How can you tell if meds aren't working?

So after the usual med cocktail runaround I hit on Latuda and have been taking it with pretty good results for the past year and a half, at least until recently. Until now my hypomania was pretty non-existent, just a week or so of elevated mood every couple months. The depressions were present, but mild and not completely debilitating. I have managed to hold down a job for a year now, and it's the first time in a decade I have done so.

I was put in charge of a big project at work, but it was one I was very interested in and looking forward to. I was coming out of a mild depression when I started the project. Fast forward to now, I worked 250 hours in a month, ending with 19 days straight. I got to the point where I couldn't stand being at home relaxing and just wanted to go back to work.

Now that the project is complete I have crashed pretty hard into a depression that has made me very angry and agitated. I haven't had that kind of mania since before starting my Latuda, and this funk I'm in seems worse than it has been in a while. I'm wondering if this is a sign that the Latuda is losing its effectiveness? Thankfully after a lot of grief related to insurance I am able to see my pdoc second week of November so I'll definitely bring it up.

Anyone else have this kind of thing happen on Latuda or other meds? I'm relatively new to the game so I still have times when I really don't know what the **** is going on in my brain. Thanks.

I haven't been on Latuda but it does seem rather common for people to need med adjustments and changes from time to time.

Meds don't make the bipolar go away they just lessen it so if you're having a bad flare up it might flare up right through the meds. You may need something else or more latuda even in just the short term to get through this episode. Doesn't necessarily mean it "stopped" working. Does that make any sense?

The project you worked on may have induced some stress to perform well, and stress usually triggers an episode (up or down) and in your case, seems to have helped you ace your project.


May not be that your meds have outright stopped working altogether, your environment just managed to pierce through its armor for a while.