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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by theo on November 9, 2005, at 6:40:44
After 2 weeks on just 2.5mg of Abilify, I wake up feeling refreshed when my alarm goes off and have found myself motivated to succeed in working throughout the day!
At first I almost bailed with the flu like symptoms, which could HAVE been the flu, but now I just have a little extra warm feeling, kind of like when I took Depakote.
Anyhow, now that I feel decent, I hope I don't start to see any freaky long term sides on the news from this med, especially TD!
I must say, this drug almost needs to be in a class by itself. I've never taken another antipsychotic, but from what I've read, this doesn't seem to fit as far as side effects, etc. I've seen people on various others and they shuffle around and look robotic. Abilify is almost a little stimulating in a calm way?
Posted by redscarlet on November 9, 2005, at 15:52:19
In reply to Abilify Seems to be Working; For Now, posted by theo on November 9, 2005, at 6:40:44
Are you taking the Abilify in the AM or PM ?
Do you take other meds ?Thanks
I just switched from Geodon to Abilify and I'm not sure what I think of it yet!
Posted by Phillipa on November 9, 2005, at 20:13:20
In reply to Re: Abilify Seems to be Working; For Now » theo, posted by redscarlet on November 9, 2005, at 15:52:19
Sounds pretty good to me. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by theo on November 9, 2005, at 22:41:52
In reply to Re: Abilify Seems to be Working; For Now » theo, posted by redscarlet on November 9, 2005, at 15:52:19
> Are you taking the Abilify in the AM or PM ?
> Do you take other meds ?
>
> Thanks
>
> I just switched from Geodon to Abilify and I'm not sure what I think of it yet!I started taking it PM. I noticed myself feeling good but almost like the med was wearing off late afternoon. I'm sure it was the med just equilibrating with my system, but I decided to switch to AM. Now that I've been on it for around 2 weeks and it's probably reached a steady state, I might go back to the PM dose again.
If I go back to PM and I feel steady throughout the day, I'll stick with that schedule. If not, I'll go back to AM dose.
What dose and what time of day are you taking Abilify?
Posted by redscarlet on November 10, 2005, at 1:34:26
In reply to Re: Abilify Seems to be Working; For Now » redscarlet, posted by theo on November 9, 2005, at 22:41:52
I've been playing around with taking 2.5 and 5mgs.
I tried 2.5 both AM and PM then I took 5mgs yesterday AM then got sleepy for a few hours (napped a while) then I was wired feeling (needing to move around) the rest of the day and had to take some Xanax in the evening to settle down and be still.
I'm also having trouble sleeping, it's around 1:30 am here and I'm wide awake !
I think I'll go back to 2.5 in the AM and see what the day will be like.
I've only been on this for four days. I'm just looking for a fast miracle I guess !!!
I have bipolar and have been in a depressed state and not wanting to do anything and it's making me nuts !
I hate to feel so unmotivated. If I could live in a hypo state I would, I love being up and happy and productive !
But who wouldn't !!!
Well I guess I need to take something so I can get back to sleep for a little bit. Some Xanax or Ambien.
Are you having any issues with sleep ?
Posted by theo on November 10, 2005, at 7:41:07
In reply to Re: Abilify Seems to be Working; For Now » theo, posted by redscarlet on November 10, 2005, at 1:34:26
> I tried 2.5 both AM and PM then I took 5mgs yesterday AM then got sleepy for a few hours (napped a while) then I was wired feeling (needing to move around) the rest of the day and had to take some Xanax in the evening to settle down and be still.
> I'm also having trouble sleeping, it's around 1:30 am here and I'm wide awake !
> I think I'll go back to 2.5 in the AM and see what the day will be like.
> I've only been on this for four days. I'm just looking for a fast miracle I guess !!!A little but not much. I wake up feeling ready to take on the day. Except for last night. I had some bad dreams that woke me up a couple of times. I had a headache and felt really full (ate to much for dinner) so maybe it was just that. It seems like I have more sleep issues since I started taking it AM which you think would occur with PM dosing??
I word of advice. I would stick with either AM or PM dosing for at least a week to let your body adjust and then switch to the other time. Bouncing back and forth every day will never give the med a chance to level out.
I am thinking about trying 5mg, but won't exceed that dose.
Posted by redscarlet on November 10, 2005, at 8:24:57
In reply to Re: Abilify Seems to be Working; For Now » redscarlet, posted by theo on November 10, 2005, at 7:41:07
Thanks Theo ~
Ya I think I'll stick to the 2.5mgs in the AM for a week.
And I'm like you I don't really see myself going above 5mgs total.Let me know how your doing & I'll do the same.
Have a good day... :-)
Posted by Toph on November 10, 2005, at 18:18:56
In reply to Abilify Seems to be Working; For Now, posted by theo on November 9, 2005, at 6:40:44
theo, are you BPI or BP II, if you don't mind my asking? I'm BPI and a switch from lithium might be dangerous for me, but I sure envy your report of feeling energized on Abilify.
Posted by theo on November 10, 2005, at 23:15:29
In reply to Re: Abilify Seems to be Working; For Now, posted by Toph on November 10, 2005, at 18:18:56
> theo, are you BPI or BP II, if you don't mind my asking? I'm BPI and a switch from lithium might be dangerous for me, but I sure envy your report of feeling energized on Abilify.
I'm Anxiety NOS 300.00, which means unknown at the time.
I'll swear, I'm so tired of diagnosis. I think if your suffering with symptoms, try different meds till you find a fit and don't focus on diagnosis. I could really do what I'm doing with a patient general doctor and a good talk therapist. Pdoc's seem to bring me in, act like they are a mind reader and prescribe you the "flavor of the month med." Then if you say a med's not working, they get mad like your just the sick mental patient complaining and throw me something different and collect there $125.00 for a so called "med check."
Not to bash all pdocs but they do seem to have a pattern of doing this.
Simply put, Abilify is helping my symptoms whatever my diagnosis is.
This is the end of the thread.
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