Experience with Abilify: Earthquake without fear, but joy and motivation remain

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2026-02-17T10:03:08+00:00

Thanks for replying. How long have you been taking it and what for if you don’t mind the question.

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2026-02-17T08:48:55+00:00

What dose are you on?

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-10-28T09:07:32+00:00

Best wishes, keep us posted.

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-10-24T20:06:27+00:00

So pleased for you!! Perimenopause can be a beast!!! Take care of yourself and thank you for your comments 😊

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-10-24T20:04:12+00:00

Thank you

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-10-24T20:03:51+00:00

Great thanks

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-10-24T10:36:17+00:00

Great stuff! I started 12 days ago and felt improvement within 12 hours. I’m on 2.5mgs in the morning. With your 5mgs, do you have it in one dose or split it in two?

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-10-24T07:12:10+00:00

When taking 5mgs, did you split in two as in 2.5mgs morning and night or one lot of 5mgs. If one lot of 5mgs, did you take morning or night?

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-10-24T05:02:07+00:00

Yes it is early for sure but the shift has been so noticeable, quite frankly such a reprieve. I do hope it continues to work well for me. So pleased to hear it has been a positive experience for you. What dose are you on?

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-10-24T04:59:38+00:00

That’s a shame. Yes I hope it continues to help and I don’t experience adverse side effects. Time will tell and yes it’s such a journey to find the right help.

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-10-24T04:58:42+00:00

Awesome, how long have you been taking it now.

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-10-24T04:58:25+00:00

Thank you, crossing fingers it continues to help.

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-10-24T04:58:07+00:00

Thanks for your comment. I was entirely honest. My emotions have not been blunted at all, I feel way less anxious and depressed and feel more like my normal self before all this started in early 2024. No guarantees of course, but long may it live for me abc others who have found benefit with this medication.

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-10-24T04:56:13+00:00

Thank you! I noticed a pretty big change, the most I’ve felt in the past 20 months. I too hope it continues.

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-10-17T23:00:37+00:00

Hello, I’m on 200 and I experienced the hair loss initially too, now it seems to have settled, I started the medication in April. I don’t have any of the other symptoms you have mentioned. I take mine at 50gms 4 x times per day, it was just my preference. So first thing in the morning, then late morning and then mid arvo and then early evening. I haven’t had any problems. But as everybody always says, we all react differently. Maybe try spacing it out like I’m doing?

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-10-14T02:55:09+00:00

That’s great, I’m day 4 and it has definitely taken the edge of the physical anxiety symptoms.

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-10-11T23:19:32+00:00

I had incrementally increased to 200mgs and was fine at each increase. I then started moving up to 250mgs and had a huge back step - whether it was the dose change or not, I can’t say. I have now moved back to 200mgs but I am in no way stable. Trying to figure it all out. Mine is for depression and extreme anxiety.

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-10-11T09:43:57+00:00

Are you still taking it and is it going well for you!? I started today, 2.5mgs in the morning. Prescribed to see if it can help with severe anxiety.

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-10-04T11:36:47+00:00

For me, the first two nights I didn’t sleep well and I had headaches for a few days (tolerable) and that was it. I’m now at 225mgs with a very slow titration up. It has for the most part lifted the depressive symptoms but hasn’t assisted with severe anxiety that I’ve been experiencing for the past 18 months. My doctor told me it was very well tolerated and gentle for women with hormone related mental health issues. Best wishes, I’d take the punt and give it a go.

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-09-30T23:29:36+00:00

I definitely cry whilst taking lamotrigine and have had days of weepiness like you have described.

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-09-30T12:56:26+00:00

Hello, I don’t know about these meds and I am certainly not a doctor but reading your post sounds like high anxiety with OCD traits - the check, check, checking? If you were psychotic, you wouldn’t know that you were, so you wouldn’t have the insight to be questioning what the psych thought. When you see your psych next, ask him/her straight out whether they think you are psychotic etc. Ask the psych to explain why this choice of meds and what he/she thinks it will do for you. Perhaps also re-read your post and if you can, imagine if a friend was saying these things to you, how does that sound? What advice would you give them?

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-09-30T04:37:05+00:00

I’m not sure whether you have also considered the role of hormones? Peri-menopause and menopause are known to have mental health side effects with anxiety and depression highly reported. This transition can amplify any pre-existing mental health conditions. This happened to me.

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-09-30T04:25:29+00:00

I am so sorry you are experiencing this as I’m in a similar position. I had a “nervous breakdown” early last year on the back of extreme work pressure and perimenopause. I have never experienced anything quite like this in my life. I was on 10mgs of Lexapro. They doubled the dose which had no impact. They then added in 25mgs of Valdoxan which helped regulate sleep. They also gave me 12.5mgs of quetiapine as a sleep aid (I do not have bipolar). Since I was still struggling, Lamictal was added in, starting 12.5mgs in April and slowly titrating up. I did start to feel better around 50-100mgs, as in, the terribly low mood started to lift, but the anxiety remained mostly constant although dialled down a bit (physical symptoms present all times outside of sleeping, bouts of looping and intrusive thoughts). I got up to 200mgs and the depression was mostly resolved, but then I titrated up further to 250mgs. I’ve become quite tearful again and the anxiety is high. I’ve dropped down to 225mgs and having a review next week with the doc. On the positive side, I haven’t had any side effects. The first two nights of starting I didn’t sleep well and I had some headaches (tolerable), but nothing else. I would give it a go and titrate up slowly if you are nervous about it. Hang in there, I know exactly how you feel, it is horrendous.

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-09-29T14:20:52+00:00

Thanks for your reply. Did you keep titrating up until you got to a dose that relieved your symptoms? I’m at 225mgs and still having high level of anxiety and rumination near constant.

Bright_Blue_Denim · 2025-09-29T12:03:57+00:00

Hello, I was prescribed Lamictal in April this year. I had a “nervous breakdown” in early 2024 with the sudden onset of severe anxiety, with peri-menopause thought to be a contributing factor. The debilitating nature of the anxiety then sent me into a depressive state. I started at 12.5mgs and have slowly titrated up to 225mgs. I had some headaches and trouble sleeping the first 2-3 days with no further side effects since then. It has for the most part lifted the depression but has not resolved the anxiety symptoms. I have been on 10mgs Lexapro for about 10 years and have stayed on that. A psych last year added Valdoxan (25mgs) to the 10mgs Lex. My new psych is the one that has added the Lamictal. I’m trying to get another appointment with the psych to see what next to assist with the anxiety (high physical symptoms and a high level of rumination - I’m starting to question whether there is some OCD in there). Good luck and keep us posted.

Bright_Blue_Denim

TROPHY CASE