I have only been taking Abilify for a few weeks (I switched from seroquel, which made me gain weight.) and I have two questions. First, how do you suggest that I combat this restless urge to move all the time (which I'm experiencing as a side-effect of abilify) and is Abilify stronger than seroquel? I ask this because my doctor took me off of 100 mg seroquel and put me on only 10 mg of abilify. Are those amounts comparable to one another?
2007-09-27 17:30:10 · 6 answers · asked by Valerie H 2 in Health ➔ Mental Health
Abilify and Seroquel are both atypical antipsychotics (AAP). They are the same class of meds, but they work differently. Yes, the dosing between the two is considerably different. I don't know 10mg of Abilify is the same as 100mg of Seroquel. I'd bet that the Abilify amount is slightly higher, but truth is that these meds aren't the same, so the camparison isn't apples to apples.
The internal restlessness is called akathisia. It can be horrible. Talk to your pdoc about it. If you don't have an appt soon, call. You do not need to live with it. There are meds that can counter it, and in itself, is a legitimate reason to switch meds.
Abilify isn't known as a weight gaining med. Seroquel definitely is.
If you are bipolar, are you on a stabilizer (anticonvulsant or Lithium)? APs as monotherapy might be the fashion, but stabilizers do more to protect the brain.
A good site for med info is Crazy Meds. Don't let the name put you off. The info is solid, and it is written in plain English. The talk board is a good resource as well.
http://www.crazymeds.org
Btw, I got akathisia on just 2.5mg, which ended my Abilify experiment. However, others do well on it.
2007-09-27 19:09:35 · answer #1 · answered by Alex62 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The restless urge to move happens to many people who take abilify. Talk to your doctor about this side effect. He/she will either lower the dose, change the medication, or give you a medication to counteract this restlessness.
Seroquel is the weakest of all atypicals and is a weight gainer. Abilify is not a weight gainer. I believe you are on a higher dose of abilify than you were on seroquel.
Abilify is highly effective. Talk to your doctor anyway about your present condition. Don't worry. Something can be done to alleviate this restless problem.
2007-09-27 21:30:09 · answer #2 · answered by Marguerite 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
These are 2 different classes of medications that treat similar symptoms (kind of like aspirin and tylenol), and illnesses. The dosing is different as these drugs are different. These types of medications all cause some measure of weight gain. It is important to remember, however, that these side effects are those that were reported by the patients in the clinical trials, so your experience may be different. This urge to move constantly is something that you should discuss with your doctor.
2007-09-27 17:39:54 · answer #3 · answered by MHnurseC 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
in case you weren't suicidal formerly taking off the drug and provided that taking off the drug you're suicidal now i'd quit taking the drug and talk on your prescribing wellbeing care professional ASAP. i don't understand the numbers yet seem up the numbers for the hotlines so that you do not do something drastic. If worst is composed of worst, pass to the ER. yet like I reported, if this is drug brought about, i'd at present quit the drug and tell your wellbeing care professional. best of success, Andy.
2016-10-20 03:44:31 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My grandson is on ability and it caused him the same problem .So the Dr also put him on another med to keep him from not being so restless.I would tell you the name of it but I don't remember. Now hes on two meds
2007-09-27 18:15:18 · answer #5 · answered by fireflies 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Best asked of the pharmacist -- remember different drugs will go to work in different ways.
2007-09-27 17:44:17 · answer #6 · answered by Hope 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ask your Dr. about a tranquilizer/ muscle relaxer like artane or benedril.
2007-09-27 17:40:42 · answer #7 · answered by dogpatch USA 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋