Had an appt with my psychiatrist about 1 1/2 weeks ago and explained to her why I wasn’t taking the quetiapine regularly (because of the sedation), so she changed my meds and I’ve started taking aripiprazole (Abilify), I’ve never been good at taking meds properly but I decided to do this properly because I’m sick of the rollercoaster, sick of being so volatile and unstable and of doing nothing with my life except hiding in the house. I want my life back. I’m only on 5mg per day at the moment, maybe that’s too low? But I thought I would have some effect from them. I’m taking them every morning, haven’t missed any. Instead my mood is all over the place, one minute I’m ok, or even a bit high, then all of a sudden I’m tense, angry and irritable, keep crying, am having to really control myself not to punch walls at times. I’m hallucinating too, hearing voices, seeing insects, feels like things are getting worse instead of better. I’m thinking things that make sense to me but my bf says are definitely not true, I just feel generally like I’m going downhill. I’ve always heard voices but these last few days they are there almost constantly in the background and really strong at other times, what they are saying is just bizarre, this is definitely getting worse.
It just seems really unfair, I’m finally taking the meds every day and trying to be responsible, and it’s not helping
Hey @Turquoise, sorry to hear things are so rough for you right now. I know finding the right med can be a hassle. You said you recently came off the quetiapine and are on aripiprazole now. If that’s not working, maybe you could try something else. I don’t know what all you’ve tried already but there are many options the pdoc can try you on. Don’t give up hope, your breakthrough could be right around the corner. Just continue working with your pdoc and hope for the best. You are in my prayers. Take care.
Thanks. This is kind of a last ditch attempt, I must have tried at least a 15 different combos of mood stabilisers and APs, never been able to tolerate the side effects. Can’t tolerate no meds either.
I was supposed to see my psychiartist again on tuesday, but I had to cancel the appt because I had no £ for a taxi, I called and asked to rearrange it and the receptionist said she would call back and never did. I don’t know what to do now, I could have really done with speaking to her.
Just massively pissed off, have this horrible inner tension, feel like I could explode, want to cry and scream and punch things but know if I let myself start I won’t stop. I saw my face in the mirror, I look miserable and ill and 10 years older than I should. I hate this illness.
Agitated and agressive is exactly how I feel right now… Do you think the med could be causing this? I feel like all of my symptoms are getting worse, my mood and the other stuff too. Could an AP make things worse? Everything I’ve tried before just made me a zombie.
Think of it as most side effects though, it could wear off once your body adjusts to the med. So don’t dispair if she keeps you on it. A lot of people have a lot of success on abilify.
i have had to try a bunch of different meds to find the right ones. first risperdone 4mgs a day, helped but my psychiatrist wanted me on a cheaper med so she put me on fanapt. fanapt didn’t help i tried it for 4 months and all i did was cause stomach problems. so be honest with your psychiatrist about symptoms. after that i was on risperidone two more times, abilify and latuda invega and haldol. the ones that work the best was the latuda and haldol for me anyway. there are some side effects but with a typical anti psychotic side effects are kind of expected.
Thanks to all for your replies, called my psych this morning, one of the community MH nurses is coming out to see me this afternoon. Really not feeling well, sorry for not more full replies to you, thank you all though, really appriecated.
