Posted by banga on May 20, 2005, at 13:52:45
In reply to Please , tell me about your experience w/Abilify??, posted by Alvin on May 20, 2005, at 10:37:32
Hi,
I have used Abilify about 5 months now. I find it immensely helpful with anxiety, depression and negative rumination. The effects set in within four days for me.
With anxiety, however, it can be a mixed bag--it is also very activating, and some other people have found it to actually increase anxiety, esp. the physical symptoms...for me it may agitate me a little, but it is worth it. Since my depression is one which leads to lethargy and hypersomnia, I welcome the added energy.I now take 5mg/day. I found this to be too much in the beginning, so I used only 2.5mg for the first months...until some of the effectiveness wore off, then I increased it to 5mg. Having said that, my blood levels are probably higher than they would be if I were not taking it with other meds that potentiate its effects....
My opinion is that many pdocs start at too high a dose, then people get scared off--agitation, akasthisia, insomnia....
My thought is it can work if you approach it as a very strong medication (which it is)--go slowly on dosage.
If you start having some side effects, definitely do not increase right away--maybe even decrease the dose until your body gets used to it. The side effects fade in a few weeks for me.I did not gain any weight; I have difficulty judging on negative cognitive effects...had problems before I started Abilify, and I take many other meds.
That is my experience, always with the caveat that each of us can respond very differently.
poster:banga
thread:500321
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050516/msgs/500377.html