Abilify? Anybody have experience with this one?

[Mom2oddson]

The doctor changed PCw/BiPolar (BP)'s medication's yesterday. We are now trying Abilify. The resperdal helped with the voices/depression/hallucinations, but her anxiety and paranoia were off the charts. Hopefully this one will be better.

Plus daughter couldn't stop eating!

 

[Steely]

We tried Abilify, briefly, but unfortuntately it made my son extremely activated. Within days he was in a full blown manic state. However, my good friend, who is BiPolar is on it, and it has been miraculous. It definitely does not cause the eating frenzy that Risperdal does. Good luck!

 

[totoro]

While Risperdal did not help K's voices or depression it did help her violence and aggression. But she could not tolerate it due to side affects...

She has been on Abilify for a few months now she is up to 5mg. We like it OK, she still has an incredible appetite on it. :frown: She has gained lots of weight.
It doesn't touch her depression or voices either, just her rages and violence.

We are still looking for the happy medication combo!!!
Good luck

 

[Wiped Out]

I know lots of people have had success with Abilify. For my difficult child it was not at all good because he developed Tardive Dykensia from it but that was him and as I said a lot of people have found lots of success with it.

 

[branbran]

My daughter had a very bad reaction to Abilify, we ended up in the ER, she was so out of it. She was sleeping most of the day and when she was up, she was drooling, she had an unsteady gait, and was very stiff. We took her to the ER after her jaw started to lock. I have heard really good things about this drug, it just wasn't right for my difficult child.

She did try Risperdal for a few months, she gained 40 pounds in 2 months!!! She also began lactating. That is when she started refusing to take it. We are now back to square one, trying to get through this medication maze.

I hope you have better success than we did. Good luck :smile:

 

[jannie]

Abilify has been very good for my difficult child. He has been on it for about a year. It really has helped with anger and frustration.

 

[Hound dog]

Abilify is what keeps N stable. She just can't maintain without it no matter how hard she tries.

You must remember, medications work differently for different people. Plus you have different medication combos going on, too. What might be a lifesaver for one (as in N's case) may be a nitemare for another.

 

[sameold sameold]

My difficult child tried abilify for awhile, we had tried to go off the risperdal because of the side effects, but it did not help with his aggression at all. They tried to increase it and he developed dyskinsea, luckily when they took him off the abilify the tardif dyskinsea stopped. He is once again back on risperdal, it is the only medication that truly helps him with his moodiness and aggression. He doesn't experience any hallucinations, thankfully. Good luck to you.