Aripiprazole Drug
For more information check out: Aripiprazole Drug today!
Q: Is anyone familiar with the drug ABILIFY (aripiprazole) and if so, can you give me anything that will set my m
mind at ease. It was prescribed to me today, and I don’t like taking meds. I know nothing about. Benefits, side effects…. any info will be appreciated
A: go to this site type in the meds name it will open a page that will answer all of your questions and more
http://www.revolutionhealth.com/drugs-treatments/abilify
Q: Can Orthomolecular Psychiatry, and the use of vitamin supplements cure and treat schizophrenia?
Can Orthomolecular Psychiatry, and the use of vitamin supplements like Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Omega 3 Fish Oil, and other vitamin supplements help treat and possibly cure schizophrenia? I am concerned with the drugs I am taking to treat my schizophrenic symptoms, and their side effects. I am taking Abilify(Aripiprazole). I am concerned that over time I might develop Tardive dyskinesia, a possible side effect of the drug.
A: It really hurts to see a Troll, unqualified in the field of Psychiatry giving this so called “professional advice”.
That is simply s.i.c.k.
It’s true that none of the five Psychiatrist I know can successfully treat schizophrenia, but it isn’t the lack of knowledge or their professional – it is due to wrong ways of treatment. They were simply not told any other way while in the university.
As an Orthomolecular Naturopath, I am able to improve the state and conditions of mild schizophrenic cases. Just with the right combination and higher dosage of vitamins and minerals than the gov.RD. It is, as the troll rightly pointed, just an biochemical imbalance of the brain.
Q: Has anyone who does not have epilepsy or migraine taken topiramate to reduce weight?
My dr. last week prescribed me topiramate while i am on Abilify (aripiprazole) to reduce weight that i have gained after taking antipsychotics. I put on 17 kgs in 3 months. I have tried dieting and exercise for 4 months with no success. If i take it for weight loss, how safe is the drug? how much weight loss should i expect to have? or should i go for other drugs like metformin, orlistat to reduce my weight?
A: As far as I am concerned, and what I know for a fact that a whole lot of doctor would agree with, Topiramate is not an acceptable method of weight loss. Yes, I take this drug and in the last year I have lost 65 pounds. I don’t know what that is in kilograms, but it is a significant amount of weight and the problem is that you lose weight because you cease to be hungry and your body starts burning fat because it is being starved of proper nutrition. Same way you would lose weight if you were smoking crystal meth everyday. The problem is whether you are hungry or not, your body still needs food energy to continue functioning. Not only is starvation unhealthy for you, it also is not going to teach, encourage, or enforce healthy lifestyle choices so when you stop the medication you will gain back everything you lost and more. Eventually I started getting really weak and dizzy to a point where I was having a hard time functioning and staying on my feet. I am not taking this drug to loose weight, and I know for sure that none of my doctors would ever agree to prescribe this drug for that purpose. I am in the process of tapering off this drug and in less than a week I will be off it entirely. Another thing you should keep in mind about this drug is that it is well known for impairing your cognition which means your IQ score will drop if you were keeping track, your memory will be compromised, and so will your communication skills. It also messes with your sense of taste and I can’t really eat anything sweet anymore because it tastes weird.
I am not preaching about this, just sharing my experiences. I am schizo, I take several drugs that are reputed to cause weight gain such as Risperidone and Lithium, and I have been taking psychiatric drugs for the last ten years that allegedly cause weight gain including the worst of the worst, Olanzapine, and also Quetiapine, Depakote, and who knows what else. In addition to this, I have issues with my weight that are not just superficial and effect how I look at the beach, I have serious health problems including liver disease that are directly affected by my weight in a negative way. These drugs are not magic. They do not defy the basic laws of physics that govern the rules that every type of energy in the Universe must follow. Fat doesn’t just pop up out of the clear blue sky and the pills themselves don’t have calories. You gain weight because you are consuming more calories than your body can use. I have proven to myself in my own experiences that it is very possible to get to a healthy weight while you are taking these drugs if you have the will. I have dropped significant amounts of weight and got my blood sugar and liver functions under control while taking doses of Quetiapine that exceed the strength of doses that the manufacturer and the government have deemed safe. I am not saying it is easy, but it is definitely possible and is far more healthy than eating once every 3 days like I do on Topiramate.
Q: How does Aripiprazole (Abilify) work?
I’m a student psychiatric nurse in the UK and I’ve noticed that quite a few clients are treated with Aripiprazole if they haven’t had success with the standard atypicals (Olanzapine, Risperidone, etc.). However, looking at the pharmocology of this drug, I can’t understand why it would work for individuals suffering from psychosis.
As I understand it, both typical and atypical APs work as an antagonist at various dopamine receptor sites (specifically D2). However, Ariprprazole acts as a partial agonist of the D2 receptor.
Isn’t an agonist a chemical that binds to a receptor site and acts like a naturally occuring chemical, in this case it would be dopamine. Surely then Ariprprazole would not lower psychotic symptoms, or does it work by mimicking dopamine but not having the result i.e. hallucination, delusions, etc..
A: It’s a partial agonist; it doesn’t stimulate the receptor as strongly as the natural agonist does, so you only get a percentage of the response. Since it also blocks the natural agonist from accessing the receptor, it effectively reduces the signal, just like lowering the level of the natural agonist would.
Q: A New Drug?
First off,
I’m going through Peg-Intron & Ribavirin treatment for hcv
My doctor has started me on “ABILIFY” (aripiprazole) My trouble is he told me to start with two 10 mg tablets at night! The next day I was very light headed? (I drive a city bus) And now I have been taking only one 10 mg tablet for 3 nights now. I’m not as light headed all the time But, I now spill & drop things Very Often! I also catch myself spacing out! Is there other drugs that would help me with my mood changes / depression and won’t make me look like a fool (dropping things, and spacing out) I’ve spoke with my doctor and he wants me to stay on the same meds 20 mg(“it takes everyone a while to get use to this drug”) I forgot to ask him what is this drug for? Has anyone else had this trouble? HELP! What should I do? Stay on 20 mg? Or stay depressed & foolish and take 10 mg ?? Thanks Everyone
A: First of all – aripiprazole isn’t an antidepressant – so the dude who recommended St. John’s Wort (which has only been shown to be effective in mild-moderate depression) needs to get his facts straight. I am from Canada and this drug is not yet available here, so I did a little research for you. Aripiprazole is a novel antipsychotic which is indicated for the treatment of schizophrenia and as a mood stabalizer in bipolar disorder. I can tell you that normally with this type of medication you do develop a tolerance to the side effects you are experiencing (the clumsiness and dizziness). We can minimize these effects by titrating the dose (ie: start with a lower dose and slowly increase it as tolerated). However, sometimes people do not tolerate a medication well and we have to try another medication. There are many options available for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. But it takes time to find the right drug for you. Without knowing your full medical history I couldn’t make any recommendations. Trial and error (and giving the drug a real chance to work) are important. Stick it out for a few more days……then try the 20 mg again. If its still too much for you, try 15……then 20 again. You need to be open and honest with your doctor. Work together to find the right medication and dose for you. Each person is unique and finding the right medication for you may take some time. You need to committ to getting your life back.
Q: My autistic brother is taking Abilify (a drug) right now. There’s a weird side effect. How do we help him?
I’ll start with describing my brother:
My brother is autistic. He’s 19 right now. Great kid. He loves classic rock and progressive. Rush, Floyd, Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynrd are some of his favorites. He doesn’t have any special abilities other than finding all the candy that my mom hides, and being super awesome. He doesn’t make eye contact very long, he is constantly verbally stimming (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stimming) as well as stimming with his hands. Since he has trouble making eye contact he doesn’t watch TV or interact with many people other than my family and I. He can turn on his mp3 player by himself and he can tell us when he wants to listen to music, eat candy, eat a cookie or go on a car ride (he loves going to places). However, he can’t tell us that his knee hurts, or I’m sick, I don’t feel well or Some kid bothered me at school today. In addition, he has bipolar disorder. He would laugh hysterically followed by a lot of crying, which would then mellow out.
Now he’s been on abilify (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aripiprazole). He seemed a lot better for awhile. His stimming went down a bit, he was able to concentrate more and his sudden mood swings wouldn’t happen that often.
The one side effect we saw right away was that he was throwing up a couple times a day. Not sure why.
But more recently, my family and I have noticed a terrible side effect – we think is because of the drug. It happens once to two times a day. Out of no where my brother starts to scream really loud, stomp his feet a lot, and hit himself. My family and I try to calm him down and he just gets louder and stomps his feet more. He asks for cookies and candy. He gobbles them down and then continues to scream again. We think he’s in pain, I wish he would tell us what’s wrong. What do we do? How do we help my brother?
We’ve seen a doctor, and the doctor just keeps changing the dosage of the Abilify drug. If it’s not Abilify, it’s going to be another drug.
A: See autism, in section 12, at http://www.ez-build.net.nz/~shaneris (bipolar dirorder; see section 10; page O first) and show your parents, who may wish to consider putting him on the autism diet, for, say, 6 months, as a trial, to see if he improves. Make 2 pictures; one of a figure in obvious pain, pointing to a red knee. The other of a figure pointing to his stomach. Laminate, and add to those on a cord around his neck, so he can select them, to show you. FROM WWW.DRUGS.COM Some patients who take Abilify may develop muscle movements that they cannot control. — Abilify may raise your blood sugar or increase your risk of developing diabetes. High blood sugar may make you feel confused, drowsy, or thirsty. It can also make you flush, breathe faster, or have a fruit-like breath odor. If these symptoms occur, tell your doctor right away.
Diabetes patients – Abilify may affect your blood sugar. Check blood sugar levels closely. Ask your doctor before you change the dose of your diabetes medicine.
Lab tests, including fasting blood sugar levels, may be performed while you use Abilify . These tests may be used to monitor your condition or check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments. — “He asks for cookies and candy. He gobbles them down and then continues to scream again” – these boost blood glucose (sugar) levels quickly – I strongly suspect a connection with this, and Abilify. Has he been tried on lithium, Lamictal, or Depakote?
Possible side effects of Abilify :
All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:
Dizziness; drowsiness; ****headache; nausea; vomiting****.
Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:
Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); abnormal thinking; chest pain; confusion; fainting; fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat; fever; increased sweating; increased thirst, urination, or appetite;
I suggest that you ask your parents to seek a second opinion, or change his medication immediately. Has he been assessed expertly? Doctors aren’t necessarily the best people to be doing this, although, in some areas, they are all that is available (yours seem to be fiddling, while Rome burns). Try a p(a)ediatrician, or developmental psychologist. Google: “autism treatment; (your city); (your state)” Become a self made expert in the subject, or encourage your parents to do so.
Q: Is it possible to confuse akathasia with anxiety?
I take take aripiprazole and before that I took risperidone. With both I rocked and had difficulty sitting still. My psychiatric team put this down to anxiety but I don’t feel anxious and the clonazepam I’m prescribed seems to do little good. Could this be akathasia instead and, if it were, are there drugs to combat it?
A: There is one drug that has had some effectiveness in the treatment of akathasia -
It is called propanalol (it is used primarily for the treatment of high blood pressure)
If you are on Abilify, (aripiprazole) this drug has been known to cause akathasia.
Also risperidone is known to cause this condition also.
I would discuss your findings of how these drugs are affecting you and tell your doctors that you think they are causing your restlessness etc.
You have this right to ask them if they might consider prescribing a drug to combat the restlessness and ask their opinon on the drug propanalol.
Take Care!
Q: abilify a.k.a. aripiprazole?
my shrink already has me taking limictal and lonazepam relating to my bi-polar* diagnosis. recently, he gave me a lot of samples of abilility for what i can not recall (drugs). i have resisted taking it. not following orders and he is a tad annoyed. thinks i am a little paranoid, too. anybody have pros or cons about this stuff? i already take a lot of drugs, primarily for diabetes and followup four-way bypass. my time is short enough for someone 64 years old. my shrink, just like the last one, and the psychologist he works with, remind me a bit of nurse ratchett and staff. doctor knows best?
A: Doctors do not always know best. Educate yourself and do not hesitate to be a partner with your doctor in your treatment. If you are uncomfortable with a proposed treatment, let the him/her know. Any questions or concerns that you have should be addressed and taken seriously.
Abilify is an anti-psychotic that has some antidepressant effects as well. “Anti-psychotic” sounds a lot worse than it is…they can help stabilize moods, slow down racing thoughts, help with sleep, etc.
I’m bipolar and was on Abilify for a short time. It wasn’t for me…it made me unbearably restless. But I have a friend that does exceptionally well on it.
Q: was on olanzapine and it made me sleep like a baby?
but I had to come off it because of too much weight gain so doctor put me aripiprazole which don’t make me sleep at night for my sleeping he has put me on risperidone and i take zolpidem also but they do not help me sleep.
I am on prozac (fluoxetine) and was wondering if i should mention to him if he could put me on a anti depressant that makes me sleep at night such amitriptyline I have never taken this anti depressant but on the internet it said that it makes you sleep.
My depression comes and goes and I am on 40mg fluoxetine.
would it look like an insult to suggest changing to another drug to my psychiatrist.
and why did he not think of it.
A: By all means, talk to your doc. There is a wide variety of drugs that can be used for depression and insomnia. If you don’t get proper sleep, your depression will only get worse. You just need to find the right combination for you. From your docs point of view, it would be an insult if you didn’t keep him advised on how you’re doing. If you don’t feel comfortable with this doc, change docs. There’s plenty of them.
Q: I can’t sleep can any one help me?
I am currently taking aripiprazole 20mg for psychosis and fluxoxetine 20mg for depression I am also taking zolpidem 10mg but the 10Mg’s of zolidem is not enough (its a sleeping tablet like zopiclone) 20Mg’s is enough for me but my doctor said that I must only take 10Mg’s, I wake at 2am and feel very very anxious as if something terrible is going to happen.
I will be seeing my psychiatrist this friday, does any one know how I can convince him that 10mg sleeping tablets are not working and also do you know what is a good strong drug for anxiety.
A: I can help you get right to sleep. You dont need no meds for this either.
Q: head to head comparisons of ABILIFY?
I would like to find head to head comparisons of ABILIFY® (aripiprazole) Bristol-Myers Squibb vs. its competitors. Namely:
1.GEODON® (ziprasidone) PFIZER
2.SEROQUEL® (quetiapine fumarate) ASTRAZENECA
3.ZYPREXA® (olanzapine) LILLY
4.RISPERDAL® (risperidone) JANSSEN
5.INVEGA® (paliperidone) JANSSEN
I am also interested in finding articles which give unbiased (or controversial) information.
About their side effects like:
1.Diabetes
2.Weight Gain
3.Tardive Dyskinesia
4.Elongated QT Interval
And I would also like the drugs cognitive abilities.
Thank You
A: Well In terms of diabetes and weight gain Zyprexa is going to be the worst with Seroquel and Risperdal/Invega being more moderate in those departments. Geodon and Abilify are more weight neutral.
In terms of #3, I’ve heard that Zyprexa has one of the lower risks and Abilify has one of the lower risks.
In regards to 4, I think it can happen with Invega and Geodon.
I currently take Zyprexa and Abilify and don’t experience cognitive problems but this of course is going to vary from patient to patient. What may not affect one person may affect another differently. So I can’t say what’s going to happen to you in terms of cognitive function on the meds.
I hope I helped a little and I wish you best of luck in your treatment decisions.
Related Posts