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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Alvin on May 20, 2005, at 10:37:32
I've seen prior posts from alot of you who started Abilify and seemed happy with it. Of those of you who started, are you still on it and if so, for how Long? How is it still working for you? For those of you who stopped, why did you? For those of you aren't so happy with it, but are still on it, what's not so great about it? I've heard it's supposed to help with anxiety, depression, ADD and BP without too much weight gain or cognitive problems. Sounds too good to be true. Some of you were excited about it back in '02,'03,and '04...How do you feel today.
Posted by banga on May 20, 2005, at 13:52:45
In reply to Please , tell me about your experience w/Abilify??, posted by Alvin on May 20, 2005, at 10:37:32
Hi,
I have used Abilify about 5 months now. I find it immensely helpful with anxiety, depression and negative rumination. The effects set in within four days for me.
With anxiety, however, it can be a mixed bag--it is also very activating, and some other people have found it to actually increase anxiety, esp. the physical symptoms...for me it may agitate me a little, but it is worth it. Since my depression is one which leads to lethargy and hypersomnia, I welcome the added energy.I now take 5mg/day. I found this to be too much in the beginning, so I used only 2.5mg for the first months...until some of the effectiveness wore off, then I increased it to 5mg. Having said that, my blood levels are probably higher than they would be if I were not taking it with other meds that potentiate its effects....
My opinion is that many pdocs start at too high a dose, then people get scared off--agitation, akasthisia, insomnia....
My thought is it can work if you approach it as a very strong medication (which it is)--go slowly on dosage.
If you start having some side effects, definitely do not increase right away--maybe even decrease the dose until your body gets used to it. The side effects fade in a few weeks for me.I did not gain any weight; I have difficulty judging on negative cognitive effects...had problems before I started Abilify, and I take many other meds.
That is my experience, always with the caveat that each of us can respond very differently.
Posted by Alvin on May 20, 2005, at 15:01:50
In reply to Re: Please , tell me about your experience w/Abilify?? » Alvin, posted by banga on May 20, 2005, at 13:52:45
Thank you Banga. I am pleased to hear it is helping you even after 5 months. The effect it has for you on ruminations, particularly, is what I need help with. A couple other questions, if you don't mind....What other meds are you taking along with the Abilify; do you think they help or hinder your dosage? Also, I know that Abilify comes in a 1mg dose(oral, not tablet). If you could have started on such a low dose at the beginning would you have gone that way? I'm thinking of asking my pdoc to start on such a low dose, but I'm not sure if the unique mechanism of the drug (on the dopamine/serotonin receptors) requires a higher dose.
Posted by Phillipa on May 20, 2005, at 18:45:24
In reply to Re: Please , tell me about your experience w/Abilify??, posted by Alvin on May 20, 2005, at 15:01:50
You people know so much about meds. Abilify can help with ruminations? You mean like OCD? Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by banga on May 20, 2005, at 22:35:01
In reply to Re: Please , tell me about your experience w/Abilify??, posted by Phillipa on May 20, 2005, at 18:45:24
Currently I take :
Abilify 5mg
desipramine 100mg
Luvox 50mg
Lamictal 200mgIt sounds like a lot, however they are all quite low doses. Several of them interact in that they potentiate each others' effects--mostly because they use the same enzyme to be broken down.
Risperdal was the first atypical I took--in the hospital, and within 4 days--NO anxiety, no rumination, no depression.....
And Phillipa, yes, it helps with obsessive rumination for me, although it does not eliminate it completely.For me, I think it is a toss-up which med is most important for me--the Abilify or the desipramine. But the Luvox was added later and seemed to help with residual anxiety; I have no idea if the Lamictal helps or not---but don't want to experiment and drop it, since things are going well.
Oh and I do take 30mg adderall in the am, but it really has pooped out---I take it as if it is just a strong cup of coffee.With all these meds, I would have thought I'd feel like a zombie, but I feel great; some of the SSRI-induced apathy has abated.
Posted by Alvin on May 20, 2005, at 23:01:58
In reply to Re: Please , tell me about your experience w/Abilify??, posted by banga on May 20, 2005, at 22:35:01
Don't know about anyone else, but this board is a mixed blessing to me, despite the fact that I know everyone reacts to meds differently. I often feel like: try it, no don't try it, try it, no don't try it, and so on, until my head hurts. So, Banga (and Sabina, from a previous post), your frank and balanced assessment is especially helpful, and of course it gives me hope to hear that it has helped you both.
Posted by med_empowered on May 21, 2005, at 4:10:51
In reply to Re: Please , tell me about your experience w/Abilify?? » banga, posted by Alvin on May 20, 2005, at 23:01:58
Hi! I have Bipolar Disorder (type I or NOS, depending on my shrink at the time)...I've done the Abilify thing 2 times. First time I used it was added to a huge mega-med combo (Klonopin, Trileptal, Celexa, Ambien, Neurontin, Propranolol, and Ritalin) to help with mood-stabilization, and also was used in the hopes that it would help with anxiety and maybe lift depression that had proven resistant to all the other meds. I also had tried Zyprexa (I developed akathisia at 2.5mgs, so that DID NOT go well) and Seroquel (gave me terrible dreams and also caused melancholy/sadness)...no luck. Abilify really did help at first--7.5mgs, then 15mgs. The problem, really, was that, like a lot of people, I probably should have only taken Abilify (or any other anti-psychotic) for a **limited** time and then had it withdrawn. My shrink at the time was so impressed with the Abilify that the trileptal, propranolol and celexa were withdrawn and I was moved up to 30mgs Abilify a day. I turned apathetic, and felt vaguely dissatisfied and melancholy. I stopped taking it and felt better, but did have another mood-episode (such is the nature of bipolar, I suppose). I restarted Abilify to treat a depressive episode (severe, with psychotic features). I took it along with Adderall, Klonopin, Tofranil-PM, Cymbalta, and BuSpar. I started at 10mgs, went to 15mgs, but requested that the Abilify be tapered once the psychotic features had cleared up and the depression had improved somewhat. Overall, I'd say Abilify can be an absolute Godsend, just do realize that even though it is a new, improved anti-psychotic (some are calling it the first "3rd generation anti-psychotic" or a "dopamine and serotonin-stabilizer), it still has many of the same problems as the old drugs (Haldol, Prolixin, etc.), just the problems aren't as common (thank god) or as severe (again, thank god). If you are psychotic and demonstrate a need for an anti-psychotic (if, for instance, bumping up your mood-stabilizer and adding a sedative doesn't help), starting at 10-15mgs would probably be the way to; once the episode clears, the dosage could be lowered considerably. If you're in need of something to kind of "even things out," which it sounds to me like would describe your situation, I think it would very wise indeed to "start low, go slow" and see how things work out. My own personal recommendation would be to try, if you can, an Abilify+anti-depressant combo. In my own experience, this worked nicely....with a lot of anti-depressants (the SSRIS, and I think Cymbalta and Effexor, too) the levels of both meds will be boosted when they are combined, so you'll be able to keep doses low. Remeron is another good med to try an anti-depressant+anti-psychotic combo with, as long as you are prepared for some weight gain. Some studies show the remeron+anti-psychotic combo reduces negative symptoms in schizophrenia and helps curb anxiety and depression along with any psychotic symptoms that may be present in depression or bipolar disorder. Good luck!
Posted by Alvin on May 21, 2005, at 7:25:06
In reply to Re: Please , tell me about your experience w/Abilify?? » banga, posted by Alvin on May 20, 2005, at 23:01:58
Wow, what a time of it you have had with med trials. You are right, I need something to "even" me out; it seems like such a small thing given how bad things can be for everyone else, but unfortunately, when things are not quite even, i drop the ball too quickly in important areas of functioning (particularly occupational)- mostly because my emotions become so frayed that I can no longer control my teariness and bouts of crying at work; I resign to prevent people from finding out just how labile I am. I think if I can master the anxiety, which abilify reputedly helps one do, and keep my energy up, then I can deter the more problematic mood episodes (or just ride through them more mildly). Thanks again med_empowered. (BTW, I really like the name you use)
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