Abilify input. Thank you!!.

Hello my sisters and brothers.

Not much activity on my part lately. I'v been sorta mistified (lazy azz). Without much energy for anything.
Of course, I blame the Lithium. Been ungrateful as I am, I asked for something different..
The Lithium got me out of a depression that 200mg of Lamotrigine couldn't touch.

She offered the whole menu. Meaning that I can pick anything short of narcotics.
I picked Abilify, since I'm still convinced that my illness is MDD, not BP. It should work for both, just in case.
Seven days to quit the Lithium. I'm at 600mg a day and at .6 with that little dose.
Abilify 5mg for the 1st seven days, 10mg thereafter.

I need input about my choice. Is it the right med?. Is there something better to fight depression?.
If you were in Lithium and changed, for what?.

I'm rambling a little, since I'm not really in full faculties, so if something is not clearly understood, please, let me know.
Thank you for your help. Luv.

We. (Husband & I) take it as an AP. We take Wellbutrin for depression. I'm on 20 mg ablify he's on 10 mg.

I take the injection of Abilify @ 400mg ER. I really don't like it. It makes me angry the first week after the injection, then after that it really doesn't do anything. I also take Seroquel on top of the Abilify, so I see no benefit from the Abilify that Seroquel that doesn't do for me. I also take Lamicatal for mood, and Buspar for anxiety.

A lot of people don't like it, but I do.

It has its pros and cons. Pros? It's non-sedating and has immensely helped me with my depression. The downside? It doesn't seem to prevent hypo/mania for me.

Just make sure to drink lots of water with it or you'll get really, really dizzy. It lowers your blood pressure.

I didn't know it lowered your blood pressure. Hmm.

I did okay on 10mg but 20 threw me into a deep depression that I'm still climbing out of.

I took it awhile back. Don't remember why I was put on something else. My med changes sometimes happens ip after an episode.

I take 15 mg of Abilify and I've never felt any side effects from it. I don't remember exactly, but I think it was added to my other AP (Seroquel) when I wanted to lower it -a lot- and my pdoc wanted to make sure I was covered AP-wise. I don't know its effects on depression -for me, it's Lamictal that has helped with that -I'm now on 400mg.

I took Abilify twice. It didn't work for me either time.

I take 30mgs. I'm beginning to wonder if its not exactly the most effective antipsychotic. I'm better than I would be without an antipsychotic, but I'm having some agitation and such that I kind of assumed would go away with what I think is usually the maximum daily dose.

On the plus side, I get really bad depression, and some atypical antipsychotics would make me feel worse. Abilify doesn't seem to do a whole lot by itself to keep the depression away, but it doesn't seem to cause depression or make my mood any worse.

No twitches, tics, etc., either, which is always a good thing.

Thank you all for your kind replies.

I've been reading a little and Abilify is an AP that can be used for depression with an antidepressant.
Also coupled with Lamotrigine. I put myself in 100mg ( one point took it down to 25mg) and according to what I see, my dose of Lamo may be inappropiate, if not ridiculous.
I'm no depressed. I just don't feel much. Or do much.
300mg Wellbutrin are doing something. But Not enough.
I'll give it a try. Not to be used for more that six weeks, hahaha. Like xanax. Six weeks.
How come I can't go lower than 25mg or I don't sleep. Six weeks turned into four years.
Either way, Lithium has to go. It did it's job already. Time for the meds-go-round.
Thanks again. Luv.

I took it but got akathisia so my dr pulled me off. They don't like to play with that as it can be permanent. Supposedly Rexulti is a cousin (son?) Of abilify and I'll be starting that in 2 weeks. I hope I don't get any side effects and have to go off. I really am done with zyprexa

Good luck with the med change! I'm going from a Abilify to Latuda and med changes are always the pits.

Yes ! The tapering and the side effects. I've tried so many meds that gave me odd side effects. That's why I hope this one in 2 weeks works out.

Back when I was on Abilify, I was taking it along with Seroquel, Lamictal, Lorazepam, and propranolol. My pdoc was hoping that Abilify would help reduce paranoia, but also alleviate depression since I was in a Mixed Episode. I started at 5 mg and went up to 15 mg (if I recall correctly), with the hopes of it working since I felt no different on 5 mg.

10-15 mg didn't do anything either, except giving me more agitation and restlessness. Now I'm off of it. This is just my experience though. Everyone is different. I would describe it as "activating." Great for some, but not for me.

Good luck. I hope it works out well for you.

When I was IP I was on Zyprexa high doses to deal with mania/psychosis and all it did was make me gain weight. Within a week of being on 10-30mg of Abilify my mania and psychosis lifted and I am back to normal now. Now my doctor just wants me to take it PRN if I get symptoms again but I have been fine for 10 days.