[CrazyTinkerbell]

Hi. my meds were just switched to Abilify from Lamictal. Can anyone tell me any experiences they may have had with it?
Thank you

[tracy33]

I take Abilify along with Lamictal. Abilify helps me with paranoia and violent rage like behavior. I do not get that way anymore. I stopped taking it for a while and realized that without it, I became depressed. So for me, it helps my depression, too.

[Moose72]

Originally Posted by CrazyTinkerbell

Hi. my meds were just switched to Abilify from Lamictal. Can anyone tell me any experiences they may have had with it?
Thank you

I took this for a short time in January. It was for visual and auditory hallucinations. However, I didn't stay on but a two or three days because I started shaking and had to constantly be moving. Its one of the rare side effects. I forget the name for it. It felt like I'd had a coffee with about 10 shots in it! It was to the point that I was tired and called and begged them to prescribe me something. They took me off the med and prescribed xanax for the night.

[prayerbear]

I took Abilify for bipolar and it took care of the mood swings, but I constantly had to move around all the time.The doctor then put me on Geodon which wasn't strong enough. He put me on lithium and I love it!
By the way, the above three meds do not cause intense weight gain!

[SkippyMI]

One of my wife's meds is Abilify. It has seemingly worked well in her cocktail of Abilify, citalopram, methylphenidate(which was to counteract the Abilfy jitters), levothyroxine, and trazodone. She does "bounce" all the time, have some dizziness issues, and have a hard time making decisions, but the side effects are far better than what we were living with when she was untreated!
S

[trippinmickey]

I was on Abilify .I didnt care for it made me feel like I was crawling out of my skin! I know its for the manic side of bipolar to get rid of it . Which is crazy because being manic (as long as your not out of control) is the only good part of being bipolar .

[Schatje]

I took Abilify for awhile and it helped a bit, but then I was moved to Lamictal and it worked better for me.

[CrazyTinkerbell]

Thanks for all of your replies. The only thing I have noticed is extreme hyperness which is good but sometimes it sucks at night. I think I will have to call them and get something to calm me down some. I'm only on the Abilify and Visteril. The Visteril doesn't help me sleep though. Glad to hear no weight problem cause I had that with the Lamictal.

[GeneticlyBipolar1]

What MEDS do cause weight gain ?

[clskrock]

Abilify has been a wonder drug for me. I always found the other meds I have been on to be too sedating. Therefore kind of braindead. Not so with Abilify. I tend to be a little hyper anyway so I dont notice any difference. It works for me. Hope it works for you.

Good Luck

[theama]

Originally Posted by GeneticlyBipolar1

What MEDS do cause weight gain ?

All meds have weight gain as a possible side effect as far as I know, but Zyprexa and Lithium are infamous for it. I know two girls who have gained 70lbs from taking Zyprexa. I gained 30lbs from Lithium.

[krzyk101]

I am not sure about abilify, it adds to my pain and neurological symptoms, I was on Lamictal and doing great. Stable mood, clean home, happy........Then that stupid rash that develops in like one in a million I developed it and had to go off of it.

Now on Abilify at bedtime 20mg and Lexapro 40mg in the morning. I don't care for Lexapro after being yanked off of effexor xr 300mg day and have been unstable and depressed now almost a year on this present psych combo of Abilify and Lexapro.

I guess until i get off the lexapro I really won't know how the Abilify will act if I get a prescription for effexor xr to go with it.

Sorry got a bit windy and there, sorry

I take Abilify & Lamictal & did gain 50 lbs. on Abilify & it did help tremendously with delusional thinking & paranoia, but I am attempting to get off it because of the weight issue which is causing a bunch of physical (& mental) health issues now. It is never ending...--Suzy

[Schatje]

I didn't have much of a weight gain on Abilify and I didn't gain a lot from the Lamictal, but the Zyprexa. Wow. I gained something like 20 lbs in just 3 or 4 days. It was horrible. I want to lose the weight, but the meds make it difficult to the point of impossible and really affects your self esteem and therefore your mood.