Edema from Saphris, advice?

[angie21837]

Hey all,

I'm new here so I'm hoping that this is in the right place.

Anyway, I have bipolar disorder that likes to float somewhere in the depressed/mixed state area. I've been on about 30 different medications (some at varying doses) since 2005. I have found 3 medications that seem to help; Emsam, Zyprexa, and Saphris. After about 2 - 3 weeks on each med I have encountered painful swelling that starts in my feet and moves up.

I guess I have two questions. First, does anyone know any reason this might happen? Some sort of chemical change or something?

The second question needs a little more explaining. I am currently enduring the painful swelling from the Saphris. I called my med clinic today and told them that I had started swelling a little at the feet about a week ago and I initially ignored it hoping it was the increase of activity but that it had progressed and I was really swollen up and sore. The nurse told me to stop taking the Saphris and to keep my appointment for Wednesday. I'm wondering if I need to be seen sooner since its so uncomfortable? It hurts in my lower back just sitting up right now and everything else is pretty painful, too and I have just a general uncomfortable feeling. I can't stand more than 5 minutes, I'm tired, my throat is sore, and my asthma seems to be acting up more than usual today (not sure if this has any connection or not). Does it sound ok to wait until the appointment or is this going to progress more until the med leaves my system?

Any thoughts welcome. Thanks so much.

[ThreeLittleBirds]

Hi,

I just wanted to tell you that you weren't the only one with swelling. It definately makes me retain water. My shoes don't fit well, can't see my ankles, that sort of thing. But saphris is the only thing that has had me relatively stable after years of bipolar mixed. At first the swelling would get so bad it was in fact hard to walk.

To help with that, my general physician put me on 10 mgs of Chlorithalidone, which is a very low dosage of a water pill, and I take it at night since laying down it seems to flush more out of my system, even if i do have to get up and go more often. You might try that, if saphris has helped you like it's helped me.

I hope that suggestion helps. Talk to your Dr about it; I hope they understand what your sanity means to you. Sometimes they don't seem to get it when they tell you to stop taking something. Yeah, like you really wanna go insane again, right? Least that's how it is for me.

Let me know what happens; I'd be interested in knowing.

Peace.