PoorPebbles Posted May 22, 2013 Share Posted May 22, 2013 Hi, went to this "fancy doctor" (he was on tv before) and I pretty much had to write my life story. When it came to meds., he said that I have literally tried something from every family of drug to treat depression, which made me feel like a totally hopeless freak. He added Abilify (1mg for 2 weeks, now first day on 2mg and he plans to slowly up the dose) to help boost my Paxil (i'm on 60mg). The problem is that I am so hyper and restless all the time. I take 100mg of Seroquel to help me sleep and I fall asleep alright, but I keep waking up earlier and earlier. Today I woke up after only 4 hours of sleep and could not fall back asleep after that. My body and mind are physically exhausted. Has anyone else had this problem with Abilify? Even at this dinky dose? He wants to add Gabapentin within a month but I looked it up and it helps settle the nerves and sleep. I want to go on it now!!!! I called the doctor, spoke to receptionist and she said she would discuss it with him and he would call me back this afternoon. Still no call. What should I take tonight to help me sleep? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parapluie Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 (edited) I have had this problem with Abilify as well. At low doses it makes me hypomanic and have akathisia. So, I would get all the symptoms you're describing plus, feeling super euphoric, and generally pretty speedy. Do you feel an inner restlessness? Like you want to constantly be moving, like crossing your legs and arms, walking or just moving around? That might be akathisia, which is an extrapyramidal side effect of Abilify. It drove me NUTS when I was on a lower dose of Abilify. If your doc thinks it's akathisia, ask about propranolol (a beta-blocker) to counter it. It worked for me. Call your doc again if they don't call back, and mention all the symptoms you mentioned here. You almost sound to me like you're becoming hypomanic. You're hyper, restless and barely sleeping. That sounds like me when I'm hypomanic. May or may not be, but best to err on the side of caution I guess. Abilify isn't all bad though! Give it a worthy shot. I stayed on it because it literally changed my life. It got rid of my depression in three days. So, if side effects are annoying at first, don't give up! For me, it was worth it to stick it out through the initial side effects. Now, I'm on 30mg of Abilify (the max dose) and I have no side effects at all, other than being a little sleepy actually! I personally find Abilify to be the single best med I've ever taken. Hands down. Edited May 23, 2013 by Parapluie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneMarie Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 Call your doc back if he doesn't call. Reiterate all the symptoms you described here. You sound like you are having a hypomanic reaction. Abilify can be activating, too much so for some people. Personally, I'd skip Abilify tonight if you don't here back from your doc today. That seems common sense to me. You are not responding in a healthy way. I'd also take Seroquel again tonight to sleep. If you can't sleep or wake, hang out here for a while. It is something to do that won't get you in trouble. (I would say take more Seroquel since you are on a low dose but I'm not a doctor, just someone whose been on the med before.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
isthisit? Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 maybe the problem is with the increase in Paxil? my doctor put me on Paxil last week 10mg and it made my anxiety go through the roof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneMarie Posted May 23, 2013 Share Posted May 23, 2013 maybe the problem is with the increase in Paxil? my doctor put me on Paxil last week 10mg and it made my anxiety go through the roof. Good point. Talk to your doc! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PoorPebbles Posted May 25, 2013 Author Share Posted May 25, 2013 Hi all, actually a couple have mentioned that my problem may be related to an increase in Paxil. I haven't increased my Paxil dose at all. I have been on 60mg for a few years now. But NOW, I have started Gabapentin because for my anxiety and to help get rid of the insomnia. So now, about 1 hour and 1/2 after I take a 300mg capsule (I take 900mg a day to start), I feel so out of it and dizzy, I can't walk straight. I believe I have Akathisia symptoms...and that scares me. Do you think my doctor would prescribe a beta-blocker? I've only seen him once, but he told me he's leery about giving me more medications, but i'm really not on that much, and what if it would help me to be on that beta-blocker? He's trying to stick me in therapy (like every other doctor) and i'm scared he'll give me an ultimatum. (It's not like I haven't had therapy, because I have). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt07 Posted May 25, 2013 Share Posted May 25, 2013 I had such bad anxiety at low doses of Abilify that I almost gave it up. Thankfully, I stuck with it and when I reached 10 mg, all the anxiety went away, and it began working wonderfully. It turned my life around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bklynboy1990 Posted October 9, 2016 Share Posted October 9, 2016 I have been on Abilify 5 mg since August 2008 when I was 18 years old and was on that dose until around October 2010 when the Doctor added Buspar 5mg 1/2 tablet 3 times a day and decreased the Abilify to 2 mg!!! When I first started taking Abilify I was always tired and felt like my muscles were weak and I could barely move which made me start taking vitamins!!! This is why I have always taking the Abilify at Bedtime!!! My worry now is this new doctor wants to keep me on the Abilify but take me off the Buspar and add Paxil and klonopin instead!!! I told him he is crazy because my treatment has helped for all these years and now he wants to change it all of a sudden!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikl_pls Posted October 10, 2016 Share Posted October 10, 2016 Sounds like the gabapentin is causing more problems than helping you with your original ones. Akathisia usually comes early in the treatment with an antipsychotic and eventually passes. But for the time being, benzodiazepines, beta-blockers, and/or anticholinergics can help the symptoms of akathisia. As far as I know, gabapentin isn't commonly used for treatment of akathisia. Have you tried taking a first-generation antihistamine like like Benadryl (diphenhydramine) to help you sleep? The antihistamine part should help with your sleeplessness, but it's also is an anticholinergic, which could balance out the acetylcholine and dopamine levels in the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway in your brain, that is if this is indeed akathisia. Have you mentioned to your pdoc that you think it might be akathisia? If it is (if the Benadryl happens to help), then he could prescribe you Cogentin (benztropine) or Artane (trihexyphenidyl). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts