[*Laurie*]

My pdoc prescribed Abilify for me. He prescribed 10mg/day, but I wanted to start out slowly so I've taken only 5mg for the past 3 nights. I am feeling extremely on edge/anxious. I'd like to know of others' experiences with Abilify. Thanks.

[SingDanceRunLife]

Abilify made me extremely depressed...

Possible trigger:

like lots of thoughts of death depressed

...and my regular depression never gets like that, even in its darkest days. I was off it within just a few weeks!

I hope it works out better for you!!

[*Laurie*]

Thank you for your reply, SDRL. I have the feeling that Abilify is a weird med.

[MobiusPsyche]

It did not make me anxious and in fact helped reduce my anxiety. That, in turn, helped my depression a bit. I'm on 10 mg one a day for maintenance. I hope it works out for you, or you find something that does!

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[with or without you]

Abilify is an antipsychotic, so yes, it's going to "behave" differently than a SSRI (if you've taken those before). Abilify was terrible for me. It made me experience manic-like symptoms (I am not bipolar, I have major depressive disorder.) for 2 months I felt awesome, I was very productive and more social than usual, and then it all came crashing down. I can't remember what I started out with, I want to say 10mg. Felt extremely sick both starting and tapering off (nausea and no appetite). I'm on a MAOI now.

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[Raindropvampire]

I'm on 20 mg currently and it's the only thing that's ever really helped me. My baseline from my bipolar is soul crushing want to die depression. The Abilify has made it just want to lie around half the day depression. Haven't felt this alive, awake or good in years.

I took 10 mg for a couple of months, for psychotic suicidal major depression. I didn't have any effect - no desired effects and no side effects.

[*Laurie*]

Thank you all so much. I don't think Abilify is the right med for me...it gives me such weird side effects. Mostly, I feel like I'm falling asleep and hyper/anxious at the same times. Very unpleasant.

[BlessedRhiannon]

Abilify worked great for me when I was very depressed, even at a very low dose. However, when I wasn't depressed, it made me very agitated and anxious and kinda manic. My pdoc and I have agreed to only use it when depression is kicking my butt.

[cheshiregrins]

I liked abilify. I was on it for a few years but at a really low dose- 2mg. It helped to keep me more rational/stable but wasn't enough of a dose to bring me fully into reality.

[passionfruit3]

I am being switched to abilify and I was reading an article on how abilify has a rare but serious side effect some people will have the inability. To control there impulses on this medication in fact they may perform in risky behavior. Such as risky sex and self harm to.themselves and others I was just. Wondering if anyone else had. Heard of.this

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[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by passionfruit3

I am being switched to abilify and I was reading an article on how abilify has a rare but serious side effect some people will have the inability. To control there impulses on this medication in fact they may perform in risky behavior. Such as risky sex and self harm to.themselves and others I was just. Wondering if anyone else had. Heard of.this

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I haven't heard that ^^^ specifically, but I have read that Abilify can cause people to do something and forget they did it - much like Ambien can do. For example, you get up in the middle of the night, make and eat a sandwich, and completely forget that you did it.

[passionfruit3]

I'll have to find. The article but I read it the other. Day

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[Loial]

Abilify can be quite an activating AP, moreso at lower doses. One of the main issues I had with it was akathisia (restlessness). It is a pretty common side effect. I would imagine the fact it is activating may contribute to any anxious feelings... I certainly found it hard to relax because of the restlessness. YMMV plus some of your side effects may dissipate after a few weeks.

However, when I went from 5mg up to 10mg it made me tired too. So I switched meds.

At 5mg it was pretty good for my mood as an aside, although I was taking it for psychosis.

[*Laurie*]

Thank you Loial.

[kecanoe]

Abilify helped me when I was super depressed. It helped both depression and anxiety. I am now off it and I realize that it blunted all my feelings, both good and bad.

[seesaw]

Abilify makes me very sleepy. That's the only thing I've ever experienced from it. We're stepping me down off of it now to try something different. But I have to taper down my dosage.

Seesaw

[passionfruit3]

Originally Posted by LauraBeth

I haven't heard that ^^^ specifically, but I have read that Abilify can cause people to do something and forget they did it - much like Ambien can do. For example, you get up in the middle of the night, make and eat a sandwich, and completely forget that you did it.

https://www.statnews.com/2016/05/03/...ing-sex-urges/
Here's the link

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[*Laurie*]

Originally Posted by passionfruit3

https://www.statnews.com/2016/05/03/...ing-sex-urges/
Here's the link

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Fortunately, that particular side effect is very rare

[jemmi2016]

I was working as a psychiatric nurse once, and Abilify was mostly prescribed to clients who suffered from psychotic disorders. I don't think they particularly strong side effects. But starting slowly maybe a good idea.

[kecanoe]

For me, Abilify as added because antidepressants weren't working. It was supposed to augment them

[*Laurie*]

Thanks so much to all the posters on this thread. I think my pdoc added Abilify to augment my antidepressant. But I'm on so many meds...I'm not sure whether or not to give the Abilify a "real" try or not.

Abilify is a weird one, I agree. I was on 15mg to augment antidepressant. And I think it helped at first, although it's hard to say. I used to take it in the morning, definitely didn't make me sleepy. It reduced my appetite quite a bit, especially when I first started taking it. Couldn't finish meals, and it made me feel like I was going to tnrow up when I ate. That eased in time thankfully. However it made me so damn restless! In the end I just couldn't handle it anymore so cold turkeyed it. The hospital tried to get me back on it at a lower dose, but just a day or two in that horrible restlessness was back so I stopped again.

[*Laurie*]

HalloweenSkye, that sounds terrible. Thanks for sharing your experience.