domovoi Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 so bear with me if it's a stupid question but we in canada just got abilify and my doc doesn't have much experience with it. i started taking it as a mood stabilizer, primarily for BP depression. i took 5 mg for 2 weeks, now it's been a week on 10 mg. but i take it with tegretol so in reality i've been taking, like, 2mg then 5mg. (tegretol wipes half of it out in the body). kinda baby doses. i've been feeling really great on it, my depression is gone and i feel like accomplishing things etc. but it makes me feel a bit intense. a bit high-strung, a bit irritated, i kind of jolt places and i absolutely cannot sleep without zopiclone (canadian lunesta). by the end of the day i feel kinda speedy. i haven't gotten any other side effects. i've heard it is one of those drugs that act differently depending on the dose. my question is, if i keep increasing the dose say to 20-25mg, will i feel calmer on it? my pdoc wants it to be my main mood stabilizer so i'm pretty sure i will have to increase it anyway but i really want the speedy feelings gone and i want to sleep, will the dose increase fix that? thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cetkat Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 i've heard it is one of those drugs that act differently depending on the dose. my question is, if i keep increasing the dose say to 20-25mg, will i feel calmer on it? my pdoc wants it to be my main mood stabilizer so i'm pretty sure i will have to increase it anyway but i really want the speedy feelings gone and i want to sleep, will the dose increase fix that? thanks I actually haven't heard that at all. My experience (been on it twice) is that the anxiety or Akathisia (which it doesn't sound like you have otherwise you'd be crawling out of your skin) increases as the dose does. However, if you remain at the dose you're at until the side-effect has disappeared, then up it.. you'll only get the same severity in symptoms. Meaning you need to wait at each dose for it to go away before raising it. It'll come back, but at the same intensity.. and waiting again will make it go away. If you do it all at once, it would just compound the effect, in my experience. My advise is to take the time to raise it slowly enough to tolerate it better and not get ahead of yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfred Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 At lower doses Abilify functions as an antidepressant augmenter and at around 20 mgs starts acting as an AP. nf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SashaSue Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 At lower doses Abilify functions as an antidepressant augmenter and at around 20 mgs starts acting as an AP. nf Can you back that up? It's not really in line with anything I've ever read or seen about Abilify. People who find it activating seem to continue to find it so, even at higher dosages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notfred Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 At lower doses Abilify functions as an antidepressant augmenter and at around 20 mgs starts acting as an AP. nf Can you back that up? It's not really in line with anything I've ever read or seen about Abilify. People who find it activating seem to continue to find it so, even at higher dosages. It is per the indications/dosage and administration from the PI. Ah, I reread your response. I am not saying it quits having AD effects at higher doses. The relevant parts of the PI: 2.3 Adjunctive Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder Usual Dose for Acute Treatment The recommended starting dose for ABILIFY as adjunctive treatment for patients already taking an antidepressant is 2 mg/day to 5 mg/day. The efficacy of ABILIFY as an adjunctive therapy for Major Depressive Disorder was established within a dose range of 2 mg/day to 15 mg/day. Dose adjustments of up to 5 mg/day should occur gradually, at intervals of no less than 1 week [see CLINICAL STUDIES (14.3)]. 2.2 Bipolar Disorder Usual Dose for Acute Treatment Adults The recommended starting and target dose is 15 mg as monotherapy or as adjunctive therapy with lithium or valproate given once a day, without regard to meals. The dose can be increased to 30 mg/day based on clinical response. The safety of doses above 30 mg/day has not been evaluated in clinical trials [see CLINICAL STUDIES (14.2)]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domovoi Posted June 27, 2011 Author Share Posted June 27, 2011 thanks guys! ...so, basically.. i will still have to increase it to at least 15mg for BP therapy but no chance of the speedy feelings going away... unless i wait for some time for them to settle down?? did i get this right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Vapourware Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 I've read this though about Abilify dosage: http://www.abilify.com/pdf/dosing-guide.pdf It recommends using 10mg-15mg for schizophrenia patients, so I would assume that means it also works as an AP in those ranges? Unless I'm reading that wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cetkat Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 thanks guys! ...so, basically.. i will still have to increase it to at least 15mg for BP therapy but no chance of the speedy feelings going away... unless i wait for some time for them to settle down?? did i get this right? According to my experience. Right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurochs Posted June 27, 2011 Share Posted June 27, 2011 There's a lot of overlap in terms of dose range when Abilify is being used to augment an antidepressant vs when it's being used to treat psychosis or mania. The information in the PI sheet is based on statistical evidence, and serves as a useful guide, especially when the lowest effective dose is required. But even some of the study participants responded at different dosages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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