What should I expect from Abilify (aripiprazole)?

Hi there!

I just got prescribed Abilify to switch it from risperidone because I could no longer deal with the weight gain. I gained 4 kgs in three months after they incresed my dosage and having not eaten significantly more except for a time I wasn't feeling well. I was prescribed 2 mg risperidone but when I wasn't feeling alright I took around 4 to 5 mg. I almost had a panic attack when I weighed myself and started pulling out my hair and hitting myself out of shame for being so fat... anyways I was switched to aripiprazole, 5mg, which it's suppose to be weight neutral. I only started taking it yesterday so I don't feel aything different yet. I've done some research and read some horror stories on the internet as usual hehe but I'd like to read some personal experiences and what could I expect form this med.

Thanks

I presume you want an honest answer, so I won't hold back re: my personal experience.

The weeks that I was on Abilify were by far the worst of my life. There is genuinely no other experience I can liken it to, and I've been through some pretty rough patches. I felt a bit uneasy from the 3rd day on it, and it just escalated from there. My mental and emotional instability was greatly exacerbated, my depression entered a new dimension entirely, and potent feelings of aggression/frustration tripled/were present throughout the entire day. Despite how deeply unpleasant all of that was, the most debilitating development (which I later found out was a somewhat common side effect) was akathisia - there are no words to describe it. I was crawling out of my skin; I felt unspeakably uncomfortable when in the same position for even 30 seconds. I'm not exaggerating: 30 seconds. I still don't know how I managed to hold out until my doctor's appointment because, honestly, if I had to wait even a few days longer, I would've ended up in the hospital.

I'm sorry if this was not what you expected to hear, and I sincerely don't mean to scare you with it. Many different people have responded to this medication positively, and you could be one of them too. My pharmacist actually noted that he's seen predominately positive responses, so mine is by no means the norm.

Hope it works out for you - all the best.

I was only on abilify for four days, so I can't add much that's substantial, but I will say that it didn't work well for me. My tremors got worse, but on top of that I was constantly, violently shaking (head, neck, and arms, mostly). I couldn't concentrate, was very anxious, and became badly hypomanic right away. I couldn't function. The side effects took a while to subside, too...

I will say that I was on a lower dose than you, and lots of people find that it's more calming at higher doses. I just got too freaked out by the EPS and inability to concentrate (I was in school) to try to wait it out. Honestly, I've mostly heard good things about it, even that it's a "wonder drug." It just didn't agree with me.

On the positive side, it lifted my depression, was weight neutral, and non-sedating. On the negative side, it gave me akathisia and migraines. I managed the akathisia with Clonidine, but the migraines were too much to handle, so I stopped taking Aripiprazole. I was bummed because otherwise it was a great med.

Thanks for your replies. Now I'm terrified!! haha. This is my third day taking it and so far I've felt nauseous and a bit sleepy, the first day I took it, it activated me so I decided to take it in the morning, but now I feel it sedates me a little so I'm gonna take it at night. Right now my mood is mostly normal so I can't tell if it's working or not. I'm just really scared of the akathisia though, I haven't felt anything but IDK maybe later I will. I'll have to wait and see. Any more experiences you want to share I'll be glad.

guess Im one of the lucky ones. Abilify saved me from a mixed episode two years ago without any side effects. though it apparently wasn't enough to stop my more recent mixed episode.

It has euphoria and is one of the only few medicines within it's class that does.

But it does make you jittery..whether right away or in later days, yet however it neutralizes all racing thoughts and voices.

It also causes drowsiness, so for me it was better when I took it before bed or right in the mornings, but I wouldn't have it with coffee or else it can worsen the anxiety coffee already stimulates.

And don't get scared but it gave me an appetite, but I say don't get scared because I had no appetite at all before taking it, so that is why. I'm positive if I had a normal appetite beforehand it wouldn't had increased it, as it only did so normally.

I'm not with any psychiatric medications (Abilify to no exception), but it's not one of the worst ones I've taken before.

I recently started taking Abilify and it's already helping me. Depression is gone. Psychotic ideas diminished, and I'm only on 5mg yet.

Each person reacts to the same drug in different ways, so....

Thanks again! For what I can gather from the posts it has a positive impact on bipolar symptoms but the side effects are something to worry about. My experience so far with the side effects has been that I have a stuffy nose, I suffer from allergies too but this is too much, I'm nauseous, I have little appetite (opposite from risperidone), I don't have cravings to smoke, I didn't finish the cigarretes I smoked yesterday, but I feel like I have a cold, I'm cold all the time and where I live it's almost summer, I feel weird and drugged up, sleepy, and like I have a fever. Also my mood is low, but sometimes high,then low, yesterday I felt very mixed. I started taking it at night since yesterday because I was falling asleep at work, though it's not as sedating as quetiapine. This morning I've felt better but still sleepy and like I have a fever, my mood has been alright. I hope these side effects wear off soon because I have no intention to go back to risperidone.

My personal suggestion would be latuda if that's an option. It makes me incredibly exhausted after I take it but I only started 2-3 weeks ago. It works great and I have no other side effects and no weight gain. I had a horrible reaction to abilify.