First dose of Abilify. Should I expect to notice effects right away?

First: I’m not really clear on the forum policy of creating new threads of similar subject matter. I apologize If I should have just added this to my most recent thread. Let me know if that is what I should have done, please.

Last week I was prescribed Abilify and Trazodone. The latter is to help me sleep; the Abilify is to keep my moods stable.

I have been very anxious about taking the Abilify. I’m quite concerned about adverse side effects.

I just took my first dose. The pharmacist told my wife that I should take it in the AM, and try to take it at the same exact time every day. They also said that I may not benefit from it for up to six weeks! That’s not what the nurse practitioner told me.

Regardless, I am going be obsessing about this medication and its effects - paying close attention to any nasty side-effects.

My question: when you first started on Abilify did you notice any effects right away - meaning on that first day? If so, what was your experience, and what should I be paying attention to?

I understand that some experience it as an active medication and can experience a “lift” in mood, while others experience a calming effect. What are your early memories of its effect on you?

Thanking you in advance for your help.

Creating a new thread is just fine!

You may feel some more immediate effects with Abilify.

I am very sensitive to this class of medication. I'd noticed muscle stiffness and a change in my facial expressions. I was less animated and my muscles were stiff enough to make it difficult to walk up stairs, etc. This is called bradykinesia. Not everyone has this side-effect. I also had an immediate increase in appetite. I am still on it at a low dose (2 mg.). This is just my experience with it.

I hope this med works well for you without side-effects.

You are very wise to be vigilant imho.

Please let us know how it is going?


WC

abilify was activating for me, got hypomanic while taking it.
just my experience. It pretty much started when I first took this med. At least for me.
bizi

By day two I was climbing out of my skin. But I always get the worse possible side effects on anything.

Hopefully this med will help you and you can find your baseline.

I don't remember the first day or even first weeks. I know that at some early point it gave me mild akathisia, but on that med it wasn't a deal breaker. I do recall going on it in the hospital with Lamictal. Obviously, the Lamictal level wasn't that high at first, but it was raised over some weeks. I did very gradually grow manic. It was slow enough that I was thinking life was great again. [Honestly, it hasn't been that great for so long since.] I think I might have been working again, at least part-time. I remember having oodles of energy and taking a lot of ballroom dancing classes. I know that my thinking grew faster and more "manic" over some weeks before going haywire enough for hospitalization. They took me off both Lamictal and Abilify during that hospitalization. Were both activating? Or was it just the Lamictal and the Abilify wasn't strong enough to keep it in check? I know Lamictal is activating for me. That's been proven for me a few times. My pdoc never increases my dose above 100 mg, and only with powerful enough other bipolar meds also in place.

My experience will not be all other people's experiences.

Abilify was excellent for me. I was on 20mg. My son is on it too. It seems to help him. If my current clinic had the shot I'd still be on it but they don't. My insurance then denied it for being non-compliant. I had more energy on it and I had no ill effects.

Holy cow! I certainly did notice effects right away.

A short time after taking it I was thinking that something was different. I was just starting to think that I was feeling a little keyed up... when the nausea hit me.

There is no feeling I loathe more than nausea.

I went in to lay down for a bit, hoping it would pass, and crashed hard and slept for a couple hours. I’m still feeling a little nauseous, and quite... lethargic? Sedated? And definitely fuzzy in the noggin.

I was not expecting this.

I did very well on Ability. No bad side effects. In fact no side effects at all. May be the perfect med for me!

Well, I do believe that today will be the first and last time I take Abilify.

Nauseous all dang day! In bed sick all day.

I hope you feel better soon.


WC

After a month, Abilify made my whole body shake. It was a terrible experience. A few days later, my doctor took me off of it.