Abilify and add-on to antidepressant

My ECT pdoc prescribed abilify because he said it works well as an and-on to an antidepressant for depression. Has anyone had good results with this for depression?

Yes, excellent results at an extremely low dose. For years. I only stopped it because it was causing a very gradual weight gain and I wanted to nip it before it became a problem. Not everyone gains weight with Abilify, and the gain is not nearly as jaw-droppingly fast as with Zyprexa, but just keep an eye out for it.

One note - it gave me bad insomnia for about eight weeks at the startup. That wore off and then I slept well - far better in fact than before the depression was adequately treated. During those initial eight weeks, I used a low dose of Seroquel to help with sleep. So do not be discouraged if you encounter the startup insomnia.

Thanks rockgal, and I'm glad it worked for you. I doubt I'll experience insomnia because with taking trazadone and Xanax at night, I sleep great. Took abilify yesterday afternoon and slept great at night.

Abilify was a lifesaver for me for depression. Tried multiple antidepressants over 20 years including Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Elavil and Effexor at maximum recommeded dosages, for anywhere from 2 mos to years. Also tried Lithium (really crappy side effects) for almost one year. No other medical problems (normal TSH, chemistry, CBC, vitamin levels). Only problem I seem to have with Abilify is cost and insomnia. I haven't slept through the night for five years. Up every night for 1-2 hours, at least once and sometimes twice. Slept like a baby before Abilify. I am currently on about 4 mg a day.