Hi everyone. I had a pdoc appointment today and she took me off the zoloft and started me on abilify along with lamictal. I got sample packs of abilify and they are all 10mg. Don't you usually need to start small and build up to a higher dose? Is this a normal dose of this med? I'm confused.

Does anyone have any experience with this med (good or bad)? What about its effect on weight? I'm very concerned about this.

Thanks in advance for any replies!!!!

My boyfriend takes Abilify. He gained 50-55 pounds from this medication and he started on 30mgs. He is now cut to 20mgs. to see if he can lose some weight from it.

this might not be the same for you though, everyone reacts different, but I wanted to let you know his experience with it.

I am on Trileptal and Geodon (I have Bipolar and Borderline Personality Disorder). The Geodon made me gain weight, but it was only about 15-25 pounds. Trileptal is a mood stablizer and didn't make me gain weight and my boyfriend is also on Trileptal right now and it seems to help with the mood.

just some info. for you.

I was on Abilify and Lamictal at one point and it worked wonderfully. Side effects from the Lamictal begged me quit taking that and I started to lose my stability, but I never had any side effects with the Abilify. The pdoc I see started me at five mg. but said if I was an adult, it would've been a starting dose of ten.

I take both Abilify and Lamictal. The Abilify is a weight neutral medication, but normally it typically causes most people to lose weight. I too, however, was one of the people where it caused weight gain.

It has been a good medication for me and has helped me out a lot.

Take care

Coffeegirl

I take both Abilify and lamictal. I take 10mg of Abilify, I think I started out with 5mg. I did not gain any weight on Abilify. It is a great med for me. Hope it works well for you.

I started out with 15mg per day about 3 weeks ago. Works very well (almost hate to say it) and I have had no apetite. So I have not gained an ounce maybe lost a few. Good luck!

Can anyone tell me if you should take abilify in am or pm?

leasarenya, my pdoc told me to take the abilify in the morning because it can be "activating". I don't know though. I've been REALLY sleepy the last few days. Like it's actually hard for me to stay awake while standing up and at work. eek But I have also started a higher dose of the lamictal and that may be the cause instead. She said to take the lamictal at night, but I've been taking it in the morning because I kept forgetting to take it at night. Just a habit I got into I guess to take meds in the morning because I always have a can of mountain dew to get the day going. LOL

btw, thanks for all the replies! It is so nice to hear from others in similar situations.

I don't know when to take it either. Doc just said once per day. So I have only taken at night but noticed I am getting up earlier. I just took half this morn and I will take half later on. I also take small dose of seroquel am and noon. Hope I don't get sleepy as well. Thanks.

I take one at night and one in the morning. It makes me sleepy if I take both in the am.

Hope you both start to feel better soon.

Coffeegirl

I take mine in the pm. I went off it for a month and when I went back on it, I thought I'd give the am a try, being that I read several posts saying it "perked" them up a bit, or made them restless at night. It didn't work for me. Made me VERY tired. Had to do the pm.

Thanks for responses. You guys are great even when I write stupid stuff.

leasarenya, you don't write stupid stuff! LOL Remember, there are no stupid questions! And that is really the truth!

btw, I don't know if it's placebo effect or what but I had a really good day mood wise today. I think things are finally starting to get better! I was still kinda sleepy all day though. Well, I'm off to go shower and then I'm going to bed! Goodnight everyone!

Yes indeed. My wife is on this med too. She appears to be having some adverse sideffects from it. Mybe time will tell.

I was put on Abilify for BPD and started out on 5mg. I took 5mg for so many weeks and no side affects, a couple days after I started on 10mg I started suffering from a side affect. I couldn't sit down, lay down, or even stand in one place for too long. I felt this constant urge to move and keep moving. i would pace around for hours. And if I attempted to keep myself from moving I felt like my body was going to spilt apart in thouands a directions at once to move again. I was put on Cogentin for my side affect and never had a problem with it afterwards. I never gained any weight while on it alone or on it with the Cogentin.

Llama,
My daughetr is on Abilify and Lamictal. She was taking 10 miligrams of Abilify and is up to 50 milligrams of Lamicatl. She is gaining weight on abilify-not much but at least 10 pounds. The pdoc lowered her dose to 5 milligrams for that reason. She complains about being tired and the pdoc said that it is probably the abilify. But, she has been sooo stabilized on the combination of abilify and lamicatl, that even she doesn't want to stop taking it (despite the weight gain and believe me-she's 17 weight is very important!).
I say you should give it a try. It's been really good for her.
Laura

THanks for the reply Lap18! I am feeling very good on this combo of meds too. So far I haven't gained any weight (I am 23 and this issue has always been very bothersome for me ugh I wish it weren't). Anyway, to be honest even if I did gain some weight I am going to stick with these meds because I have never felt more stable in my life! I can't believe it. I think I need a little increase but after that I think I'll be doing very very well. I am currently on 100mg of lamictal and 10mg of abilify. I am glad that your daughter is doing well on this combo too and sorry to hear about her weight gain and that is upsets her (but hopefully it will taper off with the lower dose). Thanks again for the nice reply! :)

sorry, double post. must be the blonde in me. haha :D

Unfortunately for me, Abilify was not the right choice of drug for me : / It actually caused me to be more irritable, anxious, and withdrawn. As everyone is saying over and over, every drug works different on every person! I just wanted you to be aware of the possible down side : P

I have been on 5mg of abilify for a month, to be taken at night because of the slight drowsy effect.

It has made a world of difference for me; I am doing chores and things that one doesn't want to do first, and I am enjoying the things I like to do again. Before, all I wanted to do was sleep, and as much as I wanted to do anything or planned to do it, I seemed paralyzed, frozen into inactivity. Maybe that sounds familiar to you, or not.

Today I am asking to be increased to 10mg. I seem to process medicine through my system very fast, so I think I need to take it twice a day to get the real benefit. I think it helps to reduce my irritable and agitated moments. And I am not so angry anymore. ;)

I am so glad for you. To loose the agitation and irritability is all I would ever want. Good for you and I hope it keeps getting better!

I take 15mg of Abilify and 300mg of Lamictal in addition to 600mg of triliptal and a small dose (I can't remember how much, about 1 mg?) of cytomel. I can concentrate and I'm not agitated or restless. I have not gained weight on any of this current combination of meds. I'm sure it's the combination of all 4 that have me so stable but the Lamictal and Abilify are doing the trick.

I take 15mg of Abilify and 300mg of Lamictal in addition to 600mg of triliptal and a small dose (I can't remember how much, about 1 mg?) of cytomel. I can concentrate and I'm not agitated or restless. I have not gained weight on any of this current combination of meds. I'm sure it's the combination of all 4 that have me so stable but the Lamictal and Abilify are doing the trick.
I might ask my doc to try this combo, I see him tomorrow. I am going to ask him to be very aggressive. I am sooo disappointed in my meds and me that I am ready to take almost anything. How long have you been on this dosage? My problem is mainly agitation and anger.
Thanks for response

shelliek, it's good to know that your concentration has improved! I think if I increase mine a little that should help. This is really hindering me a lot lately. I need to finish college!!!

I have been taking Abilify for quite some time and now am on 20mg. I've noticed it makes me rather irritable, makes me pace and it is near impossible to sit still. It also makes my thinking process and concentration completely out of wack and screwy. I want to go off of it soon.

My son was told to take abilify at night before bed..will this keep him awake..he hasnt slept in days and doesnt need that to make it worse??

My son was told to take abilify at night before bed..will this keep him awake..he hasnt slept in days and doesnt need that to make it worse??
That is weird. I get rather energetic after I take this med. I stopped one week ago, I thought I would jump out of my skin. Maybe you could try night and then try mornings. Good luck.

My son takes his Abilify at night, too.

Hope

Do you ever wonder about how LITTLE the doctors and pharm companies really understand? When my doc first put me on it, said to take it at bedtime. This last appointment, said to take it in the morning, because of the perk up effect. Ack, how confusing.

Side note: Last couple of days stumbled on a supplement that helped very much with agitation and restlessness: Triple Omega capsules. Just thought I'd mention it. Helped within a half hour, at least 6 different times...

blauermonday, thanks for the information about the supplement. I think I've heard of it before. I will definitely have to look into that.

And also, I know what you mean about wondering just how much the docs know about meds. I especially experienced this when I was seeing a regular doc for depression meds. She kept saying she should refer me to a psychiatrist but never did! She didn't know really what to do with me and kept throwing meds at me (and I believe I knew just as much as she did if not more about them!!!). Anyway, needless to say she missed the bipolar completely! And that was nearly a year with her! Eek!!