How Effective is Latuda & What are It’s Side Effects, Dosage?

There are cases when young people get suicidal thoughts when they first take latuda or lurasidone especially when it is taken to treat depression. You must be aware of the mood changes you are about to experience before taking this medicine. If you have any symptoms worsening, get immediate medical assistance.

• Latuda is an effective medicine for antipsychotic problems which is also known as lurasidone. This medicine makes chemical changes in the brain.
• Latuda or lurasidone is used for the effective treatment of schizophrenia in teenagers and adults and those above 13 years of age.
• Latuda or lurasidone is also used to effectively treat dipolar syndrome or manic depression in various episodes of depression in adults.

Latuda or lurasidone is not to treat dementia or similar psychotic conditions related. Latuda or lurasidone when given to older adults suffering from dementia related problems might even cause death.

You must inform your doctor if you have any of these following conditions before taking latuda or lurasidone such as heart disease, high cholesterol, history of breast cancer, triglycerides, liver disease, history of stroke or heart disease, heart disease, seizures, low white blood cells, hearth rhythm problems, trouble in swallowing, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.

There are few medicines that could interact with latuda or lurasidone when you use them at same time. Therefore you must inform all your doctors about all the medicines you are taking, so they would suggest to stop or start any of these medicines.

There are high chances of you become more sensitive to extreme sensitive too cold or hot conditions when you are taking latuda or lurasidone. Therefore it is important for you to not become dehydrated or over heated or even cold. You must intake a lot of fluids, mainly in hot weather conditions and if you exercise. There are high chances of you becoming severely dehydrated or overheated taking this medicine.

Latuda or lurasidone can cause impairing your reactions or thinking as well. Therefore you must be more cautious if you have to drive or do things that need you to be alert always. Do not get up too fast if you are lying or sitting because you might feel like passing out. Therefore, get up gradually to prevent from falling.

Do not take alcohol when on latuda or lurasidone as it will cause severe side effects. If you have any of these following medical conditions, stop using latuda or lurasidone and call your doctor high fever, feeling like passing out, rigid or stiff muscles, pounding or fast heartbeats, uncontrollable or twitching movements in face, lips, legs, arms, tongue, eyes, confusion, sweating, tremors

If you have any allergic reactions to latuda or lurasidone do not take this medicine. If you use any of these following medicines while taking latuda or lurasidone, your doctor might have to change your treatment plan as these medicines will interact with each other and make it harmful:

• Antibiotic medicines like rifampin, clarithromycin
• Antifungal medicines like voriconazole or ketoconazole
• St. John’s wort
• Antiviral medicines like ritonavir
• Seizure medicines like phenytoin or carbamazepine.
• Latuda or lurasidone is not approved in the treatment of dementia related psychotic conditions as it cause death in older patients.

In order to make latuda or lurasidone safe for you, inform your doctor if you have ever had any of these medical conditions:

• Kidney or liver disease
• Epilepsy or seizures
• Trigylcerides (fat in blood) or high cholesterol
• Breast cancer
• Suicidal actions or thoughts
• High blood pressure, heart disease
• Low WBC counts
• Family history of diabetes or Diabetes
• Stroke
• Bipolar disease or depression (except taking this medicine to treat depressive episodes)
• Abnormal hormone functions (pituitary gland or thyroid)

When latuda or lurasidone is taken by young people to treat depression, there are possibilities of them getting suicidal thoughts. Doctors will need to check your progress regularly in every visit. It is important for your caregivers and family to know about the possibilities of mood changes you might experience, to be alert.

Taking any psychotic medicines in the last 90 days of pregnancy will cause harm to the child such as feeding problems stiff muscles, tremors, limp muscles, breathing problems and withdrawal symptoms. You will also have these withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking these medicines during your pregnancy period. In case you are taking latuda or lurasidone during your pregnancy, do not stop it unless your doctor tells you to.

Name will be registered in the pregnancy registry if you are pregnant or become pregnant while taking latuda or lurasidone. This is to track and record of the outcome and learns the effects it has on the baby.

You must inform your doctor if you are breast feeding your baby as it is unknown if latuda or lurasidone passes through breast milk and harm baby.

Latuda or lurasidone is not approved for the treatment of schizophrenia to anyone less than 13 years of age. Similarly it is also not approved to treat depression to anyone younger than 18 years of age.

• Treatment of Schizophrenia – General Adult Dosage
• First latuda or lurasidone dosage: One time a day 40 milligrams orally
• Maintenance dosage: per day 40-160 milligrams orally
• Maximum dosage per day 160 milligrams
• First latuda or lurasidone dosage titration is not required
• This medicine must be taken along with food of at least 350 calories. There are chances of drug exposure otherwise.
• Latuda or lurasidone is effectively used for the treatment of schizophrenia.
• Treatment of Bipolar Syndrome – General Adult Dosage
• First dosage: One time a day 20 milligrams orally
• Maintenance dosage: per day 20-120 milligrams orally
• Maximum dosage per day 120 milligrams.

First dosage titration is not required. Latuda or lurasidone must be taken along with food of at least 350 calories. There are chances of drug exposure otherwise the dosage levels of initial and maintenance is same for adjunctive therapy and monotherapy. In studies related to monotherapy, the effectiveness in the 20-60 mg lower dosage per day was sufficient comparable to 80-120 mg of higher dosage per day.

The effectiveness of mania treatment is not yet established.

Latuda or lurasidone is effectively used as an adjunctive therapy or monotherapy with vaporate or lithium to treat major depressive disorders related with bipolar depression or bipolar disorder

If you experience any signs of allergic reactions to latuda or lurasidone such as swelling of tongue, face, throat or lips, difficulty in breathing or hives, get immediate help
If you experience any of these worsening or new symptoms get immediate medical assistance, panic attacks, hostile, feeling impulsive, trouble sleeping, behavior or mood changes, restless, agitated, suicidal thoughts, hyperactive (physically or mentally), irritable, anxiety, thoughts of self hurting, more depressed

Long term usage or high dosages of latuda or lurasidone can use several irreversible movement disorders. Here are the symptoms of this medical conditions mainly uncontrollable muscle movements of legs, arms, face, eyes, tongue or legs. The chances of getting these movement disorders are high when you take this medicine for longer period. The risk is high in older adults and women.

If you experience any of these severe side effects of latuda or lurasidone call your doctor immediately:

• Slow or fast heartbeats, fainting, dizziness
• Seizure (convulsions)
• Breast or vaginal changes, irregular menstrual periods, nipple discharge
• Trouble swallowing
• Disorders in blood cell – chills, flu or cold symptoms, ill felling or sudden weakness, pain when swallowing, mouth sores, cough, sore throat, difficulty in breathing, swollen gums
• High blood sugar disorders or symptoms – fruity breath odor, weight loss, hunger, increased thirst or urination, blurred vision, dry skin, hunger
• Nervous system severe reactions – high fever, uneven or high heartbeats, stiff muscles, feeling like passing out, tremors, confusion, sweating.

Here are the other common side effects of latuda or lurasidone:

• Vomiting
• Nausea
• Drowsiness
• Muscle stiffness, tremors, muscle movement problems
• Feeling restlessness is also a side effect of latuda or lurasidone
• Weight gain
• Unable to sit still.