Abilify

Has anyone ever taken Abilify? Did it work and did you experience a lot of side effects?

My pdoc just put me on it and I took my first dose this morning and I will never take it again. This afternoon I had a horrible headache that made me feel like I was going to pass out and I had this odd feeling, just feeling completely out of it and not normal. I'm just scared to take it because I'm worried that it's going to be like that every day and I'm under a lot of stress right now and can't really deal with the changes this med might have on me.

Hi Dani,

Abilify was the only med that helped stop the hallucinations I was having. They put me on 60 mg which is way way above the normal dosing. but it worked. now though I have tardive dyskenesia (involuntary shaking) that I'm hoping will go away since i stopped taking it.

if I were you I would honestly give it more of a chance. And I'm not one to advocate meds. The headache could have been coincidence. I don't know but don't quit a minute before the miracle as they say in the 'program'

love and hugs,
Tara

I'm on Ablify and love it. No side effects at all. I take it at night so maybe that helps prevent drowsiness. Maybe your headache was a coincidence? I'd give it more of a chance, too.

I take it - I don't want to, but I get no side effects, just a bit tired that's all.

I've been taking Abilify for about two years now. It has helped my hallucinations tremendously, with no side effects. I believe that maybe you should give it a chance. If the headaches continue, then tell your pdoc.

I took it for almost two years. I had to start on a really small dose and build up (I was taking it for depression). Ironically I had to stop taking it because I couldn't sleep when I was on it. If we could solve the sleep issue I would be very open to going back on it.

First, how much Abilify did your doc prescribe? 2mg? 5mg? 10mg? 15mg? Anything more than 5mg is more likely to give you side effects. It's best to start at the lowest dose of 2mg - or even split the tablet in half. The side effects you do experience will not always be there as they will dissipate over time. Abilify usually causes some restlessness and can be quite activating for some while others find it to cause sleepiness.

Also, what other meds are you on? It could be that another med + Abilify = adverse reactions. Talk to your doc asap and/or your pharmacist. And let us know how you are doing.

Jerry

I was on abilify for my psychotic depression which really helped with the voices and had minimal side effects (well I put on weight but that could have been the anti-depressant or the combo of the 2).

I'm really sensitive to side effects so my pdoc was really good about titrating up slowly. I started on 2mg (syrup as tablets only start at 5mg in the UK), then went up to 5mg in 1mg increments with no problems at all, and then jumped up to 10mg. The side effects were minimal compared with risperidone (my first anti-psychotic) which turned me into a zombie!

I agree that you should give it a while longer and talk to your pdoc if things don't improve.

All the best,

*Willow*

He gave me 5mg pills but I'm supposed to cut them in half, so I only took half of it like he said.

I'm also on Citalopram 60mg and Xanax 1mg.

thats alot of meds...

How's it going now Dani? Are you still getting headaches and feeling 'out of it'?

When do you take the abilify? Someone else has already mentioned maybe taking it at night - it might help you feel more 'together' during the day. I know that I played around with it when I took it. My pdoc told me to take it at night but it gave me insomnia the first few days so I switched it to the mornings and it was fine. Then when I got to 10mg I found it a bit sedating and so was thinking about switching it back to night time but never got around to it before I stopped it.

Hoping the side effects have started to wear off

*Willow*

I haven't been taking it, but I'm going to call my pdoc and talk to him about my concerns with taking it. I guess I'm not really sure why he recommended it to me and how he thinks taking it will help me. I'm diagnosed with panic disorder and depression and I have a lot of anxiety about taking medication and how it will make me feel. He had told me to take it in the morning and I took it Friday morning and had to work all day, so while I was at work I was feeling dizzy and really out of it, and when I got the really bad headache it made me panic.

I think he prescribed it because I've been experiencing a lot of depression lately, but that's mainly because of all the stress and pressure in my life right now with trying to keep up with my job and being a full-time college student. So I'm going to talk to him and ask him if it's okay that I don't take it.

I think it's definitely a good idea to speak to your pdoc if you're not happy, and especially if you don't really understand why you've been prescribed an antipsychotic!

I'm only guessing but maybe he thought it would help with your anxiety? When I first started on antipsychotics, it suddenly made me feel less stressed. It's like I was aware that I would normally be stressed, but the situation just didn't bother me at the time. Unfortunately it went too far and I got too sedated on it, but maybe that's what your pdoc was hoping would happen to you?

Good luck with your pdoc!

*Willow*

I took it for awhile but stopped because of neg. side effects...it did do what it was supposed to do but it made me twitch like crazy and gave me horried headaches.