Comments on: Bipolar Disorder Medication Spotlight: Abilify (Aripiprazole)

By: Rachel

Rachel — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:53:42 +0000

I took Abilify for one year. It caused me to have uncontrollable, jerky movements in both of my hands. Now I have a hard time playing piano, and it effects my work as a medical assistant. I wish I had never been prescribed this drug. My doctor says it could be permanent.

By: christi

christi — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 18:05:48 +0000

I’ve been taking 10mg 3x a day of Abilify for over seven years. I actually lost weight on it because before it I had tried Zyprexa, then Serequil, then Geodon. All three made me miserable with side effects. With the Abilify I also take Welbutrin. At night I have meds that help me sleep. I have had good results. I just had blood work done and I find out about my blood sugars next week. Reading all the postings makes me nervous. I would say to be really aware of the possible side effects. I twitched and rocked and paced on Geodon. They gave me Neurontin to counter act that. Neurontin just made me fall asleep. And I was still crazy. Abilify so far has been a God-send. Wish me luck for next week!

By: Ann H

Ann H — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:06:58 +0000

I am 29 with Bipolar, Borderline Personality, and Panic Disorder. I have been taking Abilify 10mg for over a year now (could it possibly be 2 at this point…?) I LOVE it. I haven’t had any weight gain from it, and after the initial body adjustment no side effects. I occasionally run out due to delays in patient assistance and can really tell that it’s missing from my system. It helps emmensely. In the past 13 years I’ve been through probably 14 diffenernt maintenance type medications (I’m one that will go back to the doc after a few weeks and say “this isn’t working, I need something else”). This is the one,combined with wellbutrin and ativan as a PRN, that gets me closest to my “normal”. And for me at least I get no side effects which is nice because with so many others that haven’t made the cut I have. It is great because the paranoia that “they’re talking about you”,etc, is gone most all the time.

By: becky :)

becky :) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:30:47 +0000

i am 16 and i have been taking ablify for 3 weeks, at first i noticed small side affects such as restlessness and the drowsieness, yet these have all but almost passed, so far i have not gained any weight and have felt more able to cope in social situations and it has helped me with the voices i hear. the problems i suffered with caused me a grat deal of distress and i would not like others who could possibly be helped put off by the negitive feedback.i realised that i have only been taking the drug a small amount of time but feel it has helped me, mabey not others around me ,as ive suffered with side effects, but me.

By: mom2five

mom2five — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 07:16:50 +0000

My son was diagnosed with Aspergers when he was 13 and started Abilify a year ago to help with the social anxiety and other autism related anxiety issues. After about 4-5 months he started complaining that he was always dizzy and getting different types of headaches. It kept getting worse and everytime I mentioned it to his neurologist he told me it wasn’t related to the meds but my son looked it up online and found these were side effects. now after a year he is having difficulty staying awake during the day, has gained 60+lbds in less than 8 months,his blood pressure is high and lab results just told us that his cholesterol is in the walking coranary range,so the pediatrician says, and a liver enzyme is elevated. we are awaiting a referral to his cardiologist, but after reading all this I am almost positive his medications are to blame. He is afraid to go to sleep at night because he doesn’t want to have a heart attack at 15. The FDA should do more studies on what these medications do to other organs and parts of the body.

By: Another Bee

Another Bee — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 12:11:58 +0000

I realize that this drug has produced bad side effects for some people, I’m really sorry that this has happened.

I am one of the people whose lives have been saved by this med. Nothing else has worked for me, and I have been on a LOT of meds. I’m alive for the first time in my life. I can think, work, stay alert for most of the day, and socialize. I hope that this drug is always available, because I would have to go back into darkness if it wasn’t.

By: CJ

CJ — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 09:44:55 +0000

My granddaughter was diagnosed with ‘autism’ in Dec. 2009. Her neurologist put her on ‘Abilify’ … she was one of the autistics that would harm herself. She’s 6, she’s been on this drug since she was 4. It’s amazing what 2mg twice a day has done for her mental capabilities . She has just started school. For years we watched her locked up socially and emotionally and we struggled as she would bite herself until she bit away chucks of skin and pull her hair our in large clumps when she was overly stressed as well as try to harm herself with anything sharp that she got into her hands. She’s monitored closely by a neurologist in Sacramento Ca. I’m not a drug advocate especially not at her age, however, after years of distress this surely has brought about some relief for ‘her’ and us ….

By: John

John — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 04:25:28 +0000

Thanks for this article, it’s given me some useful information. I am on Abilify 10mg for possible (I think it’s definite) bi-polar disorder. I noticed it’s usefulness the other day when I forgot to take it two days in a row. I had paranoia and slight psychotic symptoms at work and then woke up very early the next day and was full of manic energy. I sometimes get a tremor in my left wrist and I can’t sit still but I do think it’s working – God knows what I’d be like without it.

By: Johnny Doe

Johnny Doe — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 21:03:59 +0000

Whats with all the tremor reports? You ppl are scaring me!!

By: Kara

Kara — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 10:42:03 +0000

I’ve been on 30 mg of Abilify for the past 5-6 years. It has worked great for my Bipolar 1 manic behavior, but I have gained 40 pounds since then. Also my Cholesterol, LDL and Triglycerides have gone to the extreme high category. Another problem I’ve been having for the past couple of years is having really bad tremors in my feet/legs, hands and face when I try to hold a smile. My drivers license make me look like a freak because I couldn’t stop the tremor in my cheeks even after I stopped smiling. I’ve been seeing the same Psych doctor for 8 years and he has moved away so I was forced to find a new doctor. Praise God for him! He has recognized all my symptoms as being caused by the Abilify. I am now tapering off of Abilify and getting on Geodon. So far, no weird effects from the Geodon, but it is too soon to really tell. Anyone know of a suit against Abilify? I have suffered terribly from taking Abilify and I want to do something proactive about warning others of the life threatening effect of this Abilify. I am scared of having a heart atatck or stroke or running off the road in my car because of my tremors!!!