Abilify

Hi everyone Chris here, new to group. I'm Bipolar II rapid cycling mixed episodes. I'm looking for some feedback on Abilify from some of you that have tried it. I hate messing around with my meds as it seem like forever trying this that and the other. Currently  on Effexor XR, Depakote, and Seroquel. Still seems like not enough relief. So to add Abilify and discontinue one or leave it alone? My Phd. is not much help on this one, I think I've burned him out. I only see him now for 15 min. med mgmt. sessions and then see my Psychologist for therapy. Any thoughts on this one good people?
Thank you

[cornyguy]

Why are you not seeing a regular Psychiatrist?.think you should see one.Abilify is aripriprazole an effective atypical anti psychotic that is activating and ideally to be taken in morning.Can cause weight gain and diabetes like the other AP's(google it's home page for details about actions,side effects).Only a Psychiatrist can advise you whether to remove a current med from what you take.Dont stop any med on your own.All these psychiatric meds need to be tapered by a Psychiatrist and stopped.

[adel_ezz]

like corryguy says it's activating so better take in the morning. it mixes well with seroquel though. for some it is life saving, it's a new or rather more recent AP in the sense that it doesn't suppress dopamine but regulates it. it's also good for depression.

have you tried lamictal an AC good for rapid cycling and mixed states. I am astonished that seroquel is not working for mixed states, neither the depakote which is supposed to be an ms stopping mixed states, in fact everybody say - including myself - that seroquel is perfect for mixed episodes.

abilify is widely used nowadays and some rank it as the best MS (see site of Dr. Jones ranking mood stabilizers)

i think the effexor (in my view the strongest) is responsible for thses 2 symptoms. So lamictal or abilifdy will help considering they are the only 2 meds among AC and AP that i know of that are helpful for depression.

good luck

[doctora]

Hi & Welcome;
I am Bi-polar 1, with a shot of Schizoaffective Disorder.

My Dr. put me on Seroquel first and then added Abilify recently (20mg), and it seems to bump up the benefits of Seroquel of which I now take 700mg per day, plus I take Cipralex 30mg (anti-depressant).

It seems to be working for me, so far, but as you know its all trial and error.

Some people say they gained weight from Abilify, I havent as of yet, but I did gain weight with the Seroquel, but the benefits outweigh the side effects.

It doesnt matter what you take, all meds have side effects, but it is important that you are aware of them.

I too am only seeing my GP right now. I will be seeing a psyc. once I can afford it., but your GP should really be seeing you for longer appt's even though its just to check up on your meds. When I see my GP I am usually in there 45 min to 1 hr, and we seem to be educating each other.

It is important that you understand what meds you are taking and what new meds are out that can be of assistance, even when you do eventually see a psyc.

This is an excellent site for research information and feedback, plus we are all non-judgemental and usually have "been there and done that", so Im sure you will gain insite from this group.

Try the Abilify, see what you think, you will most likely start with a low doseage, so that will give you an idea if you are going to be compatible with it.

Let us know how it goes.

[needsomuchwork]

Thanks to everyone for the input. Don't worry Cornyguy I am all to aware of suddenly stopping any of my psychotropics from the couple few times because I either ran out or had one of my 48 hour sleep around the clock episodes and waking up in severe withdrawl (withdrawal), vertigo and all that fun stuff. I am seeing a regular Psychiatrist for my med mgmt but he doesn't take my insurance for the regular 50 min appointment. I used to see him every two weeks for therapy for several years but . . . . I suppose I should go find a new Psych but I'm working well with my Psychologist in therapy. If I really want to to go on the Abilify my Psych Doc will write me for it and manage it closely. I think I may have misspoke when I said he wasn't much help to me.
Thanks Adel and Doctora I'll write more later, I'm doing this on my Blackberry and am getting burnt out. I'm glad your all here, this is very helpful to me. I'm gonna take a nap, take care.