chelle523 Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Hi all - My doc recently put me on Abilify - started at .5 mg gradually up to maintenance dose of 5 mg. I've been on it for about 2 weeks and am not having any troubles tolerating the medication except that I am hyper as all hell, which, having suffered from depression and the accompanying bone-crushing fatique for so long, doesn't really seem like a problem for me. I'm just wondering if this is going to be a permanent thing or if it's just me getting used to the medication. Has anyone else had this experience? I literally cannot sit still - forget watching anything on tv that lasts longer than 15 minutes. Again - not complaining, just wondering. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pamito Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Be careful. Abilify made me very manic and out of control. It didn't agree with me at all. Definitely tell your Pdoc, you don't want it to get worse. I've been on pretty much all of the antipsychotics, and abilify spun me into a dangerous mania. It may be a reaction that fades, but with me, I had to get off it before it endangered me. Best advice - tell your Pdoc and see what he/she says. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 12, 2012 Share Posted September 12, 2012 Keep an eye on it. Abilify can be activating for some folks. It wasn't for me but some people have to take it in the morning because if they take it at night it keeps them up. Are you still sleeping? If not, that might be a problem. If you're still able to sleep, I wouldn't worry about it too much. It might be that you're feeling good for the first time in a very long time and you've forgotten how good it feels. Maybe? I didn't see your diagnosis. Is it depression or bipolar? If you are bipolar you really need to keep track of your sleep patterns. You might want to do that anyway. Keep a journal and make sure you're getting enough. Take the paper with you to your pdoc. If your pdoc is like mine, the more information he has, the better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelle523 Posted September 13, 2012 Author Share Posted September 13, 2012 I should've given more information - I was diagnosed bipolar in 2001. I've not had severe mania since 2004, but I do recognize it when it happens. This isn't like mania - it's more like someone gave me 3-4 energy drinks. Lol I'm sleeping fine (I do monitor that as insomnia is always the first sign of mania for me) so that's good. Funny thing is, I'm actually more like my old self now than I have been in years. I'm generally very "Tigger-y", but over the last 7-8 years, my energy levels have slipped to almost zero most of the time. I've always had more problem with depression than mania, and that was definitely the case over the last 8 years. I actually went back to a pdoc because I'd been going to my family physician and wasn't happy with the meds I was on (Wellbutrin & Lithobid), and was having severe problems with anxiety. The pdoc felt perhaps that anxiety was related to mild mania and I will say, the Abilify has helped with the anxiety as well. I'm just wondering if the Tigger-y thing is going to wear off once I'm on the meds longer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 14, 2012 Share Posted September 14, 2012 In all honesty, when I started taking Abilify I didn't notice anything for more than a week. Some folks do find it activating so they take it in the morning. I'd hazard a guess that your Tigger-y feeling will wear off with time. So long as it doesn't get worse and you're sleeping, I'd enjoy it while it lasts. TTFN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelle523 Posted September 14, 2012 Author Share Posted September 14, 2012 Haha...good advice. Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
konings Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Do you mean the feeling that you get easily frustrated, impatient and tired of everything? That probably doesnt go away. Its because abilify is a partial dopamine agonist. Agitation/activation, literally though, should go away. At least thats my experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bp1insf Posted September 17, 2012 Share Posted September 17, 2012 Maybe it's akathisia instead of activation. http://bipolar.about.com/od/sideeffectslibrary/g/gl_akathisia.htm I got it from Zyprexa and thought it was anxiety. My pdoc figured it out and added cogentin, which took care of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst674 Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 Abilify seemed to give me anxiety and agitation at 5 mg.  I did lose 12 pounds on it. I am wondering if i should have stayed on it longer and the bad effect would have passed.  i am willing to try anything to lose weight.  Im seeing my pdoc next week and i am thinking of giving it another try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
looking for answers Posted August 6, 2017 Share Posted August 6, 2017 On 9/12/2012 at 7:20 PM, Pamito said: Be careful. Abilify made me very manic and out of control. It didn't agree with me at all. Definitely tell your Pdoc, you don't want it to get worse. Â I've been on pretty much all of the antipsychotics, and abilify spun me into a dangerous mania. Â It may be a reaction that fades, but with me, I had to get off it before it endangered me. Best advice - tell your Pdoc and see what he/she says. THIS dear god THIS for me, i didnt sleep, and dont remmeber anything, and i am not bipolar!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gearhead Posted August 8, 2017 Share Posted August 8, 2017 Abilify was very activating for me, too, and I am bipolar. I couldn't take it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
browri Posted September 12, 2017 Share Posted September 12, 2017 Many people find that Abilify doesn't become calming until they get to 10mg+ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eilatan Posted September 14, 2017 Share Posted September 14, 2017 20mg was calming for me. Too calming. I just went back to 15mg abd feel like I woke up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southern Discomfort Posted September 15, 2017 Share Posted September 15, 2017 I started on 10 mg and I'm very happy with it. I'm less anxious, happier and I'm more willing to help other people whereas before I just had no energy to do a lot of things. Quite a big gamble to put me straight onto 10 mg, the max starting dose but it's paid off. That doctor wanted me on 20 mg after two weeks, I'm just on curious what that would have been like but I'm happy at 10 mg, it's improve my quality of life by quite a bit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt07 Posted September 15, 2017 Share Posted September 15, 2017 10 mg was my magic dose as well. I almost couldn't handle the anxiety at the lower doses, but 10 mg was where it began to work for me and the anxiety lessened markedly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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