Nausea, Dizziness, and Vomiting with Vraylar (Cariprazine)
Yes, Vraylar (cariprazine) can cause nausea, dizziness, and vomiting after a single dose, as these are common side effects documented in the FDA drug label. 1
Common Side Effects of Vraylar
Nausea is one of the most common side effects of Vraylar, occurring in approximately 7-10% of patients taking the medication for bipolar depression, which is significantly higher than placebo rates (3-7%) 1
Dizziness occurs in approximately 3-4% of patients taking Vraylar, compared to about 2% in placebo groups 1
Vomiting is listed among the common side effects in the FDA drug label, often occurring alongside nausea 1
Onset of Side Effects
Side effects like nausea, dizziness, and vomiting can occur after the first dose of Vraylar 1
The FDA label specifically mentions that some side effects may not appear immediately and can start a few weeks after beginning treatment or after increasing the dose, which are referred to as "late occurring side effects" 1
Risk Factors and Management
Patients with no prior exposure to antipsychotic medications may be more susceptible to initial side effects 1
Taking Vraylar with food may help reduce the severity of gastrointestinal side effects, although this specific recommendation is not explicitly stated for Vraylar in the available evidence 1
For persistent nausea and vomiting, anti-nausea medications might be considered, similar to the approach used with other psychiatric medications that cause similar side effects 2
Comparison to Other Medications
The side effect profile of Vraylar is similar to other atypical antipsychotics, but with some unique characteristics due to its preferential binding to dopamine D3 receptors 3, 4
In clinical trials for bipolar depression, the discontinuation rate due to adverse events was 6.7% for cariprazine compared to 4.8% for placebo, suggesting that most patients are able to tolerate the side effects 5
Important Considerations
If severe nausea, dizziness, or vomiting occurs, patients should contact their healthcare provider, as these symptoms might lead to dehydration or other complications 1
The likelihood of experiencing benefits from Vraylar (response or remission of symptoms) is substantially greater than the likelihood of having to discontinue due to adverse effects 5
Patients should be informed about the possibility of these side effects before starting treatment to improve adherence and set appropriate expectations 1