Mood Swings with Abilify

[kristinb81]

I am just wondering if anyone has experienced elevated mood swings with abilify.  I have been diagnosed with Bipolar1 as well as Major Depressive Disorder.  I am currently taking Seroquel, Klonopin, Depakote, Cymbalta, and Abilify (day2).  I had been taking 600mg of the seroquel and my md lowered my dosage to 300 adding 5mg of abilify.  For the past two days (first two days on Abilify) I have experienced extreme mood swings and seem to snap at relatively small things.  I have read several entries stating that the Abilify works extremely quickly and my md said the same, I am just hoping that this isn't going to be the end result that I have on this drug.  Please help!  I have a 4 year old daughter and hate the fact that she and the rest of my family have to see me like this.  This is basically one of the last options that i have before my md attempts Electro-Convulsive Therapy for me.  Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[nobody666]

When I started at 40m I was rapid cycling multiple times a day.We dropped to 30 with 20mg valium and swings are a lot less frequent.

[kristinb81]

Originally I was seeing a NPC who diagnosed me with Major Depressive Disorder with Bipolar 1 tendancies, then I was referred on to a psychiatrist who did more studies over a 2 year span and diagnosed me with Bipolar 1 as well with add and psychizophrenic tendencies.  My psych has changed my medications a number of times, but the end result seems to be the same with each.  They work for a little bit or basically mask symptoms, then the cycle returns.  I seem to have more depressive symptoms than mania, but when the mania comes out it is usually in a rageful manner.  
My psych as well as my counselor have been reluctant to pull the anit-depressants as that seems to be the primary concern.  There are times that I get so down, all I can think of is that things would be so much better for everyone around me if I wasn't here.  It's not a comforting feeling at all and it concerns me most in the fact that I have a 4 year old who looks up to me and the last thing that I want her to do is become like me!   I guess the ECT right now just seems like the best option as all others have fallen through.  I have done a  lot of research and my psych would be the one performing the treatment.  He feels that it may be helpful but also did warn me that there is always a chance that it may not work.  I recently found out that my great-grandfather underwent the same procedure over 60 years ago and it worked relatively well for him, so I guess that there is light at the end of the tunnel.  
I am just concerned that the drugs are pulling me further under than bringing me up.  Has anyone experienced this with these medications?  I am really looking for anyone who understands, and if anyone has any ideas that have worked for them, I would love some suggestions.
Thank you all so much for your input, it really helps a lot!!!

[tres1965]

I take Abilify, 30 mg.
It took me a few days to get it in my system, but not long. It is one of the quicker drugs as far as working. They started me out at 5 mg, then up gradually. I have a lot of Post-T & issues with my past. It was/is the drug that literally saved my life. I was on the brink, I mean cliff of ending it all, but this saved me, that & a great team of Therapists/P-doc...
Good Luck my Dear Pal!

[monkeyc]

I hope by MD you mean psychiatrist.  I would not be letting a general MD apply ECT to me unless I had been through a complete psychiatric process.

Are you seeing a psych?  You seem to be on quite a cocktail of drugs and I personally wonder how one can be Bipolar and MDD at the same time, I would think they are counter indicated and how would you differential the diagnosis with the depressive factors of BP1?

2 days is not long enough for abilify to bed in - yes its fast but 2 days... also it may be interacting with the other drugs.

[ILADVOCATE]

Abilify is activating meaning that it can keep a person awake instead of being sedating. Moodswings are not generally a side effect of Abilify. If you believe its worsening things speak to your psychiatrist though.  What is your diagnosis though? Abilify is an antipsychotic. Is it being used for those purposes? ECT is for treatment refractory depression. You have many more options left with anti-depressents and mood stabilizers. If you have bipolar perhaps the anti-depressent you are on is what is worsening the moodswings. You are speaking about too many issues here as to have an understanding of what is not being treated and what the problem is. Please explain.