I had my blood tested:
(1) Before I took my AAP (to get a baseline)
(2) Two weeks after I took my AAP
(3) One month after I took my AAP

and now I get it tested once a year.

I'm not sure if that's how often you should get it done, but that's what happened when I tried Latuda. Then the same thing happened when I tried Abilify.


Yes, they can be dose dependent: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2203261/

"Metabolic changes, as seen by dose-dependent elevations of cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL and VLDL concentrations within 6 weeks of risperidone therapy, are other atypical features seen in our patient."


Possible. It depends on your body chemistry. For example, I'm 25, on the very thin side, I exercise a lot, and yet I have high cholesterol. It has nothing to do with weight, height, age, etc.. So it's really a luck of the draw, hate to say it.

And the funny thing is, my triglycerides are actually really low -- 48. I think it's because I exercise a lot and am not overweight. Yet, my HDL is really high, and it kept increasing with Latuda.


That's a tricky question.

I think (note: *I think*) that all AAPs carry the same risks of affecting your blood (high cholesterol, high blood glucose, etc.). At least, I haven't seen an AAP that *doesn't* carry that risk. (See: Atypical antipsychotics alter cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism in vitro)

I believe there are some APs that don't carry this risk, but not AAPs. You'll have to double check with your doctor on that though... because I'm not 100% sure.