Antipsychotics and functioning at work

[estoyloca]

Hello. I am new to the forum and have a few questions about finding an antipsychotic that will help me function at work without being too sedating.

I am on abilify along with an antidepressant to treat bipolar depression as well as auditory hallucinations and delusions that occur when I experience stress. I was switched to abilify after taking seroquel because I found seroquel to be very sedating, and I struggled to be with my family or work due to the fatigue. However, seroquel completely stabilized my mood and eliminated the psychotic symptoms.

I was switched to abilify because it was supposed to be more activating so I would be able to function at work, school, and with parenting. I have gained 10 lbs since starting, and I still feel depressed and have been experiencing some hallucinations.

Does anyone have any suggestions about antipsychotics that may be more effective while not as sedating so that I could bring these to my doctor's attention? The seroquel worked wonders, but I am trying to go back to school and work, so I need to be present and engaged to do well.

Thank you.

[morpheus]

Maybee lurasidone, amisulpride (Not available in USA), ziprasidone and of course older typicals.

 

Also what kind form of Seroquel were you taking? IR or XR? And at what dosage?

Edited September 10, 2016 by centaurus

[estoyloca]

I was on 300mg of Seroquel immediate release along with 75 mg of effexor.

I have also tried vraylar, which made me terribly nauseated.

[jt07]

How long did you give the Vraylar? I was terribly nauseated when I first started Abilify, but the nausea went away almost 1 week to the day after I started. It is completely gone.

There is also Rexulti which is the "new and improved": Abilify which supposedly has fewer side effects.

Saphris is supposed to be very sedating when you take it, but from what I have read (no personal experience), a lot of people say it doesn't have the morning and next day hangover that Seroquel has.

Many people find Seroquel XR to be less sedating than the immediate release.

Finally, as has been mentioned, there are the typical antipsychotic some of which are not sedating.

[CeremonyNewOrder]

My pdoc prescribed me adderall to counter the sedation I get from clozapine. You might ask your doctor to prescribe you something to help.

[dtac]

I'll jump on the Rexulti bandwagon, as it's been a miracle drug for me. I agree with the "new and improved Abilify" description -- it's like all of the good with far less of the bad. Supposedly Rexulti can be sedating, but I find it to be neutral. Biggest downside is cost right now.

[Zelling]

Jumping on to this thread, as I am looking for a similar thing. Have been put back onto seroquel IR due to a relapse in symptoms, as it's apparently the fastest acting -but I feel severely sedated.  I have tried asenapine (saphris), aripiprazole (abilify) and seroquel XR in the past, and I found they were either severely sedating or gave me panic attacks.

As far as I can tell, other options that aren't (as) sedating would be risperidone, lurasidone and ziprasidone?

Edited October 15, 2016 by Zelling

[melissaw72]

On 9/10/2016 at 2:12 PM, estoyloca said:

Does anyone have any suggestions about antipsychotics that may be more effective while not as sedating so that I could bring these to my doctor's attention?

I'm sorry I missed this post! 

I think it varies with everyone in terms of whether a med is sedating or not, and if so, when the 'being tired' side effect will wear off.  I would give it some time to see if the side effect/s wear off.  YMMV type-thing.

Abilify made me initially sedated, but that wore off after a couple-few weeks.  It didn't take very long.

 

2 hours ago, Zelling said:

I have tried asenapine (saphris), ariprazole (abilify) and seroquel XR in the past, and I found they were either severely sedating or gave me panic attacks.

FWIW ... like I was talking about above, the side effect of being tired from the abilify might wear off ... it did for me, and if you happen to re-try it at any given point in the future, try to remember that side effect has a good chance of going away, IMO.

[Zelling]

Thanks for responding! The abilify was sedating for the several months I was on it, unfortunately.

[melissaw72]

1 hour ago, Zelling said:

Thanks for responding! The abilify was sedating for the several months I was on it, unfortunately.

That is too bad. 

Out of curiosity, when you were on the Abilify, do you remember the abilify giving you headaches that never completely went away 24/7? 

 

[Zelling]

Just now, melissaw72 said:

That is too bad. 

Out of curiosity, when you were on the Abilify, do you remember the abilify giving you headaches that never completely went away 24/7? 

 

No, no headaches for me while on Abilify. Sorry if that doesn't help!

[melissaw72]

Just now, Zelling said:

No, no headaches for me while on Abilify. Sorry if that doesn't help!

No, it is ok, no apologies needed.  I was just wondering if you had them too.  The headaches are just a nightmare.  I was off of abilify for the past 2 weeks, minimal headaches, minimal Excedrin, could think clearer.  But pdoc decided yesterday to have me back on 5 mg.  And this morning a headache woke me up, even after just one dose of 5 mg.

So I emailed and said to pdoc (paraphrased) that I will be on Abillify, but to not comment on the increase of Excedrin again.  It is either off of abilify and minimal headaches/minimal Excedrin, OR on abilify, and the increase of Excedrin again ... with no comments on the amount of Excedrin I have to be back on.  *I didn't write it like this to sound flip or anything, this is just part of what was said in the email, in nicer words.

[browri]

On 9/10/2016 at 10:45 PM, jt07 said:

How long did you give the Vraylar? I was terribly nauseated when I first started Abilify, but the nausea went away almost 1 week to the day after I started. It is completely gone.

There is also Rexulti which is the "new and improved": Abilify which supposedly has fewer side effects.

Saphris is supposed to be very sedating when you take it, but from what I have read (no personal experience), a lot of people say it doesn't have the morning and next day hangover that Seroquel has.

Many people find Seroquel XR to be less sedating than the immediate release.

Finally, as has been mentioned, there are the typical antipsychotic some of which are not sedating.

I can definitely testify to Saphris. I would recommend it to anyone as a suggestion. Recommendation to start at the 2.5mg first. They only made 5mg and 10mg sublinguals and it was dosed twice a day. They found that many people were splitting the 5's and taking it once a day so they started manufacturing a 2.5mg sublingual after it went to market. I would still be on 2.5mg if my doctor wasn't so scared of akathisia. It's something that he really doesn't want to happen to his patients because he doesn't want it to become permanent.

I like Latuda a lot. It actually helps me to focus and maintain attention. My issue is intrusive thoughts or invasive ideas that either make me anxious or paranoid. Latuda does a good job of quieting them, and I find that I really can keep my mind on work when I'm at work, and I'm not dwelling on other things that may detract from my performance. Now I do take Latuda with several other meds. Notably, I take Aplenzin (bupropion) which is quite stimulating and helps with focus as well.