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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by TrishP on December 1, 2006, at 19:03:04
Ok - I'm scared of taking an antipsychotic (Abilify) for the long term. What if I end up with weird side effects in the future that are permanent?
I know all drugs have side effects.
When I skip a dose of Abilify I feel a little down and get that shaky (akathesia) feeling inside.
On the other hand, I get side effect from SSRIs.
Sometimes I wonder if I wouldn't be better off taking Wellbutrin/Effexor/Klonopin.
I feel somewhere between stupid and scared. Like I'm playing russian roulette with my mind & body with Abilify. I'm just not sure.
Yikes!
Has anyone out there been taking Abilify for a long time as a mood stabilizer?
Posted by Phillipa on December 1, 2006, at 19:46:59
In reply to I'm scared and stupid?, posted by TrishP on December 1, 2006, at 19:03:04
Why an AP as a mood stabalizer why not lamictal as it's an antidepressant sort of and a mood stabalizer? Love Phillipa
Posted by emme on December 1, 2006, at 21:06:40
In reply to I'm scared and stupid?, posted by TrishP on December 1, 2006, at 19:03:04
> Has anyone out there been taking Abilify for a long time as a mood stabilizer?I don't know what one would consider a long time. I've been taking Abilify to augment Lamictal for about a year and 4 months. So far so good wrt side effects.
emme
Posted by TrishP on December 2, 2006, at 7:34:43
In reply to Re: I'm scared and stupid? » TrishP, posted by Phillipa on December 1, 2006, at 19:46:59
> Why an AP as a mood stabalizer why not lamictal as it's an antidepressant sort of and a mood stabalizer? Love Phillipa
Back several years ago another doc started me on Lamictal (the usual starting dose) and by day 10 I started getting terrbiel cancker-like sores inside my mouth. I love the way it made me feel, but I just couldn't take the weird feeling that my teeth were going to fall out and my mouth was breaking out in blisters.
So, this current doc is hesitant to perscribe it.
Posted by bassman on December 3, 2006, at 16:51:25
In reply to I'm scared and stupid?, posted by TrishP on December 1, 2006, at 19:03:04
I don't think you're foolish to be concerned about Abilify-or any of the new AP's. The SSRI's. Wellbutrin, and benzos have been around for many, many moons. They figure 50% of the major serious side effects of a drug appear in the first 7 years a drug is on the market-so I feel much more comfortable with drugs that are so old they are off patent. The new AP's scare me, too. I decided I'd never try one until I had gone through every conventional med around. I don't plan on that happening.
This is the end of the thread.
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