Abilify and Increased Appetite: What Users Say

• Joh...
• June 26, 2014

For Depression "I was really hesitant to take Abilify after being on Zoloft and later Wellbutrin without noticing effects, but I did anyways and within a few days, I started noticing effects. I feel surprisingly good now. I find myself doing chores like washing dishes or my laundry and realize that usually I would just slump around saying 'I'll do it tomorrow' until I'm nearly out of clean clothes or dishes. I find myself singing to songs on the radio and my mood is not only noticeably better, but remarkably and incredibly better. I haven't noticed any side effects except maybe that I'm a bit hungrier than usual - for instance, I'll feel hungry and get a meal but not be able to finish it. So far, excellent results. Only about 2 weeks in."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 19, 2014

For Depression "This medication has been fantastic. My depression was pretty significant as there was nothing I wanted to do anymore other than go to sleep at night. I felt like my life was gone. Someone took it. After seeing the reviews on here, I started taking Abilify (10 mg) and it works fantastic. I started to notice a difference on the second day and I have now been on it for three weeks. I feel great. I feel like my life is back and I want to do things again. It does make you sleepy so I take it at night before I go to bed. I had a very slight increase in hunger but it was totally manageable. As long as you don't feed your face every time you feel hungry, and you stick to your normal eating amount and schedule, you won't gain any weight."

• Koo...
• June 18, 2014

For Depression "I have suffered from obsessive-compulsive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and depression for years and have been on many different meds. The longest being Luvox. I decided to see a new psychiatrist, and she took me off of the Luvox and put me on Prozac, gradually increasing it to 60mg daily. OCD improved, but depression and GAD didn't. She then put me on 2mg Abilify added to my Prozac daily. In three days, I started seeing improvement and feeling better than I have in many years. Life had been a struggle for me for so long, and now I feel better than I have in years. I sure hope and pray that I continue to feel this way. Yes, my appetite has increased, and I am gaining some much-needed weight. I would still prefer these minor side effects than to go back to the old me. I give Abilify a 10."

• the...
• February 11, 2015

For Depression "Don't let others' bad experiences prevent you from trying this medication. It is strong, yes, and it will affect the chemical balance in your brain and shouldn't be taken lightly, but I'm an example of it working. I used to have bouts of crying randomly, seriously depressed, no will to do much of anything. I started this, kept with it through the side effects and it has been a life changer with my antidepressant. I still feel, but less intensely/exaggerated. It keeps me level-headed generally. The first week I felt a little nauseated, and it does increase appetite, but if you don't overeat, you won't gain weight with this medicine."

• CMH...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 22, 2013

For Depression "I have been taking different depression medicines for over 20 years. I've been taking Celexa for the past 4 years, but even with an increase, I noticed no difference. I didn't realize that depression was causing me to sleep constantly. I could barely function due to my fatigue. I'm a homemaker who could barely get through one little chore a day. After starting 5mg of Abilify, I am a new person! No more naps, rested in the morning, and getting a lot accomplished every day. I am so relieved and feel so much energy! My appetite has increased, so I hope this is a temporary side effect. Sometimes I feel like I can't sit still either, so I may cut back on the dosage. I've got my life back and so hope this medicine can help others that are suffering!"

• inv...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 18, 2013

For Autism "After much deliberation and many, many meetings, we finally decided to put our 7-year-old on a low dose of Abilify. My child is officially diagnosed with PDD-NOS, which is an autism spectrum disorder. At first, the low 2mg dose seemed pretty effective in controlling the anxiety and outbursts. However, when our doctor prescribed a higher dose of 5mg, the exhaustion and weight gain were out of control. My child gained roughly 45 pounds in six months, even when we stopped the medication for the summer months. Abilify seems to make my child very hungry but unable to convert any calories into energy, simply storing all food as fat. We came to the decision that the side effects were outweighing the desired effects, and we are trying a new medication."

• kri...
• January 14, 2012

For Autism "This medicine is wonderful! My 9-year-old has been taking 5 mg once a night for almost a year. Total turnaround! The only side effect we have is increased appetite and weight gain. I do worry about his blood sugar... but the changes are seriously unreal!"

• Anonymous
• August 27, 2011

For Autism "My 10-year-old son was on Risperdal, and it was horrible for him. He started taking 2mg Abilify along with Celexa, and in 2 months at school, he was doing 70% better. This medication did make his appetite increase, and he did gain weight, but not too much weight. Once his body got used to it, he began to have trouble sleeping, so his doctor increased his dosage to 4mg a day, 2mg in the morning and 2mg at night. He is sleeping well again, and his appetite seems to have stabilized. This medicine has been great for my son."

• coo...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 5, 2013

For Depression "Abilify, along with Prozac, has worked amazingly for me. But there is a downside to using Abilify. WEIGHT GAIN! Once I started it, my appetite increased like crazy, and now I've gained about 60 lbs. It's like, do I want to quit taking it and go 'crazy' but be thin or keep taking it and be fat and happy, literally!"

• ano...
• July 8, 2013

For Depression "For the past three months, I experienced severe anxiety and depression, likely due to intense work stress. Feelings of dread and doom were constant and overwhelming. I had a similar episode about 15 years ago, and a GP prescribed Luvox. Within weeks, I felt normal and alive. I've been on it ever since. I finally decided to see a psychiatrist. Well, after an hour meeting and 7 pages of notes, she diagnosed me with severe obsessive compulsive disorder and depression and added a small dose of Abilify. The change was immediate and remarkable. The anxiety is greatly reduced. The depression seems gone. The racing thoughts, while not gone, are reduced. I have energy, however, I constantly feel hungry. I hope it continues."

• Ros...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 10, 2019

For Major Depressive Disorder "Abilify has changed my life in the month that I've been taking it. I wake up in the mornings now and actually look forward to the day, rather than waking up dreading the day as I did before starting this medicine. I think I'm also able to let go of things more easily that would tend to ruin my whole day before. I'm not saying my problems have gone away, but I'm able to deal with them so much better. The only drawback to this medicine is I'm eating a lot more. I think I just have to use some self-control."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 22, 2013

For Autism "My autistic 12-year-old son was put on a low dose of Abilify in August 2012 to help with mood swings and anxiety. His emotions stabilized beautifully, but he gained an excessive amount of weight and an extreme increase in appetite. In a matter of 5 months, he went from 100 pounds to 139 pounds. We've had to stop the Abilify and find an alternative so we can work on getting him to a healthier BMI."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 10, 2014

For Major Depressive Disorder "I was put on 5 mg of Abilify 2 months ago to add to 60 mg of Prozac that had stopped working. I was afraid at first due to all the negative comments about weight gain. This medication is a blessing. I felt alive again after taking it for only 2 weeks. My life is better than ever. There has been no weight gain. This medication does increase your appetite, but if you don't overeat, you will be fine."

• Anonymous
• December 7, 2019

For Depression "Was on it for 3 weeks. During this time, I had an insatiable appetite. I remember going into the cafeteria and getting a chicken sandwich meal from a fast food place, and then 20 minutes later went back in starving and ate another meal from another fast food chain. I gained about 15 pounds in three weeks, lol. The pdoc decided to pull me off it based on this. Also, my tongue swelled up 2x or so on its side, and my mouth constantly watered to where I carried a cup with me just to spit into. Also, I felt like I was detached from reality on it, I guess surreal. During all this, I managed to finish up my studies despite this disruption to my life. Currently, I choose to take no meds in this family of medication, and I switched pdocs. We weren’t on the same page."

• Pen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 13, 2019

For Depression "Started this 3 weeks ago. First week took 2.5 mg once daily. Felt almost immediately better, that faded after the first week when I was instructed to go to 5 mg. One daily. After 3 weeks, I’m still depressed, just not quite as bad: insomnia, increased appetite, weight gain 3 lbs, a feeling I can’t sit still, difficulty focusing. Joint and muscle aches, fatigue, and binge shopping on the internet. It’s not helping with suicidal ideations. I’m getting off it."

• BP2...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 12, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "This was one of the worst medications I’ve ever tried. I have bipolar II with rapid cycling, and this medication literally made me out of it. I could barely gather thoughts. I felt dumb as a rock and couldn’t focus. I also felt so agitated that it took all my energy to survive the day. It made me hungry but did nothing for depression or hypomania. My eyeballs felt like they were rolling around, and I could have just stared at a white wall. Stopping it was like a dream. I took it for a few months. Worst med ever. Totally net negative. Beware if you have my combo of bipolar."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 22, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "My doctor prescribed me 5 mg of Abilify to add onto a depression medication when I was going through a hard time. Maybe I had personal side effects, but it was a nightmare. I constantly felt restless-my legs would not stop moving, and it was extremely difficult for me to sit at work for long periods of time. I also constantly would wake up with migraines and a dry mouth. While it helped with my depression a little bit, it definitely increased my anxiety and ruined my sex drive. Abilify also caused me to have an insatiable appetite. I was always hungry and never felt full. Within 4 months of taking Abilify, I gained 20 lbs. After going off the medication, 6 months later, my appetite is noticeably different, and I dropped 12 lbs. Since being off the medication, I feel more like myself and that my personality has returned. Honestly, I can't recommend this unless you have no other options."

• Pan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 23, 2021

For Agitated State "I have been suffering major anxiety and fear since puberty. It got much worse after having a child. After trying SSRIs, I felt like a zombie with no motivation. I used to drink alcohol a lot to suppress the anxiety too, which led to tons of problems in my life. Since taking Abilify, I feel like a normal person! I feel like the person I wanted to be. It has increased my appetite a lot, and the first week I couldn’t sleep, but now after a couple of weeks I’m calm and sleeping well. I’m afraid of the weight gain associated with this drug, but a few extra pounds is better than crippling anxiety and substance abuse."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 22, 2012

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I have severe obsessive-compulsive disorder. I had been on Lexapro, and I was doing well. After 2 years, I went off it. I was doing well for a few months, and then my OCD spiraled out of control. I started taking Lexapro again 3 weeks ago. Last week I was still doing horribly. My psychiatrist put me on 2 mg of Abilify, and it seemed to kick in for me the next day. I'm not perfect, but my OCD thoughts are much less. I'm not ruminating. I don't have rituals, just obsessive thoughts. They're practically gone in one week. This medicine seems to have done the trick for me thus far. I have just started CBT therapy too. My appetite has increased. I don't know if it's actually from the Abilify."

• lak...
• March 23, 2019

For Depression "I was on Abilify for 4 months. I was on only 2 mg. Gained 17 lbs after 2 months. Had an enormous appetite, always hungry even an hour after eating. Really did nothing for me. And I am still trying to get this weight off."

• mot...
• April 14, 2012

For Depression "Abilify at 2 mg has felt like my depression is finally under control. However, the weight gain has been a difficult one to accept, and I am going to try to go down to 1 mg to see if that makes a difference. I started out at about 124 and am now 131, with watching everything I eat and exercising hard 3-4 times a week. Doesn't seem to matter if I eat very little. Still can't lose the weight. I don't like this side effect, but it far outweighs the depression I have felt for years, so I may have to put up with it. I am very hungry in between meals and crave sweets. Willpower has been tested, and so far I am passing because I have never had a weight problem in my life and don't want to start now."

• crj...
• March 14, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "Abilify changed my life. There is hope. I was on Zoloft and Clonidine when I first started Abilify at the age of 15. Zoloft for depression and Clonidine to manage my complete rage. My moods were out of control. I was depressed and hopeless one second and then mean, irrational, and full of rage the next. My doctor prescribed me 2mg of Abilify and from that point on I feel like I have been cured, though I know I'm not. Bipolar disorder is a constant battle. I know Abilify works for me because I have tried to get off it and lost complete control over my emotions. Went back on it and I was golden again. I am on 5mg twice daily. I am now 21 and better than I have ever been in the past. Only side effect is I like to eat a lot."

• NHe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 9, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "Abilify is the only antipsychotic that works for me. The extreme hunger, lethargy, restlessness, and memory problems I had on other antipsychotics are nonexistent with Abilify. I was in the middle of a severe depressive episode when I took it, and it only took several weeks for me to be back to normal functioning. I sleep better, have more energy, and fewer mood swings. This medication is great. I find that it is more 'activating,' while other drugs in the same class, like Zyprexa, are more 'tranquilizing.'"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 1, 2020

For Agitated State "I was recently prescribed Abilify (the generic) during COVID. I have PTSD, BPD, and depression, so with everything going on, it has made me insane. I had rage outbursts and would want to hit people, not to mention the stress and lockdown. Every time I left the house, there were signs and masks everywhere. Anyway, I needed a change. I tried Abilify, I'm on 5 mg now. I found it actually increased my appetite, I gained at least 10 lbs, which I'm not fond of, but I've been eating again. I find it has worked great as far as a mood stabilizer. I've only had 1 panic attack since being on it. The first few weeks, I was really agitated and paranoid, though. If I don't take it at the exact time every day, I feel sick. Overall, it does help with my mood and rage, so I'll stay on it. I don't like the always having to move, it's nice at work, but not if I ever want to relax."

• And...
• February 10, 2021

For Depression "I've been on Abilify Maintena 10 mg for 4 months, and I asked to be taken off the drug a week ago. It didn't help with my depression, I am emotionally numb now, still have an increased appetite and no energy. I used to be incredibly active. I don't know how much longer it will take for the side effects to disappear. Do not take this drug if you have the same symptoms."