Although the inserts all state this is used for Schizophrenia,my MD said that was marketing decision and it is possible to use it for Bipolar disorder
Is anyone taking Latuda for Bipolar disorder?
Question posted by bames on 24 Feb 2011
Last updated on 5 March 2022
33 Answers Page 3
Poetpixie
18 June 2011
My psych pa was discussing this as a possibility for the future but I am nervous because it is so new. I have bipolar II and have not responded well to most medications... found some success with Dartmouth light protocol... but mostly manage with CBT. I just gave birth and am nursing my son... was wondering has anyone heard anything about whether latuda is safe while breastfeeding? I figure it is unlikely to find studies but can't find any aftermarket research either. Anyone know what bipolar meds are safe options for breastfeeding? Currently we are evaluating how I am doing and avoiding meds but I want to be prepared in case my mood worsens. Also, I'd be interested in whether people who did poorly on other atypical antipsychotic meds do well on latuda... most atypicals have been nightmares for me. Good luck to all those who are on it interested in seeing responses
patnurse
13 June 2012
Check with your pediatrician regarding breastfeeding while taking Latuda.
Congratulations on the birth of your baby.
gailm60
14 Nov 2012
I was diagnosed with bipolar and anxeity disorder when I was pregnant with my daughter 23 yrs ago.I was not put on medicine until I had stopped breastfeeding.All my Drs told me you can't be on physch medicine when pregnant or breastfeeding.
RoxyBlu
6 May 2013
I am a mother of five with bi polar disorder. I have been through the nursing situation many times and have always discontinued all meds except an anti depressant. Although this is risky for my mood stability, I feel the benefits to my children outweigh the risk. I was closely monitored and only nursed for 3-4 months. I did very well. Hope this helps
Greengrin
18 April 2011
I'm bipolar II-diagnosed seven years ago. I was put on Latuda a week ago. I followed my dr.s advice-take it with food preferably 350 calories at the minimum. I take a Lamictal once a day for the last five years.
Upon taking Latuda I experienced nausa, extreme tiredness for two days which ceased. Then I experienced fast talking, up all night (which I haven't experienced in years), irritable etc. My doctor told me to cease taking Latuda. Granted, I am medication sensitive. Be aware of your reactions to drugs, know your mood changes, etc so you recognize a Latuda reaction
sonsofgod
20 April 2012
my 18 yr old son is expericing the fast talking... but it does put him out that is on 400mg
AspirationsWScom
11 Feb 2017
It is because Bipolar 2 is a different illness than Bipolar 1 and should not be treated the same by any medical professional, although unfortunately for the sufferers of these illnesses, Doctors often do. Latuda is not the medication choice for milder Bipolar 2, but has had a lot of successes with the more severe Bipolar 1. Bipolar 2 needs a mood stabalizer that balances serotonin levels, and if there are other symptoms such as depression, OCD, anxiety, social anxiety, etc, then adding Zoloft is acceptable. I am very proud of you for taking such an active interest in and being so aware of your illness and how the medications you. It is CRUCIAL that we each take accountability for hiring Doctors who do medical tests to back up their treatment choices with hard science to see exactly what is going on inside our bodies, as well. I see that this post is 6 years old, so I hope you are stable on meds that are working very well for you <3
blaze22
24 Feb 2011
I like to at least offer a response on this question even though I am on meds for not Bi-Polar, but Extreme Depression/Anxiety/ compulsive behavior... As with Klonopin, if you were to read up about that particular drug you will find that it's uses and intentions for the patient are many and it is compatable with other drugs like Celexa... With that being said, If your psych, or MD says that it is o.k. to take this drug and that it is used for different types of mntl illns then yes you are probably taking a med approved for BP... If you still have concerns, always get a second opinion by certified MD, or just ask your pharmacist... hope this was helpful... speak with you again... Blaze22
bames
24 Feb 2011
I appreciate your response!! .I AM confident my psycho-pharmacologist is making the best decisions for me for I am fortunate enough to be treated at one of the LEADING facilities in the USA -Payne Whitney Cornell. However since Latuda is so brand new( feb release) I was just curious if anyone else has been on it for things other than schizophrenia.
blaze22
25 Feb 2011
No I was not aware of that one yet... How is it working so far... Blaze22
bames
25 Feb 2011
We are still adjusting dosage and waiting for the full affect to kick in..but the MD is very hopeful!.No side effects so far..its' been about 3 weeks since I started .so we'll see...
blaze22
7 March 2011
that is good, keep positive and patient through this time... Blaze22
bames
7 March 2011
so far pretty well
rubirich
18 March 2011
The previous answer is filled with mis-information.
Latuda is not approved by the FDA for Bipolar Disorder.
However, the FDA is not the ultimate authority. The treating physician IS the ultimate authority in any given case as long as the drug is approved for ANY medical indication, which Latuda definitely is.
Since it is not FDA approved for BP, Latuda should only be prescribed by a psychiatrist. Other physicians would not have the expertise to know how or when to prescribe any drug for a non-approved indication.
It is important to understand that many drugs are properly prescribed for non-approved indications. Moreover, most of the drugs that are currently approved for treating bipolar disorder were initially approved only for schizophrenia, which is the case with Latuda at present. It is likely that Latuda will some day also be approved for BP, but that is not a certainly.
A patient needs to rely on the judgment of his or her qualified physician, not the FDA.
I'm disappointed that the previous answer was given by someone who admittedly knows little or nothing about this medication. It gave bad advice to consult a pharmacist would only be familiar with FDA-approved indications and would have no clue about appropriate off-label usage.
That answer also implied that an MD who lacks specialized training would be competent to address this issue. That is certainly not the case.
Bipolar Disorder should generally be treated only by a psychiatrist, so some general practitioners have acquired extra training in treating bipolar disorder, though most have not.
It is unwise for a non-specialist to try to treat bipolar disorder with medicines that are not FDA-approved for that purpose.
bames
18 March 2011
Latuda is working fine!
christintish
4 April 2011
Yes, I was just prescribed Latuda in conjunction with Zoloft for my bipolar disorder. I am currently experiencing a severe depressive episode. I have not been on it long enough to comment about its effectiveness, but just wanted to share that I am taking it for my bipolar condition. I would appreciate knowing how it is working for you.
bames
4 April 2011
For the person just being prescribed LATUDA for BP... so far it is keeping me pretty stable..I am also on lamictal and prozac and now cytomel has been added to the mix( i have a hx of graves disease) they have found there is a correlation between thyroid disease and bipolar so we'll see what this extra uummpphh of T3(cytomel) will do to my condition.research is still going on to figure out the exact link..but since I am being actively treated and not yet where i should be mood wise many protocols have been in place... unfortunately i am not one of the lucky ones who responds right out of the gate.trial and error is about all they have..seems it is important for them to know what DOESN'T work as well as what does..hang in there! you are not alone
hapeone
8 April 2011
I live with bp and my doctor just put me on Latuda, yesterday. I have been med resistant for a long time so when a new one comes out I am always willing to try. My hope is that I get some time for this to work. I am just wondering how long it has taken people to really notice a change. I understand everyone is different and we all have our own med combos, but it is nice to hear what others have noticed with their experiences.
bames
8 April 2011
Latuda kicked in in about a week.wonderful thing is NO SIDE EFFECTS!! which is why the Psych community seems so excited about this new RX
bjkb
11 April 2011
I was put on Latuda for the exact same reason you were. I am also on Prozac and Klonopin. I have only been on it for less than a week, so I have nothing positive to say about it yet. It makes me nervous being put on a drug that was approved mainly for one reason and given for another, but I feel so bad I will try anything. Has anyone who has been on this drug notice an increase in anxiety or panic attacks?
bames
13 April 2011
I have NOT noticed any increase in anxiety or panic attacks on latuda.just seemed to even me out- I am not great nor as depressed as i had been 1.5 yrs ago.,but it is no panacea,for I am also on (for now anyway) lamictal and recently zoloft along with Latuda..good to kn wow I amn ottheonl yon e on Lauda .A friend is a psych and he too has been ordering latuda for BP
blaze22
15 April 2011
I would not say that I was completely misinforming the patient, d.com groupie, buddy... I never admitted to being a certified practitioner and my information is based on information that I have received as a whole, many years of being on particular medications along with 8 plus surgeries in my time, many an auto accident, not charged in those and stitches from my accident proneness from being a young girl. I said (if) the prescrib physician and (if) it had been approved by the FDA then it should be o.k. but to recheck with the appropriate medical professional... I am not trying to mislead... Thanks Blaze22
blaze22
15 April 2011
For Bames, I hope all is well and that you are doing o.k. and hopefully not alot of those horendous side effects that we all fear... As for the member Christintish, (hello), she is on Zoloft which is one of the strongest and more intense AD offered, I've been on that medication so yes i am a little surprised at that coupling of medications and hope she is being careful. I just like to be of some help when I can but try and not offend, cross or hurt anyone that is dealing with the same issues as myself on an intentional strait... For all of us concerned here on d.com i wish all of us well, and making it to the next day with (PROGRESS)))... Blaze22
deltadawnx1
21 April 2011
I have depression/bp/anxiety and cms. i was taking abilify, that work very well for my sytoms,but i gained 30lbs in 2 months. my phys changed me to latudo. Today was the 1st day i have taken it, and i can say iam afraid of all the side effects. i have felt like a ginny pig for many months, tring many different combos. i hope latuda helps. If any one has have some possitive response to this med, please lets us know. thanks..deltadawnx1
chuck22
28 April 2011
I'm BP and my Pdoc put me on Latuda today. I had been on Geodon for mood stabilization but it left me flat and unable to laugh with a shaking leg. I'm nervous taking a brand new drug but I've tried all the usual suspects. He continued me on Pristiq as an antidepressant. The hardest part is waiting to see if it will work any better than Geodon.
Crystal82
6 June 2011
I have been been taking latuda for about 6 wks now 80 mg dealing with bipolar and bpd. But clearly I do have side effects from medications when taken at night time it makes me feel very nausea I'm I the only one who feels this way and I always feel Hungary off the medication I know it's not my other two meds because they decrease my appetite( Adderall & topamax) is it just me???
Inactive
9 June 2011
I am on day 1 of Latuda, 40 mg. Also taking 40 mgs. Paxil, 125 mgs. Topomax & . 05 Xanax, for BPII & ADHD. Too soon to say, but I'm praying this addition works for the BPII. Tired of going back to the drawing board.
hapeone
20 June 2011
I have now been on Latuda for some time now and all is going great. It did make me sleepy for the first few weeks but all is "normal" now. I have NOT gained weight and that is a HUGE plus for me. I still take 40 (after trying 80). It took away my suicidal thoughts so this is a great thing for me.
Best of luck to all!
teach123
30 Oct 2011
Has anyone who is trying to get pregnant been prescribed this? With it being a new drug, I am extremely worried about birth defects.
Vivian Jane
31 Oct 2011
I was diagnosed 19 years ago as Bipolar by the same excellent doctor that I saw last week. He prescribed Latuda for my Bipolar Disorder mainly because I was having trouble with the side effect of drowsiness again. This time I was on Abilify but we have tried numerous Bipolar medications over the last 19 years due to my drowsiness. My doctor is especially interested in Bipolar Disorder and does a lot of clinical research on Bipolar Disorder. He also trains alot of psychiatrist students. I think he is even head of his psychiatry department in Sioux Falls, SD but maybe I shouldn't mention that because I'm not positive. At any rate, I trust my psychiatrist because when I met him I was living in the local mental hospital having constant hallucinations/delusions/suicidal thoughts misdiagnosed as schizophrenic with no improvement of symptoms for the prior two months. He switched my diagnosis to Bipolar Disorder and my medications from Schizophrenic ones to Bipolar ones.
Immediately under his care my totally disabling symptoms disappeared and I was never hospitalized again for the last 19 years! I think he is an expert and I trust him completely so I for one am taking Latuda for Bipolar Disorder. In addition to drowsiness, I have had trouble with weight gain and hair loss while on Bipolar medications. I wish you luck if you too are giving Latuda for Bipolar Disorder a try. Vivian Jane.
joewilliess
7 Feb 2012
I was treated with several meds from 2001 when I was diagnoised as Bipolar until My Dr started me on Lithium in 2002. I was on Lithium until 2011 when It wasn't working like it used to and I started having problems with my teeth whichly 2011 is a side effect of Lithium treatment. Then the Dr. started me on Latuda for my Bipolar and within 2 weeks I felt a great change. Everything just seemed so much clearer and calm with no sedative effect and my sleep patternes are fine. I've been on Latuda since July 2011 and I pray I never have to stop taking it. Latuda is the best thing thats happened to me since I was diagnoised with Bipolar. Thank You.
joewilliess
7 Feb 2012
Joewilliess- I just commented on Lithium causing problems with my teeth. I wanted to clafify what I mean. Because Lithium is a salt it has a drying effect on your mouth. This in turn keeps your teeth dry which destroys your enamel on your teeth causing cavities. I never had ONE cavity in my life until last year when I was 46. I went to the dentist and I had 13 cavities!!! My dentist researched the problem and the verdict was Lithium was the cause. And since it wasn't really working for my Bipolar any longer I was switched to Latuda.
heather925
18 April 2012
i am month 2 on latuda 40. By day 1or 2 i was a new person. I do take klonipin three times a day also. latuda really worked great month one. Month 2 hasn't been as great-i have had restless legs and agitation. I do not think i am going to ask for any changes to be made because I am so much happier. I take it before bed-no food-i hope this cuts down on restless legs. i'm happy. I was just dx with bp 11 and this was the first med i ever took, im lucky it works so well.
rkanpjv6
5 Dec 2016
My daughter died from schitzoaffective disorder. I suffer from Bipolar, major depression I received 2 wks free and broke out in hives after 4 days after taking meds to get rid of hives. I was told I could try taking them again, but I found out it costs $150.00 for fourteen pills. I am on Disability worked hard I have medicare I don't receive anything from the state because I make to much but not enough to pay that amount a month called everyone I could to see about getting some help but it is not there for me. Why does it have to be so expensive It tells me money is more important than peoples lives.
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Further information
- Latuda uses and safety info
- Latuda prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Latuda (detailed)
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