Latuda or Saphris?

I know everyone reacts differently to meds so I’m not going to take all your answers and just run with it but I’m wondering about your experience with either Latuda or Saphris, especially as a mood stabiliser. I’ve been going through pure hell for two months with severely unstable moods (mixed, manic, depressed - the lot). I was IP for a month and started ECT. I am now finishing off the ECT as an outpatient. Unfortunately although I have made some headway overall I crash and burn often. Today was a horror day of deep depression. Last week I was hypomanic. I am in despair over this and am desperate for a break.

My pdoc and T are worried about me so my pdoc suggested adding Latuda or Saphris. My choice. I’ve read up on both but am unsure still, although I am leaning towards Saphris atm. My current meds are Lithium 900, Lamotrogine 300 and Lorazepam and Seroquel PRN. I can’t take antidepressants. Thanks in advance.

Latuda is my favorite AP. It helps with psychosis and mood. The only side effect has been drowsiness, which is helped with a stimulant. I've never tried Saphris.

Saphris is the most vile tasting stuff in the psych world in my opinion. Plus it caused a huge asthma attack with the second dose so having to go to the er wasn’t fun and it’s on my oh hell no list.

I have been taking Latuda for a long time , it works well. I still have breakthroughs but hey it’s Bipolar it’s expected.

I have never tried Saphris but Latuda is one of the worst meds I've ever tried. It didn't work at all and gave me the worst anxiety I've ever felt.

Latuda withdrawal was an entirely new dimension of bummer. Be careful out there.

I've been on Latuda and it caused horrendous muscle spasms starting at the neck and leading to my lower back, it was so painful.I also couldn't sleep on Latuda I was awake for two weeks straight until I finally broke down and saw my primary for something to knock me out.

I have not taken Saphris but I've seen other experiences that it tastes like donkey dung; since it a sublingual tablet. I've also seen that it one of the worst offenders of movement disorders.

It’s amazing how different we all are.
Latina caused me paradoxical anxiety. It was awful.
Seroquel is my magic drug. My pdoc has said that if I ever need another med I’ll be trying Saphris.

Never been on saphris but laudta has been a life saver. Mostly they want you to take it with your evening meal but I take it at bedtime with a snack so I could sleep though the side effects. They weren't bad but they were bothersome. probably long worn off by now but the bedtime routine works for me so I stick with it. Like most BP I think about stopping now and then but my fear is the latuda won't work if I have to restart it and I'm amazing stable and after years of hell I don't want to risk it.

Haven’t been on Saphris. Latuda was fine until I had akisthesia and tardive dyskinesia. Pnurse took me off that quick.

Latuda didn't do anything for me but I may not have taken it long enough to really be sure. I haven't tried Saphris. Why are you taking Seroquel prn? Some people get a good response to that med taking it regularly and it has different effects at different dosages. For me it was like poison though. We are all different.

Latuda is great for my psychosis and I don't get hypo or depressed anymore so it must be working. Love it.

I've been on latuda for about 4 years now for bipolar depression.

I don't think it does much because I'm still depressed but my doctor and I are afraid to mess with it.

The worst side effect of it the drowsiness so I take it at night and go to sleep an hour later. I'm fine the next day.

I haven't gained weight on it but the dry mouth is bad.

I have never taken Saphris but the drowsiness from Latuda was so bad that I had to stop. I started out taking a very low dosage in the morning and I would literally fall asleep at work! I started taking it at night instead, but I was still drowsy and in a haze all day, every day. My body never adjusted, so I stopped taking it.

haven't taken either. because it seems that lithium+tranquilizer=higher rate of EPS, I'd personally say look for the one that causes fewer twitches, spasms, etc.

to me, it looks like Latuda whens in tolerability, but...its still an antipsychotic, no matter how 'atypical.'

I use Seroquel when I haven’t slept well/at all for a few days and need to ensure I get some good sleep. 50-100 mg is usually enough. I don’t take it regularly due to weight gain issues and the fact that it is too sedating. I need something less sedating that still enables sleep and stabilises my mood without major side effects.

I had a nightmare experience with Latuda. History 25 years suicidal severe depression, Schizo. Latuda made me only sleep like 2 or 3 hours every two days. Like meth for me. Only with a huge dose of overwhelming suicidal thoughts. From about 50 to 150 thoughts a week to 300 to 500. I attempted after six months. Unsuccessful since you are reading this. Got on lithium and no more suicidal thoughts which I did not think was possible. I added all natural Maca root cause i was still depressed and sometimes exhausted. On the combo I am doing as well as I was in my 20s and I am 47 now. Good luck on your journey. I am sure you know some meds make us worse not better. It might be advisable to lessen the types of meds you take. I know it is scary to think if I am on all this and am this messed up, I can only get worse if i take less meds. But that is not always the case. I take less psych meds than I have in a long time and am doing better. But once again we are all individuals. I will send positive energy your way wander for inner peace and ease. You are not alone on this difficult journey.

This is how I use Olanzapine. I have 2.5 mg and can take up to 10 mg. it's really to help with sleep and anxiety issues, which are related for me. I often wake up early but used to go back to sleep, so I have been tired these days not getting enough sleep. i will have to bite the bullet and take olanzapine tonight. It made me pre-diabetic and that is why I don't take it regularly.

I had a horrible time with Latuda, weird body sensations, and agitation. I love, love, love Saphris and would be on it now if my insurance would cover it. Sure, the taste leaves something to be desired, but you get used to it. You fall asleep instantly and sleep through the night. It completely stopped any break through mania, and stabilized me so that I was good with my 400mg Lamictal and no other psych med. It is worth a try to see how you do with it. It is certainly not for everyone, but those of us who like it really seem to do well with it. Oh! And it was weight gain neutral. I didn't gain anything while on it.

Latuda is more popular than Saphris, but they also spent tons on advertising so that may not mean much. When I've asked my doctors which is better they've always shrugged. My insurance company alternated between which they would pay for year to year.


I've been on 60mg Latuda for some years now. I take 80mg propranolol for the akathisia it gives me (which may be long gone but it's so horrible I'm chicken to try the Latuda without the propranolol). So basically I have no side effects and it seems to work well, though I also take Wellbutrin for depression. I haven't found any antipsychotic that works for bipolar depression, no matter what they claim. Anyway I would be very reluctant to switch to Saphris.

Sapphire gave me muscle spasms and twitches. It helped me sleep. It was impossible to come off.

Latuda seems like a less powerful drug and I experienced little to no side effects. It also seemed to help my depression significantly compared to saphris.

Saphris was a miracle drug for me but I was using it for severe winter depression. It does come with a black cherry flavor so you can get around the taste. I experienced no side effects.

Thanks everyone. After a hellish experience with ketamine and the fact that my mood seems to be stabilising slowly my pdoc and I have decided not to add another med into the mix at this point. Also I am suffering trauma and am dissociating a lot so i think I need to deal with that first. Still your responses are helpful should I need to try something in the future.

Thanks for sharing this Jennifer. I will give Saphris a try if I fall into another deep depression. I can't take SSRI as they trigger mania and agitation and Wellbutrin only has a mild effect but makes me at the same time.