I am currently trying out a week of Lurasidone for Bipolar Disorder. I am going to be going through each day and adding notes to how I'm feel emotionally and physically; with time stamps. I am in no way educated on this kind of stuff, nor am I good at putting together a professional review or blog post. This is just a log of my experience for the week and at the end of the week, I will be mentioning if I will be continuing the Lurasidone.
I am currently taking 20mg for the week but if I continue, I will be taking 40mg (as the 40mg is covered by my drug plan). If I continue to take the Lurasidone and bump it up to 40mg, I will make another blog post to test out a week of that and record my notes. If I continue with the Lurasidone I may update every once in a while with things regarding a long term use. I take one pill a day with food. I take it an hour before I get into bed at midnight. If I am home at midnight I will take it then but if I am out over night, I just have to take it before I fall asleep or at 11; whichever is the case for that day and situation.
With the Lurasidone I am able to continue taking my prescription pain killer (Mefenamic Acid). I should avoid alcohol or drugs, as it would increase the drowsy or dizziness I could experience with the medication; as well as increased blood-pressure and increasing other symptoms.
Some have a drink in moderation and very many hours before or after taking the Lurasidone. For this week I will not consume any alcohol but if I were to continue the medication passed this week, I would wait at least 2-3 months of taking the Lurasidone before I try consuming alcohol but I would do just one shot and see what happens; to record my experience with that interaction.
While on the Lurasidone I am NOT able to have grapefruit or grapefruit juice as it would cause an interaction that could put more medication into my bloodstream and risk too much medication in my system and chance of side affects. Luckily I do not eat grapefruit or have the juice often, if at all.
So now I will get into the notes I have recorded with my experience. I hope you not enjoy but find insight or take something from this post weather you are taking the Lurasidone, have before or looking into taking it. Thank you.
(I will be updating each full day at a time, hopefully once a day....I will try to stick to a schedule but nonetheless I will end up updating this blog post with each day weather I do it each day or not. So, I'm sorry if any delays come up.)
December 7th 2017: The First Pill.
11pm: I have taken the first pill and not too long after taking it (Approx 30 minutes or so), I have grown drowsy and a bit lethargic but in a more peppy tone.
December 8th 2017: After Taking First Pill.
7:30am: I have woken up half an hour earlier than I needed to be up, I have a moderate headache. I get up to use the washroom and I go back to bed but I struggle to return to sleep. I have though fallen back asleep for the final 10 minutes.
8am: I wake up for the day and still have the pounding headache, so I takemy Mefenamic Acid. (2 pills at 250mg each)
9am to 11am: Throughout these 3 hours I feel odd but less anxious and less stressed than usual. I feel a little mellowed out almost, it isn't a bad feeling though. I feel a little quiet inside, my mind is quiet, for the first time.....ever. Though my head does feel stuffy like full of cotton but not sick and I just want to go back to sleep.
12pm: I still feel mellow but weirdly upset now, for no apparent reason. My mind is not racing and it's nice for a change but I do also feel weirdly disconnected and unlike me.
3pm: I am feeling nauseous (besides the help of food I ate, I have a digestive disorder so most foods upset me) and I am still emotionally upset. I still feel very tried and still unlike me, kinda like a part of me is missing. I wonder: is this what "normal" feels like? Not to be panicked, not to be stressed or anxious all the time, not to have constant instructive or racing thoughts? I feel less happy but at the same time, less sad. I feel kinda empty, I don't know. All the bad thing about me, made me....me, so without them, who am I? I have had these "struggles" for a very long time, so it's all I know. So or me to feel like someone else, it's kinda weird. I hope I ge used to this. Reflecting over this, makes me cry. I don't know why I'm crying, I'm just nervous and sure, I can still cry but can I still genuinely laugh?
5pm: I am currently watching funny videos, in hopes I can laugh. I have been able to thus far but it also feels like my brain isn't sure what's funny but my mouth does. Hm it's kinda like I'm learning to laugh for the first time. I don't know how to explain how that feels but it's certainly new. I don't feel nauseous as of now but the sleepiness I still feel.
10pm: I feel less weird but I'm nervous all my laughs are fake, they don't sound as genuine. I'm less sad but still sad. Hmm....who am I? What am I? I've laughed once or twice genuinely but I feel 'like those people who laugh during a movie just because others are but they don't find it as funny as it was'. That's me. I'm already sleepy, have been most of the day though. I'm used to tired with no energy but today I have energy yet I'm still tired, I don't know how that even works.....nothing I'm feeling thus far, makes sense to me.
December 8th 2017: The Second Pill.
11pm: I have taken the pill and the moment after, I have built up a hunger. It's not likely related but I had not much of an appetite today or lately due to some unknown sickness, that I've been dealing with for two months now. I eat of course with my Lurasidone, so I scarf down my food and wish to the heavens for more. I'm a glutton especially when my appetite returns. I have been so tired all day due to not sleeping enough last night/this morning. So I will be plenty tired when I get into bed in an hour, as I've been dying to sleep.
December 9th 2017: Day After Second Pill:
8am: I slept through the night and didn’t wake early like I did the night before. I had a really weird dream but I have been having weird dreams lately....I mean overall my dreams are weird, all throughout my life. I pass out though and sleep like a rock. I wake though feeling tired as always. I always wish for an hour extra of sleep, though I’m not sure that would change anything.
9am: I feel more like myself today (thus far) and I’m feeling less sad and more happy. I still have a raging appetite and I’m scared to go grocery shopping. I only have a strict budget though, so I am hoping my appetite cools down by then. My mother had said she noticed a change, she mentioned that prior to the medication, I laughed at everything; I over-laughed and she saw it as a coping mechanism. I though just love to laugh, laughing feels amazing....well it used to feel amazing. I feel a little better about laughing today but I still feel unsure about what’s funny. When I hear my own laugh now, it doesn’t sound like me. I don’t recognize it. I’m hoping over time it’ll come back to me and feel familiar.
11am: Jacksepticeye is the only thing up until this point, that has really made me laugh. I still feel weird about laughing but he helps and I am forever grateful for him. Who knew a YouTuber could do so much, just to help me relearn to laugh.
7pm: I am stuck into hobby stuff and just watching Youtube videos. Some things I have no motivation for but others I’m getting done. Emotionally I am too zoned out to make a comment on it. Today is uneventful. I am though still watching Jacksepticeye and having a great time. It’s quiet and I’m not yet sure what I’m doing tomorrow but we will see.
9pm: I catch myself fake laughing, during times that old me would actually laugh. It’s kinda sad and I hope with time it comes back and that I don’t lose all of me or the good parts of me. Hm.
December 9th 2017: The Third Pill.
11pm: I took my third pill and I’m so far not drowsy or sleepy, like I have been each day prior.
December 10th 2017: Day After Third Pill.
12am: I'm still not drowsy or sleepy, I am more awake than I have been the last few days and it’s interesting. I hope I can fall asleep at a reasonable time tonight, as I have to be up at 8am and I want to get enough sleep.
8am: The sleep was a struggle to get into and I have woken 20 minutes early. I’m feeling more down today than lately, I’m just feeling sad and lonely. I always had felt (before the medication) that people didn’t actually like me and that those who did, wouldn’t stay. I just spend a lot of time alone, in my daily boring routine. Like I am most comfortable here, as I don’t know what I wanna do going forward but I often am sad because I think: ‘is this all there is?’. And I know that’s not the case but some days are slow, physically and mentally slow. I’m hoping that throughout the day it gets better; that it turns around.
10am: I have been overcome with dizziness and having not eaten yet, isn’t likely helping. I am eating now though, so let’s hope it helps.
2:pm: I'm still feeling a little dizzy and a bit nauseous now. I find since being on the Lurasidone, I’ve built up a stronger sense of smell, to gross smells. I'm not feeling great.
6:30pm: I has been uneventful again today and my moods are just meh. I am tired of course and unsure of how I feel. I'm just rolling through the motions this time. I have a slight headache but the other symptoms I was feeling, are basically no longer.
8pm: My raging appetite has returned haha, I have been almost bing-eating. I had read (and maybe here have mentioned) you can gain 10/15 pounds while taking the Lurasidone. I thought it will be just due to the medication but it’s likely going to be my food habits! A bit of both likely and I’m happy about it. I have lost 6 pounds recently due to the sickness I mentioned and I have a feeling with this one gained pound today, I’ll gain more...well I hope for more; I can’t wait! Emotionally I’m tired right now and physically could sleep.
December 10th 2017: The Fourth Pill.
11pm: My appetite has gone back to normal. I’m tired but not tired. We will see when tomorrow comes.
Dec 11th 2017: Day After Fourth Pill.
12pm: I’m still not all that tired yet but when I do sleep, I sleep deeper than before the medication. Supposedly I’ve been talking more in my sleep lately. Hmm. I haven’t done it often growing up but I do more as an adult, especially with taking the Lurasidone, it’s been more often than usual.
8am: I have woken 20/30 min early. Again. I hate it. I wish I didn’t have an alarm to wake me up and that I just woke on my own. I’m not too tired but unfulfilled sleep wise. Emotionally and mentally I’m just fine today but a little on the sad side.
10am: feeling anxiety for no reason, this hasn’t happened much in the last few days since starting the lurasidone but I don’t like how I feel.
12:30pm: I feel the most "old me" today than I have since I started. I feel depressed like before but it’s going to be my first Youtube recording for the week, let’s see how it goes.
8pm: I'm still feeling a tad depressed, video recording went fine. I’m just feeling bleh today, almost under the weather. I’m going through some stuff in my personal life, so I’m down about that. I was hoping the Lurasidone would help me feel less shit but I guess not. I’m bummed I can’t have a drink. I find with this medication it doesn’t make me feel BETTER it just makes me feel like crappy. Hm...I was hoping it would help even a little bit, to raise my mood. I know it’s an antipsychotic but I was hoping being less psychotic meant being happier.
December 11th 2017: Take Fifth Pill.
11pm: I’m in a pissed off mood, I’m so done with today. Everything has been stressing me out. Today sucked. I hope tomorrow will be better.
December 12th 2017: Day After Fifth Pill.
8:am I slept okay, I never sleep well though, so I don’t aim for that. I’m in a better mood today than yesterday, thank god.
10am: I have errands to run and I don’t want to go out. I was hoping with the Lurasidone, I would feel less crap and feel better with more motivation....nope. I mean it’s not the worst but I have to upload a video before I go out. So I can power through my work and hope I feel better.
2pm: I’m feeling a little sad but not the terrible mood I was in yesterday. I don’t have the energy or motivation to go out and run my errands but I have no choice.
4:30pm: I’m not feeling great, I am eating a late lunch and I am freezing cold...due to the awful conditions, my cheeks hurt. I still have other errands to run that I don’t want to. I’m tired and want a nap so bad. I have very little energy but too much to do. Emotionally I’m a little down.
7pm: I fell asleep for a little nap. I wake feeling bleh, as I have been with naps since I changed my sleep schedule. My sleep schedule is now 12am to 8am, in bed by 12. It used to be that I’d stay up till 5am and wake at noon. So since this change, I’ve been doing it for about two (maybe three) weeks now and have taken a nap twice. They aren’t fulfilling but if I need it, I need it. Emotionally I’m unsure how I feel, I just woke up. We shall see.
December 12th 2017: Take Sixth Pill.
11pm: I didn’t feel any weird or different things upon taking my pill today.
December 13th 2017: Day After Sixth Pill.
12am: I am tired and struggling to fall asleep. I needed the nap earlier, so I'm struggling now.
8:am I woke fine but have a little headache. Emotionally I’m a little down. It didn’t take me extra time to fall asleep, just regular time but with a hassle.
9am: I am still feeling down, and I'm trying to listen to music to make me feel better but most of it makes me feel worse; I don’t know why. I have tried mixing up the genres and it's not helping.
11:30pm: I have a headache, I miss sleeping in. I’m a tad sad and lonely today. I have many errands to run, including what I missed yesterday. Today’s weather I heard is better, I sure hope so.
3:30pm: I haven't eaten yet today, I feel lightheaded and weird....well....I just had a piece of chicken and I’m also very tired. Emotionally I’m fine but my eyesight is going, along with the bad feelings I feel right now; I feel bleh. Personality wise I feel more like me today.
5pm: I feel better as I just got food into my system. It seems when I’m on the Lurasidone, I react weird if I haven’t eaten or eaten enough; I end up feeling almost like I’m drunken. After having just ate though, I feel fine. I’m slowly starting to get myself back, my laughing is a little better today and my mind races still, like old times. It felt great.
8:30pm: I went grocery shopping and just got home, I am so tired, so sore, just overall exhausted. I’m feeling emotionally better. The walk there and back, gave me time to reflect on stuff and how I feel. I have found that, overall, compared to before, I’m happier.
December 13th 2017: Take Seventh Pill.
This is my last pill, I am seeing my doctor tomorrow. I am going to tell him how it has been and that I would like to continue the medication. I will be making a new post for the 40mg dosage and post again for a week. After my shower, I have felt a lot better, showers to me though always make me so tired. I’m ready for bed.
December 14th 2017: Day After Seventh Pill.
8:am: I have a pounding headache and I’m feeling awful, health wise. Emotionally, I’m fine and mentally just tired. I wish I could sleep a little longer. I’m going to be seeing my doctor today. I took my mefenamic for my headache. I’m hoping it goes away, as I’m hanging with one of my BFFs today. I want to be in better health. I feel more like myself than I had been when I started out the Lurasidone. It took my body 5/6 days to feel normal, like me again. We will see what today brings.
12pm: I’m feeling alright but bummed out I have to go to the doctor. I like going but sometimes I’d rather not go, I have to though and get more medication. I just wish for things to be easier, I’m also hating the winter, already. I’m feel bleh today, kinda sad and for no reason. I mean could be because it’s the time of the month and because I’m just not feeling good. I could go for a nap but I cannot, I have to leave here about 2:30. I am looking forward to see my one BFF though, so that’ll be worth the stresses of going to out. Things aren’t going well just so much is going wrong, I’m already fed up with today.
5pm: So I have seen my doctor, he gave me 2 more weeks of the medication at 20mg. He said after the two weeks, he will give me a prescription for the 40mg BUT to just cut them in half, so I’m not upping the dosage. I am in a pretty good mood, I got cookies when I went in. I’m also in a better mood overall, despite my headphone jack not working properly and all else that went wrong today. I’m content. My doctor noticed changes and I’m happy to have them.
So this concludes my Experience With Lurasidone. Since I am not upping the dosage to 40mg but cutting them in half, I will not need to further make a post. I will though be making a post to my bodies' reaction to alcohol, I am starting off with just a single shot and seeing what happens from there, though I will not be doing it for a few months. I miss alcohol so much, already. So until I make the follow up blog post, with alcohol reaction and overall thoughts and feelings to the longer term on the medication, thanks for tuning in.
I hope some of you found this "useful?" or at least just an interesting read. This has been a really crazy week and when it comes down to it, it went a lot better than how I was doing before I even started the Lurasidone.
November 12th 2019:
I had been experiencing severe anxiety attacks where I would stop breathing, have heart palpitations and chest pressure. I went to the doctor today to get him to up my dose of 20mg to 40mg. I will start the 40mg tonight and update you as soon as things come about.
11:40pm
I feel a little pressure in my chest as I’m about to go to bed.
November 13th 2019:
7:30am: I just woke and might I say this was a struggle to sleep. I did more tossing and turning than I usually do and this was also the first time in two years that I’ve struggled this much to sleep. I woke many times during the night, it posed as quite a struggle; I’m hoping tonight goes smoother. Oh and chest pressure is still there, in a constant feeling but less of a pressure than last night. I’d also like to note I did have a strange dream and a tiny headache, the dream though being strange isn’t out of the ordinary just thought I’d mention as much as I can as I go.
9am: I feel mentally fine so far but I do feel tingles and a weird blanket of lethargy. We will see as the day and following days go on how my body physically and mind emotionally feels, it has to get through the tough part to get used to it but it’s only day one so we will see what happens; I wonder if it’ll be like the first time.
10am: My feelings were the same as an hour ago but add this weird tipsy feeling, like I legit had a drink. I feel a little funny in my head but my headache I think is gone. One thing that has changed is I have lost my appetite, which may or may not have happened the first time; I don’t recall BUT regardless, it’s gone.
12pm: I though find I still crave foods not cause I’m hungry but because I’m still gluttonous. I still have the urge to eat even when I don’t want to but can’t, when it comes to meals I struggle. I also find so much trouble in motivation, more than usual. I hope this passes because I gotta do stuff still. I know it’s only day one but I hope when and IF things get a bit more difficult, it won’t be toooo much worse than this. I’m hoping that this small change is dosage is a small change overall. I thought I’d do this 2019 update as I had spent so long with the same dose and I wanted to document how I feel upon changing it. I think I’ll be updating it for the first few days and then again later on, to see if I see a change in my anxiety attacks.
4pm: I am slowly coming around to the idea of eating but I don’t love the idea. I feel a little odd but no longer tipsy with a headache and a little chest pressure still. We will see if things change through the day.
10pm: So I was put in a spot where I had to make a quick choice and an amazing choice and I didn’t even let anxiety get to me. I said screw off anxiety and I took a risk. I was just full of adrenaline mind you but it was great. I think the meds are already shaping me into a better, less panicked person.
11pm: So in two weeks I might be short a week on pills due to the pharmacy, Im going to call them next week and discuss this with them. I’m so stressed out it’s posing as difficult to try and sleep I’m mad.
November 14th 2019:
8am: I slept better today than yesterday but had a second weird dream. I wonder if in time they will change, maybe my brain just needs to get used to the medication change. Emotionally and mentally I feel fine this far and I think my appetite has returned.
9am: I called the pharmacy to fix the issue, so things will be right as rain
11am: got a headache, I jinxed it thinking I was headache free. Maybe this isn’t related to the change in meds, who really knows.
4pm: My appetite has returned with a burning fiery passion! I’m so hungry it’s wild.
10pm: I know I haven’t gotten into the swing of this med change or maybe I have I’m not sure. I feel kinda normal, just watching out for anxiety attacks and overall how I tackle anxiety; it’s quieter in my brain.
11:30pm: This dosage change hits me quick with exhaustion, I feel funny and drained of energy. I’m off to bed, let’s see how I feel tomorrow.
November 15th 2019:
11am: I feel funny but maybe I’m just getting sick, it’s almost dizzy but I’m not sure. I was wondering if my emotions would change as they did when I first started them and they so far have not, I am able to laugh and cry the same it’s great.
12pm: I have again lost a bit of my appetite. It is lunch time but I’m not thrilled about it . I still feel funny.
10:30pm: The day has been pretty bad but I’m happy to say I still have all my emotions; well most of them. I still feel a little odd but that’s okay.
November 16th 2018:
11:30am: I think I’m back to my usual self, I do still have a weird lingering odd feeling in my brain but I don’t know what that’s really from. I thought I’d mention I had alcohol yesterday and it was almost immediate heartburn. If you want to know my first tests with alcohol search my blog for the second Lurasidone part. I still got drunk quick off a small amount, the interaction between the medication and alcohol has still made me a lighter weight than ever before, I mean compared to me prior to ever being on the medication.
3pm: I’ve been losing and gaining my appetite and it may be the medication or the side effects from my other medication and maybe even sickness. One thing I want to mention is the last few days I haven’t had a single wave of feeling suicidal like I normally do especially at night. I hadn’t really been paying attention to it but I plan to keep an eye on that today and going forward. Emotionally I’ve returned to my weird waves of sadness...sucks.
November 17th 2019:
11:30pm: so I’m almost back to my self, back to my usual struggles with mental health and physical feeling. I will be ending the updates here unless something changes. Oh one thing I’d like to mention that with the dose increase my sleep is in the same except with the increase I am more awake before bed and struggle more to fall asleep; I hate it and I don’t often have this issue till now. So that being said, I hope you got some insight to the medication and it was interesting or helpful to you. Thank you.
Note: I didn't mention this but I have bipolar and I dealt with manic episodes but since being on the Lurasidone, I have not had any which is fantastic.
October 16th 2021:
I have been taking the medication almost 4 years now and overall feel a lot better, I have very minimal problems with sleep, a lot less depressive/manic episodes, easier to handle anxiety and less feeling suicidal. I am very happy I took the medication, I couldnt imagine my life without it now.