I’m no longer on Risperdal! I started Abilify a few days ago, hopefully it’ll be less nasty to me, so I can safely take a higher dose. But I’m concerned, as the Risperdal leaves my system and the Abilify hasn’t had time to build up yet, I might experience some more severe symptoms for a few days. I mean, I feel really weird, like the unreal feeling I have got much stronger, to the point where I was at a friend’s house, and had to ask them if I was really there. Everything seems like a dream, I hope the Abilify takes care of that once it starts kicking in. And hopefully none of the nastier symptoms start showing back up in the meantime.
What is your Abilify dose? My psychiatrist said it doesn’t behave like an antipsychotic until you hit 15 mg.
Hang in there med changes are always filled with feelings of instability and uncertainty. Half of it is a mental battle. Trust yourself and the environment around you. This world or at least this country is pretty peaceful place.
Best of luck to you - hang in there
I’m at 5mg for now, my pdoc will be raising my dose next month once I’m used to it. It seems to make me drowsy, though I’ve been having odd dreams and nightmares, and waking up during the night, not sure if that’s the Abilify or withdrawal from the Risperdal.
Been there done that. Totally normal, it goes away in a month tops.
good luck. i really want to try abilify because of the antidepressive effect, something i really need but antipsychotics are scary so maybe ill stay med free. abilify is the worst psychotic for movement disorders so if you get twisting feelings or twitching, or have problems going to the bathroom it could be dyskinesia and you might want to talk to the doctor about it. also this med is wierd in that it can cause compulsive gambling
What is your source of information that Abilify causes more TD than other meds? I have learned otherwise.
i just looked again and couldnt find it. it was in an article somewhere where it mentioned how too many antipsychotics are being peescribed to kids with autism, and it made a mention of the irony that abilify was the worst for TD but is also used to alleviate sometimes. i did read it was the least likely to cause pituatary tumors, but still caused weight gain only geodon and risperdal were considered “weight nuetral” not sure of sources on all this i was just extremely close to switching from risperdone to abilify instead of getting off meds altogether and the TD thing i read while “med shopping” for an antidepressant that doesnt cause psychosis but could help with add. the td thing plus the fear of the withdrawal maybe being similar to withdrawal of antidepressants (being extremely sad) kept me away.
i hope you are feeling better.
take care
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According to the studies I’ve read, Abilify can be weight neutral or even causes slight weight loss over long term use, Risperdal is one of the worst for weight gain. I think you need better sources.
maybe so. ask the forum if theyve done abilify i dunno just trying to offer opinions based on what i read in not an encyclopedia who saves sources. maybe i will switch to abilify because i think my psychosis is coming back. where are your sources because id rather have a pill with less weight gain, td and heals depression anyway
wikipedia lists tarditive dyskinesia under common instead of very rare. not sure if that helps only trying to help. i dont know if ill take it for just me
I’m on 650 mg of Seroquel now. Before taking it, I heard people say that 400 mg was “anti-psychotic territory”. However, the company that makes it suggests that the therapeutic dose starts at a mere 150 mg and usually goes up to 400 mg. Only reason I am on a higher dose is because I am insane without it.
My psychiatrist says that the therapeutic dose varies greatly. I tried Abilify and 10 mg was when my symptoms started to improve. It works very well for some and not others. For me, I had to switch to something else because it wasn’t effective enough for me among other reasons.
I hope you experience the benefits, including more energy, compared to the very, very potent Risperdal. Best of luck! Let us know how you make out. 
I’m not on Abilify. I’m on Haldol.
Ugh, sorry igor, I meant for one part of my post to be a response to you and the other to be a response to cactustomato… lol
Abilify is supposed to be weight neutral, it was for me. TD is a risk one takes with antipsychotic use, especially long term - but the incidence of TD and Abilify is rather low. There are case studies where Abilfy was found to help TD symptoms in some patients.
Abilify can be activating especially in the start of taking it, Abilify can disrupt sleep, again especially in the first couple of weeks taking it.
I am now on Risperdal - Risperdal is NOT weight neutral - it has the propensity to raise blood sugar levels -
Abilfy,Latuda. and Geodon can be weight neutral
“Among patients followed up at 24 weeks, those taking ABILIFY lost an
average of 3.3 pounds compared with patients taking placebo, who lost an
average of 0.4 pounds.”
http://www.abilify.com/schizophrenia/side-effects.aspx
As for movement disorders, looks like mostly it’s just restlessness, though TD is a possibility. I’d keep an eye on symptoms and stop if you start exhibiting signs of TD.
does abilify feel like adderall? adderall really helped me until i went psychotic but for six months i had the best life ive ever had