I take 30 mgs of abilfy daily to work as a mood stabalizer and antipsychotic. I love abilfy. I have had hardly any side effects from it. Its been one of the best meds I have been on.

I have been taken off of Lithium because it is messing with my thyroid too much. I was hypothyroid before I took it and my Podc says it is just starting to mess up.

So Now I am on Lamictal and Abilify. Besides the cost, even w/ insurance, I haven't noticed any major side effects..well I am a little sedated but no big deal with that one. I am satisfied so far.

I read I AM CAT's experience with Abilify and preventing depressive episodes so I am hopeful.

This post has been edited by AngelWithin: Apr 27 2006, 07:37 PM

*** I've posted this in a another thread, I'm just copying the same here. If the reply is in one of the previous pages, please forgive me, I don't have any patience right now to read anything longer than a few lines, I'll start feeling restless. Help me with this. ***

Not feeling good now.. Just woke up after sleeping for some fourteen hours, extremely tired after doing a week of night shifts and pushing a couple of cupboards around the house yesterday.

I am in a voice based inbound process where calls come in and when I speak to customers and keep my focus and concentration on it for a long time, my neck suddenly starts twitching (not twitching fast like an epileptic attack) or moves off to the left side, it pulls to the left and feels like the neck wants to turn left and chin down. I am so sorry I don't know how to explain it. Then my voice, my jaw feels like its being held or the muscles are tightening so I can't speak, and the whole episode is very painful. This does not happen when I am sitting with friends and chatting for hours, happens only when I am wearing a headset and trying to sit stiff. The same thing ..seemed.. to start now when I was wearing my headphones just now, I took it off. Seems to happen only when I sit in front of the computer, in a stiff kind of position.

I don't know if its a side effect of Abilify, or if it is too much of stress on the nerves. I feel like I need a few days off but let me tell you it is very difficult to get a few days off without booking in advance, I know its harsh but it has to be like that in such a place where order needs to be maintained. I don't know if it is the position in which I sit or sleep is causing this, because I do so in bad positions.

This is scary. I don't want it to affect me in my job real bad. I am beginning to feel very scared when I am at work, scared of this episode hitting me everytime.

This post has been edited by AoM: Aug 7 2006, 01:39 PM

Hi all,

Once again I am trying to come off of the abilify bec it is so expensive and I have already
hit my insurance cap since I take brand name prozac. I am coming off real slowly but I
still have some anxiety. Has anyone successfully came off of this stuff?! I didnt realize it
was working so well until I tried to come off but I cant expect free samples from my pdoc
forever! I may have to replace it with something cheaper in the same family. Any suggestions
anyone?

Thanks,
starr

I, too, am having some "twitches" that aren't fun... don't know whether to blame it on the past experiences with Seroquel, Geodon... or blame it on current dealings with Abilify, Adderall... or what? Either way, I'm taking Cogentin to stop it.... But it's drying my mouth up so badly, I'm scared for my teeth! Good luck with the twitching.... it's a side effect alright.... have it checked out.... the tics and twitches are something to be concerned about.... ask your doctor about Cogentin, but beware of dry mouth!

my doctor has taken me off abilify and said no meds for 3 months, I am to take a teaspoonful of benadryl everyday for three months.

Hi all,

I have been off and on abilify for a year or so now (I am also on prosac, lamictal and ritalin) and
everytime I try to come off the abilify I get real emotional and anxious. I am on a small amount
so I didnt realize it could be doing that much. My daughter left for college last week while I was
coming off the abilify which didnt help matters, but I had a major depressive episode so once again I
am back on the abilify. With all the meds I am on, it was very discouraging to have a breakthru
episode.

Is abilify really that good that even a small dose can make the difference between feeling great
and feeling hopeless? I just wish it wasnt no expensive.

Any insight is appreciated,

best wishes,
starr

Just an update - I tried coming off the abilify unsuccessfully (depression and anxiety came back)
so I went back on 5mg a day and I actually felt great the very next day! I love this med but I wish
it wasnt so expensive!

starr

glad to hear that you are feeling better!

i've been put on abilify 10mgs got mania /bp / depression / anxiety for right now..... i feel like such a lab rat w/ all these meds, nothing works, i'm either turning into a zombie, a smasher, or cry hrs on end. i got a whole drawer full of meds because my body is very picky... VERY... i can't even take tylenol.... ughhh, i'm frustrated at the moment. i have not taken the abilify yet... i read this entire topic... now i'm even more paranoid than before. i got some ambien... i'm scared, so very very scared that my case is hopeless and my pdoc will fire me because i'm such a weird person. it's always the opposite w/ me. i don't think i'm on enogu hemds... i keep crying for hrs and hrs and hrs and then all of a sudden i cant keep it together because my thoughts keep racing and a switch flipps and i got nuts... get aggressive... then a new flip switches and i could save the world, find the cure for cancer etc ...10 mins later ...cry cry cry ...very down, always so very down... I"M SO TIRED. looking back at my life, i decided that i feel tired. i couldn't make up my MIND for a long time, i was asked at my pdoc's office visit - how i felt - i dunno - now i know! TIRED, i'm so sick and tired of always being sick and tired... (that's actually a good song)

~adorabelle

With the exception of the crying I think we could be twins! My last pdoc did *fire* me because I was just more than he knew what to do with. If there is a side effect that one person gets, I'll be right there with them. I'm on night 2 of Abilify and sweating my *** off. No fever or any of the bad part but I already can't sleep right and this is the 2nd night now that I'm up because I was too hot in bed. Others have said that this *should* go away in about 2 weeks.
I just had a sleep study done. Gee...they said I don't get any deep restorative sleep and I have alot of spontaneous arousals (I don't sleep soundly). DUH. That doc prescribed Ambien but I am not going to even attempt to take that right now until the sweating thing is resolved. I too am bone tired though. The bags under my eyes are ridiculous. I'd love to get up just a couple of days in a row feeling rested. I can't even remember what that feels like.
I have no answers but I sure know how you feel.

Lisa

i took the abilify right before i went to bed... it took 10 minutes and knocked me out, then i kept waking up every 15-30 mins because i was sweating so darn bad (i can't keep up w/ drinking water.... uggh). i'm sooooo tired today, i had maybe 1-2 hrs of good sleep and the rest was . now i wonder and ask myself why i should be taking benadryl for the side effects, is that going to make me not sweat? yeah whatever it's an antihistamene... or however that word isspelled, i got no patience to look it up right now.

~lab rat

I'm on 10mg of abilify. I'm scared about the expensive comments. My Pdoc has had me on samples until we find the right combo. I could hug her. However, I'd been experiencing some insomnia and last night I took 3mg of Melatonin and slept like a baby! I'm so happy. I woke up this morning feeling well rested. I did call a pharmacist and make sure there were no interactions between abilify and melatonin and she said no, so I took it about 8pm and was sleepy by 9:30.

I am loving Abilify right now. I had the sweating for the first 2 nights. I did get a script for Ambien because I have always had sleep problems and I finally worked up the courage to take that last night. I slept better than I have in years. At least my insurance covers Abilify. I'm worried about Provigil. It has really helped me. I am still on samples from the pdoc but BCBS only covers it for Narcolepsy and more serious sleep disorders than I have. I am going to have to learn about the appeal process I guess and see if I can get it covered. My only other option would be to try to get it from overseas but that is kind of scary too. It would be about $250 - $300 out of pocket...that just isn't doable in my budget, you know?

Good luck.

I just checked with my insurance. It is covered as a level 2 drug. $30 a month for 30 day supply. Yayyyy!

By the way, what time of day do you take Abilify? My dr. told me to take first am, but I get sleepy. I'm going to try it again though.

This post has been edited by elizabethdawn: Nov 13 2006, 01:43 PM

im currently taking abilify and so far it has worked well and has done what its supposed to, but some adverse side effects have followed. my appetite has greatly increased and it makes me extremely tired. its a great medication, but for me the side effects are hurrendous. i dont know if i want to continue using it because all i want to do is sleep.

Hi I'm on 10mg of abilify. And I'm sleepy as I type. Really. It's sedating for me. I also noticed an increase in appetite! (Oh no! Must not get fat). My doc says I will be started on Topiramate soon.

My diagnosis is not yet clear: between bipolar and paranoid schizophrenia. hmm.

Well, apart from the sedation, I'm feeling good. I haven't been depressed since I've been taking it. I'm good. It's okay. The sedative effects wear off after around 1 hour and then you're all set. My doc will increase the does to 30mg or so he says.

Gayle,

Abilify is also very sedating to me ,yet causes insomnia. I only take 5mg, with 75 mg seroquel( which is also sedating) and 1-2 mg clonazepam. I should not be driving either. When i can sleep it's like sleep 1/2 hour, toss and turn for 2,all night long. Was told to use 20 mg Ambien for sleep and does not work, just bounce of walls like a drunk. Abilify must counteract the sleep effect of the Ambien. All i know is that i am unable to function or think clearly. I have poor short term memory and feel confused all the time.. I still get very depressed ,although less often and it helps my psychosis and racing erratic thoughts. mike

[font="Comic Sans MS"][/font]My doc has just prescribed abilify for me to help my bipolar II along with depakote and lamictal. My hesitation in taking it is I don't want to have the nauseousness side effect. Have most of you gotten that side effect, or which has been the most predominate? Also, by reading the posts, it seems that once on this drug it is hard to get off. That is scary, especially since it's so expensive. My doc mentioned Valium, also. Any responses to help me feel better knowing the majority don't have nausea/vomitting, etc.? Cat

Yikes,I saw my pdoc today & she's considering adding either abilify or resperidal(sp?) to my regimine if I don't respond well to the increase in dosage of the paxil from 20 mgs per day to 30 mgs per day & from what little I've read so far it doesn't look like I'd want to have to go that route if I don't have to.

If she does put me on it then perhaps it may counteract the drowsiness being caused by the paxil so that may be at least one positive aspect of the medication however.

I take Abilify and it's been a wonderful medication for me! A lifesaver!

Cat:
I didn't have any nausea or any other side effect that I can think of. At higher dosages, though, I personally got a tardive dykinesia effect around my facial area (I'm only on 5mg). But others are on much higher dosages and haven't mentioned having that effect.

I don't know too much about getting off it but I'm not sure why it would be harder to get off Abilify than it would be getting off any other med.

Valium and Abilify are two VERY different drugs. You may want to ask some more questions if your pdoc is thinking of them as either/or.

Mike:
I found Risperdal to be sedating so it might not counteract the drowsiness from the Paxil. Abilify, on the other hand, is not sedating for me. In fact, it's slightly stimulating (but not in a bad way...and I usually react poorly to anything stimulating). I found both drugs to be helpful but I gained weight on the Risperdal which is why I would never take it again. I've had no weight side effects with the Abilify.

I was taking 20 mgs Lexpro daily for general anxiety and slight depression. After being ill with the flu for two weeks, I became extremely depressed and anxious, so I was put on Abilify.

I'm now taking 20 mgs Lexapro and 15 mgs Abilify daily and feel very positive. I can make plans and execute them and that's a huge improvement over the last few months.

Please help!

I was discharged from the hospital 3 weeks ago and have recieved 7 ECT treatments. For over a month, I have been on Abilify 2.5mg and Lithium 300mg and I am EXHAUSTED! I feel like a walking zombie. I feel no emotions other then anxious every once and a while but the majority of the time it's all I can do to keep my eyes open. I see my psychiatrist tomorrow and would like to have some opinions on what could be causing this sedation. Is it possible it is my depression? I just feel completely numb, which is better than hysterically depressed, but I need to become more alert and regain some motivation as I need to find a job and get on with my life. My focus isn't that great either. I decided to try ECTs after failing many many AD's but is it possible that I may need an AD? Please help!

Thanks,
Heather

I also feel like a zombie It may sound weird but my arms and legs feel like the weight a ton. I feel like all I wanna do is sleep but I have to work, I can't concentrate because all i can think about is how tired I am! It has to be the abilify. I am on 10mg and i wanna quit taking it I cant feel like this any longer. I am miserable!!!!!

I started on Abilify as an add on to Paxil (60mg) about a week ago and so far, have not been impressed. I know that it takes a while to really feel the effects but so far nothing other than extreme fatigue. Its as bad as being pregnant. I'm so tired of feeling tired.

Well here it is 2:30 in the morning and I have just spen the last hour reading all 4 pages of this thread. Went to the doc this afternoon...been off all meds for over 8 months...she rx'd Abilify 10mg and Cymbalta 20 BID.

I have paranoia so taking a new med can be extremely scary for me. Especially since she is new to me and I did not have a good impression(she seemed inattetive and judgemental). I should start my doses in the morning (haha in ummm 5 hours) on no sleep, prolly noy a good idea. Sorry Im scatter brained, what I wnated to ask was...

I told the doc I dont want to start 2 meds at once. I worry so much about SEs that I feel better starting just one, to see how I react first. She says no start both of them tomorrow, they work together.(Maj Dep w/ psych features) Anyone have any thoughts on this? Exp with Abilify or with Abilify/Cymbalta combo?

Hope my thoughts weren't too disjointed. It's been a bad day. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Hi,

I take prozac and abilify together and it works great for me.
I started prozac first and added the abilify when the prozac
didnt take complete care of my depression. The abilify
has been a lifesaver for me. I did not have any side effects
at all. Hope things improve for you soon,

best wishes,
starr

Ty Starr
I started my Abilify today. I had told the pdoc before I left that I didn't want to take two meds at once because of not knowing which caused what as far as SEs. So I decided on the Abilify first. I got a bit of nausea and some stomach cramps. But I will admit I only took 5mg instead of the 10 she rx'd. I just know how I am when it comes to starting with new meds. I'm a chicken and was afriad of the SEs at 10mg. So in a coupld days I'll go ahead and take the 10 like she asked me to.

Im really glad the Abilify has worked so good for you.

Hi Everyone, I am New.. and a little restless, forcing myself to sit here and write this! So if it doesnt make sense, please excuse me!

I am 31 , On SSDI because of many things, including

Major Depressive Disd.
ADHD (w/o hyper)
Narcissistic pers. disd.
Anxiety


I am On the following Meds NOW: (Amongst others for medical reasons)

Prozac
Wellbutrin XL
Provigil
Trazadone (For Sleep)
PTSD

My doctor just today asked me to stop provigil to Start Abilify, so I will start it tomorrow, and I am a little scared.. I was on Trilifon when I was a teen, and It made me a ZOMBIE, and do weird things.. ALSO, I am afraid it might make me even less active or motivated, BUT from what I read, it may be a good shot (she started me on 5mg)

Any thoughts about my Cocktail?

Also I go to Weekly Psycho Therapy with my Psychologist, (may only have a few months left that my insurance will pay)
And see my Psychiatrist monthly!


I am really trying to FINALLY feel better, and be NORMAL, as I dont really remember ever feeling NORMAL.. I look forward to any anad all Support or help!

This post has been edited by MexicoGringo: Oct 7 2009, 01:46 AM

I've heard so many horror stories about Abilify that I would never take it, I've heard from a bunch of people who developed muscle/facial twitches because of it. Ugh. Plus like what abunch of you guys have already said, its so expensive!

Yes, but I am lucky in the fact that my medicare part D plan is REALLY GOOD, and because I have reached catastrophic coverage, so I don't even have copay's for the rest of the year, but even when I do, the most is 3 bucks.... (I am low income so I qualify for extra help from medicare) This allows me to try everything, and get on the right thing!

ANYONE with any other thoughts on Abilify with the cocktail I am taking???

THANKS