Abilify for Schizophrenia User Reviews (Page 3)

• NRG
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 9, 2018

"I've been on this medicine for 2 weeks. I'm suddenly not wanting to sleep my whole days away! It makes my ADHD go through the roof though. A lot of pacing. I stopped ADHD meds because of the psychosis, but I think I may start them up again since I know I was getting psychosis because of schizophrenia and not necessarily the amphetamines. As for side effects besides the above first week had a stomach ache and slight headaches. Totally worth it though."

• Mille...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 13, 2018

"I was on invega for years. Was always drowsy and gained 100 lbs over 6 years. Then I switched to abilify last October 2017. Abilify worked so great for me, lost weight, wasn’t drowsy, voices dissipated, etc. Then a month later the problems started, I fell into a deep hole of nonstop gambling. It started out as just a simple free code bonus for online casinos. It then turned into a full blown addiction. Drawing my bank account anytime I got paid down to 1-0 dollars trying to win. Always chasing my losses. It has gotten to the point where I started opening credit cards for more and more gambling. I have finally put my foot down and said “NO More!” I Saw my psychiatrist today and came forward with my issues. She told me to taper off abilify and switch to Vraylar. Here’s to hoping the gambling floats away with the drug leaving my body!"

• jaysee
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 18, 2015

"I've never taken medication for my symptoms before. This medication makes me feel loopy sometimes and it seems like my eyes fly back for a second sometimes. It helps within a few minutes of feeling anxiety or really depressed. It has so far also made the voices sound more distant."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 20, 2015

"I took Abilify for only three days, half of the minimum dosage a day, which is 2,5 mg, still enough to cause me a collapse in which I almost died! I quit immediately but I still experienced heart problems for the following two months."

• Winte...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 27, 2019

"I started 20 mg Abilify a month ago and the only side effects I’ve had is extreme restlessness. Especially in the morning. It has helped with paranoia but I think the help is wearing off after a month because symptoms are returning. I’m doing some for of CBT therapy which I hope isn’t bringing back things or triggering my schizophrenia symptoms but I’m still going on full force with medication because I’ve always stopped taking them early. Here’s to hoping all these extra side effects that have happened only this last week end: increased anxiety, paranoia, and minor hallucinations. On a side note these extra symptoms are manageable if I’m keeping busy and not letting my mind take control. I just have to stay once the passenger seat."

• jerko
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 19, 2016

"I cannot imagine why I stood so long time on it! I stood on Abilify at 3 years time and 2 months. My problem with abilify was that my bloodsugar level increased and I became extremely Hungry all the time. If you have bad bloodsugar you need to eat often. And on everyrhing. I even gained weight on the slightest. The only positive was that I was not psychotic on it and my dreams when I was sleeping was OK! But Abilify affected my personality, I was not ME on it.. I was like somebody else but I do not know who! Abilify serve only 2 of 10."

• Anonymous
• October 2, 2009

"I was on one Abilify for three years, for schizophrenia. At first I thought it was pretty good. It helped with motivation. But then I started gaining weight. Weight gain on Abilify is very unusual, my doctor said. Anyway, I gained over 50kg, going from nearly skinny at 78kg (I'm 6 foot 1 inch) to morbidly obese at 132kg. Now I'm on ziprasidone (Geodon/Zeldox) and I have lost 7 kg in six months. Hopefully that weight loss will continue. So if you start gaining weight on this drug, don't ignore it, talk to your doctor about changing medicine."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 4, 2022

"I was diagnosed with schizophrenia when I was 30 years old after experiencing significant psychosis. I was initially placed on olanzapine (Zyprexa) and although it helped considerably and enabled me to leave hospital, I suffered from side effects including fatigue, dry mouth and found it almost impossible to get motivated. I then moved onto Abilify and the difference was like night and day. I'm more sociable, active, responsible, clean and I'm able to hold down a very demanding career. I don't credit all of this to Abilify, but it certainly helped and played a huge part. I found it difficult to remember to take my dose each day and a few times the symptoms of psychosis started to return after long periods of not taking the medication. In response, I decided to go for the monthly injections and I haven't looked back! There is only one side effect that really bugs me and that is severe akathisia - Though I've found Benztropine fixes that 100%."

• Anonymous
• March 9, 2009

"I've used 5mg daily for three weeks. My delusions and paranoid feelings passed. I still have hallucinations (voices and visual). It's helped my thinking. Though it makes me very tired in the day. I hope it will continue to help."

• destt
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 31, 2015

"This medication made me feel like my brain was fried it was so hard to think and it made me feel hyper on the inside but made my body feel tired and lazy it was a horrible feeling and it made my schizophrenia worse!!"

• Gabri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 23, 2022

"I would rate it a 10/10 if you care to move on with life and take care of your present matters. It took me a couple months to become effective and I immediately started with the injections. If you decide to take this route, just be mindful of making better decisions. Thanks pharma!"

• Light...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 3, 2020

"I got prescribed Abilify 10 mg nightly at bedtime for schizophrenia. I am misdiagnosed. I am forced to take it at the moment. I have developed extrapyramidal symptoms Parkinsonism. My adrenaline and noradrenaline is also way too low. Thanks to my neurologist I’m taking amantadine which helps me with Parkinsonism."

• dalo
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 12, 2014

"On the good side it only had one side effect for me, and that was a little bit of a increased heart beat I could feel and it made me feel like I was going to a concert or just won a prize, it felt not too bad knowing the other medicines out there for schizophrenia. "

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 24, 2023

"Abilify, also known as Aripiprazole, is pretty good med. It helped with my symptoms and as a plus it reduced my appetite slightly. But it also caused restlessness and insomnia (as side-effect), so I had to switch meds unfortunately."

• Gap_2...
• November 22, 2017

"Stop using it! I've been on it for 2 years and feel like I'm dying. I've had hives diarrhea, racing heartbeat, dilated pupils, etc hair loss, insomnia, weight loss and scared I'm for my life. It has worked well up until last two weeks. I'm aboriginal and so no cost to me."

• simsi...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 3, 2016

"i was on the verge of disaster, my psychiatrist introduced aripiprazole 10 mg with least dosage. in the beginning i faced stomach problems which ended in a month time. the best result i received only after 4 months usage"

• Jaisy
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 4, 2021

"I'm 68,and I had a psychotic episode, never had this happen before. I was hearing non aggressive voices in the humming of fans, fridges even car engines. I was put on quitiapine and they didn't agree with me. I've now been prescribed aripiprazole and feel great, more energy, more confidence. I take 5mg once a day, still vaguely hear the voices but they don't bother me at all. I'm in the UK and don't pay for medication on the NHS."

• Sebas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 1, 2021

"I have Schizotypal Disorder. A lot of other medications have slowed my thoughts and caused restlessness at a schizophrenia-recommended dose, such as 10 mg Zyprexa. But none of them have caused that at one fourth the schizophrenia-recommended dose the way Abilify did. I didn’t get many benefits from this drug. Going back on Zyprexa."

• Alex
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 25, 2021

"This drug is terrible.It keeps me up at night, wide awake! I had the depot injection, now it will not let me sleep for a month. I have been on it for 9 days, counting down the days. What can help with sleep? I tried quetiapine.it didn't work. I don't even know if my dr will stop this injection. Fingers crossed, he will.in 21 days. Don't take the injection form if you have a choice .For me,I don't have a choice."

• The...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 25, 2016

"I had asked my doc to change my medicine from Loxapine to something else that would allow me to get back to my baseline weight. In 3 months, didn't see any movement towards my baseline weight. I have been exercising (weights + cardio) for 1.5-2 hrs a day 6 days a week during this time as well while maintaining a pretty disciplined high protein diet. My body fat % came down from 22% to 20% in a couple of months, but hasn't gone lower after that. It's disheartening to see all that hard work yielding not so great results, which further affects my motivation to exercise considering I'm not seeing any more results. So this med hasn't been weight neutral for me (compared to baseline wt.) although I didn't gain any more weight on it either."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 2, 2022

"The first six months to a year actually makes you worse rather than better, until your body adjusts to it fully - I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. I find celexia a better choice other than light headedness for the first two months it actually makes you happy etc"

• Al...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 1, 2022

"I have seen improvement very soon after taking it. I can think more clearly just waiting on my motivations to kick in. Been more helpful than paliperdone. Olanzapine worked well. Abilify has made me more aware of my health. It has improved my well-being so far. Being only 8 days."

• sepha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 14, 2023

"Completely got rid of my hallucinations (auditory, visual, olfactory and gustatory) pretty quickly, and after my dosage was increased my delusions likewise subsided. However what ruined it for me is after the dose was increased, I had rapid-onset severe akathisia, which made everyday life impossible. I recommend trying it out just be weary of the signs of this side effect."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 5, 2024

"Abilify injection has been great for me because I never miss any dosages. Ever since I've been taking Abilify, I have never felt any relapses. My schizophrenia has been under control."

• Angie
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 15, 2020

"I have been on Abilify for 5 days and I can already tell the difference. I feel much more awake, together and peaceful. Plus my concentration is better."