AP alternatives...

I can't handle the side effects of loxapine anymore unfortunately. My next pdoc appointment isn't until November 22nd (!), but I've been researching APs.

What one are you on? What AP did you or do you find the most beneficial?

I want something that DOESN'T cause weight gain, so no matter what I'm not going on Zyprexa. I also can't go on geodon or clozaril because of bad side effects I experienced.

I was wondering about abilify, saphris, latuda and Risperdal.

It has to have a generic or my insurance most likely won't cover it.

Worse comes to worse I'm just going to ask to go on Haldol again.

Thanks everyone.

I’m on latuda have been for years. They just came out with the generic this year. It’s my mono therapy drug for bipolar. The only thing it doesn’t help with is sleep, which has been a life long issue. The thing is that when I first started it I did have EPS from it. I solved that by taking it at bedtime with my ambian. I slept though it and eventually my body got used to the medication and I no longer have EPS but I still take it at bedtime. You are supposed to take it with food. I eat cheese with it.

Don't go on Risperdal. I knew this person who went from an underweight BMI to an obese BMI in 33 days. I've also heard of other stories of people gaining like 50 pounds in a couple months.

I'm sure thats not the case for everyone though and this women just had a weird reaction to it.

I'm on Prestiq. It works great and I've had no issues. But people do often become manic after awhile on it and its hard to come off of. I have not had that problem though.

I believe I tried abilify and latuda. I remember having this glowy feeling. The only thing I can trace that feeling back to is I believe it helped lessen anxiety. I stopped after that first day because I couldn't focus as well, but honestly maybe at the time that was part of the point. To slow down. Either way, never tried the other two. Maybe risperdal inpatient or something, sounds familiar for sure.

I've been on Latuda for years. While I have only a partial response, as I do with just about everything, it does help a little with my depression.

You do have to take it with a small meal, so I take it with dinner.

It didn't cause weight gain and doesn't make me tired.

The only problem with it was that there wasn't a generic available making it really expensive, but now there's a genetic available so it might be more affordable.

Haldol helped me but I’m on lybalvi now

I'm on latuda and trintilix. It keeps my mood stable but I have no drive now.

I am on Latuda 80 mg which is weight neutral. I also take 37.5 mg Seroquel for sleep.

Risperidone was awful. Caused deep psychotic depression.

Ability caused nausea so bad that I could not manage it and stopped. Earlier on another trial of it it had not caused nausea but hadn't resolved hypomania either.

Saphris caused rapid weight gain so I quickly stopped it. It also did not resolve hypomania but maybe I did not try it for long enough.

I’m on abilify. It helps with my paranoia. And makes me think more clearly. I still have anxiety, but it’s not a 10/10 anymore.

Thanks everyone for your help!

Sounds like latuda or abilify would be the best things to try.

Or just going back on Haldol. Or some other typical, but NOT prolixin! I LOATHE prolixin!

Anyone have any typical antipsychotic recommendations?

I think the suggested Latuda is worth a try, especially if depression is a big problem. Yes, Abilify can be great for many for both.

I suggested Geodon to someone not long ago. Forget who, but they said they tried it but had a side effect I never had (relating to their heart), even at a high dose. Of the three, Geodon was the best for all aspects of my illness. I did eventually develop akathisia, but only five years down the line. It is a rough one to get off of, though, in terms of withdrawal. I think the roughest of all the antipsychotics I was ever weaned off, and there were many. I was very trim on Geodon. I felt like hot stuff during those years.

Some people do well on perphanazine, a 1st generation. That really knocked out my mania and psychosis. I did gain a little weight on it and developed a minor dystonia, but many don't.

Yeah. When I was on geodon I developed heart problems. Sucked. Was a good med for knocking me out of psychosis! Bit I had to go off of it. I'll look into perphanazine. I wish I wasn't having this weakness as a side effect from loxapine. I don't want to go off it, but this weakness and fatigue is only getting worse.

I have a love/hate relationship with seroquel, but maybe I should just go on that full time? I see you're on it. Does it help your psychosis? Did you gain a lot of weight?

Of typicals, I have only been on the first one developed in history, Thorazine. My liver enzymes went abnormally up and I learned that the medication is notorious for it. I am off of it now and my liver enzymes are back to normal.

I’ve gotten the Thorazine shuffle from it!!

Haldol was good though

I have been on haldol for 3 years and find that I am quite stable. It took many trials and errors while hospitalized. all of the other trial APcaused me to become more manic. I take 5 mg of haldol 2 times daily. I am sold. I have gained weight but Ihave been going out to eat often and drinking fattening beers.
bizi

I’m on Thorazine along with abilify in combo with a mood stabilizer and antidepressant and they’ve been great for me, I haven’t had any issues with either personally and I’m the most stable I’ve ever been. I got my first job at 29 years old a couple months ago and am doing well with that. I also have been in a relationship for going on 7 months. I don’t think it would have been possible without getting on my meds and staying in a routine with taking them everyday. It took like 10 years of trying different med combos to get one that actually helps me and this is the one that really helps me. For a long time I had trouble accepting that I need meds but there’s no question that I am doing way better on them than I was off them. Of course therapy helps me too. But yeah, good experience with Thorazine and abilify for me I hope you find something that helps!

I'm on the lowest possible dose of Abilify right now, no side effects, only lack of sleep/stress induced psychotic symptoms at times.

Saphris made me gain weight, gave me akathisia, and didn't work for me even at the highest dose.

Latuda gave me akathisia almost as badly as 250mg of haldol deconoate as a first dose. It made me really tired too, and I don't recall it working for me.

Risperdal worked well for me, didn't cause weight gain, only caused akathisia at high doses. But while I was in the hospital they screwed up and gave me the max dose of Risperdal Consta and I became delirious and boy was that an experience (I'm told this is so rare the pdoc had never heard of it happening though and it was actually reported to the FDA. I had a really bad reaction to Invega as well for that matter).

Emergency appointment with pdoc. He's pissed I weaned my way down to 50mg of loxapine (from 150mg). He wants me to stay on the 50mg. We increased my seroquel, which I'm not particularly happy about, but I'm trying my pdoc's patience with me because I keep on messing with my meds. I'm afraid to ask for a different AP, though I'd like to try latuda. I think my pdoc would have my hide if I asked though! He's not going to want to I put me on a completely different med. So I guess I'm stuck on seroquel and loxapine.

I have this problem where I'm NOT satisfied with a certain med I'm on AND NEED to change it. In this situation it's my loxapine and seroquel (and Cymbalta to an extent). I'm taking all my other meds because I'm okay with them. It's just my antipsychotics... Ugh! It's been a roller-coaster since I was put on clozaril, had a bad reaction, and went off it. I was on Haldol for seven years prior with no real issues, other than some muscle rigidity and INTENSE sensitivity to sunlight.

My pdoc is the one who recommended both loxapine and seroquel.

Loxapine worked so well for me mood wise! No psychosis or anxiety. I just can't tolerate it physically long term. And seroquel... love/hate. It's so frustrating.

I wish I wasn't trying my pdoc's patience. I'd really like to dump loxapine completely and try latuda.

I love lybalvi. The amazing antipsychotic effects of zyprexa without weight gain

I agree that as APa go, Zyprexa is most amazing, but Lybalvi did not do the trick for me: I was still painfully hungry on it. It took a switch to Latuda to stop the hunger. During crisis, I still switch back to Zyprexa which I now use as rescue medicine.