Abilify VS Latuda : Patient Experiences

May 23, 2012 - PRLog -- In this note, a leading psychiatrist in Boston asked us to compare patient viewpoints on Abilify Vs Latuda to help manage the health insurance formulary plans since Latuda in most formularies is at a higher tier than Abilify. We have given an excerpt of the patient viewpoints that was used to bolster the case for the prescription choice (Abilify or Latuda).

PharmaFlare (http://www.pharmaflare.com) analyzed 50 cases where patients discussed Abilify and Latuda and 43 of those where cases in which patients switched from Abilify to Latuda and 7 cases where they switched from Latuda to Abilify.
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Sample Patient Experiences where Patients switched from Abilify to Latuda:
(Total 7 Comments):
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Sample Comment 1:

I took Latuda when it first came out and at first I thought it was terrific, a near wonder drug. It did clear my psychosis in record time, no voices within days, in fact, but I found that 1) I was indeed eating more and gaining weight rapidly and 2) nowhere near as creative as I am on the combination of Abilify and Geodon.On Abilify and Geodon (I must take the Geodon with the the Abilify or the latter makes me much too prone to irascibility) my output is tremendous.

Sample Comment 2:

Well, Latuda did not produce acceptable results. At 40 mg, it did not produce a satisfactory antidepressant response, and it left me feeling cognitively numb and in a "brain-fog". Still, I believe that Latuda will help some people with depression. Researchers are looking closely at 5-HT7 receptor antagonism and its antidepressant effects. Latuda does this. Some people may not need the D2/D3 partial agonism of Abilify, in which case, Latuda might be a good choice for its lack of metabolic side effects.

I restarted Abilify at 10 mg few days ago, and I am beginning to recapture an antidepressant response.

Sample Comment 3:

I had to switch to Abilify on Friday. I was "Black Boxed" by Latuda unfortunately. On Tuesday I began becoming suicidal. On Thursday this was getting really bad and it was so out of character as far as "lately" goes. I called my pdoc's office and they told me to go to the ER. I did so and they sent me home after about 9 hours. They agreed that Latuda had caused the suicidal ideations since I wasn't having them right before I went on it, told me to stop taking it, and my pdoc told them to tell me to get in touch with his office the next morning to make an appointment for that day instead of waiting until Monday. Wellbutrin also caused this and so did Trileptal, but those were the only meds that black boxed me. I slept well on Friday after taking the Abilify. I never had the problems with insomnia on Abilify that lots of people do. It doesn't make nearly as sleepy as Seroquel did, but it's a pretty powerful sleep inducer for me.

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Sample Patient Experiences where Patients switched from Latuda to Abilify: (Total 43 Comments):
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Sample Comment 1:

I AM currently on latuda i was on invega but have taken abilify before, the invega made me really tired and incoherent it was hard to think or talk some of the time, the invega also made me gain 40 pounds that is why i switched to latuda. I think it is better i have lost 10 pounds i no longer want to gorge myself with food and some of the side affects are better such as i feel like doing more and have a little more energy, so i guess this medicine is better for me then some of the other ones.

Sample Comment 2:

I'd seriously consider going on Latuda. I gained 100 pounds from Seroquel, Risperdal and Abilify and I've lost 26 of those pounds already. Not to mention that it helps my symptoms almost completely (unless I'm under a lot of stress). It's the best AAP that I've been on and I really like it.

Sample Comment 3:

2 weeks ago I had a severe psychotic break despite both Abilify and Geodon. To avoid hospitalization, my doctor and I usually add Zyprexa, but I wanted to avoid the rapid weight gain, though it is otherwise a miracle drug. This time we tried Latuda. Within about 5 days my  thoughts were much clearer, my energy higher, mood brighter. Overall Latuda seemed the medication I had been looking for

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