Prescription conversion help

My primary care doctor doesn’t deal in schizophrenia. I asked her to please prescribe me latuda anyway because I don’t have meds right now. She put me on 80 mg of latuda from 4 mg a day of risperdal. Isn’t this a higher dose conversion?

The minimum effective daily doses/olanzapine equivalents based on our primary approach were: aripiprazole 10 mg/1.33, asenapine 10 mg/1.33, clozapine 300 mg/40, haloperidol 4 mg/0.53, iloperidone 8 mg/1.07, lurasidone 40 mg/5.33, olanzapine 7.5 mg/1, paliperidone 3 mg/0.4, quetiapine 150 mg/20, risperidone 2 mg/0.27, sertindole 12 mg/1.60, and ziprasidone 40 mg/5.33. For amisulpride and zotepine, reliable estimates could not be derived.

Judging by that 80mg Latuda/4mg risperdal seems about right.

Your best bet would be to see a psychiatrist - GP’s usually do not have the experience or know how, when it comes to antipsychotics.

When switching antipsychotics, there should be a slow and steady switch from one AP to another, a gradual tapering off and slow introduction of the new AP (Latuda).

Hopefully your doctor did not make you stop taking 4 mg of risperdal all at once - Risperdal has to be slowly weaned off of you, as the lurasidone is slowly introduced into your system - starting you off on 80mg of lurasidone is dangerous.

I would make sure you go and see a qualified psychiatrist, especially if you are taking antipsychotics - Internists and GP’s are not qualified most of the time.