How long do I wait to raise Abilify

[lindahand]

I recently changed antipsychotics from Zeldox (Geodone) 160mg to Abilify 10mg. I am also on 200mg of lamotrigine and 50mg of Trazodone. I took my first full dose of Abilify on Friday the 6th and today is the 11th

The Abilify is working about 70%. I have been crying more, I wrote a big long blog about how life is useless because I can't work full time and be a parent and all those other 'normal' things the drug companies promise you that you can do if you just take their drug. I am feeling not depressed but more morose, and just generally in a slump. It concerns me but I can handle it for now.

Is it too early to ask for an increase in Abilify? Should I just wait it out a couple of weeks and see if it gets better

Thanks for your input.

[Peter Forster]

The target dose for Abilify varies considerably depending on what is being treated. For bipolar 1 (if you have ever had a manic episode) and schizophrenia it is probably 15 - 25 mg. For bipolar 2 and augmentation of an antidepressant for someone with non-bipolar depression it is probably 2 to 10 mg.
Also, how long to wait to see the effect depends on what is being treated, for psychosis or mania I would expect results in no more than a week at any given dose. For depression I would wait between 2 and 4 weeks depending on how urgently you need to see results (there is always a trade off between needing results fast and the possibility of overshooting the optimal dose... if you need results fast you may go up faster than would ordinarily be desirable).
As you titrate upward watch for the emergence or reemergence of a sense of being "flat" or apathetic, as that might mean that the dose is too high.

[lindahand]

Sorry, I should have put that I was fairly severe rapid cycling bipolar 2. Some paranoid features but not quite to the level of mania. Medication controls things pretty well but if I get too much stress I start to destabilize. Because of that and the tiredness of the meds I can only work part time.

Thank you for your reply. I don't want to end up flattened but I don't want to become overwhelmed by emotions either. I will wait longer to see how the depression plays itself out. I go and see my therapist on Friday so I can ask her opinion too.