Latuda Interactions: Alcohol, Medications, and Others

Certain health conditions or other factors could raise your risk of harm if you take Latuda. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe Latuda for you. These are known as contraindications. Latuda’s contraindications are described below.

Before you start taking Latuda, talk with your doctor if any of these factors apply to you. Your doctor can determine whether Latuda is safe for you to take.

Taking medications that affect the activity of certain enzymes

Latuda is broken down by a specific enzyme (protein) in your body called CYP3A4. Doctors typically will not prescribe Latuda with medications that strongly affect the activity of this enzyme.

Taking medications or supplements that increase enzyme activity

Certain medications or supplements may greatly speed up the activity of the CYP3A4 enzyme. As a result, taking Latuda with them could lower the level of Latuda in your body. This could make Latuda less effective.

Examples include:

• the antibiotic rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane)
• the seizure drugs phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek) and carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol, others)
• the herbal supplement St. John’s wort

Taking medications that decrease enzyme activity

Certain other medications may greatly slow down the activity of the CYP3A4 enzyme. Taking Latuda with these medications could raise the level of Latuda in your body, which could increase your risk of side effects.

Examples of these medications include:

• the antibiotic clarithromycin
• the HIV drug ritonavir (Norvir)
• the antifungals ketoconazole and voriconazole (Vfend)

Before taking Latuda, tell your doctor about other medications and supplements you take. Your doctor can advise you on any possible interactions with Latuda.

If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Latuda

If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Latuda or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Latuda. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.

It may not be safe to drink alcohol during Latuda treatment.

A potential side effect of Latuda is sleepiness, and drinking alcohol while taking Latuda may make this side effect worse.

If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about how much alcohol (if any) is safe to consume while you’re taking Latuda.

Before you start taking Latuda, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription or over-the-counter drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions. (To learn whether Latuda interacts with supplements, herbs, and vitamins, see the “Are there other interactions with Latuda?” section below.)

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

The table below lists drugs that may interact with Latuda. Keep in mind that this table does not include all drugs that may interact with Latuda. For more information about some of these interactions, see the “Drug interactions explained” section below.

* To learn more about this interaction, see the “When should I avoid Latuda?” section above.
† To learn more about Latuda’s side effects, see this article.

This section provides information about certain drug interactions that can occur with Latuda. Keep reading to learn more.

Interaction with amphetamines

Latuda can interact with amphetamines, which are stimulant medications. They’re used to treat conditions such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Examples of amphetamines include:

• amphetamine/dextroamphetamine (Adderall, Adderall XR)
• methamphetamine (Desoxyn)
• dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine, Xelstrym)

What could happen

Taking Latuda with an amphetamine can decrease how well either drug works. This happens because they cause opposite effects with a certain chemical in the brain called dopamine.

Latuda lowers the level of dopamine while amphetamines raise the level of dopamine. When Latuda and amphetamines are taken together, they can cancel each other’s effects.

What you can do

Before starting Latuda treatment, tell your doctor if you take an amphetamine. They may not prescribe Latuda in this case. Your doctor may recommend a treatment other than Latuda for you.

Interaction with alprazolam (Xanax)

Latuda can interact with alprazolam (Xanax). Alprazolam is a benzodiazepine that’s used to treat certain kinds of anxiety.

What could happen

Both Latuda and alprazolam can cause sleepiness. Taking these medications together can further raise your risk of sleepiness, or it can make any sleepiness that you experience worse.

What you can do

Before taking Latuda, tell your doctor if you take alprazolam. They can let you know whether it’s safe to take these medications together. In some cases, your doctor may recommend a treatment other than Latuda for you.

If you take Latuda with alprazolam, watch for extreme sleepiness. Until you know how these drugs will affect you, you should not drive and do other tasks that require you to be alert.

Interaction with fluoxetine (Prozac)

Latuda can interact with fluoxetine (Prozac), which is an antidepressant. It’s used to treat several mental health conditions, including depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

What could happen

Taking Latuda with fluoxetine could increase your risk of side effects from Latuda.

This happens because fluoxetine slows the activity of the enzyme (protein) that breaks down Latuda in your body. This could increase the level of Latuda in your body, which can raise your risk of side effects with Latuda.

What you can do

Before starting Latuda treatment, tell your doctor if you take fluoxetine. They can determine whether it’s safe to take these medications together.

If you do take Latuda with fluoxetine, your doctor may prescribe a lower dosage of Latuda than usual. They’ll do this to reduce your risk of side effects from the drug.

Latuda may have other interactions. They could occur with supplements, foods, vaccines, or even lab tests. See below for details. Note that the information below does not include all possible interactions with Latuda.

Does Latuda interact with supplements?

Before you start taking Latuda, talk with your doctor or pharmacist about all supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.

If you have questions about interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Latuda interactions with herbs

Latuda may interact with an herb called St. John’s wort. This herb is sometimes used to treat symptoms of certain conditions, such as depression.

To learn more about this interaction, see the “When should I avoid Latuda?” section above.

Latuda and vitamins

There are currently no reports of Latuda interacting with vitamins. But this doesn’t mean that vitamin interactions won’t be recognized in the future.

For this reason, it’s still important to check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any of these products while taking Latuda.

Does Latuda interact with food?

Latuda may interact with grapefruit or grapefruit juice. Consuming grapefruit products with Latuda may cause Latuda to build up in your body, which could increase your risk of side effects.

Does Latuda interact with vaccines?

There are currently no reports of Latuda interacting with vaccines. If you have questions about getting specific vaccines during Latuda treatment, talk with your doctor.

Does Latuda interact with lab tests?

There are currently no reports of Latuda interacting with lab tests. If you have questions about getting a certain lab test while taking Latuda, talk with your doctor.

Does Latuda interact with cannabis or CBD?

Cannabis (commonly called marijuana) and cannabis products, such as cannabidiol (CBD), have been specifically reported to interact with Latuda. Taking cannabis or cannabis products with Latuda could increase your risk of side effects from Latuda.

Before you start treatment with Latuda, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you use cannabis. By sharing this information with them, you may help prevent possible interactions.

Note: Cannabis is illegal at a federal level but is legal in many states to varying degrees.

Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Latuda. Before taking Latuda, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Latuda is right for you.

Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Latuda include:

Being younger than age 25 years. Latuda has a risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children and in adults younger than age 25 years. The drug has a boxed warning about this risk. For more information, see the “Boxed warnings” section at the beginning of this article.

Being age 65 years or older with dementia-related psychosis. Latuda has a risk of death in adults ages 65 years and older with dementia-related psychosis. The drug has a boxed warning about this risk. For more information, see the “Boxed warnings” section at the beginning of this article.

Kidney or liver problems. Tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver problems, such as kidney or liver failure. They may prescribe a lower dosage of Latuda than usual.

Lewy body dementia or Parkinson’s disease. Having Lewy body dementia or Parkinson’s disease may raise your risk of certain side effects with Latuda. These side effects include involuntary muscle movements, confusion, and falls.

Before taking Latuda, tell your doctor if you have either of these conditions. They’ll let you know whether Latuda treatment is safe for you.

Diabetes. Before taking Latuda, tell your doctor if you have diabetes. Latuda may raise your blood sugar level, which could worsen your diabetes. Your doctor may have you check your blood sugar level more often than usual during Latuda treatment.

High cholesterol or triglycerides. Before starting Latuda treatment, tell your doctor if you have high cholesterol or high triglycerides. Latuda may raise the level of cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood. If you already have a high level, taking Latuda could make it worse.

Your doctor may check your triglyceride and cholesterol levels more than usual during Latuda treatment.

Seizures. Latuda may cause seizures in some people. Your risk for this side effect could be higher if you’ve had seizures in the past.

If you have a condition that causes seizures, such as epilepsy, talk with your doctor. They can determine whether it’s safe for you to take Latuda.

Stroke, blood pressure, or heart problems. Latuda may cause orthostatic hypotension (a sudden drop in blood pressure and dizziness upon standing). Your risk for this side effect may be higher if you’ve had a stroke or have blood pressure or heart problems.

If you have any of these medical problems, talk with your doctor to determine whether it’s safe for you to take Latuda.

Low level of white blood cells. If you have low levels of certain white blood cells, talk with your doctor before taking Latuda. The drug may lower your white blood cell levels even further. This could increase your risk of infection.

Your doctor may closely monitor your white blood cell level while you’re taking Latuda.

Pregnancy. It’s not known whether Latuda is safe to take during pregnancy. If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, talk with your doctor before taking Latuda.

Breastfeeding. It’s not known whether Latuda is safe to take while breastfeeding. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor before taking Latuda.

Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Latuda or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Latuda. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better choices for you.

Find answers to some frequently asked questions about Latuda and possible interactions.

Can I take Latuda with antidepressants, such as venlafaxine (Effexor XR) or vortioxetine (Trintellix)?

It may be safe to take Latuda with certain antidepressants. This includes venlafaxine (Effexor XR) and vortioxetine (Trintellix). Latuda isn’t known to interact with these medications.

But Latuda is known to interact with an antidepressant called fluoxetine (Prozac). For more information about this interaction, see the “Drug interactions explained” section above.

If you have questions about taking Latuda with other antidepressants, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Is there an interaction between Latuda and caffeine?

No, there is no known interaction between Latuda and caffeine. Still, it may be safest to limit your caffeine intake during Latuda treatment.

This is because taking Latuda with caffeine could increase your risk of certain side effects from Latuda. Examples include insomnia (trouble sleeping) and mood changes, such as anxiety or irritability.

Before taking Latuda, tell your doctor about your caffeine use. They may suggest ways to reduce your caffeine intake while taking this drug.

Does Latuda interact with melatonin?

There’s no known interaction between Latuda and melatonin.

Melatonin is an over-the-counter sleep aid. It’s used for conditions such as insomnia (trouble sleeping) and jet lag.

Latuda may cause certain sleep problems. These sleep problems can vary from person to person. For example, some people may have sleepiness as a side effect, while others may have insomnia.

If you have sleepiness with Latuda, your doctor may suggest that you avoid taking the drug with melatonin. But if you have insomnia with Latuda, your doctor may suggest melatonin to help you sleep.

If you’re interested in taking Latuda with melatonin, talk with your doctor or pharmacist first. They can advise you on whether these are safe to take together in your specific situation.

Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Latuda. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:

• Whether you drink alcohol or use cannabis.
• Other medications you take, as well as any vitamins, supplements, and herbs. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you fill out a medication list.
• What to do if you start taking a new drug during your Latuda treatment.

It’s also important to understand Latuda’s label and other paperwork that may come with the drug. Colored stickers that describe interactions may be on the label. And the paperwork (sometimes called the patient package insert or medication guide) may have other details about interactions. (If you did not get paperwork with Latuda, ask your pharmacist to print a copy for you.) If you have trouble reading or understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.

Taking Latuda exactly as prescribed can also help prevent interactions.

If you still have questions about Latuda and its possible interactions, talk with your doctor.

Questions you may want to ask your doctor include:

• Could any of my current medications affect my Latuda dosage?
• Should I let you know if I start or stop taking any new medications during my Latuda treatment?
• Do other medications that treat my condition have similar interactions?

To learn more about Latuda, see these articles:

• All About Latuda
• Latuda and Cost: What You Need to Know
• All About Latuda’s Dosage
• Side Effects of Latuda: What You Need to Know

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Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.