I was just prescribed ABILIFY, can anyone share thoughts?

Experiences?
Good? Bad?
Advice???
I'm bipolar II rapid cycling but just had my first major depressive episode
Feeling OK now for the first time in a long time...
Any advice is appreciated
))
S/MT

I never got on a good dose of it (I think at my highest it was 4mg but was mostly on 2mg) so I can't say if it worked or not, but it did give me akathisia. I'm particularly prone to akathisia though, get it from pretty much any antipsychotic. I wonder if I was on propranolol for the akathisia and got on a high enough dose if it would be good for me.
Good luck, hope it helps stabilize and keep you even keel.

I was prescribed Abilify for two reasons. First was to keep me from getting manic and second to prevent psychosis if I did get manic. It does it’s job better than other anti psychotics like haldol which I felt was like a mental strait jacket. Abilify did slow my thoughts but I didn’t feel very impaired. It’s better than other medications for the same thing and I was never manic or psychotic on it so overall it was worth it to me

Best of luck on the Abilify!

It's only my opinion (or my experience) that it wasn't very good for my bipolar type 1. I almost tend to think it's a better match for people with bipolar type 2, but there are surely exceptions to that. I found it better for the depressive side of the illness than manic, but perhaps for only hypomania it would be perfectly good. At the time I took it I was very prone to severe manic episodes or manias with mixed features. Along with Lamictal (a very activating medication for me), it initially made me feel great. Then REALLY great. Then, way too great. Then, multiple hospitalizations for mania, then mania with mixed features. So, my flavor of bipolar disorder wasn't well served by Abilify. I do currently take a small dose of Lamictal (100 mg) for prevention and easing of depression, but also take some mania fighting bp meds, as well. I saw Abilify as a light-weight anti-manic, for me. I'm not sure it did any harm, but just didn't do enough good, for me.

Like Sapien, I did experience akathisia from Abilify, but only mild akathisia. That was manageable at the time with (I forget). To my recollection, neither Lamictal nor Abilify made me tired or hungry. It was a long while ago, but I specifically recall taking multiple ballroom dance classes each week, during that period. I think I was also working, but it all blew up in the end and I became psychotic for a while.

Wait, I am confused. You had a prior bp 2 diagnosis, but you just had your first depressive episode? How can that be?

Abilify was good for me for 12 years. Helped with both psychosis and depression with minimal side effects. I did finally develop a movement disorder on it and had ti stop it as a result. Overall, I think it is the best dedigned or second best designed atypical, taking safety and efficacy into account. Good luck!

Hi!
Thanks for yr reply
I just had my first MAJOR depressive episode, which has to be two weeks or more
I am rapid cycling so this was the first time id been depressed for that long ...
My dominant symptom is hypomanic/manic, irritability etc... but often have had periods of depression, quite black depression, of 3-5 days...

When i take my meds i am on abilify and i feel i am more stable while on it. I like it although the first couple of weeks i didnt like it but that could have just been unresolved symptoms making me feel that way at first.

Abilify made everything I ate taste metallic. So I stopped taking it.

I have been on Abilify Twelve year’s about. I also have a medication induced movement disorder. They think it’s probably caused by the Depakote . Even if they try to get me off the Depakote it’s going to take a long time. There’s no guarantee the movement disorder will go away. Even if it’s caused by the Abilify I’m not certain I will come off of it. It’s worked very well for me for a long time.

Abilify really helped with my depression and anxiety. I was on it for five years but developed a movement disorder so had to discontinue it. No more antipsychotics for this girl!

I have BD1. Abilify caused akathesia for me.

I just started this med a week ago. I think I am having side effects of higher prolactin, but it could be from Latuda that I just came off. I am on just 2mg, but I have felt better for a day or two.

It didn’t mix well for me. It actually caused a mixed episode (which my then pdoc said was “impossible”). I guarantee it was abilify because a few years later latuda did the same damn thing and they are similar medicAtions (at least in that they are both mainly prescribed for bipolar depression). So they are not good for me. Only mood stabilizers treat both manic and depressed symptoms without messing me up.

But everyone is different, as you can see! So it may be really good for you.