Posted by AlexandriaS on April 12, 2004, at 11:26:17
In reply to Anyone have luck with Abilify for depression?, posted by jerrympls on April 11, 2004, at 0:04:57
Dear Jerry,
It sounds like your depression is similar to mine. My doctor added Abilify to Zoloft and Ritalin and there was some improvement with energy and motivation. However, I began to gain weight rapidly. It was so much weight, so fast, that we decided to stop the Abilify. After about four weeks off the Abilify, I sank into a suicidal depression. I started the Abilify and improved almost immediately. Although my doctor doesn't agree, I feel as if I am now dependent on the Abilify. It is the first anti-psychotic I have ever used and I regret having started it. I will not know for sure if stopping the Abilify caused the severe depression until I try to stop it again. To be fair, I did become suicidally depressed while taking medication one time before, but that was my first real "breakdown" and it came after my first year working full-time as an attorney. I attributed that episode to the stress of both working full-time and working as a lawyer. I suppose it is possible that this recent episode would have happened anyway it is just a coincidence that it occured at the same time as stopping the Abilify but I doubt it, especially in light of the fact that I improved so quickly after re-starting the medication. I wish I could go back to my level of functioning pre-Abilify, without Abilify. Even though it was not good, it would be preferable to gaining all this weight. Just think carefully before making your decision. Ask your doctor. I have read some research which indicates that people who have never had trouble with weight tend not to have trouble when using the new anti-psychotics. If this is you, maybe you would be fine. Good luck. It is so hard living like this, the lack of energy, motivation, it's almost as bad as severe depression.
Alex
poster:AlexandriaS
thread:335077
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040412/msgs/335524.html