and the nausea can even reduce appetite, I find. As for sleep, you could find yourself sleeping for up to 12 hours initially, but after some months, insomnia could become a problem, or sleeping 3 hours, then dozing off in the day for at least 10. Now, the real issues would be hair loss to the extent of balding, facial muscle irregularities and tension (felt this in my jaw and had extreme asymmetry then went off and I look ok-ish), mild hypotension, very dry skin, tremors/trembling and shakes (this could be dramatic), and manic symptoms missing a dose for 2+ days."

• CLA...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2016

Lurasidone "I have only been on Latuda for a short period of time so far. I don't like that I've been twitching. I get so tired from Latuda that I can't wake up the next day for hours (which is bad when you work), and also I have been unable to think about past memories that are sad. I don't know how to explain it, but I used to be able to think about my past sad memories and be upset, and now on Latuda, it feels I am unable to really hold on to the memory and think about it at all. It's like the drug doesn't let me get upset. I also have trouble thinking about things and analyzing them now."