what is your opinion and experience with cariprazine (vraylar)?
It’s pretty good. It is my preferred med atm. At first, I thought I noticed improvements in negatives like Anhedonia, as I was quite enjoying myself and got back into pc games and the like.
I’m not sure now, because I have once again started drifting away from games.
I was on half dose of aripiprazole for awhile, went into psychosis and then switched to vraylar, so maybe it was a midway point where dopamine wasnt blocked as much but I wasnt psychotic either?
I honestly wish I could find that happy spot again, I felt really good at that time.
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I would love to find that balance again. Not psychotic, but still enjoying life a lot.
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I really like it. Im on 4.75mg. Been on it for 2 1/2 months so far. As said above, it was more activating the first couple of weeks and i felt like i was able to accomplish a lot and enjoyed it, now im having some lack of motivation again. But it doesnt make me tired and keeps all the posirives at bay.
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So you believe it’s an adjustment period that caused this? I would like to find a way to hit this spot again, but not sure if its possible if my body has adjusted. Felt really good.
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The fact that it doesn’t make you tired is really really good. How is it for sleep? Any Insomnia?
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I still sleep weird, but its the same schedule I had before switching so…I dunno. Don’t think it changed anything for me.
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I see, that helps me. I guess in my case, what works, works. So I don’t need to investigate further.
Thanks Bowens
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I felt like it was an adjustment period, but maybe im wrong. But its been 2 more months and i havent gotten that “gotta do something” feeling back.
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I sleep less, but i was sleeping 12 hours a night! Now its more like 9. I do wake up to pee at night, and sometimes its hard to go back to sleep. But i usually do after about 30 min.
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What about mood? Has it helped?
I will be probably trying Vraylar soon in conjunction with clozapine temporarily. Hoping I can get off clozapine. Just need to undergo some tests first.
I feel like its improved my mood. I find myself more awake and therefore less grumpy with my kids.
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Be aware that Vraylar can be an extremely activating drug, more so than Abilify
I was on the lowest dose in 2016 and it sent me to the psych hospital
I never took speed in my entire life but I imagine that’s what it must feel like while being on Vraylar.
It made me extremely manic
It may work for you, don’t give up
Like you I very activated from another meds from pfifzer.
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Oh and last question
Cognitive? Did it improve that over your previous AP?
When you say activating…
Meaning restless etc?
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Yes, like in climbing the walls
For me it caused a lot of anxiety
Cognitive is hard for me because i had 6 months of ECT, 2 to 3 times a week, way longer and more times than i should have (the doctors kept saying it would eventually help, it didnt). My cognitive abilities and memory (short and long term) have suffered greatly. I had to relearn how to so simple things. Core memories are gone. I still cant look at a problem and figure out what to do. Its been a year, as of the end of the of the month, since i stopped. I dont know if I’ll ever get totally better. And no medication has helped me. So i cant really say if it helps cognitively.