Starting Abilify: Looking for Advice and Experiences

I just started taking abilify at night! So far, I'm tired and I think it's making me sick to my stomach, but I'm always like that. So, I hope it helps me! I would suggest trying it, because some people it works, others it doesn't.

I went off of it after 2 years. For me it did help a bit, but I just couldn't live with the side effects anymore. My mouth was always dry as the desert, I was always constipated, and I couldn't have an orgasm.

I've been taking Abilify for years, at least 5, maybe more. I'm on 10mg and I've fluctuated on the dosage over time but just up to 20mg, which made me completely manic for the 7~ months I was on it so, I recommend increasing your dose with caution. I've tried to come off of it and lower my dose below 10mg, but I had a terrible time everytime so there's that. The only thing I worry about is developing tardive dyskinesia from prolonged use but they test me every year to make sure that isn't happening. Anyway, said all that to say I like it! It's great! But there are side effects, just like with any medication.

It made me super nauseous and I could barely eat one meal a day. I lost 15 pounds in the month I was on it. I also got way more anxious. But also antipsychotics in general don’t work for me. Abilify helps a lot of people though so it might be worth a try but honestly if you haven’t tried an anticonvulsant first then that might be the better route. They are easier in your system and have fewer side effects. I’ve had a good experience with lamotrigine!

I tried it a few years ago and it didn’t work for me

I take Abilify, have been for years and I love it!!! I take it at night because it can make me a bit drowsy.

I had an unusual side effect. I lost my personality. My counselor called it a flat affect. I'm a fairly outgoing, exuberant person, but when I was on abilify, it was like I shifted into neutral. I was less expressive, and had a flat voice. I guess it was pretty disturbing for my mom and counselor, but I wasn't aware of the difference in personality. I had to be told I was acting weird. I was taken off of it. I've heard of some people having different negative side effects with abilify and other people having good results. Just be cautious and keep track of any changes emotionally and physically. You really won't know how it affects you until you try it. Unfortunately, we all have to volunteer as lab rats to find out what does and doesn't work for us with medication. The possibility that it can help makes the risk worth it. I hope it works for you.

It’s been helpful for me I haven’t had any bad effects from it

It made me super tired on the lowest dose so my doctor never tried it again for me

I personally had a really bad reaction, so I recommend doing a gene test for what meds might work for you. I haven’t done it yet but I am soon

Hated it, I'm currently in the UK and I was on this. I put sooo much weight on and I became numb that I came off then

I am currently switching off of Abilify because I saw no change in my symptoms.

I'll be honest. I could have been taking sugar pills. It had no noticable affect. I kept taking it either in pill form or the monthly shot and felt nothing.

I've been on it for a while and it's really helped me so far! I haven't felt as paranoid or angry lately since I've been on it.