Your Pdoc likes the new meds doesn't he. I doubt you'll find many that have been on this drug, it's pretty new.

It's got some pretty major side effects though to look out for. Mainly Tardive Dyskinesia, cognitive and motor impairment, syncope, seizures and sensory instability.

Neutropenia is also a side effect, so the "sodium" issue may be a problem for you.

And with the way the pharmacology works in this Atypical Anti-psych, certain adverse affects may first appear several weeks after the initial treatment because plasma levels of cariprazine and its major metabolites accumulate over time, so you have to watch for hypoglycemia (blood sugar issues) and weight gain.

Sorry for the not so cheery info.

Kat

Thanks Kat. And yes, they do seem to like the big new thing around there. I was shocked that I was ever on geodon, it seems as ancient as its dinosaur sounding name, but they prescribed that early into my diagnosis. (Funny, I liked where it put my mind more than any of the other meds but I completely lost all ability to function from the sedation)

I have read that vraylar has a long half life and takes longer than most meds to fully kick in, so it does sound like I'm just going to have to wait a while and see, good or bad. Starting new meds always makes me feel like Alice in Wonderland when shes just randomly eating this and drinking that, not knowing what the effects of the magic might be.

Most of the new Atypical Anti-psychs are actually designed for Schizophrenia, so the pharma-kinetics are designed to work specifically on that disease and how it acts and reacts in the brain.

Downside is when they use them off-label for things like BiPolar they work differently and you just kind of have to live with it until they fully metabolize and build a steady plasma level.

Tardive Dyskinesia was one of the main issues, there was actually a warning on one of the Tardive Dyskinesia Information sites for this drug. So just watch for that.

Yeah and with vraylar actually approved for bipolar 1, specifically mania and mixed state like I've been in for months, I was excited that maybe it'll be more likely to help with my specific symptoms. I hope it doesnt take long, I'm headed towards more of a manic state now.