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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by tensor on August 28, 2011, at 6:31:18
Would anyone here recommend Abilify for treatment-resistant depression?
Posted by Emme_v2 on August 28, 2011, at 7:06:26
In reply to Abilify for depression, posted by tensor on August 28, 2011, at 6:31:18
> Would anyone here recommend Abilify for treatment-resistant depression?
Absolutely! Combined with Lamictal, it has been tremendously helpful for my treatment resistant depression. I only need 2.5 mg. It kicked in within about 4-5 days, so you may not need a long trial to tell if it's going to help you. I still have some breakthrough depression, but it never lasts long now. The Abilify has been far more effective for a far longer time than any of the traditional antidepressants were for me.
Posted by sheilac on August 28, 2011, at 8:06:27
In reply to Re: Abilify for depression » tensor, posted by Emme_v2 on August 28, 2011, at 7:06:26
Emme, I was also wondering the same thing. I've been on Geodon and it has been great for depression, but it's a weird drug.
I was thinking of trying 2mg of Abilify. Last time I did, I seemed to retain water weight. I hated that. Have you had any weight gain with Abilify?
I wonder if Abilify would help with depression the way Geodon has.
Posted by Emme_v2 on August 28, 2011, at 8:37:55
In reply to Emme - Re: Abilify for depression, posted by sheilac on August 28, 2011, at 8:06:27
> Emme, I was also wondering the same thing. I've been on Geodon and it has been great for depression, but it's a weird drug.
>
> I was thinking of trying 2mg of Abilify. Last time I did, I seemed to retain water weight. I hated that. Have you had any weight gain with Abilify?
>
> I wonder if Abilify would help with depression the way Geodon has.Hi Sheila,
Yes, I've plumped up a bit on Abilify, and not water weight. It happened slowly and insidiously. However, the weight gain seems to have stabilized now before it turned into a problem.
Good luck.
Posted by floatingbridge on August 28, 2011, at 9:20:55
In reply to Abilify for depression, posted by tensor on August 28, 2011, at 6:31:18
Tensor, it kicks in pretty fast. It might not be a long trial till you get an answer. What else you on?
Start low. Like 2mg maybe.
Good luck.
Posted by Phillipa on August 28, 2011, at 10:44:34
In reply to Re: Abilify for depression » tensor, posted by floatingbridge on August 28, 2011, at 9:20:55
Are the docs moving away from traditional ad's and now prescribing atypical antipsychotics for depression? If so I'm surprised. Phillipa
Posted by Christ_empowered on August 28, 2011, at 11:27:56
In reply to Re: Abilify for depression, posted by Phillipa on August 28, 2011, at 10:44:34
I think in psychiatry there's a tendency to prescribe based on whatever is being pushed by Big Pharma. For a while, it was benzos for everything, then SSRIs for everything, now its atypicals for everything.
Personally, I'm kind of worried about the heavy use of atypicals in mood disorders. I mean, I take mine for psychosis and I'm still concerned. What if in 10+ years we have people who originally presented with depression experiencing TD or other tardive syndromes? What about the weight gain and metabolic problems?
Posted by floatingbridge on August 28, 2011, at 11:48:21
In reply to Re: Abilify for depression, posted by Christ_empowered on August 28, 2011, at 11:27:56
CE, those concerns register with me, too. Yet risperdone is helping me in a way that no AD to date did. And AD's have become problematic in the past ten years, too, though it is difficult to have a reasonable discussion because they are the standard treatment for some many aliments.
I don't want to suffer any more, nor do I want my brain to go to those places often. It's not a happy happy feeling, but here I am..... :-/
Posted by Emme_v2 on August 28, 2011, at 16:41:18
In reply to Re: Abilify for depression, posted by Christ_empowered on August 28, 2011, at 11:27:56
> I think in psychiatry there's a tendency to prescribe based on whatever is being pushed by Big Pharma. For a while, it was benzos for everything, then SSRIs for everything, now its atypicals for everything.
>
> Personally, I'm kind of worried about the heavy use of atypicals in mood disorders. I mean, I take mine for psychosis and I'm still concerned. What if in 10+ years we have people who originally presented with depression experiencing TD or other tardive syndromes? What about the weight gain and metabolic problems?My doctor certainly didn't use Abilify as a first-line choice. But when AD after AD after AD either didn't work, pooped out, or gave me intolerable side effects, we started on other options. I'm grateful that Abilify exists. I have a life now..... I don't know what's down the road after years of use of meds, but my depression was too severe not to treat in the present.
Posted by Christ_empowered on August 28, 2011, at 16:56:39
In reply to Re: Abilify for depression » Christ_empowered, posted by Emme_v2 on August 28, 2011, at 16:41:18
I'm glad the atypicals are more versatile than, say, Haldol. I'm glad they can be used to treat people with problems that don't respond well (or at all) to other options.
My problem is that I think they're being pushed too hard as first line augmenting agents when there are safer and cheaper alternatives.
Posted by emmanuel98 on August 29, 2011, at 1:22:34
In reply to Re: Abilify for depression » Christ_empowered, posted by Emme_v2 on August 28, 2011, at 16:41:18
Abilify was like magic for my depression --48 hours on abilify and I went from suicidal to fine. Same thing with resperidone and zyprexa. Unfortunately, abilify made me gain lots of weight (also resperidone and zyprexa). But weight gain doesn't happen to everyone. Apparently, abilify is one of the least likely AAPs to cause weight gain.
This is the end of the thread.
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