How long does Latuda stay in your system? The drug may last in your system for several days. It takes around four days for most of Latuda to leave the body. The duration of the medication stays inside the body depending on your age and how well your liver or kidney functions. Read below to further learn about Latuda.
What is Latuda?
Latuda is a brand name of drugs that contain lurasidone as its active ingredient. Lurasidone affects the activity of dopamine and serotonin in your brain to help pass the signals between the nerves. This medication is categorized into the class of drugs called atypical antipsychotics.
In 2012, the FDA approved Latuda primarily for treating mental health conditions such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and major depressive disorders.
Referring to the Alternative to Meds Center, Latuda is an off-label medicine for insomnia, borderline personality disorder, OCD, Tourette’s autism, and other psychiatric disorders.
The brand is a widely known mood stabilizer medication in the form of an oral tablet. Usually, the dose is one tablet a day. The dosage could differ based on age, medical condition, response to treatment, and other medications you may take alongside Latuda.
However, you need to consult your doctor before taking the drug because it may lead to some issues, including:
- Interact with other medications.
- Cause serious side effects.
- Worsen some medical conditions.
How Long Does Latuda Stay in Your System and Side Effects
Commonly, Latuda may stay in your system for up to four days, but you shouldn’t deliberately miss a dose. It is crucial to maintain a consistent level of the drug inside your body. Follow your doctor’s prescription on the amount and frequency of the medication you must take.
Furthermore, knowing how long does Latuda stay in your system, you can be more cautious because there are reports of withdrawal symptoms after a long period of taking the drug. The symptoms can also vary based on the amount of medication you have taken. It is not advisable to stop taking this medication suddenly.
Latuda has boxed warnings issued by the FDA. Boxed warnings are the most serious warnings meant to alert doctors and patients about the drug effects that may turn out to be dangerous. The warnings are about the possibility of having these two issues:
- Increased risk of death in older adults with psychosis and dementia;
- The occurrence of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children and young adults.
When you are taking Latuda regularly, other side effects may occur. Let’s discuss those two issues and the other side effects below.
1. Increase Risk of Death in Older Adults
Using Latuda to treat psychosis in older people with dementia is not advised. Psychosis is a symptom of mental illness where the patient is out of touch with reality. As for dementia, it refers to symptoms related to problems with communication, memory, and thinking.
In several cases, antipsychotic drugs like Latuda could increase the risk of death in older adults when they have these two conditions.
2. Suicidal Thoughts and Actions
When using Latuda to treat depression, some cases show the possibility of increased risk of having suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children and young adults. The risk is highest in the first four months of the treatment and is particularly apparent for those under 25.
Therefore, the patient needs to be monitored by doctors when taking Latuda in case of the emergence of this side effect.
3. Weight Gain
Taking Latuda can lead to weight gain for some people because this drug may cause changes to the body’s metabolism. Not to worry, the amount of weight gain is rather small compared to other atypical antipsychotic drugs.
The reason is that Latuda has weak effects on particular types of nerve receptors that other similar medications do interact with. Due to this, the side effects such as weight gain, orthostatic hypotension, and tremor are less prevalent and less severe. Consequently, doctors should carefully monitor the patients for these side effects.
4. Sexual Side Effects
There may exist some sexual side effects when people take Latuda. In clinical trials, the drug shows an increase in the level of prolactin in males and females. High levels of prolactin may cause some possible sexual side effects.
For instance, a high level of prolactin can lead to erectile dysfunction in males and cause vagina dryness in females. Even so, there’s no report of the sexual side effects in females who took Latuda in clinical trials.
5. Akathisia (Restlessness)
Akathisia is the feeling of being uncomfortable, restless, and unable to stay still when the patient’s treatment includes Latuda. This side effect is one of the most common ones when taking the drug. Symptoms of akathisia are:
- Anxiety.
- Trouble sleeping.
- Feeling uneasy and agitated.
- Irritability.
- Doing unconscious movements (fidgeting, pacing, rocking, or shifting weight).
When you develop these symptoms, contact your doctor immediately. The doctor may prescribe medications or lower your dose of Latuda to deal with this side effect.
6. Tardive Dyskinesia
Serious side effects such as tardive dyskinesia may occur because of taking Latuda. Tardive dyskinesia causes the patient to have uncontrollable, repetitive, and involuntary muscle movements in the arms, face, legs, neck, and tongue. Also, there is a higher chance of getting this side effect with prolonged use of the drug.
Tardive dyskinesia as the side effect of taking Latuda appears more common in older adults aged 65 or older and females. The symptoms may develop during and after the treatment, including:
- Frequent blinking.
- Chewing movements.
- Grimacing.
- Lip smacking or pursing.
- Sticking out the tongue.
- Writhing or jerking movements of arms, legs, and neck.
How to Take Latuda to Prevent From Getting Side Effects?
After knowing about how long does Latuda stay in your system and the side effects, let’s get to know how to take the drug correctly. Follow these steps when taking Latuda to avoid getting the side effects.
1. Take Latuda with food.
2. Tell all your medical conditions and medications to your healthcare providers.
3. Avoid alcohol, antihistamines, and depressants.
4. Avodi eating grapefruit or drink the juice.
5. Avoid overheating and dehydrating your body.
Have You Understood How Long Does Latuda Stay in Your System?
It can be beneficial to know how long does Latuda stay in your system and the side effects before discontinuing to use it. However, please consult with your healthcare providers when you are about to do so to avoid the unwanted symptoms that may follow.
