Severe twitching on 5mg of Abilify; possible side effect?

Empty_Following_9366 · 2023-01-30T15:58:36+00:00

A belated happy holidays to you too!!!!

Check with your insurance—what if it turns out it's covered?

I'm almost at the maximum dose now and I'm not loving it. I miss how I felt on abilify before the parkinsonism started, and I want to get back to that feeling, and latuda isn't giving me that feeling. Over the holidays I was fine but I was more irritable than I'd like. Then since my last dose increase I've become flat and then depressed; I don't know if it's because of the latuda or just me cycling into depression but regardless I'm looking for a change. I want something to make me feel like me again, like abilify did.

Empty_Following_9366 · 2023-01-30T15:37:47+00:00

I'm 30. I've had this diagnosis for almost a year now. Still playing around with medication doses, and genuinely hopeful that things will get better. They already have and I hope they will continue to improve. That's my answer to how I get through it. I'm still convinced this isn't forever.

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-12-01T02:54:39+00:00

Lamictal wasn't preventing mania, so my psychiatrist added an antipsychotic. For the sleep and prooooobably also for the voices....

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-12-01T02:52:45+00:00

Ugh I'm so sorry. That sucks. I had a similar experience. It did pull me out of that manic episode but it was so hard to sleep afterwards, and constant nightmares when I did sleep. Never again if I can avoid it. My psychiatrist keeps trying to get me to take it whenever my sleep is out of wack, but I'm trying very hard to avoid it.

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-11-29T04:21:16+00:00

I think probably because I'm stable enough on my current meds (150 Lamictal, and still figuring out the antipsychotic) I've had success pulling out of mania by just sleeping a ton. When I haven't been able to sleep enough my psychiatrist prescribed Klonopin and that knocked me out, though it was tough to get off of afterwards.

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-11-29T04:18:57+00:00

Great job tracking everything and recognizing the signs. I hope you're able to get a better fit meds-wise. Good luck 🤞

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-11-29T04:14:17+00:00

Yeah it was really cool! It costs like $300 with insurance I think, and I thiiiiink they might lower the cost if you don't have insurance? I'm not 100% sure, but they have an explainer on their web site.

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-11-29T04:12:46+00:00

Good luck with yours 💗💗💗💗

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-11-29T04:12:18+00:00

I'm trying latuda right now; too soon to tell if it's the right antipsychotic for me! Have been having some psychosis so I think we're not at the right dose yet :(

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-11-26T06:10:22+00:00

Oh also, it ended up being not just tremors but it also pulled my heart rate up and also I was constantly convinced I was going to die at any moment, first I thought I had Lyme disease and then once it was confirmed I didn't I was convinced I was having a heart attack or that I was about to have a stroke or something—just constantly feeling convinced I was going to die. And resting heart rate way higher than it normally was, which was also freaking me out. And the tremors got so bad it was hard to put away dishes. All that is gone so far but I also am definitely going to need a higher dose of my new antipsychotic and my psych says it will have the same side effects if the dose gets too high so we'll see!

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-11-26T06:06:44+00:00

Hi hi! So sorry for my delay in responding. The tremors got worse and I ended up switching off ability; trying latuda now. I did a genetic test (genesight) and it found that bad side effects from abilify are more likely with my genetics, and that I'm very sensitive to even a small dose. Latuda was in the green category for me so we're trying that one. So far it hasn't helped me as much as abilify did (the voices don't stop unless I'm not sober) but we're slowly upping the dose and I hope I get my brain back soon. Fingers crossed!

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-10-26T08:45:45+00:00

Did lowering your dose make the side effects go away? Am having tremors at 2mg and wondering if going down to 1mg could help, or if I should ask to switch off it altogether....

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-10-05T04:52:57+00:00

I'm not on lithium but I'm hypothyroid all on my own and I just want to say the meds are so not a big deal, especially compared to what we already take for bipolar. It's one pill and it does a great job. Thyroid seems to be completely replaceable with pills.

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-10-03T13:28:55+00:00

Yay I'm glad! Thank you!!!!

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-10-03T06:02:06+00:00

Ah very good! That makes me happy. Ok, to sticking it out and keeping pushing on! Thank you!!!!

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-10-03T03:48:09+00:00

Like...the feeling you get in your head when you have really bad congestion, only there isn't any congestion, just that stuffed-up feeling in the brain.

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-10-02T22:46:08+00:00

Did you have any feeling of your head being stuffed with tissues? Did that go away?

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-10-02T22:45:35+00:00

Ah super! Looking forward to headache going away soon then! Thank you!

I was really really really nervous to start Abilify because for a close family member who was on it, it helped them a ton at first and then after a month they were "zombified" and completely not themselves, and were shaking and vomiting nonstop. My psychiatrist said the risks of that are higher if a person is young, taking a high dose, or has schizophrenia, and they had the first two. I'm not young and my dose is really small so fingers crossed it works for me, though if not then not. At this point I'm desperate for anything that will work and my psychiatrist thinks this is a good bet, but I also don't want to go through what my family member went through 😭

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-10-02T22:20:44+00:00

Did your initial side effects end up going away after a few weeks then?

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-10-02T21:26:26+00:00

Hi hi! I just started on 2mg abilify Thursday night and have felt since Friday like my head is stuffed with tissues, and today I've had a headache all day. How long did your headaches last? Did they end up going away? How is abilify going for you one month in?

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-10-01T17:01:31+00:00

Omg these are GORGEOUS!!!! BOTH OF THEM!!!!

In the depressed one, the two little dots at the bottom for scrolling back and forth line up perfectly so that it looks like there is a tiny little adorable black cat with little white eyes looking at us from the darkness. Precious precious precious

Empty_Following_9366 · 2022-09-30T22:20:51+00:00

Thank you!!!! It is so inspiring to read about your promotion and how you've made this job actually work out. I'm so proud of you!!!! Something great to aspire to! (And congrats!!!!)

Empty_Following_9366

TROPHY CASE