Briefly. My doc has suggested Abilify for suspected Bipolar2. I take Wellbutrin for depression and recently Adderall for what appears to be an ADD issue. Tried anti-psychotic meds 12 yrs ago when things became unmanageable for what docs suspected was schizoid personality disorder. They weren't tolerated well and after trying 3 diif. meds I had to say no more. Side-effects were extreme and no discernable improvement on any level. Never again I says.

My dx was then changed to Avoidant. AvPD. This is the current dx. The mood swings persist. psy-doc thinks the suspected BP may be the cause of the constant rollercoasting and increased severity of my AvP symptoms in particular.

I used to read up on this stuff a lot. Clouds things when one isn't versed in the mumbo-jumbo that is yrs of sanctioned study in the field. Assumptions/estimates/guesses etc I can't do anymore. I don't know the damned problem but it comes down to trying this Abilify. I was told it might take a small dose after I voiced hesitancy.

What's this stuffs track record like? If anyone has an opinion good or bad I'd like to hear it. Especially if it's been prescribed for BPII.

Sorry to barge in. Hello to any familiar folks who recognize my name. I've been away for a few months and have never posted on the BP forum before. Thanks. Q

[AnxietyGirl916]

I have BPII and am on 5mg of Abilify. I don't particularly like it. Makes me tired and has caused annoying side effects like itching and joint pain. Personally I don't think it's doing much good.

[wildflowerchild25]

I was on 10mgs of abilify over the summer and I felt it just kept me in a depression. I was depressed the whole summer until I stopped taking it ( but kept taking the AD which threw me into a particularly heinous mania)z now that I am on a mood stabilizer I am much better. But I know plenty of people who say it has helped tremendously. So who knows?

[lawrenman]

I took abilify and may go back to it at some point.

I'm Bipolar I though.

My thoughts on Abilify is it reduces the output of certain brain chemicals. For me its effect was too powerful as I believe it helped create a depressive episode I went into later. However, the depressive episode may have been a contra to my mega-manic episode. Most likely my brain went into shutdown mode in recovery.

All I can truly say is Abilify's side effects were very apparent. However, it probably made it so it took longer for my second manic episode to develop. Unfortunately the side-effect might have possibly been depression.

Even with the above, I am still considering taking Abilify as I am worried that I will just need to take ever increasing doses of Zyprexa to quiet my mind if I don't take Abilify.

Hope you understand...

[BipolaRNurse]

I've been noticing that a lot more BP 2's are being put on antipsychotics these days. I wonder why that is?

Thank you all for your input. I'm just stepping in here for a moment before bed and will re-read tomorrow.

One quick response though to BRN.

Hi...was there a different treatment protocol before? Are you saying perhaps in the past this route [antipsychotics] wasn't all that common for BP2?

Are there other methods/meds that were or are used? I'm under the impression from your post that something other than anti-psychotics may have been used. I may be a little confused. It's late. Or early for most. *grin*

I'm on 10mg and don't know that it's doing a whole lot. I do believe it dulls the mania a bit but I'm not 100%. I take mine in the morning and don't feel tired from it at all. I just got off of wellbutrin and I take adderall too so I'm versed in your coctail lol. I may be starting lamictal soon but not sure yet.

[venusss]

Originally Posted by BipolaRNurse

I've been noticing that a lot more BP 2's are being put on antipsychotics these days. I wonder why that is?

well, Al Jazeera made a report about this sometime ago... Mass psychosis in the US - Opinion - Al Jazeera English

Imho, no, drugs that can destroy your metabolism and cause brain atrophy shouldn't be a first line of treatment, especially since there are other treatment available (moodstabilizers and all).

[EJB5565]

I'm on 30mg Abilify as a BPI patient. I find that it makes me over emotionally crying at many things I see on tv or read. I have been treating for long term depression and can't say it has really helped, but the doc thinks I still need to be taking it.

[AnxietyGirl916]

One of the other things I hate about it is that it's so expensive. Even with my insurance, my copay is $35.

[BipolaRNurse]

I'm paying $165 a month for mine. At least it works, thank God.

[Charly1]

I am on 5 mg of Abilify and it works for me. I am BPII and had horrible rage and it has helped with that a lot. My rage is for the most part gone. I was hesitant at first, but am so glad I decided to take it.

[bluemountains]

Abilify works well for my son in controlling the intensity of his moods. I took it as well, but it made me very sleepy, so I switched to lamictal.
Bluemountains

[dragonfly2]

Abilify can work in two different ways. At low doses, it works as an antidepressant, which is likely why more people with BPII are being prescribed it. At the higher doses (upwards of 10 mg and higher), it functions as an antimanic. I'm not sure where the antipsychotic benefits kick in. They have found similar antidepressant qualities in Seroquel. It can help augment other antidepressants and is sometimes even prescribed in cases of pure Major Depression. It sounds like the Wellbutrin, while certainly an antidepressant, may also be being used to treat your ADD. It's one of the front line non-stimulant meds for ADD (along with Strattera for adults). My entire family is on Wellbutrin - we all take it for depression (we all actually have bipolar in different severities), but it's also used in my husband and older daughter for their ADD. My husband also takes Strattera. I am on Abilify to help augment the Wellbutrin and have found it to be a powerful antidepressant, while not making me manic or rapid cycle the way SSRI's or Tricyclics do.

What can I say...our family's motto is "better living through chemistry", lol. I typically refer to our household as "Our Lady of Perpetual Mood Swings" (Catholic background). It's never a dull moment for sure.

Anyway, that's why there are so many different dosages and reactions represented here. It's a different medication at different dosages.

Hope that helps.

[LacunaCoiler]

I haven't been on it for a few years now because of the sever side effects I had on it. It mad me more depressed, my thoughts became darker, and I just wanted to cry all the time. About 8 months into taking it I experienced tardive dyskinesia. This is uncontrollable tremors in your trunk and exteriors which can be permanent if untreated. It was very painful and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

[brokenandalone1234]

I was on it and didn't like it. It made me sleep 15-16 hours a day. My grades suffered and my social and family life suffered. I would talk to your doc and see what they think. That is just what it did to me not saying the same thing will happen to you.

[Blackberryrocks11]

Abilify made me extremely anxious when I was prescribed a few years back. I was having mini panic attacks all day long. Fortunately I wasn't taking other medication and when an anti anxiety pill was suggested, I turned it down in favor of stopping Abilify.

Today I am on Geodon 80mgs twice a day, and Trileptal 150mgs twice a day. The (hypo)mania I was experiencing is gone and I finally feel calm.

I have a friend who takes Abilify and it works for her just fine.

[EmmaPastoria]

I've been reading recently about the over prescribing of antipsychotics, along with heavy marketing of this drug(s) as merely adjuncts to antidepressants.

In an effort to manage my BP2 depression, my Pdoc prescribed 5mg Abilify. I was on this antipsychotic this for a year or more. I have lost track of the time frame and all the RX's I taken over the course of 20+ years for BP2.
I was taken off the Abilfy due to little improvement.

Then, once again in an effort to manage my BP2 depression, he prescribed Seroquel. The beginning dose of 50mg was then upped to 100mg. I became so tired and apathetic I slept much of my days away. I gained weight and my cholestrol went through the roof. Also, my blood pressure became higher than usual. This perhaps a result if weight gain.

I told Pdoc my how my quality of life was signifcantly diminished and my apathy raised furthering my depressive symptoms that we hoped to aliviate in the first place.

After stopping Seroquel, I was then prescribed Latuda. I suffed such terrible side effects that I contacted both manufacturing and FDA to report these effects.

I felt so badly during this of timeframe (years) I did not feel well enough to ask my Pdoc for detailed information on any of these drugs nor did I feel well enough to read the black box warning. I could not self advocate due to my condition, only later learning these drugs were all atypical antipsychotics. I was horrified that I had been on antipsychotics! I suppose my mania was managed to some degree, but my primary complaint was depressive symptoms, not mania.

I have since refused an antipsychotic(s). I am concerned about severe,life long side effects. Specifcally, tardive dyskinesia.
Checkout NAMI for further information.

[Fuzzybear]

Hi, I haven't been on this but am maybe having to change meds due to severe side effects and worsening depression and mood swings (also been dxd with avpd)

[Tapering]

Abilify has helped me with my side effects from activation from antidepressants. It has hurt me however I have gone from 183 lbs to 236. I got to 183 on depakote previously. I used to be a small person for the first 27 years of my life. My blood sugar is high, I now have hypertension and am treated for that as well. I am in the process of going down on Abilify now. I was on 30 mg. 30 mg is ridiculous for a person without schizophrenia. It is hard for me to get off of. I went down by 5mg one time doctor directed. I had crying spells. I am now down to 17.5 mg by going in 2.5 mg increments. I do not have a positive opinion about Abilify. I will be glad when I am completely off. It is very expensive I have $80 Copays on Medicare part D. For 30 tablets it is over 900.00 cost of the 20 mg. I see that on my Medicare statements. Abilify was the highest money grossing medication this year. Meaning the most money spent on medications was spent on Abilify. I feel like I am a prisoner on it because it is so hard to get off of.

[Axiom]

Hi! I'm probably bipolar II, not I, and I need antipsychotics. They help me tremendously. I have some hallucinations and magical thinking that are not part of my episodes, which seems to have made my therapists worried. Another reason for prescribing APs, they say. I live in Europe. I am currently on 10mg of Abilify, down from 20mg since I'm switching to Seroquel.

At the moment I have a nasty case of clenching and grinding my teeth. I also got anxiety, restlessness, bad sleep, agitation, anger and nightmares from Abilify. It doesn't work that well for my manic symptoms all the time either. For me, it is not a good medication, which I also think is the case for a lot of other people. It has many unpleasant side-effects. I have been on Zyprexa before though, and that helped me a lot, but I didn't want to stay on it because of it's sedative effects.

(I'm also on Lamictal 200mg and Buspar 20mg, they don't help that much)

[vans1974]

At 2.5mg-5mg Abilify helps augment the anti-depressants. For mood stability the dosage can be increased to 30mg. I liked Abilify, was on it for years... it is a great AAP, but for bipolar depression I prefer Latuda! Best of luck!!

[avlady]

Thanks for your post, i was recently put on Abilify, and i think it is working. Was there any specific side affects your talking about?

[supermedman]

I've been on practically every atypical antipsychotics. Abilify has a better side-effect profile than the other atypical antipsychotics (less drowsiness, less zombie feeling, less producing tits that leak out milk-- which is a weird one if you're a guy--supposedly less weight gain, less bad effects on cholesterol and blood sugar levels, less heart problems). Yet, why was I feeling so bad taking this miracle drug. It gave me insomnia and anxiety. But that was really awfull was the akathisia. The doc forgot to tell me that almost everyone get akathisia. Akathisia is the worst feeling in the whole world. I couldn't stand still, a walked for hours, I had this weird bad feeling inside (it's hard to describe, but trust me it's HORRIBLE. You feel like you're going crazy. The doc gave cogentin, it didn't work, then artane, which worked (somewhat). The akathisia is still there, but much less horrible. Have any of you have this experience?