Abilify with Quetiapine

[doctora]

I am currently on 200mg Quetiapine and 30mg Cipralex in the morning. 100mg Quetiapine at noon, and 300mg Quetiapine at night, along with 50mg Clonazapam.

I tried taking Zeldox, as I gained a lot of weight from the Quetiapine, but the Dr. made it an add on and kept me on the Quetiapine as well. I had very bad side effects, and got off the Zeldox immediately. I told my doctor about it, and she changed the Zeldox, which was 80mg daily to Abilify, which I take 10mg in the morning and 10mg at noon.

Will this add on assist with the weight gain? How does Abilify affect the Quetiapine? I would like to drop the noon (100mg) Quetiapine at noon as it tends to make me too tired all day. I know eventually if I dont have severe side effects my Dr will increase the Abilify, is it meant to be strickly an add on, or can it be taken by itself and have the same benefits?

Thank you.

[cooplist]

I haven't had a replacement for seroquel. I just stopped taking them a few weeks ago, and so far so good. I dont find any change, except im not sleeping as deep anymore. So i'm just on antidepressants and sleep aid and other non psychiatric meds. And i know how depressing it can be when you have extra weight on. But dont stop taking anything you're on without going through the doctor first.

I stopped taking clonazepam and temazepam because I got pregnant again in July, but had a miscarriage in August and my doctor said I should be off the benzodiazapines (sp?). Im not TRYING to get pregnant, but for some reason he wants me off them, just in case and I dont mind being off them. I dont feel they helped much anyways. The less meds the better for me. Again I feel no different except less sleep, but still adequate. The only thing that I worry about is being off the meds for longer and crashing. I guess I will see with time.

I lost a son when he was 10 months old after a heart transplant. Here is a link on complicated grief. Im not quite sure how to explain it. http://www.health.harvard.edu/fhg/updates/Complicated-grief.shtml

Good luck with everything and I hope you get in to see a psychiatrist soon. Just dont let them pile the meds on. Yuk!

[Sandra Y, RPh]

Both Abilify and Quetiapine belong to the same class of drugs and both can cause weight gain.  This means that the chance of developing unwanted side effects, such as weight gain, may increase by adding Abilify to Quetiapine.  This is not to say that an additional weight gain will occur, however there is a risk.  While these two drugs are both in the same class, they still are different drugs and some of the side effects do vary between them.  For example, Quetiapine has been shown to be more sedating than Abilify.  
I would not recommend dropping the noon dose of Quetiapine without first talking to your doctor.  Decreasing or suddenly stopping any of these medications could potentially be dangerous.  Your best option now is to explain to her that you are experiencing excessive daytime fatigue.  This may be the reason that your doctor wants to add Abilify.  Your doctor will be able to work with you and attempt to find a good balance that works for you.  Abilify can be used as an add-on therapy for certain conditions, and it can also be used as maintenance therapy for other conditions.  

[cooplist]

Hey There,
I was also on quitiapine (seroquel is easier to type, lol), and I also gained a LOT of weight. I felt horrible. I have JUST gone through my LAST cycle of getting off both the clonazepam and seroquel. It happened VERY slowly, but I feel so much better being off the seroquil. I was getting less sleep for a little while, but am now on Trazodone to help me sleep. My weight is already going down again and I don't have an appetite anymore, thank god! I understand being tired in the day from taking seroquel. I found it pretty potent in knocking me out, so it much be very tiring to take it in the middle of the day. Im so GLAD to be off that stuff. I was also on Temazepam, but came off that also. Other meds im on are Bupropion, Citalopram. Im really happy about going on less meds. Im a little worried about being off the Anti psychotic myself (I have Borderline Personality Disorder, Conversion Disorder, PTSD, Clinical Depression (what Vincient van Gogh had, yikes)complicated grief and Bulimia. Right now im having a lot of issues because of the bulimia, so im on other meds to help with that (pain killers, acid reduction, stool softener and something else for my stomach for gerd). I also, unfortunatly, have an addiction to deuretic and lazatives, which doesnt help. But still, I feel so much better being off the seroquel.

[doctora]

I dont think they could add any more meds than what I am on already.
I stopped taking the Seroquel at noon, and that evening my husband noticed I wasnt the same, he thought I stopped taking all my meds. and I couldnt convince him otherwise. He notices the slightest changes, so I went back on the noon Seroquel, and I told him I had only stopped the 100mg, but after thinking about it and chatting with ILADVOCATE, 100mg of Seroquel being stopped would be noticeable.
I am coming to the conclusion that I will most likely have to take these pills for the rest of my life, if I want a semi-normal life.

[doctora]

Thank you so much for the info.
What med did they put you on to replace the Seroquel? I know with my disease that I need to take something, but the weight gain, has made me very depressed and self concious, not to mention that all my clothes are size 2-4 and I am now around a size 14. I am so discussed with my body right now.
I will look into the Temazepam - why did you come off of that?
I tried Zeldox along with the Seroquel and had a very bad reaction, so I got off that.
I dont think I can get off the Clonazapam, it is the only way I can sleep right now, and have been taking it for years. The anti-depressant I am taking Cipralex, I have been taking for a long time now and it seems to be working.
I also have PTSD, and severe osteoporosis, so I have a lot of pain meds., I take when required.
What is Complicated Grief, I have never heard of that either?
Well, for sure I think I will drop the 100mg of Seroquel at noon, that may help with my fatigue.
I dont have a psyciatrist yet, I am waiting to be approved for disability, so all the meds I take are from my GP., so she relies a lot on my research of medication, as she doesnt specialize in Mental Diseases, so everything I take is basically trial and error, and I am sure once I do get a psyciatrist, they will change the meds again.