# Latuda



## AlexP7 (Apr 5, 2013)

Anyone else have good luck with Latuda for bipolar? I have bipolar 1 manic episodes have been my main issue. My psychiatrist just upped my dose of Latuda to 80mg. I'm also on low dose Paxil 20mg & .5 Xanax. So far Latuda has been ok I had another manic episode so guess that's why he's upping my dose..Id like to try Seroquel again eventually. Does Latuda mainly control moods or will a higher dose also help anxiety. 

I was on 40mg then 60 but recently had another manic episode that lasted nearly two weeks so maybe the 80 will help. Anyone else with SA & bipolar 1 have good luck with it? Thanks...Also, for me, Xanax has been a total lifesaver for my anxiety! It's great.


----------



## Boulder257 (May 9, 2013)

I have heard mixed reviews. It's still very new so there's not much out there regarding it's efficacy.


----------



## Caedmon (Dec 14, 2003)

AlexP7 said:


> Anyone else have good luck with Latuda for bipolar? I have bipolar 1 manic episodes have been my main issue. My psychiatrist just upped my dose of Latuda to 80mg. I'm also on low dose Paxil 20mg & .5 Xanax. So far Latuda has been ok I had another manic episode so guess that's why he's upping my dose..Id like to try Seroquel again eventually. Does Latuda mainly control moods or will a higher dose also help anxiety.
> 
> I was on 40mg then 60 but recently had another manic episode that lasted nearly two weeks so maybe the 80 will help. Anyone else with SA & bipolar 1 have good luck with it? Thanks...Also, for me, Xanax has been a total lifesaver for my anxiety! It's great.


You're Bipolar I and still on Paxil?


----------



## Geaux Tigers (Apr 18, 2014)

AlexP7 said:


> Anyone else have good luck with Latuda for bipolar? I have bipolar 1 manic episodes have been my main issue. My psychiatrist just upped my dose of Latuda to 80mg. I'm also on low dose Paxil 20mg & .5 Xanax. So far Latuda has been ok I had another manic episode so guess that's why he's upping my dose..Id like to try Seroquel again eventually. Does Latuda mainly control moods or will a higher dose also help anxiety.
> 
> I was on 40mg then 60 but recently had another manic episode that lasted nearly two weeks so maybe the 80 will help. Anyone else with SA & bipolar 1 have good luck with it? Thanks...Also, for me, Xanax has been a total lifesaver for my anxiety! It's great.


You need real a mood stabilizer, pronto, not just an atypical antipsychotic with mood stabilization properties, including Seroquel.

Have you considered lithium? There are many more especially Depakote 
(divalproex sodium extended release), but don't let lithium scare you. It is one of the most effective, if not most effective treatments for BP1, and it's more benign than you think.

Also, I've been on 40, 60, and 80, and I've found little difference between the three. I just chose 60 because it was between the dosages I tolerated. I don't think the 80 will much more than 60 and that's real talk. I think 40mg. would probably be enough for me, actually.

I switched from Abilify and added Latuda and Topamax to hopefully help with weight gain and mood stabilization. They're also easy to tolerate. Latuda has virtually no H1 affinity (which is great) and I didn't notice much of it with Abilify either. And if Abilify wasn't easy to tolerate, it wouldn't be such a blockbuster. However, these two medications are more or less targeted at amelioration of depression (which is my more my issue) rather than mania.

I found Abilify to be better for me, but only slightly. I'd say Latuda is 80% as effective, and that is the reason I have no switched back to aripiprazole.

Do you have any depression? If not, you may want to consider an alternative AAP, but first you need to find a mood stabilizer that works for you. In terms of alternative AAPs, have you considered Zyprexa (olanzapine)? It's a great AAP to reduce mania and for maintenance of BP1.

Good luck with your treatment!


----------



## DefeatSAD (Sep 25, 2013)

Latuda did not help me, it caused mild psychotic problems, so I had to stop. It does stabilize mood.


----------



## DefeatSAD (Sep 25, 2013)

Geaux Tigers said:


> Do you have any depression? If not, you may want to consider an alternative AAP, but first you need to find a mood stabilizer that works for you. In terms of alternative AAPs, have you considered Zyprexa (olanzapine)? It's a great AAP to reduce mania and for maintenance of BP1.


Olanzapine works perfectly, but I don't know about it's side effects. I was on it for a month and gained 5-10 pounds and developed pre-diabetes. This was with a strict (disordered) diet and exercise. If you're really psychotic and having bad mania that gets you into a hospital, then it's pretty good.


----------



## Farideh (Nov 13, 2011)

Oh my freakin gosh. I am so happy someone finally mentioned this medication because I am taking it too and I hate the amount of dosage I am currently taking. I am taking 80 mg and the side effects are horrible. You feel sick to your stomach and then your hands start to shake. I was taking about 20 mg a while back and it really helped with my anxiety but I know this medication is basically for schizophrenics. A psychologist I am seeing diagnosed me with schizophrenia. So he prescribed Latuda for me and xanax. I only take that if my anxiety is bad. Anyway, latuda does not let me sleep at all at night. So I stopped taking that stuff and now I am relying on exercise, herbal tea, and therapy. I've always hated being medicated because I don't believe in being under medication. It's horrible.


----------



## Geaux Tigers (Apr 18, 2014)

Why are you not at 40mg.?


----------



## Geaux Tigers (Apr 18, 2014)

DefeatSAD said:


> Olanzapine works perfectly, but I don't know about it's side effects. I was on it for a month and gained 5-10 pounds and developed pre-diabetes. This was with a strict (disordered) diet and exercise. If you're really psychotic and having bad mania that gets you into a hospital, then it's pretty good.


That's why I was hesitant to suggest it, but obviously the OP has a problem with mania. Some people are able to maintain on Zyprexa, especially the Zydis formulation that melts under your tongue.

Invega (paliperidone; active metabolite of risperidone) would another suggestion, in terms of mania.


----------



## Geaux Tigers (Apr 18, 2014)

I notice you're on Abilify. Latuda is very similar to Abilify.

However, I believe Latuda is superior than Abilify and should be approved an a supplement to antidepressant drugs for patients with MDD, just like Abilify.

My mom is on Cymbalta, but wanted a boost so she scheduled an appointment with her GP. She was going to ask for Abilify, but I persuaded her to go for Latuda, and she has had an amazing response.

Let's evaluate why Latuda might be better than Abilify for augmentation to an AP for patients with MDD and for bipolar depression:

In terms of serotonin receptor affinity shared, <8.7nM, significant activity, anything else that Abilify has that Latuda has is negligible in terms of action-- essentially, the only notable serotonin activity Latuda lacks that Abilify has is at the 5-HT2B receptor (Ki = 0.36 nM) This is actually a cardiotoxic, antitargetic, and not advisable to touch.

Abilify has antagonism at the 5-HT2A receptor (Ki = 8.7 nM), and partial agonism at the 5-HT1A receptor (Ki= 5.6 nM), 5-HT7 receptor (Ki = 10 nM), 5-HT2C receptor (Ki = 22.4 nM)

Antagonism at the 5-HT2A receptor (Ki = 2.0 nM), 5-HT7 receptor (Ki = 0.5 nM), 5-HT2C receptor (Ki = 415 nM) and partial agonism at the 5-HT1A receptor (Ki = 6.8 nM).

Latuda has the most relevant 5-HT7 activity of any atypical; this means that it might be cognitive enhancing and aid with learning and memory. It helps also cognitively since it lacks any anticholinergic effects

They both share similar serotoninergic backgrounds, which my hypothesis is: this explains why they're approved for similar purposes, Abilify is approved MDD AD augmentation and Latuda is approved for BP depression while other atypicals are not approved for purposes like this.

Abilify has more H1, relatively weak, but relevant action at H1 (Ki = 27.9 nM) while Latuda lacks affinity, which means is less sedating and that's a positive for me and a lot of patients.

Abilify is unique in the fact that it is a partial agonist at the D2, D3 and D4 (negligible effect) dopamine receptors. This accounts for a lot of its positive factors and why it might benefit a lot of patients such as yourself. This is a fact that Latuda lacks.

Besides partial dopamine agonism, they are very similar in terms of mechanism, but Latuda is much healthier, look at this study that also gives efficiency rates at different dosages. You'll see little difference in the low and high doses, besides side effects like akathisia.

*least QT interval prolongation, no warning about it required
*little weight gain, some studies showed weight loss compared to placebo
*less metabolic risk than Abilify: better with cholesterol, hdl, ldl, triglycerides, prolactin and glucose, some studies showed loss in all categories compared to placebo
*little sedation, some studies showed less sedation

Therefore, I always suggest a patients trial Latuda before Abilify, but I was a fan of Abilify before Latuda was released.


----------



## fineline (Oct 21, 2011)

im on 40mg of latuda. cant tell if it is doing anything at all. good or bad. been nearly a month that ive been on it.


----------



## Geaux Tigers (Apr 18, 2014)

Latuda is not the only atypical for bipolar depression, I forgot about Seroquel XR and such.


----------



## DefeatSAD (Sep 25, 2013)

I want to switch to latuda, but it's only used off label here in Canada.

Very interesting, informative post by the way! Thanks for sharing.


----------



## DefeatSAD (Sep 25, 2013)

Okay, so I just learned that it is approved for bipolar disorder now. It got approved about two weeks ago, a day after I asked for it. How unlucky is that?


----------



## fineline (Oct 21, 2011)

i always forget i have to eat right before i take this.


----------



## deathproof (Apr 15, 2013)

.....................


----------



## AlexP7 (Apr 5, 2013)

Caedmon said:


> You're Bipolar I and still on Paxil?


Yes my psychiatrist has told me I am Bipolar 1. I also have anxiety & panic disorder. He has said that is why he wants me to stay on the low-dose Paxil, he says by itself, the Paxil could cause mania (which did happen before) but I have been on atypical anti-psychotics for some time now with mixed results. Ive still had depressive episodes & a couple of manic episodes. I liked Seroquel a lot, but it was so sedating, but looking back I probably didn't give it enough time..I want to try it again eventually.

My psych says it is common for bipolar people to have co-morbid disorders like anxiety & panic disorder which I have. He seems to really know his stuff. He has me on the Xanax as needed, & the Paxil for anxiety plus the Latuda. I am no longer on Abilify that made me really jittery.

I am still unsure about the Latuda so far it makes me feel really tired & also out of sorts but I am still adjusting to it.

I had another pretty pronounced manic episode recently while on 40 mg of Latuda..So he thought my dose wasn't high enough.

As I've said before my main symptoms are intense mania, with mild to moderate periods of depression (the mania is much worse).

If Latuda doesn't work out I'll ask him about going back on Seroquel & maybe Lithium.

I asked him about Lithium & he was open to it but he wanted to try Abilify & Latuda first.

We shall see. I may ask about Zyprexa too.


----------



## fineline (Oct 21, 2011)

zyprexa works really well. for anxiety and bipolar and depression. if you dont mind gaining at least 30 pounds. and i was only on it for 2 months before i stopped due to the weight gain.

as far as i can tell, comparing latuda to zyprexa, zyprexa works better. but lautda comes in second place, only without the weight gain.

i also tried saphris as well, being told it was weight neutral, come to find out, it is not. gained another 10 pounds on that. since being off of the zyprexa and saphris, and starting latuda, i have lost 10 of the 40 total pounds.

just something to consider.


----------



## A Sense of Purpose (May 8, 2011)

Out of Lithium, Sodium Valproate, Seroquel, Saphris and Thorazine - Zyprexa has been the only mood stabilizer to improve my mood, manage anxiety and prevent mania.


----------

