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Rexulti can make you tired or otherwise feel drowsy and sleepy. Until you know how Rexulti (brexpiprazole) affects you, avoid any activity that requires your full attention. These activities include driving, operating heavy machinery, and engaging in any dangerous activity.

FAQ

What are the side effects of Rexulti?

Common side effects include:

  • weight gain and increased appetite,
  • drowsiness,
  • dizziness,
  • lightheadedness, 
  • shaking,
  • restlessness, 
  • inability to keep still, and
  • serious drops in blood pressure, especially when starting or increasing its dosage. 

Some serious side effects may include:

  • trouble swallowing,
  • fainting,
  • interrupted breathing during sleep, and
  • unusual (for the patient) strong urges, such as increased gambling or increased sexual urges.

Rarely, Rexulti can cause a condition called tardive dyskinesia that in some cases may be permanent. Signs that you may be developing tardive dyskinesia are unusual or uncontrolled movements, particularly of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, arms, or legs.

This medication may also rarely cause a very serious condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). NMS symptoms may include:

  • fever,
  • muscle stiffness,
  • tenderness, 
  • weakness or pain, 
  • severe tiredness, 
  • severe confusion,
  • sweating, 
  • fast or irregular heartbeat (tachycardia and arrhythmia, respectively), and
  • dark urine or change in the amount of urine.

Other rare side effects of this medication are increased blood sugar and cholesterol levels, which in turn can raise the risk for diabetes and heart diseases. 

This drug may also increase the blood level of prolactin, which can cause unwanted breast milk, missed or stopped periods, and difficulty becoming pregnant in cisgender women. Whereas in cisgender men, an excess of prolactin can cause enlarged breasts, decreased sexual ability, and an inability to produce sperm.

Always consult your doctor if any of these symptoms arise while you are taking brexpiprazole. To learn more, please visit our page on Rexulti side effects.

How does Rexulti make you feel?

This drug can make you feel drowsy, dizzy, lightheaded, and restless. It can also reduce your ability to concentrate as well as impair your thinking and judgment abilities. The extent of this is very dependent upon the individual patient. Many patients tolerate this medication well. It is important to take your medication as prescribed and give it a full month to determine if it is helping. Your doctor may recommend a dose decrease if side effects are severe.

What happens if you stop taking Rexulti?

When you stop this medication, you may experience withdrawal symptoms, including:

  • vomiting, 
  • nausea, 
  • diarrhea, 
  • difficulty sleeping, 
  • restlessness, 
  • anxiety,
  • agitation, 
  • dizziness, and 
  • runny nose. 

You can also have problems with muscle movement, including involuntary muscle contractions and an inability to stay still. These symptoms usually appear within the first few days of stopping brexpiprazole. They tend to peak within a week from stopping the medication and start to ease after that. For more information see our withdrawal page.

Should I take Rexulti at night?

You can take it day or night. Always follow your doctor advice when taking this medication.

Disclaimer: this article does not constitute or replace medical advice. If you have an emergency or a serious medical question, please contact a medical professional or call 911 immediately. To see our full medical disclaimer, visit our Terms of Use page.


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