Do You know what you are taking?

[teko]

I have seen more and more people come here talking about anxiety, suicidal thoughts, etc.  Do you know what your medication is capable of. This is one medicine. Abiliby, however most of the same group of medicines produce the same side effects.



IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION and INDICATIONS for ABILIFY® (aripiprazole)  

INDICATIONS: ABILIFY is indicated for:

Use as an add-on treatment to antidepressants for Major Depressive Disorder in adults
Treatment of manic and mixed episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder in adults and in pediatric patients 10 to 17 years of age
Treatment of Schizophrenia in adults and in adolescents 13 to 17 years of age
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION:

Elderly people with psychosis related to dementia (for example, an inability to perform daily activities as a result of increased memory loss), treated with antipsychotic medicines including ABILIFY, are at an increased risk of death compared to placebo. ABILIFY is not approved for the treatment of people with dementia-related psychosis (see Boxed WARNING).

Antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts or behaviors in some children, teenagers, and young adults, especially within the first few months of treatment or when the dose is changed. Depression and other serious mental illnesses are themselves associated with an increase in the risk of suicide. Patients on antidepressants and their families or caregivers should watch for new or worsening depression symptoms, unusual changes in behavior, or thoughts of suicide. Such symptoms should be reported to the patient’s healthcare professional right away, especially if they are severe or occur suddenly. ABILIFY is not approved for use in pediatric patients with depression (see Boxed WARNING).

Contraindication: Patients should not use ABILIFY if they are allergic to aripiprazole or any of the ingredients in ABILIFY. Allergic reactions have ranged from rash, hives and itching to anaphylaxis, which may include difficulty breathing, tightness in the chest, swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue.

Serious side effects may include:

An increased risk of stroke and ministroke has been reported in clinical studies of elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis
Very high fever, rigid muscles, shaking, confusion, sweating, or increased heart rate and blood pressure. These may be signs of a condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), a rare but serious side effect which could be fatal
Abnormal or uncontrollable movements of face, tongue, or other parts of body. These may be signs of a serious condition called tardive dyskinesia (TD), which may be permanent
If you have diabetes, or risk factors for diabetes (for example, obesity, family history of diabetes), or unexpected increases in thirst, urination, or hunger, your blood sugar should be monitored. Increases in blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia), in some cases serious and associated with coma or death, have been reported in patients taking ABILIFY and medicines like it
Lightheadedness or faintness caused by a sudden change in heart rate and blood pressure when rising quickly from a sitting or lying position (orthostatic hypotension) has been reported with ABILIFY.

ABILIFY and medicines like it can affect your judgment, thinking, or motor skills. You should not drive or operate hazardous machinery until you know how ABILIFY affects you.

Medicines like ABILIFY can impact your body’s ability to reduce body temperature; you should avoid overheating and dehydration.

ABILIFY and medicines like it have been associated with swallowing problems (dysphagia). If you had or have swallowing problems, you should tell your healthcare professional.

Tell your healthcare professional if you have a history of or are at risk for seizures, or are pregnant or intend to become pregnant, and about all prescription and non-prescription medicines you are taking or plan to take, since there are some risks for drug interactions.

While taking ABILIFY, avoid:

Drinking alcohol
Breast-feeding an infant
Most common side effects (≥10%) from all clinical trials involving adults or pediatric patients include:

ADULTS: Nausea, vomiting, constipation, headache, dizziness, an inner sense of restlessness or need to move (akathisia), anxiety, insomnia, and restlessness
PEDIATRIC PATIENTS (10 to 17 years): Extrapyramidal disorder (for example, uncontrolled movement disorders or muscle disturbances such as restlessness, tremors and muscle stiffness), headache, sleepiness, and nausea
It is important to contact your healthcare professional if you experience prolonged, abnormal muscle spasm or contraction which may be signs of a condition called dystonia.

For patients who must limit their sugar intake, ABILIFY Oral Solution contains sugar.

For patients with phenylketonuria or PKU, ABILIFY DISCMELT® (aripiprazole) contains phenylalanine

[LeftCoastChick]

I'm going to pipe up.  It is the responsibility of the consumer to know the facts about any drug.  Always ask your doctor if there are any concerning side effects and/or talk to your pharmacist.  The orignal poster seems to be upset atnot being told about the side effects. YOU should have read up before you took them, don't blame the pharmaceutical company. If a person cannot make a decision, have a legal guardian there with you.

Even tylenol has risks, anytime you put anything in your mouth, there are risks. It's just weighing out the positives vs. the negatives. I'm on a couple of meds that have weight gain risks, knowing that, I'm more vigilant with my diet. That makes me a responsible consumer.  I'm also on a drug Lamictal, which rarely has a possibly deadly illness and rash.  I was told that if I titrated up very slowly, it should negate that possibility. It's the best drug for depression I've taken in years.  Some benefits are worth the risks, just be aware of them.

[ILADVOCATE]

Yes coverage issues as for people to afford a psychiatrist are something I've been involved in advocating for. A psychopharmocologist is a "medication specialist" which is a choice (I have one and he has been of great help to say the least) but a psychiatrist is a neccessity. A standard doctor always makes referrals to specialist. A psychiatrist is beyond a "specialist" but in their own way is one and has specific training a doctor does not have in understanding how the mind works. Its essential they be the ones to prescribe medication. That said I do have an uncle who is a doctor who prescribes psychiatric medication but its because his patients could not afford a psychiatrist but they did follow up on one for the first consultation and he followed up on the psychiatrist's reccomendations and did afterwards do great research on his own (I believe the medication was Abilify but of course he could not provide greater details for confidentiality reasons) on the side effects and beneficial effects and did inform the people directly in an appropriate manner. That said an educated consumer does get the best response so it is always good to understand more about your treatment.

[opus88]

My meaning of being aware of the pros and cons of all medications was not meant to scare anyone away, a great many of us r in dire need of antipsychotics and indeed the benefits for some out weigh any side effects. But doctors do tend to prescribe alot of these powerful medications at will and to individuals that don't research just what they are taking!
As you mentioned alcohol and other meds even OTC combinations can alter the beneficial effects and can also prove to be a dangerous mix, these meds r not to be taken lightly, we are responsible for our own care yes indeed.
A good psychopharmocologist will warn their patients but not everyone has the benefit of their expert services...many rely on their PCP and as untrained as I am I do believe I know more abt alot of these meds than they do themselves, just through my own personal research.
I have the good fortune of having an excellent psych (psychopharmoclogist) doctor and he gets absolutely LIVID at what some PCP's prescribe and for what reasons. He has told me many times these doctors know nothing abt these psych medications and can do more harm than good by prescribing.
So again be aware!!

[ILADVOCATE]

Those kind of conversations are very valued ones to have with a provider. For example I can't drink grapefruit juice or take Asprin or Motrin because of one of my medications. All of this makes sense. If a person experiences any increase in depression they should report it to their provider regardless of the reason why. Their psychiatrist can discuss with them what's going on and then they can determine the reasons. There's no reason that a person as they recover can't ask their psychiatrist what they are finding. My psychopharmocologist still takes notes on me but he explains exactly what's going on as well too. It depends on what level of recovery a person is at. When they first start treatment the main goal is to stabilize. Understanding their treatment can come as recovery progresses though even before my current recovery when I was in psych. hospitals they gave handouts on every medication and I inquired exactly what was going on. Now I look up any new medication I start on the internet on the medication website which has the complete accurate information. Then a person can discuss the information with their provider.

[teko]

For example, if you take paxil, did you know that you should not take antacids such as prilosec and why?

[teko]

I should clarify. The above is the short version, or the version that you would get ffrom the pharmacist with your meds. There is a long version for each med. My point is the following.  How well your meds work depends on your knowledge of exactly what to and what not to do while on that med. How many people do more than gloss over it? If you are getting suicidal thougts, it does not necessarily mean it is you or your depression or mental illness, it could be the meds need adjusted etc. This is why we must talk to the doctor and not assume it is always the disease doing this to us. I have known many a person who takes them and drinks on them, or takes multitudes of other meds that may interact in a negative way. Close monitoring as well as a close nit relationship with your doctor and educating yourselves is all part of the basic care needed for such a complex disorder as most of us have. This is not to scare anyone, but to make aware that we have responsibility in our own care as much as a doctor or taking a pill and not knowing what it does or how it works.

[ILADVOCATE]

Let's approach this in a factual manner. That is the full print out you'd get as for any medication. Every medication including asprin and the standard antibiotics you'd take has side effects that are of concern. Realistically some people need antipsychotics. That includes myself. The findings from the Phase II clinical study antipsychotic I am on are still tentative but it is medication and will surely be found to have side effects of its own. The current atypical antipsychotics also function as mood stabilizers. It is important to be aware of side effects both long term and short term and most essentially the beneficial effects of medications. That doesn't mean a medication print out should frighten you from taking any treatment. There are also (this is public knowledge) many new classes of antipsychotics in development (such as glutamate antagonists) that as the studies are showing are safer and effective but they are still in the early stages of development. Time will tell. For a list of all medications in development google "psychmeds123". With every medication I take I inform myself of all the potential side effects but I do not use it as a reason not to take it but just to work with my provider more closely and more importantly I ask how the medication works and exactly what its helping on. I believe that approach is beneficial.

[opus88]

thx teko for taking the time to write this all down....I agree so many people do not get told all the side effects associated with the meds they r taking.
Everyone needs to do alot more research on their own conditions and meds they r given, its up to each of us to be more responsible for our lives....after all who has the most at stake here? our doctors or ourselves?
No medication should be taken without full knowledge of pros and cons.