Aripiprazole for Autism User Reviews (Page 2)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 13, 2023

Abilify (aripiprazole) "My 8-year-old son is on the Autism spectrum/ADHD and started this medication two months ago. It has worked tremendously well! He can focus and concentrate without getting distracted every few minutes and his meltdowns have decreased so much that he rarely has any. Before the medication, he was having meltdowns at least 5 times a day and was frustrated and irritable. This medication has definitely helped with all of that and I am so thankful to have found him something that helps him. The only side effect he has had is headaches."

• anony...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 2, 2020

Abilify (aripiprazole) "15 year old son was prescribed Abilify for anxiety and aggression that started recently. It stopped the aggression and regulated his sleep cycle nicely. However, after 5 months, he started having crying episodes and seemed depressed mixed with mood swings. Side effects included drooling and feeling like he had to pee but couldn't. It amplified fixated/recurring thoughts to the point of serious debilitation. Doctor advised to try reducing dose. Found Ativan worked better when there was any potential flareup and have used that on an as-needed basis. Reducing dose and hoping to find better solution."

• Kaya
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 22, 2019

Abilify (aripiprazole) "Son started taking 2mg abilify in Nov and it did great. Helped with his emotional instability. Around Jan-Feb, I noticed that his behavior is back to pre-medication. He’s emotional, crying at everything, and developed aggression. Going to ween him off and find and different medication."

• Amazed
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 11, 2022

Abilify (aripiprazole) "My 12 year old daughter has severe ADHD, PTSD, and we are still looking in to Autism. She started taking abilify when she was 5 years old due to massive tantrums. It was a miracle when she started taking it. When she was 8 years old I asked the dr to change her medication because she seemed to have developed a tolerance and it no longer was working as well. At first I didn’t see how downhill it sent her. She wasn’t throwing the tantrums anymore. But for the first time she started having major problems at school. Not with her behavior so much as her lack of self control. She was singing or humming and completely unable to focus. It took going to a new dr to get her back on after 4 years off of it. The difference is again life changing. She has not had any weight gain or -side effects."

• Kieran
• June 14, 2020

Abilify (aripiprazole) "I've had horrible shaking all over my body, even on the smallest dose (2.5mg), to the point where I couldn't walk and was escorted in a wheelchair in my room. This medication was given to me for no apparent reason, like everyone else in the ward (autistic and non autistic). I was the only one not handling it."

• Sue
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 26, 2021

Abilify (aripiprazole) "This type of medication is not for autism. It was ok for a month whilst my son was distracted by the side effects. He then became more aggressive and argumentative and was hyperactive. He also developed OCD. Risperidone did not work either and he had tics on it."

• Mom
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 14, 2021

Abilify (aripiprazole) "My son is 14 now. He was on 1mg of Abilify for about two years. It was a nightmare but he'd become suicidal when we'd try to quit it. His personality changed. He went from being a vegetarian to wanting to hunt and ate meat every meal. He developed bizarre sexual interests, craved alcohol, became so aggressive I couldn't get him to school and suffered a manic episode and psychotic break requiring hospitalization. He craved sweets constantly and gained 50 pounds. Please think twice before letting your child try this drug. He's on Zyprexa and Depakote now and never been better."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 28, 2018

Abilify (aripiprazole) "This was for my son. The side effects are worse than the original problems. Extreme weight gain immediately craved food, excessive thirst, already high triglycerides made worse, vision changes immediately. Trying to get my son off the medication is making the symptoms worse with behavior and insomnia. He is no longer needing to eat non-stop and he doesn’t use his glasses all day anymore if at all which is how it was before. He has had many almost psychotic episodes screaming that he doesn’t know what he wants to do and completely unable to go to sleep. He has separation anxiety cannot be alone, increased aggression and work refusal at school. It’s been a month of trying to wean him off. Gradually every step down causes more problems like this. I highly recommend not trying this drug. I was pressured into it by the hospital and my ex husband against my wishes."

• lower...
• August 28, 2017

Abilify (aripiprazole) "My 23 year old started Abilify (add on two topamax and zoloft) she had been exhibiting some outbursts and not leaving her apartment. We only started medicating her when she developed seizures at age 14 and it has been nothing but a series of meds since. I am happy to report that Abilify has seemed to be helpful. She wants to get out more and hasn't had an outburst in months."

• Ricki
• June 27, 2019

Abilify (aripiprazole) "My son 20 years old autistic he start having aggression lots of anxiety dr put him on Abilify 10 mg morning morning 10 at night his aggression is worse and his also taking Depakote due to couple seizures in his teenagers years, make a story short the Abilify is not helping at all and his psychiatrist wants me to give him 30 mg , I’m lost don’t know what to do"

• mrsG
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 10, 2018

Abilify (aripiprazole) "we had my grandson on abilify for a year and we upped his dosage and down it as well, yet his aggression never stopped, We finally got him weaned off and his aggressive behavior has increased severely, also his tics have increased, He can't stop moving he was hitting his feet and head cause his brain is not connecting to his right thoughts. He is high functional autism, I do not recommend this drug to them at all"

• Hannah
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 14, 2023

Abilify (aripiprazole) "It was awful. I was on it on/off from age 13 to 20. It made my depression worse there were days I would come home from school and start crying even when school was going really well for me. I also gained a lot of weight (about 60 lbs total) despite living in a household that served healthy portions and encouraged exercise. It helped short-term with impulse control when I was getting in trouble at school and had anger issues but the pros definitely didn’t outweigh the cons. I’ve also noticed doctors tend to give it out to kids as young as 6 years old who have autism or bipolar or even just have a troubled life. They hand it out like candy. This needs to stop."

• JaxMo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 19, 2016

Abilify (aripiprazole) "My 18 year old son has been on 2 mg for 15 months; he was never aggressive, but got irritable after our divorce, he started having issues puking with anxiety. He continues to have issues with repeated vomiting. He has not gained weight and I am now thinking that is because he vomits so much. :("

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 8, 2021

Abilify (aripiprazole) "My daughter diagnosed with level one autism, adhd and ocd , has been taking aripiprazole 2.5mg at dinner time for about three months. She used to have daily sensory related meltdowns over how her clothes felt. She hasn’t had one in about two months (so, about a month after she started this med). She had the meltdowns daily for 6 years , and I’m not exaggerating. This medication has been so helpful for my daughter ( and our entire family ) and it helps her to sleep better too!"

• KTano
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 11, 2021

Abilify (aripiprazole) "I take it with Lexapro, and it’s been amazing for my depression and irritability. I feel better than I have in years. The only side effects I don’t care for is the insomnia/waking up in the middle of the night."

• Angel...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 20, 2021

Abilify (aripiprazole) "Our 15 year old son was put on Abilify to help with violent tics/outbursts. It seemed to help at first. He seemed more mellow. But slowly they upped his dosage. The tics/outbursts became more frequent and he would not sleep at night. We took him off Abilify. The tics/outbursts still happen but it's more of an occasional thing versus every single day - multiple times a day. He's been given Clonodine to help him sleep. It puts him to sleep - but we still contend with him getting up every night and sometimes not going back to sleep."

• KindT...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 28, 2022

Abilify (aripiprazole) "Abilify was used for my son with autism for one year. Abilify 7.5 mg helped with eloping and stemming behaviors. When Abilify was increased to 15mg, there was even more aggression. Straterra was added for focus, however it did nothing for the aggression. The psychiatrist mixed this drug with Straterra 40 mg and hydroxyzine 50 mg which was for trouble sleeping. Different dose amounts were used between all three of these drugs, but nothing helped his aggression."

• EvieF...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 25, 2018

Abilify (aripiprazole) "Took them for a year. Didn't really do much and the side effects outweighed the benefits. It started a pattern of new insomnia where I wake up multiple times a night so I went off of it and got really irritating and anxiety triggering dyskenesia. Over a year since I've taken them and the sleep problems have not stopped. It absolutely fried my short term memory. People are always telling me the same thing over and over again because I can't remember things anymore."

• Autis...
• October 8, 2021

Abilify (aripiprazole) "My 11 years old son was on Guanfacine for a good 5 years then it stopped working and he was without meds for like a year ir so but he started to get anxious so Dr put him on Risperdal but seem not to help so stopped and he was ok for a good 8 months until he started to become some kind of bad attitude aggressive . So dr put him on abilify 2mg he is doing wonderful on it no weight gain at all no more then 10lbs he was super skinny so a couple of pounds won't hurt my 4 year old also with autism has severe sensory issues that he could go 3 to 4 days without sleep and rocking back and forth banging his head etc. tried 3 meds none of them seems to work then he was put on Risperdal and is doing amazing on it my point is meds won't work for some and will do amazing for others."

• Keyth
• October 9, 2021

Abilify (aripiprazole) "First 2 days on this my 27 year old son is agitated. Doesn’t know what to do with himself. Can’t sleep. Wants to eat all the time. Cries and self injures if left alone. He is nonverbal so analyzing by observation I would say this is the wrong med for him."

• miste...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 3, 2024

Abilify (aripiprazole) "I love Abilify. For me, it doesn't change my appetite at all. My relationship with my family is way better now since I'm not easily annoyed anymore :) I'm not sure why my appetite hasn't changed much though. Was it because of the Ritalin I also took? I take Abilify with Ritalin since I also have ADHD."

• ihate...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 8, 2020

"I used to take aripiprazole for autism and it made my stomach hurt a little but no weight gain or loss. Then I started to show symptoms of hypermania such as abnormally upbeat, jumpy or wired, increased activity, energy or agitation, exaggerated sense and self-confidence (euphoria) Decreased need for sleep. etc. My mom contacted the prescriber and told her about my symptoms. She immediately stopped it cold turkey and started me on Zyprexa and it worked."

• Mattie
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 15, 2021

Abilify (aripiprazole) "This really helped my rage/irritability but not possible to continue taking due to severe weight gain. I was put on it when I was 12 and it completely halted my metabolism. I was 75lbs when I started it and within 2 months I was 140lbs. I went from a double zero size to a size 13 in just 8 weeks. I no joke could gain weight from eating an apple. I have stretch marks and extra skin to this day (12 years later) from it. I got off it as soon as we switched drs (my dr at the time refused)."

• svet
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 21, 2023

"It did not really help my son with challenging behavior but messed up his hormone levels like other medications such as prolactin and others. We took him off it and he now developed horrendous motor-neuron side effects and looks like having a constant epileptic fit. I am really heartbroken."

• Vermont...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 8, 2017

"My 9 year old Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) son has had aggressive outbursts since he was in preschool and it was unpredictable. We started him on Abilify and immediately saw his whole demeanor relax. No weight gain and no problems with blood work so far at 5mg. He is less anxious, not aggressive and more communicative. The medication has changed our lives."