Chickenlips Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 (edited) Hello everyone.... My Psychiatrist wants to change me from zyprexa to abilify, and I would like to know (from people who actually take the stuff) what abilify is like? I heard it can be "activating", which my Dr. will "need to keep an eye on." So please let the flood gates open... from my fellow crazy arse forum friends, what is it like as a med to take?? No detail too small. Thank you!! Edited August 26, 2014 by Chickenlips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt07 Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 For most people, Abilify is activating, but there is a subset of patients who find it sedating. If you are coming from Zyprexa, you are likely really going to notice it because not only might Abilify be activating for you, but also you will be losing the sedating effect of Zyprexa. It has few side effects, but it does have a reputation for causing akathisia in some people. It usually does not work instantly and cannot really be used as a PRN like Zyprexa sometimes is. Also, it can cause insomnia. I personally do not get any side effects from it at 30 mg except a slight increase in appetite. Well, at first, I got a little nausea, but that went away within a few days. I don't take Abilify for psychosis, but I do take it for depression. It took nearly 8 weeks to work for me, and it really only started to work when I reached 10 mg. Below 10 mg I had terrible anxiety. Above 10 mg I just feel so good that the anxiety isn't noticeable. That's my experience in a nutshell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siggmin Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 I've never been on Zyprexa, but I've been on Abilify, when I was 18. I didn't like it, personally. It didn't really work for me. I still heard and saw and felt things. Luckily I was hospitalized during the switch from the med I was on at that time before it to Abilify. I took the highest FDA approved dose to my knowledge, or so my doctor said, and it still didn't work out for me. But I didn't find it activating. Or sedating. Anyway, good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nonuser Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 I haven't noticed it being either activating or sedating. I have gained a lot of weight since I started taking it, but apparently I'm a minority. Also, when I first started it, I had a weird side effect: my tongue got numb at the tip, lol. That went away after a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilnessness Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 Hey, watch out for akathisia! I find it useful to keep benadryl on hand as an akathisia prn when starting new, activating meds? I got mild akathisia from it, which went away quickly with treatment, but then i gained 30 pounds in 2 months, which kind of sucked. Otherwise, i still hallucinated mildly on it, but otherwise, pretty good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domovoi Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 (edited) abilify has been an ok drug for me. i've been on it for 2-3 years. when i started first on 2 then on 5 mg it gave me a lot of energy, i couldn't stop moving and talking and couldn't sleep, thought i was going manic. but i wasn't, it was just abilify because when they raised the dose to 10 mg these effects went away and i felt better, not speedy. it has helped me when i was very depressed. i think that lower doses help more with depression by making you all speedy and excitable. higher doses like 10-15 mg are more for mania, because 15 and higher i got all sleepy on it and had to move the dose to nighttime. watch if you are moving a lot a lot and can't stop moving, that's akathisia. my brother had that on 2 and 5 mg and could not continue taking. i got it at 20 mg, i can't take more than 15. but it worked pretty well for stability for me up to a certain point. good luck ETA: this has been one of 2 AAPs that didn't gave me weight gain. the other was latuda. Edited August 26, 2014 by domovoi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickenlips Posted August 27, 2014 Author Share Posted August 27, 2014 I've never been on Zyprexa, but I've been on Abilify, when I was 18. I didn't like it, personally. It didn't really work for me. I still heard and saw and felt things. Luckily I was hospitalized during the switch from the med I was on at that time before it to Abilify. I took the highest FDA approved dose to my knowledge, or so my doctor said, and it still didn't work out for me. But I didn't find it activating. Or sedating. Anyway, good luck! Thank you Kitty x I haven't noticed it being either activating or sedating. I have gained a lot of weight since I started taking it, but apparently I'm a minority. Also, when I first started it, I had a weird side effect: my tongue got numb at the tip, lol. That went away after a while. Yes I would NOT like to gain weight..... well any more! If the tip of my tongue goes numb I will know now its the abilify lol... cheers... x Hey, watch out for akathisia! I find it useful to keep benadryl on hand as an akathisia prn when starting new, activating meds? I got mild akathisia from it, which went away quickly with treatment, but then i gained 30 pounds in 2 months, which kind of sucked. Otherwise, i still hallucinated mildly on it, but otherwise, pretty good. Thanks for the tip re benadryl... I wonder why that works? cheers x abilify has been an ok drug for me. i've been on it for 2-3 years. when i started first on 2 then on 5 mg it gave me a lot of energy, i couldn't stop moving and talking and couldn't sleep, thought i was going manic. but i wasn't, it was just abilify because when they raised the dose to 10 mg these effects went away and i felt better, not speedy. it has helped me when i was very depressed. i think that lower doses help more with depression by making you all speedy and excitable. higher doses like 10-15 mg are more for mania, because 15 and higher i got all sleepy on it and had to move the dose to nighttime. watch if you are moving a lot a lot and can't stop moving, that's akathisia. my brother had that on 2 and 5 mg and could not continue taking. i got it at 20 mg, i can't take more than 15. but it worked pretty well for stability for me up to a certain point. good luck ETA: this has been one of 2 AAPs that didn't gave me weight gain. the other was latuda. Thank you... I'm kicking off at 10mg so hopefully won't get akathisia (which I have never heard of btw)... xx For most people, Abilify is activating, but there is a subset of patients who find it sedating. If you are coming from Zyprexa, you are likely really going to notice it because not only might Abilify be activating for you, but also you will be losing the sedating effect of Zyprexa. It has few side effects, but it does have a reputation for causing akathisia in some people. It usually does not work instantly and cannot really be used as a PRN like Zyprexa sometimes is. Also, it can cause insomnia. I personally do not get any side effects from it at 30 mg except a slight increase in appetite. Well, at first, I got a little nausea, but that went away within a few days. I don't take Abilify for psychosis, but I do take it for depression. It took nearly 8 weeks to work for me, and it really only started to work when I reached 10 mg. Below 10 mg I had terrible anxiety. Above 10 mg I just feel so good that the anxiety isn't noticeable. That's my experience in a nutshell. Yeah my Pdoc did talk about nausea.... thanks for taking the time to reply x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissaw72 Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 I love abilify. It really calmed the hallucinations and delusions down. Not all the way, but enough so I pretty much know what is real and not real. I have had no adverse reactions on it, and have been on it since 2003 (or around then). I take it at night because it makes me tired. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 Zyprexa is my wonder drug for almost instantly putting the kibosh on manic and mixed states. Abilify is an unknown for now (3 weeks in). Ask me in 3-5 weeks. The abilify is for depression,,and may take the place of my lithium if it works. We shall see. Zyprexa has a ghastly side effect list.,but the shit works. That's why I take it p.r.n. Abilify has a very tame side effect profile in comparison. But you will never know until you try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowan77 Posted August 27, 2014 Share Posted August 27, 2014 While on Abilify I became very restless and developed akathisia. Was extremely agitated and could not sleep. It was a bad med for me. Hope you get a result taking it. Good luck!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtac Posted August 28, 2014 Share Posted August 28, 2014 Abilify worked great for my depression. However, I couldn't tolerate more than 2mg without untreatable insomnia, and I required major tranquilizers to sleep at that dose (100mg of seroquel would take the edge off, still took time to fall asleep). At 5mg I couldn't sleep at all, no matter what drugs I took for sleep. It wasn't just activating, it was insane. Also, mild akathesia, not enough to warrant treating it. No weight gain, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flash Posted August 29, 2014 Share Posted August 29, 2014 I don't sleep,as it is, so I don't know if abilify is doing anything on the sleep front. When I get back to my sleep cocktail again, I'll update y,all and let you know if that (remeron 15mg+ambien CR 12.5mg) works with the abilify. From what I can tell, abilify seems to make me drowsy about 1-2 hours after I take it, and then seems to be "activating" after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickenlips Posted August 29, 2014 Author Share Posted August 29, 2014 I love abilify. It really calmed the hallucinations and delusions down. Not all the way, but enough so I pretty much know what is real and not real. I have had no adverse reactions on it, and have been on it since 2003 (or around then). I take it at night because it makes me tired. Thanks Mel! x I don't sleep,as it is, so I don't know if abilify is doing anything on the sleep front. When I get back to my sleep cocktail again, I'll update y,all and let you know if that (remeron 15mg+ambien CR 12.5mg) works with the abilify. From what I can tell, abilify seems to make me drowsy about 1-2 hours after I take it, and then seems to be "activating" after that. Hi Flash - what do you mean by activating in this situation exactly? Thanks.... xx Abilify worked great for my depression. However, I couldn't tolerate more than 2mg without untreatable insomnia, and I required major tranquilizers to sleep at that dose (100mg of seroquel would take the edge off, still took time to fall asleep). At 5mg I couldn't sleep at all, no matter what drugs I took for sleep. It wasn't just activating, it was insane. Also, mild akathesia, not enough to warrant treating it. No weight gain, though. Thanks dtac x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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