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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 18 of 18. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Llurpsie_Noodle on January 17, 2007, at 20:10:43
you have been selected to respond to the following poll!!!! (yay...)
1) Your impressions of Abilify to control mood swings and intrusive thoughts (vs. seroquel & geodon)
2) What time of day do you take Abilify? Is it sedating/ stimulating for you (vs. seroquel & geodon)
3) Weight gain or loss? (vs. seroquel & geodon)
thanks bunches,
-Llsorry I posted this in a thread above, but phillipa's right, it deserves its own thread.
Posted by exquilter on January 18, 2007, at 1:17:02
In reply to Hey Abilify Users.... yeah, YOU!!!, posted by Llurpsie_Noodle on January 17, 2007, at 20:10:43
> you have been selected to respond to the following poll!!!! (yay...)
>
> 1) Your impressions of Abilify to control mood swings and intrusive thoughts (vs. seroquel & geodon)Abilify does a good job of controlling unwelcome trains of thought, especially suicidal thinking. No experience with the other meds.
>
> 2) What time of day do you take Abilify? Is it sedating/ stimulating for you (vs. seroquel & geodon)I take it with my evening meds as it seems to add to the sedation caused by my other meds. I found it quite activating at first though.
>
> 3) Weight gain or loss? (vs. seroquel & geodon)I have continued to gain weight on Abilify. I was put on Zyprexa but quit that because of rapid weight gain. It has been slower on Abilify but hasn't stopped.
I'm currently considering a switch to Geodon due to tremor and akathisia as well as the weight gain and swelling. Too bad as Abilify has worked well, helping with the depression and with focus as well. Any info about Geodon would be welcome.
Exquilter
Posted by shasling on January 18, 2007, at 7:57:31
In reply to Hey Abilify Users.... yeah, YOU!!!, posted by Llurpsie_Noodle on January 17, 2007, at 20:10:43
I take abilify and would like to help you, but have no experience with the other meds listed so can't compare them for you. With respect to your questions, I dont have mood swings or intrusive thoughts, so Im worthless on that one. I take 5 mg in the morning and 5 mg after lunch; it really seems to work better for me if I split the dose; not sure how exactly, I just know I feel better if I split it. And I have had not experienced any weight gain or loss from it at all. For the record I do love the abilify, can't imagine right now going off it. Hope that helps a little.
Suzie
Posted by Phillipa on January 18, 2007, at 11:56:19
In reply to Re: Hey Abilify Users.... yeah, YOU!!!, posted by shasling on January 18, 2007, at 7:57:31
Lurpsie don't know who else will chime in but when others have posted threads on ambilify. Most have said it's activating so take it in the am. What do I know? Since I haven't taken it. Anyway Love Phillipa
Posted by Llurpsie_Noodle on January 18, 2007, at 13:57:49
In reply to Re: Hey Abilify Users.... yeah, YOU!!!, posted by Phillipa on January 18, 2007, at 11:56:19
Thanks Phillipa,
I see pdoc tomorrow, so i'll finish up my research this evening. Now I have to do other research. diss research. ugh.And thank you exquilter and shasling for your input. From what I have heard, Abilify seems like a fairly friendly drug.
Anymore folks got ideas for me?
-Ll
Posted by Sebastian on January 21, 2007, at 15:39:48
In reply to Hey Abilify Users.... yeah, YOU!!!, posted by Llurpsie_Noodle on January 17, 2007, at 20:10:43
It helps mood swings much better than geodon.
I take the dose split in half, once at breakfast and once at lunch, for better toleration of side-effects.
Weight loss. I did gain weight on geodon. Not sure if it was the geodon or my increased bad diet and lack of exercise, but I still lack exercise, diet is better though same amounts of zyprexa with both. Since starting abilify I've lost 10 lbs.
Posted by Sebastian on January 21, 2007, at 15:41:47
In reply to Hey Abilify Users.... yeah, YOU!!!, posted by Llurpsie_Noodle on January 17, 2007, at 20:10:43
Oh, and it didn't raise my blood sugar, and may have decreased it, probably from the weight loss.
Posted by Llurpsie_Noodle on January 21, 2007, at 19:42:35
In reply to Re: Hey Abilify Users.... yeah, YOU!!!, posted by Sebastian on January 21, 2007, at 15:41:47
Thank you all for your kind attention to my thread. For various reasons I am now taking geodon, rather than abilify.
In particular, pdoc tells me that geodon shares more reuptake properties with cymbalta than abilify does. This supposedly will make it easier for me to reduce my cymbalta dose.
Thanks SO much, and I wish you all continued good luck in the search for the medication (combo) that will make you feel good inside and outside.
-Ll
Posted by mindevolution on January 24, 2007, at 1:40:04
In reply to Re: Hey Abilify Users.... (not ME), posted by Llurpsie_Noodle on January 21, 2007, at 19:42:35
> Thank you all for your kind attention to my thread. For various reasons I am now taking geodon, rather than abilify.
ummmm, it may be a silly question, but what's a nice girl like you doing on antipsychotics?
Posted by Llurpsie_Noodle on January 24, 2007, at 7:46:00
In reply to Re: Hey Abilify Users.... (not ME), posted by mindevolution on January 24, 2007, at 1:40:04
> > Thank you all for your kind attention to my thread. For various reasons I am now taking geodon, rather than abilify.
>
> ummmm, it may be a silly question, but what's a nice girl like you doing on antipsychotics?
>
>Aww that's a sweet thing to ask?!?
Maybe I'm a nice girl to others, but often I have a problem that I'm not nice to myself. I think that this class of drugs serves two functions for me. First- mood stabilization. Before I was on anti-psychotics, the the smallest fluctuation in my plans for the day had the potential to make me feel like my emotions were out of my control. If something unexpected and stressful happened, my reaction to it would be immediate and way overblown. (call it "trigger" or whatever. Second, I was struggling with suicidal ideation and other thoughts of mayhem and murder. No matter how sensible I was, telling myself that the can opener is my FRIEND, etc, I couldn't help but see an opportunity for suicide and dismemberment in the majority of everyday scenes. Strife would also cause me to have a welling up of flashbacks from my own traumatic childhood, and these flashbacks were vivid enough to send me into dissociation and depersonalization. Not much fun. The result of these intrusive thoughts was that I had problems leaving home, and getting my work done (which involves collaboration, more than not).
That's why. Seroquel was a very good drug for me (once I became immune to the daytime sedation). But now I'm not happy with the weight gain and motor system twitchies and abnormalties (and cravings for marzipan and chocolate)
-Ll
Posted by mindevolution on January 24, 2007, at 15:17:50
In reply to Re: Hey Abilify Users.... **trigger** » mindevolution, posted by Llurpsie_Noodle on January 24, 2007, at 7:46:00
> > ummmm, it may be a silly question, but what's a nice girl like you doing on antipsychotics?
> Aww that's a sweet thing to ask?!?
>
> No matter how sensible I was, telling myself that the can opener is my FRIEND, etc, I couldn't help but see an opportunity for suicide and dismemberment in the majority of everyday scenes.just trying to imagine you trying to open someone's head with a can opener! lol. well I am glad that you have found something that works for you!
Posted by exquilter on January 25, 2007, at 23:05:01
In reply to Re: Hey Abilify Users.... **trigger** » mindevolution, posted by Llurpsie_Noodle on January 24, 2007, at 7:46:00
Have you had any start-up side effects from the Geodon? I'll be adding it to my cocktail in an effort to cross taper off of Abilify because of side effects from that. I hope you are doing well,
Exquilter
Posted by Llurpsie_Noodle on January 26, 2007, at 8:28:46
In reply to Re: Hey Abilify Users.... » Llurpsie_Noodle, posted by exquilter on January 25, 2007, at 23:05:01
Hi exquilt,
thanks for reminding me, I wanted to do a followup on my side effects from starting geodonIn general, I have some slight visual disturbances an hour or so after taking the pill. The first 3,4 days these were really noticable, and I felt kind of loopy. Now it's hardly noticeable at all.
I had a cramp in my calf (charlie horse) maybe it's related, but prob. not.
I had "gastrointestinal distress" for 1 day, and the following day my stomach was all crampy too. Prob some combination of medication and diet. Who knows? I ate some bad chicken? I dunno. Well, no fever or nausea or appetite change.
I had a slight headache on day 4, and I took some naproxen Na and it went away.
For ME the main negative side effect has been excess fatigue. Please keep in mind that days1-5 I was taking the following
geodon 2x day 40-80 (taper up)
seroquel 300mg (major sleepy-maker)
cymbalta 120mg (also sleepy-maker)
provigil 200mgThen day 6 onwards I started to decrease seroquel because I was whining to my pdoc how sleepy I felt all the time- even with provigil. Now I'm up to 120 geodon and down to 200mg seroquel. sleepyness is gone. yay!
one thing about geodon- it needs to bind to some proteins in your blood to get around. So, if you take it with food your body will absorb the proper dose, but if you don't take it with food, your body may only absorb 60% of the dose. Get your money's worth and eat it with a full meal (snack is not good enough- only 70% absorbed).
In general- very positive effects of clear thinking and motivation. I don't feel depressed, and the slight loopiness and the fatigue have been very reasonable (considering my last drug addition of 300 mg of seroquel, which was a 3 week stupor lol, or when I went up to 120mg cymbalta - that was some bad gut-times and my sexy feelings still haven't recovered!)
best of luck to you,
keep in touch.
-Ll
Posted by Phillipa on January 26, 2007, at 18:08:04
In reply to geodon start-up effects » exquilter, posted by Llurpsie_Noodle on January 26, 2007, at 8:28:46
Lurpsie you have the best results from psych meds than anyone I know. Keep going girl. Love Phillipa
Posted by Llurpsie_Noodle on January 26, 2007, at 23:16:43
In reply to Re: geodon start-up effects » Llurpsie_Noodle, posted by Phillipa on January 26, 2007, at 18:08:04
Whee, thanks Phillipa,
you're a sweetie. I WILL keep going, but now it's bedtime.
-Ll
Posted by exquilter on January 26, 2007, at 23:23:25
In reply to geodon start-up effects » exquilter, posted by Llurpsie_Noodle on January 26, 2007, at 8:28:46
Thanks for the reply. Apparently my Pdoc believes in the low and slow approach as he started me at 20mg, increasing by that amount at the end of each of the next two weeks as well. I'll see him after I've been at 60mg for a week.
He has me taking it at bedtime, so a snack is the best I'm going to manage but maybe I will try to include some nuts or cheese. It doesn't sound too bad from your experience, and sounds like you are feeling some good effects. Thats encouraging for both of us I guess. Keep up the good work!Exquilter
Posted by rina on January 27, 2007, at 19:48:41
In reply to Hey Abilify Users.... yeah, YOU!!!, posted by Llurpsie_Noodle on January 17, 2007, at 20:10:43
> you have been selected to respond to the following poll!!!! (yay...)
>
> 1) Your impressions of Abilify to control mood swings and intrusive thoughts (vs. seroquel & geodon)
>
> 2) What time of day do you take Abilify? Is it sedating/ stimulating for you (vs. seroquel & geodon)
>
> 3) Weight gain or loss? (vs. seroquel & geodon)
>
> thanks bunches,
> -Ll
>
> sorry I posted this in a thread above, but phillipa's right, it deserves its own thread.Hi this is in response to Abilify. As stated before in a new post. I'm currently taking seroquel temporarily. Which makes me want to eat everything in sight that's sweet...lol My doctor is going to put me on Abilify. Has this medicine caused sedation for anyone? Medicines that are sudating are bad for me, especially since I tend to sleep alot on my own.
Posted by exquilter on January 27, 2007, at 23:39:54
In reply to Re: Hey Abilify Users.... yeah, YOU!!!, posted by rina on January 27, 2007, at 19:48:41
At first I found Abilify quite activating, but as time went on I noticed I was sleeping more during the day so I switched to bedtime dosing which took care of the problem. I am taking a lot of meds so your mileage will undoubtedly vary.
Exquilter
This is the end of the thread.
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