Posted by med_empowered on October 14, 2005, at 6:00:50
In reply to Questions about Abilify-SLS, Anyone, posted by theo on October 13, 2005, at 23:05:05
Ugh, I hate it when shrinks do that stuff. If they took the time to read the actual data on these meds, they'd know that **lots** of people either a) don't respond or b) don't repsond adequately. Plus, cymbalta isn't proven to be anymore effective than any other medication, so its not as if you're some freak of nature b/c you're not walking around in a constant state of medication-induced euphoria. As for Abilify...its a tricky med, which is true of all the neuroleptics. For me, adding low-dose (5-7.5mgs) Abilify to an antidepressant and Klonopin really did help with intense anxiety and depression...but the results were short-lived, and I didn't like the "numbed" feeling Abilify gave me. Lots of people report start-up anxiety, though. And then there are the contradictory side-effects; some people report more energy and motivation, some people report apathy and fatigue. Some people feel sharper, some people feel stupid. Its worth trying **if** you're comfortable with the idea of taking a neuroleptic (if you're not, don't let your shrink talk you into it; the only really well studied aytpical+antidepressant combo is Symbyax, which is prozac+zyprexa...Abilify is really new, and using it as an augmenting agent isn't all that well studied). You might also want to talk about just how long your doc wants you on the atypical; although it seems like lots of docs lean towards co-prescribing them for the entire course of treatment, I found that just 1-3 weeks of very low-dose atypical augmentation is all that's really needed (for me at least) to get to a point where I can function well again and not feel like $hit. Its kind of like how psychotic depression is treated--short-term neuroleptic+antidepressant, then long term antidepressant+whatever else. All reservations aside--neuroleptic+antidepressant combos, when they're carefully monitored and the doses are well calibrated, work quite well for many people. With Abilify, especially at low-doses, it might be possible to get all the benefits of D2/serotonin blockade, plus the benefits of mild dopamine/serotonin agonism, plus the benefits of cymbalta. Abilify is sometimes called a "dopamine-serotonin stabilizer" b/c it seems to create a sort of new equilibrium in the brain which it constantly adjusts. That said...side-effects could suck. Have you tried other stuff? Adding Buspar might help...even if you don't have anxiety, adding 15mgs+ could boost your antidepressant and help deal with any sexual side effects and improve the overall antidepressant experience. Depending on your situation, you could also try..benzos, stimulants (including provigil), straterra, wellbutrin, remeron, or a tricyclic antidepressant. Personally, speaking as someone who has taken most of the atypicals and remains unimpressed, I'd try the other stuff--which is usually older, cheaper, safer, and has more available data--before adding a neuroleptic. Good luck!
poster:med_empowered
thread:566686
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20051010/msgs/566737.html