Klaein Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 I was wondering if any of you out there have had good results with this combination for treating non-psychotic issues? I know that using two or more antipsychotics the chance for EPS ect. are way higher. However , considering how I am without an antipsychotic it's more than worth it. I tried a few tiny doses of the Abilify and it did seem to give me energy. If it was from the Abilify, I'm not sure...but I felt good that day for whatever reason What I don't understand is why he prescribed a whole new med instead of just raising one of the meds I am currently on... In my mind it seems logical to do that instead of introducing a new drug, but my doctor wants me on it...so...I dunno at this point. He wants me up to 5mg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneMarie Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 How did you get on your current cocktail? I mean, what meds were added when to do what? Why did he add the Abilify? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klaein Posted October 11, 2010 Author Share Posted October 11, 2010 How did you get on your current cocktail? I mean, what meds were added when to do what? Why did he add the Abilify? Klonopin was the first one. I was put on it for severe anxiety. I was then put on risperdal for my squirely brain(racing thoughts , agitation/mild paranoia) . Then we tried all kinds of antidepressants and the one we found the most useful was remeron because I have sleep issues and remeron helps you sleep. I alternate the dose between 7.5-15 anything higher than that aggravates my anxiety. and...the lithium... Im not sure at what point it was added into the mix, I believe it's to solidify the effects of the other meds,also it helps quiet my brain. We were up to 600mg but got water retention so lowered it to 300 and am fine now. I am somewhat stable on this mixture, but am still depressed. I believe he prescribed the Abilify for my depression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneMarie Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 I don't understand why you pdoc isn't just switching Risperdal for Abilify, at least as a trial. They both are low dose, so the EPS threat isn't huge, but still is real. Another option would be a different antidepressant plus a sleep med. How long to you wait out the bloating experienced on 600mg of Lithium? Have you discontinued completely to know that it is in fact doing something for you at 300mg? That is a very low dose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klaein Posted October 11, 2010 Author Share Posted October 11, 2010 I don't understand why you pdoc isn't just switching Risperdal for Abilify, at least as a trial. They both are low dose, so the EPS threat isn't huge, but still is real. Another option would be a different antidepressant plus a sleep med. How long to you wait out the bloating experienced on 600mg of Lithium? Have you discontinued completely to know that it is in fact doing something for you at 300mg? That is a very low dose. I really like my Risperdal actually. It's not something I would WANT to stop but if Abilify is superior for some reason well then...perhaps... I was on 600mg lithium for about a month. I know its doing something ... I can feel it. I guess a way to test it would be to raise it to see if the symptoms improve or stop it to see if it gets worse. I would rather try the former first. I wonder if there is a way to avoid the bloating? Or it just going away somehow? Lithium prevents the lows from getting too low but does not really address the severe depression. I think the abilify is intended to do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneMarie Posted October 11, 2010 Share Posted October 11, 2010 My Lithium bloating went away around four to six weeks in. What other medications have you been on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Elizabeth Jackson Posted January 7, 2011 Share Posted January 7, 2011 Help I have been on a marry go round from hell with my ADHD/Bi-Polar son and his Meds. How did you get your PDOC to give you Abilify and Risperdal together at all. My son is taking Abilify 5mg three times a day and was taking Risperdal 0.5mg three times a day and then the Pdoc started to take the Risperdal away even though his mood was the best it has ever been in 8 years. He takes Depakote too. The Pdoc said it wasn't best practice because of the EPS risk. What is EPS? How much of a risk is there at those low doses. I called my pharmacy to check for interactions they showed none. I can not find any literature saying specifically not to use the two together. I'm tired of spinning in circles going nowhere trying to help my child. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 Honestly, it's a tough call to make. I'd take a look at some TK videos and things before you decide for your minor child. This is potentially a life long condition, and there are other motor movement disorders as well. EPS sx can be dangerous. The risk is more minor at lower doses probably, for sure, but it does also mount up over time so if a child is on two AAPs at the same time and is facing taking them all his life... In any case, we are more of a first person site here, so we can't really advise as far as your son? How old is he? If he's old enough maybe he would like to read about eps himself here and join and decide (and talk to his doc) about what he wants to do. Anna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvet Elvis Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 EPS = Extrapyramidal symptoms There has been about zero research done on the subject of combining APs in kids and it's a known risk in adults. Nobody knows where the threshold is at which it becomes a risk because the data just isn't there and the doctor doesn't want to take the risk. If you think about it, there's a really good reason the studies haven't been done too. These can be some really horrible side effects and giving children increasingly large doses until they appear would be ungodly inhumane. It's hard to get permission and funding to do research of any kind of kids and research for something like this where there is a known risk would be damn near impossible. Your kid's doc is doing the right thing by not wanting to do the testing on your kid either. In general we're not the best site to go to for questions about kids med problems since we're mostly a first person site for people talking about their own problems. This one I felt pretty confident answering but for more info you'd likely be better off looking elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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