Latuda: problems with exercise / getting way too tired

Hello, first time poster here. Thanks for allowing me to visit and participate.

Is anyone here taking Latuda?

I have just recently transitioned from 1000mg Depakote ER each day to treat general depression & Cyclothymia (rapid mood swings). Now I am taking 60mg Latuda. I started taking it in the morning and soon noticed that about 90-120 minutes after I take it, my body literally wants to go to sleep. It's painful to even keep my eyes open..they just want to be shut. if I take an hour nap, usually the effect wears off after a couple hours. This was so disruptive to my work schedule I shifted to taking it at night. Since I don't want to fall asleep 90 minutes after dinner I take a very late 350 calorie snack/partial meal around 9PM and make sure I'm in bed before 11. Otherwise the tirednesss hits and I don't even want to talk to anyone, I just feel like I want to melt into the floor.

Anyone else experience this? If so what are you doing to minimize this side effect?

2nd problem: I'm an active cyclist and it seems like this medication messes with my metabolism. I have gained 10-15 lbs since starting and my legs just feel very heavy with little energy. maybe this is all in my head... but it really feels like the "tired" effects I am getting impact my overall performance with the dead legs...even the next morning after taking a pill the evening before. I do notice that I heat up quite a bit faster than I usually do.

Anyway, I have only been on this for 2 months and am having second thoughts. The Depakote was doing a decent job, but the Latuda is a bit better as far as keeping my moods in check. Not tremendously better, but definitely a little better. if it was night and day better, I'd stick with it, but I'm wondering if these crazy side effects are worth it the slight improvement...

Would love to hear from anyone else taking Latuda.

Hey there, welcome to the forum,

I'm not taking Latuda, but I recognize the side effect.
When I was on a relativley normal dose of fluvoxamine (not for cyclothymia but just generall depression and anxiety) I would get soooo sleepy, I just wanted to roll up in a blanket and sleep. But it wasn't like you describe after taking a pill. I also stopped my excercise because i just could hardly keep it up, every time I went for a run it was a struggle when before I ran easily. After using it for a longer time, couple of month this side-effect became bearable but did not go away completely.

It's up to you yo decide if it's worth it really, but maybe talk about it with the person who is treating you, it sounds like thi side-effect is pretty life-disrupting

Thanks for your thoughts, very much appreciated. Yeah, I've been thinking about this quite a bit; whether the side effects are worth it. I made an appt to see my dr about it.

I notice this as well. It will make me tired and depressed an hour after taking it. I also notice feeling sluggish and not having as much energy in general.

Hi, I mostly visit the bipolar forum. I mostly experienced depression for many years and I am recently diagnosed bipolar (about 5 months ago). I have taken Latuda for over a year and it works really good with depression, in my personal experience but yes it is written on the package insert that it causes drowsiness and sleepiness. And it must be taken with food. There are other side effects that are listed there. I personally don't notice sluggishness, but it can affect people differently.