Can abilify poop out on you after 10 years?

[Wonderful.Cheese]

So can abilify poop out on a person after 10+ years?

I think Seroquel xr works well for mania but leaves me smashed down depressed.

But could it be that I need to replace the abilify? 35 mg is a lot. I should feel something right? As far as activation or antidepressant effect? I'm a sloth currently. 

Or am I on too much antipsychotics weighing me down? I've been on two for as long as I can remember. I'm not doing well currently.

Pdoc will just want to raise the Seroquel to 800 mg (600 mg is current dose, and I don't want to go any higher). I see her in 3 days. 

I'm desperate and feel trapped. I am out of luck. Pdoc won't listen to my suggestions anymore anyway. 

 

[jt07]

You might get different answers to this, but with regard to depression, I believe it can poop out. Abilify for me is nowhere as effective as it was when I began taking it in 2011. It still works somewhat and I do get worse if I go off it, but it just isn't the same as it was. 

The good news is that there is always Rexulti which is similar to Abilify.

[Rabbit37]

I would think just about any med has the potential to poop out after at that length. Sorry to hear you’re thinking it’s not working. Ugh, wishing you the best with possible med change. 

[Wonderful.Cheese]

2 hours ago, jt07 said:

You might get different answers to this, but with regard to depression, I believe it can poop out. Abilify for me is nowhere as effective as it was when I began taking it in 2011. It still works somewhat and I do get worse if I go off it, but it just isn't the same as it was. 

The good news is that there is always Rexulti which is similar to Abilify.

See, I remember it being way more effective for mood and even psychosis a little bit more effective too way back when in 2007 or 2008 when I began taking it. So I have the same experience. I worry too about getting off of it and getting worse. Just in case it is doing more than I think. I have been on it continuously for these last 10 years. But seriously things have been going downhill for years. 

Rexulti I am interested in trying, but it's very expensive. The county clinic doesn't do samples unfortunately. Nor do I think my pdoc is receptive to any suggestions after my last fail suggestion of zyprexa. I think rexulti would be a good match, it's just a question of cost. It's sad that in this day and age that life saving meds cost as much as rent or mortgage per month. I mean because I have been seriously getting messages and feeling like this is the end for me. If a pill could stop that, does that mean we have to choose between the pill/my life or a roof over our heads? I have student loans $XX,XXX. We don't qualify for patient assistance all our money goes to my debt basically that we will never catch up to. Maybe my end is for the best. 

 

1 hour ago, Rabbit37 said:

I would think just about any med has the potential to poop out after at that length. Sorry to hear you’re thinking it’s not working. Ugh, wishing you the best with possible med change. 

Thank you. I am worried. I will definitely talk to my Dr about this although I doubt she will do anything. 

[mikl_pls]

Silly question, but could you use copay coupons for Rexulti?

2 hours ago, Wonderful.Cheese said:

Maybe my end is for the best.

Please, please don't say things like this. :'( 

Your life is invaluable compared to student debt, the cost of medication, and the cost of living.

Edited April 9, 2018 by mikl_pls

[Dr. Marshall]

My pdoc said once to me that it is possible, unfortunately for me too, as it's definately the drug of my life. And I also worry about it a lot. But I'm sure your doc will find the solution.

[confused]

A couple of comments. I think abilify is not working as well for me. My pdoc has been slowly tweaking my dosage up.  I am at 30mg which is the max he goes, from 10mg to control intrusive thoughts. I was on this dosage before, but I was very symptomatic and it worked. My thought was that I am getting progressively worse. It makes me feel better to think it may be the med.

As far as anti-depressant effect, I believe that is in combo with an ssri and low dosages 2-5mg ( I can search if you want)

Seroquel did not work well for me except controlling agitation, but I was on lower doses.

Cheese please take care of yourself. Does your doc know how depressed you are?

I want to try rexulti, too, but I don't think my pdoc is up to making any major changes. I am starting to max out on my meds.

[jt07]

24 minutes ago, confused said:

As far as anti-depressant effect, I believe that is in combo with an ssri and low dosages 2-5mg ( I can search if you want)

It's approved up to 15 mg for depression and the antidepressant doesn't have to be an SSRI. Any antidepressant will do. It didn't even start to work for me until I hit 10 mg.

@Wonderful.Cheese Don't ever think that things will be better if you ended it. You are right that it sucks that we have to choose between a roof over our heads or our meds. But now is the time to fight that injustice, not lay down and give up. In no way would the world be better off without you. But your voice might just be what is required to change things in the future. So don't give up, please.

@Dr. Marshall Abilify has been a life changing med for me too. I can't praise it enough because it is the only med that has ever touched my apathy and anhedonia period. So if it completely poops out on me, my only hope is Rexulti or ECT.

[Dr. Marshall]

Thanks @jt07 in my country rexulti is not very popular so far, but I will ask about it my pdoc on the next visit, they sometimes give Solian (amisulprid) instead, but I've heard it's not very recommended for women. I would like to try ECT but I would have to pay for it. So far Abilify still works for me, I just think sometimes what if it stops one day and I have nightmares about it.

[Wonderful.Cheese]

17 hours ago, mikl_pls said:

Silly question, but could you use copay coupons for Rexulti?

Please, please don't say things like this. :'( 

Your life is invaluable compared to student debt, the cost of medication, and the cost of living.

I'm sorry. I am just fed up. Don't worry. I wouldn't do anything to myself. Too scared. 

The only problem with copay cards is that for the first fill it's free. So that's great and if you find out it works well... But then the next fill it takes "only" $600 maximum off your next 90 prescription. Well that next 90 day prescription happens to cost $1600 or so. Or nearly $18 a day per pill. Well it would be less with the $600 discount. Outrageous, right?

Generic pills are covered beautifully with our insurance. I mean even nuvigil generic. Or invega when I was on it. Comes in 90 day supply. Mail order. Wonderful. 

Brand name mail order, expensive. Not $1600 but still out of our reach financially by quite a stretch. 

[Wonderful.Cheese]

16 hours ago, Dr. Marshall said:

My pdoc said once to me that it is possible, unfortunately for me too, as it's definately the drug of my life. And I also worry about it a lot. But I'm sure your doc will find the solution.

Thank you. It was definitely a or the drug of my life. Try not to worry. This may never happen to you. I am treatment resistant according to my Dr. So this may be the reason that it has gradually began to not be as effective as it once was. And really, I am just guessing. I have not tried to get off of abilify in 10 years. So how do I know what it is or isn't doing anymore? I just know that I have gotten worse progressively. That's all I know right now. 

[Wonderful.Cheese]

4 hours ago, confused said:

A couple of comments. I think abilify is not working as well for me. My pdoc has been slowly tweaking my dosage up.  I am at 30mg which is the max he goes, from 10mg to control intrusive thoughts. I was on this dosage before, but I was very symptomatic and it worked. My thought was that I am getting progressively worse. It makes me feel better to think it may be the med.

As far as anti-depressant effect, I believe that is in combo with an ssri and low dosages 2-5mg ( I can search if you want)

Seroquel did not work well for me except controlling agitation, but I was on lower doses.

Cheese please take care of yourself. Does your doc know how depressed you are?

I want to try rexulti, too, but I don't think my pdoc is up to making any major changes. I am starting to max out on my meds.

I don't think my pdoc knows how bad I feel. Tdoc just knows how bad I'm worrying we didn't get a chance to touch my mood because time slipped by. I see pdoc on Wednesday morning. I can't call. I'm too nervous. I sit with the phone in my hand for hours trying to call. 

I hope it is the med and that we are not getting worse and worse over time. 

I don't think my pdoc is up for any med changes either. Seroquel works for me as it does prevent mania pretty much 100% and helps me sleep at night. But I'm left depressed often and still sometimes psychotic I guess. Plus the worry. 

4 hours ago, jt07 said:

It's approved up to 15 mg for depression and the antidepressant doesn't have to be an SSRI. Any antidepressant will do. It didn't even start to work for me until I hit 10 mg.

@Wonderful.Cheese Don't ever think that things will be better if you ended it. You are right that it sucks that we have to choose between a roof over our heads or our meds. But now is the time to fight that injustice, not lay down and give up. In no way would the world be better off without you. But your voice might just be what is required to change things in the future. So don't give up, please.

@Dr. Marshall Abilify has been a life changing med for me too. I can't praise it enough because it is the only med that has ever touched my apathy and anhedonia period. So if it completely poops out on me, my only hope is Rexulti or ECT.

I'm sorry. I am too scared to do anything to myself. Don't worry. I'm sorry I said that. I am just fed up. 

[Wonderful.Cheese]

2 hours ago, Dr. Marshall said:

Thanks @jt07 in my country rexulti is not very popular so far, but I will ask about it my pdoc on the next visit, they sometimes give Solian (amisulprid) instead, but I've heard it's not very recommended for women. I would like to try ECT but I would have to pay for it. So far Abilify still works for me, I just think sometimes what if it stops one day and I have nightmares about it.

I'm sorry. I hope I didn't cause you to worry more about abilify not working one day for you. I think a lot of us here are treatment resistant and that might change the way we react or don't react to meds. I don't know much about that I will admit but I guess anything is a possibility. Plus we all react differently to medications so your experience will not be identical to mine. I hope abilify will work forever for you. 

[Butterflykisses]

I am sorry you are going through this, Cheese. I am hoping you and your pdoc can possibly find an alternative. I know its hard to ask or bring up med changes (at least for me) but hopefully your pdoc can see how much you are struggling. Much love. x

[Wonderful.Cheese]

2 hours ago, Butterflykisses said:

I am sorry you are going through this, Cheese. I am hoping you and your pdoc can possibly find an alternative. I know its hard to ask or bring up med changes (at least for me) but hopefully your pdoc can see how much you are struggling. Much love. x

Thank you butterfly for the support. I am feeling very hopeless. I worry my pdoc won't want to do anything but what can you do I guess. Wednesday can't come soon enough. 

[confused]

7 hours ago, jt07 said:

It's approved up to 15 mg for depression and the antidepressant doesn't have to be an SSRI. Any antidepressant will do. It didn't even start to work for me until I hit 10 mg.

@Wonderful.Cheese Don't ever think that things will be better if you ended it. You are right that it sucks that we have to choose between a roof over our heads or our meds. But now is the time to fight that injustice, not lay down and give up. In no way would the world be better off without you. But your voice might just be what is required to change things in the future. So don't give up, please.

@Dr. Marshall Abilify has been a life changing med for me too. I can't praise it enough because it is the only med that has ever touched my apathy and anhedonia period. So if it completely poops out on me, my only hope is Rexulti or ECT.

Thank you jt  my pdoc had tried to explain to me how abilify works differently on dopamine at different dosages. I think he just confused confused

[Dr. Marshall]

No worries @Wonderful.Cheese it has always been in my head since I learnt about the problem. It's a very important issue for me too so thank you for rising it. Hope we can find some solutions togather.

[Wonderful.Cheese]

7 hours ago, Dr. Marshall said:

No worries @Wonderful.Cheese it has always been in my head since I learnt about the problem. It's a very important issue for me too so thank you for rising it. Hope we can find some solutions togather.

Yes it is an important issue, you are right. I will let you know what my Dr says for sure. There has to be some solution. 

[Wonderful.Cheese]

@jt07 and @mikl_pls Would you guys happen to know (or anyone else too) (I was also wondering what time you guys took your abilify dose too)...

Would taking my abilify in the morning help me more at all? I don't know anything about half lives.

I currently take it at night. It neither sedates nor activates me. Maybe it would give me more daytime coverage?

I used to take it in the AM but I was so tired so all my meds were moved to bedtime. (Well come to find out that I was so tired because my thyroid was whacky and I have hashimoto's, so probably only the Seroquel sedates me somewhat).

I'm just grasping at straws here. Lamictal is also taken at bedtime but I was told that would calm me down long ago by my first good pdoc. So not sure. 

Maybe moving the time I take meds around would help me? Or am I in dream land here? 

Could this be a solution?

[Blahblah]

I had another thought, is there any way that your pdoc could contact your insurance, stating that your condition is treatment-resistant to other meds and they need to cover Rexulti to avoid hospitalization?

I'm not sure about the required criteria for approval, or how that process works, but I recall, my pdoc in the past had to contact my insurance or submit a written appeal letter, to prescribe an off-label stimulant, because my condition was not improved by other antidepressant meds, stabilizers, etc alone. However, I know this might not work since Rexulti is not in generic yet :-( Anyone know when it will be??

Edited April 10, 2018 by Blahblah

[mikl_pls]

On 4/9/2018 at 3:31 PM, Wonderful.Cheese said:

I'm sorry. I am just fed up. Don't worry. I wouldn't do anything to myself. Too scared.

I understand. But I'm glad you wouldn't do anything to yourself. Because that's a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Things can't suck forever.

On 4/9/2018 at 3:31 PM, Wonderful.Cheese said:

The only problem with copay cards is that for the first fill it's free. So that's great and if you find out it works well... But then the next fill it takes "only" $600 maximum off your next 90 prescription. Well that next 90 day prescription happens to cost $1600 or so. Or nearly $18 a day per pill. Well it would be less with the $600 discount. Outrageous, right?

Sounds about like my insurance. I can get certain brand-name meds with copay coupons, but other brand-name meds are just hopeless (like the newer antipsychotics and the super high cost antidepressants like Emsam, which I used to be able to get for $25 with the coupon...)

9 hours ago, Wonderful.Cheese said:

@jt07 and @mikl_pls Would you guys happen to know (or anyone else too) (I was also wondering what time you guys took your abilify dose too)...

Would taking my abilify in the morning help me more at all? I don't know anything about half lives.

I currently take it at night. It neither sedates nor activates me. Maybe it would give me more daytime coverage?

I used to take it in the AM but I was so tired so all my meds were moved to bedtime. (Well come to find out that I was so tired because my thyroid was whacky and I have hashimoto's, so probably only the Seroquel sedates me somewhat).

I'm just grasping at straws here. Lamictal is also taken at bedtime but I was told that would calm me down long ago by my first good pdoc. So not sure. 

Maybe moving the time I take meds around would help me? Or am I in dream land here? 

Could this be a solution?

I've heard that when you get it in your system (or any medicine) that it doesn't matter what time of day you take it, so long as you take it the same time every day (but if it's activating you should take it in the morning of course). It's very activating for me, so I have to take mine in the morning. But as for the half-life, Abilify has a very long half-life, so it wouldn't matter if you took it in the morning or at night. I mean, you could try taking it in the morning and see what happens, right?

I've always been told by my pdoc that Lamictal is activating, but I guess everyone will have their own reaction. I mean, it calmed me down, but it was "activating" insofar as it kept my mood from crashing into a bottomless void (at least for a little while). I've also always taken my Lamictal in divided doses (like if it's 200 mg daily, 100 mg 2x/day).

I don't know really how much help moving the time at which you take your meds would help though, honestly. I think your pdoc needs to pay better attention to you and listen better when you say you're depressed, experiencing psychosis, and say "this isn't working." I'm worried that your pdoc is out of ideas and doesn't know what to do or has just checked out and doesn't care anymore (which I hope neither is the case). I'm optimistic that your pdoc can find a solution for you though, especially if you are vocal enough about your symptoms.

[Iceberg]

I agree that the half life is pretty long so idk that moving it would really help. Is it possible that ur on too much antipsychotic? 

[Wonderful.Cheese]

I have good news and bad news. 

Good news? Rexulti mail order is cheaper than I had thought or expected. I confirmed it with my insurance company today. Plus first fill is free so titration period is free basically. So it's still super expensive but I think we could swing it. If it worked really well. 

Bad news? Pdoc cancelled my appointment super last minute on me this morning. But I got an appointment on Friday morning. Otherwise she is booked out for weeks. Lucky I got that appointment. I just hope she is in on Friday. 

On 4/10/2018 at 8:43 AM, Blahblah said:

I had another thought, is there any way that your pdoc could contact your insurance, stating that your condition is treatment-resistant to other meds and they need to cover Rexulti to avoid hospitalization?

I'm not sure about the required criteria for approval, or how that process works, but I recall, my pdoc in the past had to contact my insurance or submit a written appeal letter, to prescribe an off-label stimulant, because my condition was not improved by other antidepressant meds, stabilizers, etc alone. However, I know this might not work since Rexulti is not in generic yet :-( Anyone know when it will be??

I will check with my pdoc about this. Good idea!! I wonder if this would bring the cost down somehow?

[Wonderful.Cheese]

20 hours ago, mikl_pls said:

I understand. But I'm glad you wouldn't do anything to yourself. Because that's a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Things can't suck forever.

Sounds about like my insurance. I can get certain brand-name meds with copay coupons, but other brand-name meds are just hopeless (like the newer antipsychotics and the super high cost antidepressants like Emsam, which I used to be able to get for $25 with the coupon...)

I've heard that when you get it in your system (or any medicine) that it doesn't matter what time of day you take it, so long as you take it the same time every day (but if it's activating you should take it in the morning of course). It's very activating for me, so I have to take mine in the morning. But as for the half-life, Abilify has a very long half-life, so it wouldn't matter if you took it in the morning or at night. I mean, you could try taking it in the morning and see what happens, right?

I've always been told by my pdoc that Lamictal is activating, but I guess everyone will have their own reaction. I mean, it calmed me down, but it was "activating" insofar as it kept my mood from crashing into a bottomless void (at least for a little while). I've also always taken my Lamictal in divided doses (like if it's 200 mg daily, 100 mg 2x/day).

I don't know really how much help moving the time at which you take your meds would help though, honestly. I think your pdoc needs to pay better attention to you and listen better when you say you're depressed, experiencing psychosis, and say "this isn't working." I'm worried that your pdoc is out of ideas and doesn't know what to do or has just checked out and doesn't care anymore (which I hope neither is the case). I'm optimistic that your pdoc can find a solution for you though, especially if you are vocal enough about your symptoms.

I wonder too how much help moving things around will actually be. Sigh. I did find out the cost of mail order rexulti is less expensive than previously thought. Which is great. Still super expensive but not $1600 either. We might be able to swing it. I will have to double check with husband of course. But it should be ok. I hope it's not a weight gain med. Ugh. But something needs to change. I see pdoc on Friday and I will try to be as vocal as I can. It's hard but needs to be done. 

20 hours ago, Iceberg said:

I agree that the half life is pretty long so idk that moving it would really help. Is it possible that ur on too much antipsychotic? 

It is a possibility. I will also ask about this on Friday in addition to switching to rexulti. Are you on two antipsychotics or were you? I'm on my phone and can't see. Sorry. I just remembered that you were or are possibly. If you are on one now, do you feel any differently?

[Iceberg]

There has been manyyyy times that I was on two or even 3 aps with the worst being trilafon zyprexa and seroquel- was a fucking zombie. I am on one AP now and doing not too badly (with the help of ketamine). However my AP is clozaril which is pretty unique in that it's intended for when other ideas don't work 

[mikl_pls]

7 hours ago, Wonderful.Cheese said:

I wonder too how much help moving things around will actually be. Sigh. I did find out the cost of mail order rexulti is less expensive than previously thought. Which is great. Still super expensive but not $1600 either. We might be able to swing it. I will have to double check with husband of course. But it should be ok. I hope it's not a weight gain med. Ugh. But something needs to change. I see pdoc on Friday and I will try to be as vocal as I can. It's hard but needs to be done. 

That's good that it isn't expensive as you thought, but still not good that it's super expensive...  It shouldn't be a weight gain med... I personally experienced weight gain in low doses but not in high doses which is weird... but most people don't gain weight on it. I'm not sure, but you may end up needing a dose on the higher end of the spectrum, like 3-4 mg. It would be convenient if your pdoc had samples to offer you to titrate up from 0.5 mg, but I think you said they don't have samples at your clinic.

[Iceberg]

For what it's worth you can start at 1mg depending on how aggressive u and doc want to be ...I did .5 for like 2 days and then went to one