Rexulti

I saw my psych nurse (pdoc/psychiatrist/nurse practitioner) today. Everything seems well. I told her about the angels and the rodents. About three hours later, though, she called. I was out to lunch with some friends and didn't hear the phone. She left me a message that said that as my cholesterol and triglycerides are so extremely high (700+ from what I saw at my primary doctor's office) from the Zyprexa she wants to try me on another atypical anti-psychotic that's new- Rexulti (Brexpiprazole). Its brand new (since July 2015) and is related to Abilify. I did try Abilify several years ago and had some sort of reaction to it- what it is escapes me now. It may have been akathisia. The other issue with this new drug is that it interacts with my anti-depressant Wellbutrin (Bupropion) which I started relatively recently, too. It didn't say to never use the two together, but to keep a close watch over side effects if you do. I am hoping I can stay on Wellbutrin because it really agrees with me and I with it. I've felt better since starting it- and didn't even know I felt poorly! I liken it to getting glasses for the first time: everything is clearer than you ever thought it could be! I also have read that this is an expensive drug- so much so that one person's psychiatric hospital removed Rexulti from their medication regimen! I know that some of my medications are over a thousand dollars a month, so I would hope that if this drug works out for me in terms of (lack of) side effects and positive benefits, that they will pay for the pills. I did call my nurse practitioner back, and the best I got was someone else said they'd leave a note on her desk saying I was trying to get ahold of her. She doesn't want me to start taking this until after the new year, for some reason, so I have quite a bit of time, and in fact, I think I see her before or just about that same time- the turn of the new year. She also thinks that this drug will be a better over-all fit in terms of side effects (or lack of). From what I've read, too, its marketed toward people with schizophrenia and major depression. I haven't seen any mention of patients with bipolar disorder. This would be an anti-psychotic- an "atypical" type. Older types, like Haldol, tend to have more side effects. However, some people try them and have great success typical anti-psychotics. For me, I think I'd get all the side effects. Two years ago, when my psych nurse and I tried me on several new anti-psychotics, I had lots of side effects. I'm hoping that won't happen this time. I did read that there's a rare side effect called neuroleptic malignancy syndrome which is fatal. It usually happens during the first few weeks of taking the drug. Its a tad more common when combined with lithium, which I take. Oh! And my psych nurse practitioner told me that I should add something other than when I'm having an episode to this blog. I don't think she's read it, though. I must've mentioned it. I add things that aren't directly related to bipolar if they fill out the story I'm telling, or how I'm feeling. Like right now, I'm listening to some scrumptious choral music. And I brought home my music from church choir to practice as I didn't "get" a few clumps of measures yesterday. I'm losing my edge! Me? Have to practice outside of rehearsal? Say it ain't so!