Anybody know anything about Saphris (asepanine)?

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pezar
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22 Jul 2013, 4:02 pm

I take Saphris for my paranoid schizophrenia, and it works well if I stay away from simple carbs like wheat and rice. The problem is, it rots my teeth, BIG TIME! For those unfamiliar with this pill, it's a dissolving tablet, you put it under your tongue and it dissolves in your mouth. Of course, this means it leaves a film on your teeth, and this film is apparently acidic. So far since starting it, I've had an emergency root canal and like 15 fillings. I went to the dentist last week, after only a month since my last visit, and already I have three cavities that weren't there before. I have no dental insurance (well, now I do, but it only pays like 35%) and I owe my mom $7000, and she has had to default on her credit cards to pay the dentist. Somebody on another forum suggested rinsing my mouth out with baking soda and water after taking it, and I tried it and it seems to neutralize the acid taste. Any other suggestions? It seems like this is a common problem with the atypical antipsychotics, so changing meds won't help. :cry: :cry:



auntblabby
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22 Jul 2013, 6:47 pm

a dumb question but I have to ask it just the same- does tooth brushing/mouthwash rinsing after administration [after the drug has dissolved] of the drug help at all?



benh72
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22 Jul 2013, 6:52 pm

The first thing that comes to mind is the obvious, which usually is not so obvious to the patient in this case you.
You should bring your concerns up with your doctor.
I certainly wouldn't have stuck with a drug that made my teeth rot, and certainly wouldn't be asking this question AFTER having root canal work done!
Check if there is an alternative, can you take the drug as a pill and just swallow it? Is there a similar drug that has the same effect but is not caustic to your teeth?
Can you have something neutral or opposite to this to stop the erosion, like drink some milk to reverse the acidity, or drink a lot of water to dilute the acid in your mouth?

Other options you can look at are more holistic or lifestyle based. I know from a quick google search that Saphris is commonly used for bipolar and schizophrenia etc, but that doesn't mean that only medication will resolve your problems.
You could certainly look into seeing a psychologist or other counsellor, perhaps you may need to see several, or seek out someone that can help you with all the issues you face.

Many of the mental health issues we face tend to come from stress, our inability to cope, and chemical or biological triggers, so seeing a dietician and working out a regular exercise routine could be quite invaluable to you.
I suffered from debilitating depression that would last for weeks, months, or even years, but as I've stuck to my regular exercise routine over the past year or so, I've found my depression usually lasts less than a week now. My lows are usually not quite so low, and my general mood is somewhat better of average than it used to be.

Unfortunately there is no reliable "quick fix" for mental health problems. Pills may treat symptoms, but unless you can find the cause you will not be able to find the cure, and in most cases even finding the cause will not lead to cure.
The best thing you can do therefore is to try to keep your body in good shape, so these things don't effect you so badly.
The saying goes that a healthy mind will give you a healthy body; it's not exactly completely true, but certainly the healthier you keep your body, the more resilient you will be to any kind of stress or illness, the worst thing that will happen is you may get in better shape, and that can't be a bad thing.



benh72
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22 Jul 2013, 6:55 pm

auntblabby wrote:
a dumb question but I have to ask it just the same- does tooth brushing/mouthwash rinsing after administration [after the drug has dissolved] of the drug help at all?


I would expect that would make things worse; the half hour or so after you expose your teeth to something caustic like soft drinks, beer, wine, or what have you the teeth are more vulnerable, so the action of brushing so soon afterwards could chip the enamel, or even make cavities worse.
I would think luke warm water would be a better option, as it would be less irritating on the nerves, and would dilute the acid in the mouth.



auntblabby
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22 Jul 2013, 8:47 pm

is there something better than water that would better disperse what is in the mouth?



pezar
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04 Aug 2013, 8:36 pm

I mix a half tablespoon of baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) with six ounces of lukewarm water and rinse my mouth twice with it about 20 min after taking the med. The med is supposed to be fully dissolved after 10-15 min. My dentist liked this idea, btw, and he has 30 years experience in dentistry. I am allergic to milk. I hate to change medications, since this does work. As for lifestyle changes, I have already cut out simple carbs from my diet, which helps greatly. Wheat and rice seem to trigger the voices, so I avoid them. The baking soda seems to neutralize the acid taste, so I will see during my next dental exam two months from now whether it's working. I called my psych and left a message, but he's on vacation.



thewhitrbbit
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04 Aug 2013, 10:21 pm

My dentist advised me for ideal results brush after every meal.

How about a fluoride mouth wash?