Posted by DrMom on May 5, 2003, at 11:34:26
In reply to Re: Abilify agitation » DrMom, posted by Griobhtha on May 5, 2003, at 10:15:33
> The FDA prescribing information for Abilify states NOT to prescribe for children.
>
> Which AP to try is almost getting as hard as which AD to try. I've beeen on Seroquel, which put me to sleep. Zyprexa made me tired and caused my hands to balloon. Geodon made me very ansy.
>
> I had been taking Risperdal for quite some time (2mg/day). It works great for me, even calming my nerves quite a bit and giving me 1 or 2 points (10 pt scale) on my depression scale. My only problems have been weight gain and loss of libido. I gained 30 pounds after starting it (massive increase in appetite (and I was already overweight), but through working out 6 days per week I've lost that 30 pounds. However, though still working out, I can't get down past 265lbs.
>
> The loss of libido has been a bigger problem. Even after switching to Abilify (2 weeks now), the problem persists. I want to try adding Dostinex (cabergoline) to combat this, but I'm not sure how it will work.
>
> As for the Abilify, I think I too have reached my limit with the uncontrollable sense of needing movement (agitation?); and it's hard to get to sleep and stay asleep. I think I may go back to Risperdal and wait for a newer version of it, or a direct competitor, to come out.
>
>
> > Thanks for all the post on akathesia. I had no idea it was a side effect of the abilify my daughter was taking for Schizophrenia. It is getting impossible for her to concentrate at school because of it. I did read that this drug was not recommened for children so now I'm wondering why it was prescibed. She is also taking the medication for the side effects of the muscle stiffness. Does anyone know of a better alternative to switch to, I know most of the antipsychotic drugs are full of side effects.
>
>
I did notice on a current website that Abilify wasn't suppose to be prescibed to children. Unfortunately the doctor at the hospital that prescribed it wasn't a child psychiatrist. I had no clue this hospital didn't have a child psychiatrist in their adolescent floor - how stupid! Our experience with him was a nightmare especially since he filed commital papers when he knew I didn't trust him or his staff. So she was stuck seeing him for 2 weeks and I had no choice - this is another subject matter however that would take days for me to vent about. She sees a new doctor now that the hospital stay is over and someone else takes over the commital and this new doctor just told us to increase the cogentin and this would help get rid of the akathesia. I am skeptical however since one of the side effects I read about cogentin is listlessness. I am only going to give it a few more days and then this Abilify will be out the door. No one should have to live like that.
poster:DrMom
thread:205257
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030505/msgs/224457.html