[thickntired]

Hi All,

I've been walking aprox 30mi a week for a few months to reach a grand weight loss of 5 lbs! I didn't gain a lot of weight wheb I started Abilify, but I swear it's like some kind of a joke to lose weight. I'm asking my pdoc for a diff medication to go along with the Lamicktal I already take.

Has anyone experienced this problem or has anyone successfully lost weight on abilify?

Thank so much

TnT

[jesusplay]

start jogging daily. Get that heart rate up.

also watch what you eat.

[thickntired]

I'd love to run, but I have 3 ruptured discs. I probably should cut out sugar and prosessed carbs. It's just annoying because I've been working at it for so long. Thanks for the reply.

TnT

[High Etiquette]

I am taking Abilify, currently tapering down very slowly (1mg per 4 weeks). I've been on for 3+ years and it's been quite a haul. The weight gain has been about 50 pounds for me. Good for you on walking so far each week. That's not easy. It's got to be helping you very much though. I would talk to your doc about switching off Abilify or tapering all of them.

I ran track in HS when this all began (getting put on meds) and now I have trouble running at the same pace I used to. People tell me it's the extra weight, but I still have my doubts. I enjoy biking, jogging slowly and a mile or less and walking sometimes.

Keep at it..... I've been working at it for a long time aswell. About 5 years. You're going to get somewhere walking 30 Miles a week!

Originally Posted by thickntired

I'd love to run, but I have 3 ruptured discs. I probably should cut out sugar and prosessed carbs. It's just annoying because I've been working at it for so long. Thanks for the reply.

TnT

[coleychi]

I had that problem with abilify too. It's great that you're exercising-- I feel like that should help keep the weight under control. When I was on Abilify, I found I had a voracious appetite... I was constantly hungry. If that's something you're experiencing, an option (and not sure if your pdoc would go for this) is to add a stimulant to try to counteract the hunger/curb your appetite.

I have low self esteem and body image issues so the weight gain from the Abilify was intolerable for me. Of all the medications I've been on, Abilify worked best for me, hands down. But when when I'm going through my most depressive episodes, I refuse to take it again for fear of gaining weight. Depending on how important weight gain is to you (I know that some people would-- actually do-- think it's ridiculous that I'd refuse a medication that clearly works for me out of vanity), maybe talk to your pdoc about other options. I'm on Lamictal too and currently pairing it with Geodon, which is supposedly more weight neutral than Abilify. I've also tried Latuda in the past... it wasn't super effective for me but it was weight neutral.

[thickntired]

Originally Posted by coleychi

I had that problem with abilify too. It's great that you're exercising-- I feel like that should help keep the weight under control. When I was on Abilify, I found I had a voracious appetite... I was constantly hungry. If that's something you're experiencing, an option (and not sure if your pdoc would go for this) is to add a stimulant to try to counteract the hunger/curb your appetite.

I have low self esteem and body image issues so the weight gain from the Abilify was intolerable for me. Of all the medications I've been on, Abilify worked best for me, hands down. But when when I'm going through my most depressive episodes, I refuse to take it again for fear of gaining weight. Depending on how important weight gain is to you (I know that some people would-- actually do-- think it's ridiculous that I'd refuse a medication that clearly works for me out of vanity), maybe talk to your pdoc about other options. I'm on Lamictal too and currently pairing it with Geodon, which is supposedly more weight neutral than Abilify. I've also tried Latuda in the past... it wasn't super effective for me but it was weight neutral.

I can SO relate to where your coming from. I have very low self-esteem due to my weight gain. I just started Lamictal, and I was hoping I could take just that. I'll ask my pdoc re Geodon as I have an appt the week after next, and I'm on adderall which is a stimulant and it's not helping. I also quit taking my abilify, and I know that is dangerous. I swear though it's making me more neurotic and depressed to not be able to lose the 50 lbs I gained. Exercising with no results is very hard to keep up on a daily basis. Latuda is not generic and my insurance won't cover enough of the cost. That is also the problem with abilify - it costs $400 to fill a script! I have 3 scripts at home and no way to pay for them anyway.

Thanks so much for your reply

TnT

[noclevermonicker]

I started tapering off Abilify and going down to every other day, I lost 12 pounds in 2.5 weeks. Now, if I could just get off Risperdone...

[coleychi]

Originally Posted by thickntired

I can SO relate to where your coming from. I have very low self-esteem due to my weight gain. I just started Lamictal, and I was hoping I could take just that. I'll ask my pdoc re Geodon as I have an appt the week after next, and I'm on adderall which is a stimulant and it's not helping. I also quit taking my abilify, and I know that is dangerous. I swear though it's making me more neurotic and depressed to not be able to lose the 50 lbs I gained. Exercising with no results is very hard to keep up on a daily basis. Latuda is not generic and my insurance won't cover enough of the cost. That is also the problem with abilify - it costs $400 to fill a script! I have 3 scripts at home and no way to pay for them anyway.

Thanks so much for your reply

TnT

Of course! I'm glad you can relate because sometimes (especially now, when I'm going through a depressive episode at a time that I really can't afford to be) I feel absolutely ridiculous for not taking the Abilify when I know that it's super effective for me.

Yeah-- ask about Geodon-- I know that it def comes as a generic. I know the Latuda is expensive... I actually stopped it because it was like $700 a month and I wasn't seeing results after 2 months and I felt bad for making my parents pay for it. I just started Geodon earlier this week so I'm not 100% sure how I'm going to respond to it... trying to be patient although I really just want a quick fix. I'll keep you updated on how the Geodon is working for me, if you want.

I was also on Adderall when I was taking Abilify. It was added when I started complaining about gaining weight (I was also having trouble focusing/concentrating on stuff so it wasn't just prescribed for weight control). It kind of helped curb my appetite a little bit but it didn't help me lose the weight I had already gained. And I couldn't increase the dose purely for the appetite suppression side effect because the chest tightness and increased anxiety would be too much for me. I'm still on Adderall with these other drugs, which helps me focus, while keeping my weight in check.

No judgement on stopping the meds-- I did that several times when I was on Abilify and a little more immature (I was like 16 and not communicating with my psychiatrist in a way that I should have been. I didn't want her to think my weight issues were stupid). But I can totally relate to and understand how the weight gain can actually make things worse despite the benefits of the drug. I gained like... 30-40 pounds on Abilify (which is a lot for my 5'1" frame) and I come from a family that really values appearances so it just made me feel crappy all around. I don't know the exact time when I broke even, but I know that right now, 3 years after stopping, I actually lost the Abilify weight plus a couple more pounds with the help of weight neutral meds and Adderall. But I have to admit, my issues aren't as controlled/stable as they were on Abilify...

But yeah-- let me know how it goes w/ your pdoc (especially if he has other ideas for weight neutral options. I'm always looking for those!). And I'm glad I could help you Good luck!