Hello there! I’ve been having mental problems for several years now and I visit a psychiatrist every month. I am 19-year-old girl. I was prescribed Abilify 15 mg. The problem is that I really feel bad. I experience these really negative thoughts about my life and what is going to happen. When I drink the pill I can say that it keeps me on the ground but I still think what if this or that happens…I constantly get angry or cry , like it is happening indeed.I sometimes self-harm by hitting myself but nothing more. I can say that this is something like imagining impossible events which are not likely to happen. But still - it is sooo irritating … I sometimes feel that I can’t stand this anymore.
The other problem are the side effects from the pill… I gained about 10 kilos and now I just find it impossible to lose them. I also have irregular period…I’m really worried about that and I feel so scared of going to the doctor. I am so absent-minded. I have exams in the end of January and I seriously find it impossible to study … I just can’t force myself to do it and my parents are always arguing with me about that , cause see apparently there is no reason for me not to study. And by the way I haven’t been diagnosed with something definite she said it is undefined but we all know what is abilify prescribed for.
Maybe an SSRI could help you with your negative thoughts. Don’t be afraid to talk to your pdoc. You have to tell her/him about your problems, like irregular periods and negative thoughts.
Have you had a psychotic episode? There are lots of cases when you can have abilify. Not only schizophrenia. Such as brief psychosis, psychotic depression, depression, bipolar etc.
Abilify is an antipsychotic sometimes marketed as an antidepressant, but in antidepressant mode it’s max dose is 5 mg.
It has a warning label for possible suicidal thoughts…
My late wife was given this drug and started cutting and other self harm thinking. It just caused all kinds of complications, and weight gain as well.
30 pills run $700 to $1,000 depending on store and dosage…I know insurance often pays for a lot of that, but the company is making a fortune, so the drug tends to be pushed on people who fit the criteria…
Yeah my psychiatrist said that Abilify was more likely to cause weight gain than Latuda, the thing is that it is supposed to be weight neutral - I lost over 65lbs when I was on it - but everyone reacts differently I guess
There is a very low risk of Abilify messing with your hormones Now Risperdal, that has a high risk, and is more likely.
It messed with my prolactin ad testosterone
When they put me on Abilify I actually got an increase in physical strength from it. I think it might have helped a little with the negative symptoms. It got me a little too amped up, though, and they had to take me off of it.
People react differently to different drugs. If a drug is causing you problems let the doctor know you want a change. There are too many different kinds of med’s for you to have to suffer with a drug that hurts you.
It helps to come to terms and accept the fact that life is going to be an uphill battle in an extreme way, if you are of the undifferentiated psychotic or mood-disordered, or perhaps… I don’t know. Well, you’re on an antipsychotic/mood-stabilizer, so I wish you well. Times will be hard. But, read all of the stories of people who go on to be professors or perhaps just live satisfying lives regardless of their mental issues. Life can go on in a good way, but it probably won’t come easily.
My husband was on abilify for almost two years. He became increasingly fearful, anxious and suicidal. He got to the point where he just lay in bed and cried all day. He was finally admitted to hospital and they took him off of it and changed his meds. I researched abilify during this time and realized these symptoms are side effects. I have no clue if it was his disease or the medication side effects. I mentioned it to the doctor. He laughed at me. It seems to be the latest and greatest of medications and is being prescribed to everyone.
Okay…Its probably true. Im just saying that my prolactin was through the roof on this… But bear in mind that I had been taking the drug for almost two years. Early on there was no problems.
Everyone responds to meds differently @Mottec but as a whole Abilify is not well known to mess with your hormones - but it can happen. Sorry that you had to go through this
Thx…I dont have much luck with meds…I tolerate my current med Invega a little better than the rest. Abilify is great for depression though and emotional difficulties.
I am also really anxious…I don’t remember a day I haven’t been for the past 2 years (not to say more)…And my psychiatrist is speaking about the pill as it is “the greatest” of all pills … I’m tired of all the worry , it’s endless…
Talk to your doctor. Generally - the best treatment includes both medications and psychological therapy (typically Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - especially for anxiety and also for psychosis).
It sounds like you might be in Canada or the UK - and there are good therapists that can help you with this. Also - medications for anxiety would be good. Anxiety is very common in people - and medications like Gabapentin or others can be very helpful. Here is a list of medicines for anxiety:
I’m coming off Abilify for similar issues: the main one for me is attention and focus. It really has adversely affected my memory and judgement. I’ve been on 30 mgs and over time I am less able to recall street signs and important factual details. It’s not a severe impairment, and I can still drive on it but not as well and that’s important. It tends to help if I am on it for a long time, but it’s more of a bandaid to me at this point.
I feel Abilify also doesn’t help with being realistic. It’s been a week since I lowered the dose and I am already recalling things more accurately. I’ve told people, basically Abilify gives me a false sense of stability and happiness.
And I’ve been a lot happier and more social since lowering the dose.
My view is that it’s good to stabilize emotions for a short-period of time, but not forever. It has caused me weight gain too.
The anxiety and moodiness should go away though on Abilify for you, if not, I would try either a lower dose through your doctor or give it more time. In some ways, the way it taints my experience I feel it’s taken even more years off my life, but that could be an exaggeration. It shouldn’t make you suicidal but I think some people have experienced it on it.
Abilify is prescribed for all these things: Bipolar, Schizophrenia, Autism, Depression and other disorders. I tend to become more obsessive and worry a lot, not sure if it’s due to Abilify but occasionally it has made me more obsessive or apathetic and unwilling to study because I can’t focus well enough. I also imagine possible events, this isnt bad per-se until it begins dominating your life. It isn’t always the best choice for people with depression or mood swings, but not as intense as say Prozac if you have Bipolar or Schizophrenia, because SSRI’s can be more harmful.
I hope it works out for you and do more research to decide if Abilify is helping you more than its side effects are causing you trouble.
I was prescribed Abilify over the phone by my doctor - I was the one like an idiot who asked for it - because there are only a few options that I have - I have to take antipsychotics with the least potential to gain weight and cause diabetes and raise prolactin and cause little damage to the heart.
This basically leaves me with 2 antipsychotics as real choices, Abilify (which i tried in the past and was way too activating for me) or the medication that she is pushing on me - Latuda, another stimulating antipsychotic that is not FDA approved against Mania.
At first she tells me that Latuda will cause a lot of anxiety in me and she recommended Saphris - and then she changes her mind and is pushing Latuda on me again!
I just found out that Saphris can cause heart beat irregularities - Not such a good idea for me as I have a serious Heart murmer and my mother suffers from a irregular heartbeat.
I called her on the phone and left a message telling her that I wont be taking the Abilify after all and that I was impulsive with this choice. I also told her that I was concerned with Latuda and that it may trigger activation and worsening anxiety in me as well.
The problem is she tells me that i have to be on an antipsychotic or there is a chance that she may have to hospitalize me - if I worsen.
She even told me that I dont have a lot of options - she mentions Fanapt is the only one really left as a choice - she was being sarcastic, I dont think she likes Fanapt - it too messes with your heart and cause a lot of weight gain.
I am basically screwed - I may have to end up taking Latuda - I asked to see her for an early appointment to discuss my medication situation - who knows if she will call back
