princessloki
12-21-2006, 04:39 AM
Hello,
I dont know about the rest of you here, but whenever I'm put on a new anti-manic medication it completely wipes me out...I go into depression very very easily, tired all the time, absolutely useless. I heard about this new medication called ABILIFY - aripiprazole, looks good, does anyone have any experience with it? Know more about it?
I dont know about the rest of you here, but whenever I'm put on a new anti-manic medication it completely wipes me out...I go into depression very very easily, tired all the time, absolutely useless. I heard about this new medication called ABILIFY - aripiprazole, looks good, does anyone have any experience with it? Know more about it?
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cstep
12-21-2006, 04:53 AM
No-I currently take depakote-have you tried that?
tattoos
12-21-2006, 08:14 AM
MY sister takes abilify with lamictal, she loves it! No sexual side effects which she had for many years on a slew of medications. I am on lamictal and love it. It took a good month in severe depression and I was very lethargic but I am finally up to 100mg and the side effects are starting to wane. The medicine will be slowly uped to about 300mg, I am keeping my fingers crossed. I didn't find depakote very helpful to me, then again I think I really didn't give it a chance to build up in my system. None of these meds are perfect but I am feeling alot better and any of the side effects are worth it at the moment and they seem to be getting better. Good luck.
Bella
Bella
tsohl
12-21-2006, 09:44 AM
My 25-year old son likes lamictal. It has almost no side effects for him. Abilify was the one drug he took himself off of prior to his next appt with his pdoc. It made him feel like he was about to jump out of his skin and he just couldn't stand it. All the pdocs seem very enchanted with it and are prescribing it a lot these days and many seem to do well on it. Guess you won't know til you try!! Good luck.
cstep
12-21-2006, 11:13 AM
depakote does take awhile to build up in your system-about a month, it was shorter for me, but I think it's because I'm skinny and respond to and rx's I take rather quickly-I currently take 1000mg's a day. The best thing about depakote for me is there are no side effects-none! That doesn't meen you won't have any. Every bipolar patient is different-all the time since our moods can change so easily, just keep trying and you'll find the right one-give each medicine you take it's chance to work-then when it doesn't move on to the next. Good luck honey :)
princessloki
12-21-2006, 12:17 PM
Thanks all -
actually I'm already on depakote (valpro) and have been for about 3 years, 1200 mg - I experienced alot of side effects in the beginning but now it's fine. The thing I wonder most about is the fact that I have to take a slew of other pills along with it - currently cipralex for depression, neurol (xanax) for anxiety and stilnox to sleep - and that this combo changes according to whether I'm in depression or manic. I feel like a junkie! The manic meds are the absolute worst for me, they kick my a$$, so I was just curious if this is a good alternative. I work full time so I cant handle any huge changes - going on an antidepressant was even hard for me the first week (if you see my previous posts) because I felt like I had bugs crawling over my body:dizzy:
actually I'm already on depakote (valpro) and have been for about 3 years, 1200 mg - I experienced alot of side effects in the beginning but now it's fine. The thing I wonder most about is the fact that I have to take a slew of other pills along with it - currently cipralex for depression, neurol (xanax) for anxiety and stilnox to sleep - and that this combo changes according to whether I'm in depression or manic. I feel like a junkie! The manic meds are the absolute worst for me, they kick my a$$, so I was just curious if this is a good alternative. I work full time so I cant handle any huge changes - going on an antidepressant was even hard for me the first week (if you see my previous posts) because I felt like I had bugs crawling over my body:dizzy:
cstep
12-21-2006, 03:06 PM
most medications aren't considered anti-manic, but rather a mood stabilizer, with that said most of them are mad to bring down the manic state and can bring you into depression-at that point your doctor should place you on an antidepressant depending on how bad your depression is-but if you are getting really down even with antidepressants and mood stabilizers then maybe the mood stabilizers needs to be decreased.
cstep
12-21-2006, 03:09 PM
I take welbutrin 150mg in the morning and it gives me a little kick of energy, not much, but it's something-also as a side effect I have quit smoking. I know how it feels to take a lot of pills, I currently take 5 a day, but I'm stable and have slim to no side effects. Maybe ask your doctor about going down to 1000mg of depakote to see if that helps.