Reducing Abilify

I was thinking about asking my pdoc to reduce my Abilify from 30 to 20 mgs. It would be a reasonable request, as 20 is the maximum dose for schizophrenia, while 30 is the max dose for Bipolar. I am SZA so I don’t know what maximum dose of Abilify is for me.

But, in the past, way back in 2010, 20 was a reasonably effective dose for me on monotherapy. Currently, I am also taking Amisulpride 600 mgs daily.

If anyone knows this, can Amisulpride be taken once a day, at night? I am taking 300+300 at morning and night, and I am drowsy all day long.

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I’m pretty certain 30mg is the max dose for schizophrenia too.

I remember reading somewhere about a study that said anything over 15mg made no difference but don’t know if that’s true.

Best of luck, you can always increase Abilify again if 20mg doesn’t work out.

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Do these two meds completely control your positives?

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Yeah, I just checked, maximum dosage is indeed 30 mgs but this is what is written for schizphrenia:

Usual Adult Dose for Schizophrenia

ORAL FORMULATIONS:
Aripiprazole Immediate-Release (IR):

  • Initial dose: 10 or 15 mg orally once a day
  • Target dose: 10 to 15 mg per day; effective dose range 10 to 30 mg per day; however, clinical trials have not found doses exceeding 10 or 15 mg per day to be more effective.
  • Maximum dose: 30 mg/day

Aripiprazole Dosage Guide + Max Dose, Adjustments - Drugs.com

This is what is written for Bipolar:

ORAL FORMULATIONS:
Aripiprazole IR:
Monotherapy:

  • Initial dose: 15 mg orally once a day
  • Target dose: 15 mg orally once a day; may increase dose based on clinical response. Dose increases, if needed, should be at 2-week intervals to allow time to achieve steady state.
  • Maximum dose: 30 mg/day

Note that for Bipolar it doesn’t say that doses exceeding 15 mgs were found not more effective than doses at 15 mg, but it says that for schizophrenia.

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Interesting. Thanks.

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Yes, for the most part, except when I have panic attacks. When I have panic attacks, I get psychosis. Once in a week or two for 3-4 hours.

My pdoc is very conservative, and he probably doesn’t know the fact that clinical trials haven’t found doses more than 15 mgs to be more effective, so I will have a hard time convincing him to reduce the medication.

But, I will insist hard as I am taking 30 mgs for 3-4-5 years, and I feel like a clown because that dose is not justified, you know, by clinical trials. My pdoc is never really confident in any move he makes, and I have to put up with him because there is no-one more capable where I live.

If it were my pdoc in the US, he would certainly very fast bring me down to 15. Because, he was a research scientist, and aware of research. But, the one I have here, is probably not aware of these things. So, I have to do my own research, you know, and then recommend him things one by one.

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Moved to Medications as this is a question about Abilify.

v.

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