[gris212]

I've been taking Latuda for a month. I had been on Geodon for years but it was causing a lot of hair loss so my dr swiched me to this. I am just now reading more on Latuda. I am reading that it is aimed more for helping with depression. I just read it's isn't a mood stabilizer. My question is will it help keep my moods under control? I'm afraid it will not be helpful enough to help me avoid manic episodes. Does it even help with manic episodes?

My doctor is new to me. I'm on medicaid so I am limited in the choices of doctors. I see him once a month for no more than 15 minutes. I will be seeing him this saturday. I am writing up questions for him.

Summers tend to bring on manic episodes so I want to be prepared. Is this medicine enough or should it be taken with one that is a mood stabilizer?

[MusicLover82]

My pdoc prescribes me a lot of medication (see below) because I tend to need a variety (mood stabilizers AND antipsychotics), but everyone is different. Latuda is an antipsychotic, so it should help prevent mania as well as depression. I've been taking Latuda several years now, and I tend to stay pretty stable. I still have some hypomania on and off, but nothing serious. I doubt my pdoc will ever find medications to make me completely "normal" (HAHA!).

I wouldn't worry about getting manic in the future. Just take it one day at a time, and see your pdoc as soon as you start to get too manic.

[Atypical_Disaster]

Latuda didn't do **** for my manic symptoms, like at all. It did wonders for my psychosis and depression though when I was taking it but I needed a mood stabilizer to keep a cap on my mania.

[Nammu]

I take Latuda and lamictal both. It's done an excellent job of keeping me stable, it's been a year and 8 months.

[MusicLover82]

Originally Posted by Atypical_Disaster

Latuda didn't do **** for my manic symptoms, like at all. It did wonders for my psychosis and depression though when I was taking it but I needed a mood stabilizer to keep a cap on my mania.

That's good to know. I wonder if Abilify is the same way, generally speaking... I just started Abilify and I still sometimes get hypomanic. It's not out of control, though, so I doubt my pdoc would be concerned at this point. Thanks for your input, I'll mention it to my pdoc if my hypomania gets out of control in the future.

[Atypical_Disaster]

Originally Posted by MusicLover82

That's good to know. I wonder if Abilify is the same way, generally speaking... I just started Abilify and I still sometimes get hypomanic. It's not out of control, though, so I doubt my pdoc would be concerned at this point. Thanks for your input, I'll mention it to my pdoc if my hypomania gets out of control in the future.

Abilify can be activating for some people, I've heard a few people report that it set off their manic symptoms. It did for me, I was completely crazy when I took Abilify. AP's that work good for mania tend to be things like Zyprexa, Serequel, Risperdal, just to name some that I know off the top of my head.

Just food for thought, I've taken almost every AP out there so I'm a mini encyclopedia.

[MusicLover82]

Originally Posted by Atypical_Disaster

Abilify can be activating for some people, I've heard a few people report that it set off their manic symptoms. It did for me, I was completely crazy when I took Abilify. AP's that work good for mania tend to be things like Zyprexa, Serequel, Risperdal, just to name some that I know off the top of my head.

Just food for thought, I've taken almost every AP out there so I'm a mini encyclopedia.

My biggest problem recently was my severe anxiety (which seems to be either a depressive symptom or a mixed symptom), not my hypomania so much. And so far the Abilify has GREATLY reduced my anxiety. I am so grateful! I check back with the pdoc on the 16th, so I'll be sure to tell him about all my current symptoms when I see him. He never seems concerned with minor mood cycling like mild hypomania because I guess I can't expect to be totally evened out all the time.

P.S. One of my symptoms that troubled me that I thought was hypomania went away: hearing thoughts (not exactly hearing voices, but hearing noisy thoughts in my head). Hm... maybe it was a sign of stress/anxiety.

[xRavenx]

Originally Posted by Atypical_Disaster

Abilify can be activating for some people, I've heard a few people report that it set off their manic symptoms. It did for me, I was completely crazy when I took Abilify. AP's that work good for mania tend to be things like Zyprexa, Serequel, Risperdal, just to name some that I know off the top of my head.

Just food for thought, I've taken almost every AP out there so I'm a mini encyclopedia.

Yes, I noticed that too...Abilify can be activating. It's interesting how medications differ so much from person-to-person, although we all share a Bipolar diagnosis. Abilify made me a little restless, even at a fairly low dose. I was given it to help alleviate the onset of some paranoia. It didn't seem to do anything at all, other than cause insomnia and agitation. Once Seroquel was added, things got better for me. I was even on both for a while to see how I would do, but then the pdoc decided there'd be no point in prescribing 2 AP's anymore. For some, the Abilify shot (Maintenna, I believe it's called) has worked wonders for them for mania mixed with psychosis though.