Abilify, your experiences

Pdoc took me of Seroquel end of last week. Today he started me on Abilify 5mg twice a day to start with. I'd like to get some responses from ya'll on your experiences with it.

He gave me a diagnosis today of bipolar mixed.

Hi Chalm, I have been on Abilify for a long time--30 mgs a day. I don't have problems with side effects. It seems to help me! I also take a few other meds...I hope it works out for you...it may take awhile to kick in--seemed like it took 2-3 weeks at a higher dose before I noticed signs of improvement.

Hi (((Dep))). Thank you.. I'm hoping this one helps to. On Seroquel i had really bad side effects. My pdoc also put me back on Clonozapem and upped it to 1mg 2x a day and upped the Nortriptyline from 100mg to 150mg.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this is what helps me. Cause i'm so tired of the journey to find the right med.

Hi. I also am Bipolar I with mixed episodes and was recently put on Abilify. I am very agitated on it. It is almost like I'm anxious or paranoid. Its very uncomfortable. I also have wanted to climb the walls and run around on 10 mg. Last night, I took 5 mg, as per my pdoc, and feel somewhat better, but not perfect. I feel I guess a bit paranoid but it is more than that. Its very uncomfortable, whatever it is! I kinda want to scream and beat something up.... A long walk might help.

Chalm.

Just wanted to say I hope it works out for you. finding the right meds combo is tough.

splitimage

Hi Moose72.

I was like that on seroquel. I wasnt just climbing the walls but i was hanging from the ceilng swinging all around. I found two cd's on a shelf and i know they were just bought. But i have no recollection of where or when i bought them. I don't even remember buying them. My concentration was shot and i couldnt focus on anything for any amount of time.

I've taken Abilify twice, tonite will be my third dose. Its working so far. I dont have any side effects so far. I know that when i go back to see my pdoc in two weeks he is going to up it. I feel like my focus and concentration is starting to come back some. My memory is still shot. But, i think thats cuase of the ptsd.

Maybe you should let your doc know how the Abilify is giving you all those side effects and he can try you on something else. Hopefully the 5mg helps you. Are you taking the 5 mg twice a day or just once?

((((((((split))))))) thank you so much. I hope this works out. I really hope it does. I had a long talk with my pdoc and his nurse yesterday about how frustrated i am about having gone through so many meds that havent worked. But, his nurse, Brenda, shes good at talking me into giving it another chance.

Thank you Split

I can understand your frustration with trying new meds & having side effects. It took me well over a year to get the right meds once I was dxed with bp1. Tried lithium (kidney malfunction), Depakote (helped with the agitation but not depression--I was in a mixed state), Geodon (knocked me out--I fell asleep while driving on it)

Now on Abilify (20 mg), Lamictal (300 mg) Trazodone (150 mg) Concerta (72 mg) Provigil (400 mg) klonopin (don't remember off the top of my head--taken at night 2 pills).

Want to get off some of them. Plus I've gained a lot of weight since being on therse meds.--Suzy (Leads into a whole number level of depression...Syzt

Yes Suzy. I hate this weight gain thing with meds. I mean, come on, ya know.

I'm feeling better today than i have felt in a long long time. I'm hoping its this mix of meds i'm on. I only took 1/2 of the clonozapem earlier today instead of the whole thing and ended up being very anxious and irritated. So i took the other half and felt better.

On the 14th i got back to see my pdoc and he said he was going to up the abilify to 10mg 2x a day. He said this abilify wont make me tired, but i think he's wrong. Its' the only side effect so far i'm getting. No matter how many shots of espresso i drink, i still doze off for that hour in the evening.

I really hope you've found the right mix too with meds. It's got to be a great feeling when you do find it. Here's to the both of us. May we find the right combo and live happy.

((((Suzy)))))