Latuda side-effects

Latuda is the bipolar drug that has helped my anxiety the most out of everything I take.

The unfortunate thing is, I have to put up with taking it late at night (right before bed) with a small meal (at least 350 calories, as the manufacturer's instruct). If I take it with dinner, I suffer bad side-effects all evening. Right after taking it, for a few hours, I feel a sense of restlessness (akathisia OR just plain feeling weird or anxious) and negativity. I tried going back to taking it with dinner and I just CAN'T STAND IT!! This evening I had to take a Xanax because I felt a full-blown panic attack coming on (I suspect is was Latuda-related).

It wouldn't be so bad having to take it at bedtime with a small meal if I didn't have bad acid reflux. I do have a wedge pillow to keep the reflux from coming up, and I do also take reflux medication, but it's not always enough. If I take it at bedtime, however, I don't experience the awful side-effects.

I wish there was a better option available to me. Latuda is EXPENSIVE and my insurance is requiring a special form from my doctor saying that this is the only medication I can take so they will cover it. I hope they will cover it since it is the only thing that seems to work so well for my anxiety. Bleh. :-P

Latuda blows. Your pdoc is probably getting a kickback from his Sumitomo Pharma sales rep for every pill you take, and you could probably be stable on lithium carbonate, which is as cheap as table salt.

I already take the maximum amount of lithium I can. Latuda has helped me so much. Until something better comes along, the side-effects are worth it.

I take my latuda at bedtime without any food, I get a little bit of upset tummy but it's not terrible and I'm asleep within an hour of taking it I'm on 120 mg

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I don't get those side effects, but then again, Latuda doesn't really do anything for my depression. That's why I'm hoping to get off it soon (probably once I titrate up on Lamictal).

I just experience drowsiness within 1 hour of taking it. No reflux, no akathisia, etc.

On the other hand, it seems to have made my anxiety worse... but I don't think that's too weird. Sometimes meds do funny things like that.

Anxiety is often a symptom of depression. So, maybe your anxiety is depression or bipolar related? My anxiety is neither depression nor bipolar related. I have GAD. That's probably why bipolar meds don't do anything for my anxiety. (Just a guess.)

Geodon helps me a lot but I have to eat 500 cals so that would be worse for you. I'm asleep within an hour of taking it.

Cogentin can kick that akathesia to the curb.

Sorry you are having a rough time. *hugs*

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I'm sorry you are not feeling well. I hope you feel better soon.!!!.

I just started Latuda recently, mostly for paranoia, just 40mg/day. I'm taking low doses of a lot of stuff and I feel great. I'm lucky enough to rarely feel a side effect. But I definitely felt a difference in my thoughts when I started Latua and my sleep got back on track. I was pretty hypomanic when I started it. I've read that even though it's advertised for depression, it could possibly be more effective in the treatment of mania. It's an antipsychotic. I need meds for mania, but the only thing to pull me out of depression was Transcendental Meditation.

I think Latuda doesn't work as well without being taken with food. You may want to try taking it with food to see if it will work better for you (if there is any question).

That's very interesting. I never knew that. I only tolerate a low dose of an antipsychotic like Latuda, 40mg/night. I can't take it during the day or I'd be a zombie, I tried that once. But I do wake up sometimes with anxiety and paranoia. Maybe I'll eat a banana with it tonight and see what happens.

It's supposed to be taken with at least 350 calories. I'd try it with more. I think I've noticed when I have a lighter snack, I have more anxiety the next day.

I've taken Latuda at two separate times in my life, for a couple months each...didn't help at all the first time. so expensive, and the sublingual aspect was unpleasant to say the least. the second time was the worst - i hated having to eat before, such a nuisance really, and I lost a LOT of weight. some might not complain about it, but I actually disliked not having an appetite and being so shaky I didn't want to even be around food. Sorry you're experiencing these issues, I hope you can find a cheaper and more effective medicine. risperdal has been my best AD, other than zyprexa, but the weight gain was not gonna work. good luck my friend.

See, these are the little things that doctors just fail to mention. Every day is a new day to me, wake up elated one day and the next day I wake up like a paralyzed rag doll, filled with fear.

I also realized, I eat a meal pretty early, I go to bed early. Then at most I'll have potato chips right around Latuda time, typically 1-2 hours before bedtime. So, that's nowhere near 350 calories and even if it is, I think solid food like a small meal would be best.

Thank you for pointing this food thing out. You might have very well just helped in my stability process. I'm almost there!