Abilify sucks

[Guest Vapourware]

I'm just really annoyed with Abilify at the moment. It's made me both very tired and drowsy, and restless at the same time.

So I feel like a zombie with a need to fidget and I have the concentration of a gnat at times.

This really sucks. Has anyone else not had activating experiences with Abilify? How long will this last?

[beetle]

I believe my second round with Abilify might be over soon. My experience has been that it makes me tired so I take it right before bed. There for awhile, it was activating throughout the day, after I slept off the drowsiness at night. I liked the little kick in the ass I got from it. I needed it. But it seems to have pooped out in that aspect and now all I have is this horrible out of control hunger that has me binge eating and putting on weight. That's not gonna work out so well.

If I bump up the dose, currently at 5mg., I know from prior experience that a nasty case of akathisia will set in so I'm not interested in going there. I think I might finally be done with Abilify for good. Two trials is enough.

[unipolarbear]

Has anyone else not had activating experiences with Abilify? How long will this last?

Abilify seems to be the necessary (or not) evil that we all love to hate. My pdoc and I thought it would augment my situation and meds but it only served to make me jittery and twitchy.

[Guest Vapourware]

Thanks, I was almost thinking I was alone in how I felt about Abilify. I was expecting the feelings of restlessness but the tiredness was unexpected.

I've changed to taking it at night and it seems to have helped as well. I don't know how long I want to be on this damn thing, I guess I'll wait until I see my pdoc again.

[Duelist]

Thanks, I was almost thinking I was alone in how I felt about Abilify. I was expecting the feelings of restlessness but the tiredness was unexpected.

I've changed to taking it at night and it seems to have helped as well. I don't know how long I want to be on this damn thing, I guess I'll wait until I see my pdoc again.

I have been lucky with it, taking 20 mgs and not having fatigue to speak of, other then the normal fatigue I feel from not being religious with the CPAP machine I should be using for my OSA. I'm sorry it's not working for you all, I was forced off it for awhile due to medicare part d not covering when they slammed me to a new plan this year, and the trial on something else stunk. I was so afraid that when I got back on abilify it wouldn't work as well but it seems to control the racing thoughts and speech I was plagued with that made me so miserable. It's not the only thing that worked, Risperdal did but I had side effects from it I didn't want to live with like increased appetite and lip tingling that freaked me out into thinking TD was gonna hit me if I stuck with it.

[DarkendHour]

I don't know if it made me restless... but it sure as hell did knock me on my ass when I was on it.

The last time I was IP they had put me back on it, without f'ing telling me, and within a day I knew I was back on it. I would be awake for no more than 2 hours in 24hrs, and even within those two hours I might as well been sleeping because I was out of it.

I did pace the hallways and go to sit down... back and forth back and forth most of the time I was awake... I don't know if it was from the Abilify or not though... It was like one second I needed to be moving and the next I just needed to sit down.

I freaked the hell out once I confirmed that they had indeed put me back on it.

My Pdoc took me off of it in the first place because I was losing my sight because of it.. this was at 25mg (the same dosage they put me back on in IP) Nice to know that they actually review your medication records before starting you on something.. the note about it was right in their computer system, my pdoc is in the same hospital that I go to for IP.

[blackbird]

It actually made me manic and did feck all for my psychosis but worsen it.

blackbird x

[Guest Samantha]

I HATED it. I was tired all the time. But I was also very jittery.. It altered my personality and made my depression worse...

So I begged my pdoc to take me off of it. I'm on prozac now.. and seems to be helping a little bit.

[Pamito]

I'm with Blackbird. Abilify was the only AP to ever make my psychosis and mania markedly WORSE. My pdoc says it set the dopamine levels too high for my brain, and exacerbated psychosis. Not fun.

[klingon001]

...

[Raquin]

I was put on Abilify with the hope being that among other things, it would make me tired and help me sleep. Nope. I was also told it was weight nuetral. Nope. Not unless Celexa was what was making me gain weight.

If the Abilify hadn't made me gain weight, and I had seen more of a benefit to being on it (I actually was a bit less depressed while on it), I would most likely still be on it now. It didn't make me fidgety or anything, but I also couldn't really tell if I was on it or not. What was the Abilify and what was the Celexa?

[fluffybirdie]

It was not weight neutral for me. I gained about 15 lbs in short order. And a lot of it was water! My feet and hands were so uncomfortably bloated. Went off, weight back to normal. It did elevate my mood and didn't make me tired but I couldn't stand that feeling that I had minnie mouse feet, lol! But seriously, it was almost painful.

[llama44]

I took it for about two years. I liked it a lot. It controlled my psychosis and mania well at 30mg which is the highest dose. But it made me restless and I constantly needed to be on the go. To the point that others noticed right away. So pdoc took me off of it after I complained of constant pacing. Too bad. On geodon now but may need a higher dose. Still experiencing psychosis and also just got out of a slight manic episode in which I spent almost $400 on stuff for my fiancé. Ugh. I spent over half of my monthly income in one night. Pretty bad.

[The Emperor]

I like Abilify. It's making me crave sweets like nothing else though, and I've gained five or ten lbs since being put on it, but I like it so much that I'll just diet and hopefully the weight will come off because my problem is self-control, put a bag of reese's infront of me and I could easily eat the whole damn thing.

It seems to keep me less paranoid, less obsessive, and I think my anxiety is a little better. Mood is pretty good with few swings, so I'm pretty happry with it right now. It's not activating for me so I take it at night.

[Vesperidius]

Abilify gave me the restlessness/drowziness too, and I was afraid to come off of it because I felt better. I'm off it now and it turns out it was my other medication that was helping, so I'm glad I'm not taking the Abilify anymore.

[LiquidLability]

20 mg put a dent in my depression, but the akathesia was too much for me. I found it quite activating. I remember exercising a lot. Good luck to you I hope the akathesia passes and you can continue taking an otherwise novel medication.

[lunaceleste]

i take 2.5 mg abilify at night,the good thing is that it helps with my manic phase and anxiety,bad thing makes me tired and hungry,right after i take it i start craving soemthing sweet

this is not like me at all so is very odd,i gained 20 pounds in 12 months on abilify,so that sucks but it does work for my mood cant deny that fact

[Marcus Cicero]

...

It seems to keep me less paranoid, less obsessive, and I think my anxiety is a little better. Mood is pretty good with few swings, so I'm pretty happry with it right now. It's not activating for me so I take it at night.

I realize this is an ancient thread, but it's new to me (new to the board). I just started Abilify 2 weeks ago, first week 2.5mg, second 5mg.

I can relate to the less paranoid, less obsessive, and less anxiety sentiments. I feel okay when it's doing its thing, but I take it, feel its effects for only a couple of hours, and the problem is, when it wears off (I have a super fast metabolism, so much like foood, I burn through meds effects really fast too) I am profoundly tired. Like, can barely force myself to stay awake to watch a television program. I generally have to dose several times a day (even with things that are meant to be taken once daily).

Right now, I split the Abilify 5mg into two 2.5 doses, but it doesn't provide coverage for a whole day. Wondering if 10mg taken in 4, 2.5mg doses might be good. Guess all I can do is try. Must ask pdoc if he'll let me give that a whirl.

Anyway, hey all, from a noob.

[ParanoidAndroid]

Keep in mind that Abilify has a long half life, about 3 days. So it takes a couple of weeks to reach steady state with any dose change. Dividing your dose up shouldn't make much difference, even if you are a fast metabolizer.

[Marcus Cicero]

Thanks for the response, ParanoidAndroid. For the last couple of days it seems to be making me dumb as a rock. Not good. Think I'll try scaling back to 2.5mg to see if that state goes away.

It did make me feel pretty good the first two days though, at 2.5. I just don't know if I should go down on the dosage or up it to see if it will energize me, because a lot of the time on 5mg (in truth, I've only been on 5mg for a week), I feel profoundly tired. I had a regular GP appointment (unrelated to depression) yesterday and felt unbelievably dull witted. Couldn't find words to express my thoughts. What a horrible feeling to feel like a moron. Hate, hate, hate meds that make you feel stupid. If anyone has found Abilify to be cognitively dulling at first, but then the cognitive issues go away once you are accustomed to the drug, please let me know, because I'm looking for some hope for this med right now. (I know we're all different and one can't really know how a med will treat one except by trying it.)

Advice sought. Do you think I should I continue at 5mg, go back to 2.5, which I seemed to tolerate better, or go up to a higher dosage, or quit Abilify altogether?

For the record, my pdoc is quite understanding about when a med disagrees with me, and I want to quit it of my own volition, so all options are on the table, including quitting it.

Thanks in advance for responses.

[ParanoidAndroid]

With the 2.5 mg or any other dose you wouldn't really know how you feel for at least two weeks. I take 2 mg and seem to escape most of the fatigue and dulling that happens with higher dosing.

With meds you need to keep trying till you find something that works. There are many agents out there. But you also have to be patient enough to see what a med/dose change really does, and it can be misleading to judge in the first few days.

Keep reading around here. You'll find some good support and info.

[Marcus Cicero]

Thanks, PA. I think I'll go the 2.5mg route and see if that won't clear up the cognitive issues. Meanwhile, I'll poke around some old threads to read of others experiences.

Have already just read what confirms what you just wrote; that it takes two weeks to reach steady state, so any attempt to judge its effects before that are likely to give one a false read on the med. I did like the feeling I got on it the first couple of days at 2.5mg.

[tazlina]

Honestly, I can't tell if I like it or not. Mostly not, I think.

It makes me uncoordinated. It makes my nose dry. I can't tell if it's the Lamictal sending me a bit manic, the Abilify, or six of one and a half dozen of the other.

It also makes me sleepy, which is actually a good thing. That means I don't have to take the Lunesta (which I hate).

[Marcus Cicero]

...I can't tell if it's the Lamictal sending me a bit manic, the Abilify, or six of one and a half dozen of the other.

It also makes me sleepy, which is actually a good thing. That means I don't have to take the Lunesta (which I hate).

Tazlina, that's an odd combo, manic and yet sleepy.

Maybe it would be its own brand of hell, but to a unipolar a little manic phase sounds like it'd be manna (of course there'd be the painful picking up after the mess you'd make in a manic phase).

[ParanoidAndroid]

+1 on it making me uncoordinated. I also think it makes me kind of stupid. And insatiably hungry.

[tazlina]

...I can't tell if it's the Lamictal sending me a bit manic, the Abilify, or six of one and a half dozen of the other.

It also makes me sleepy, which is actually a good thing. That means I don't have to take the Lunesta (which I hate).

Tazlina, that's an odd combo, manic and yet sleepy.

Maybe it would be its own brand of hell, but to a unipolar a little manic phase sounds like it'd be manna (of course there'd be the painful picking up after the mess you'd make in a manic phase).

It's actually not that bad. Now I sleep at night, but have energy by day. I probably should have said a little bit hypomanic, though.

I also forgot to say +1 for hungry. I don't even want food, but I eat. I am such a fatty now.

[Guest Hendricks]

I have been on abilify for about a year now and I have had good and bad results. Right now I am thinking about getting off of it because my mind is not clear at all and I believe the confusion affects my driving. On the good side, I think it has made me a better husband and father. I just hate feeling like a twit because I can't remember simple things.

[SashaSue]

Lack of mental clarity and/or confusion can be symptoms of a plethora of disorders, as well as possible side effects.

[ishy]

My abilify was upped to 20mg this morning and it made me feel like i was dying. Been taking this med for two weeks now first on 10mg, then 15mg and today 20mg in the morning. I don't know if it was the 20 mg of abilify or the 10mg of benzo i used to help sleep the night before. I was diagnosed with psychosis 3 months ago and started on Risperdal which I take 2mg of now as they are slowly removing after being on 4mg. Don't know why they've kept me with the Risperdal cause it hasn't improved the psychosis. I don't even know if i'm in psychosis or mania as I haven't got a diagnosis yet. I think I'm gonna move on to olazapine next week.

I don't reccomend Olanzapine unless you want to gain 50lbs of weight gain within a month or so. Seriously, it made me gain 10 pounds in one week.

[confused]

Sorry to hear bout the wait ishy, and i know how you feel. First started taking meds on dec 17 2010, risperdal and abilify and gained 66 pounds. Joint the gym but feel dizzy every 10 mins cause of the morning meds so i hate going there. Do you take olanzapine and if so did it work for you?

I took zyprexa (olanzapine). It worked well for me, but I gained a lot of weight. Now, I take abilify. I haven't been able to lose the weight yet, but I stopped gaining.

[ahalo]

At 15 mg (from 10) Abilify caused orthostatic hypotension. I cut back to 7.5 (I only have 15 mg and can't get to my pdoc's office right now) and within a few days the issue is resolving. I love how Abilify works but the side effects can be awful.

[ishy]

Sorry to hear bout the weight ishy, and i know how you feel. First started taking meds on dec 17 2010, risperdal and abilify and gained 66 pounds. Joint the gym but feel dizzy every 10 mins cause of the morning meds so i hate going there. Do you take olanzapine and if so did it work for you?

I take Abilify and it has been pretty weight neutral for me. Cannot say the same for resperdal and olanzapine though. I loved Olanzapine the best because it worked so well but had to quit due to the massive weight gain.

[llama44]

I take abilify more for mood problems and it does work pretty well. But unfortunately I need a second AAP for my SZA symptoms/psychosis. Zyprexa did work the best for me but I'm afraid of the weight gain too and that's why I asked to get off of it. I am so stupid though I should still be on it. I am now on saphris and it is not helping at all. I know there are several people on this board who love it. It is not weight neutral for me (I've already gained 25 lbs) and I can't sleep through the night with it. And I've been manic for about 2 weeks now and having some paranoia (according to my case manager). ugh. I don't know what to do! It's hard, isn't it?

[Anna]

Olanzopine is the king of all emergency meds.

I hate abilify too, but there are equal numbers that just love it... It's hard to stay what is going to work for you with the least amount of side effects until you find that magic combo, unfortunately.

Anna

[Anna]

dizzie, if you are having those kind of thoughts you need to see your doctor post haste.

Anna