Abilify and Insomnia: What Users Say (Page 4)

• Anonymous
• March 31, 2010

For Bipolar Disorder "I have experienced more rapid cycling with this medication, major insomnia, and then sleepiness. Also, I have experienced shortness of breath and higher blood pressure. However, it helps in making oneself quite groggy for half a day."

• Anonymous
• February 11, 2012

For Bipolar Disorder "Have been taking Abilify for 6 months at 2 mg daily. The first 2 weeks were hard. I couldn't sit still at all, and could not sleep, and my work suffered badly because I couldn't think due to lack of sleep. But I didn't give up because the anger and extreme anxiety I was experiencing disappeared after the first dose! I have gained weight and sometimes cannot control binge eating since I've been on it. Also, it does almost nothing for depression, which still comes and goes, but is easier to deal with since I have much less anxiety symptoms. But I seem to be really paranoid now, and I don't like that. All that being said, I feel way more stable on this than on nothing."

• Lpa...
• March 26, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "I took this med for 2 weeks. Within 3 days, I was thrown into a total manic state. I was awake every night by 3 am because I couldn't sleep. I spent quite a significant amount of money in a short amount of time! I also put on 4 pounds in this time. The only positive thing I can say is that it gave me energy. The reason my pdoc tried me on it was depression and lack of energy. I also have bipolar and have been on Lithium for 3 years and have been steady until I took Abilify. Needless to say, I have stopped taking this med."

• Bab...
• February 21, 2017

For Schizoaffective Disorder "Did nothing for my delusions and hearing voices. It only made me twitchy, unable to sleep, agitated, and gave me extreme tremor. On only 5 mg. I much prefer olanzapine, more effective with milder side effects."

• dou...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 29, 2021

For Schizoaffective Disorder "Garbage, switched from Invega to Abilify. Major side effects even with 5 mg are fatigue, stiff muscles, restlessness, horrible insomnia, akathisia with higher dosages. What is good about it is that it doesn't induce sexual dysfunction like other AP drugs, and it lowers prolactin, which is a plus. Seems to enhance the anhedonia caused by the Invega in a bad way. The half-life is pretty long, about 3 or 4 days, it can overload your system if you are a poor metabolizer. Seems to lift depression but also seems to induce waves of depression, the drug itself is pretty schizo in that regard. The drug itself isn't that bad, but its metabolite has a lot of negative effects. All antipsychotics are crap in general, but as long as it prints dollars, they will keep getting prescribed. Don't go above 5 mg unless you want akathisia. Disregard comments about it being weight neutral, you will gain weight nevertheless. It's just overall less worse than other APs regarding weight."

• Ale...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 25, 2021

For Schizophrenia "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 doctor 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."

• Sta...
• July 21, 2021

For Schizoaffective Disorder "It made me feel the need to eat 24/7, made me have a weird sleep schedule, and made my brain very slow. It did lessen my suicidal thoughts significantly, and I could think more clearly even though I was slower. But I felt very stupid. When I came off it, my psychosis returned with full force."

• Dru...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 2, 2021

For Bipolar Disorder "I was on 0.5 mg of Abilify for two weeks. I couldn't stay still, couldn't sleep, couldn't smell food without getting sick to my stomach. I feel like I have to be doing something constantly. I get bad shakes all the time. I couldn't even eat, I lost weight, I only weighed 118 lbs to begin with. I was nauseous, I had to take nausea medication for something. I was in a constant state of anxiousness, and it was horrible. I'm glad it has worked well for other people, but this just wasn't for me. I'm off of it, and it took me a month to get out of my system. My psychiatrist changed me to Latuda 40 mg at night, and I have my life back. It took about two to three weeks for me to see the changes, but they did come. I enjoy everyday life now, I feel normal now. Your doctor can give you a coupon to pay no more than $15.00. I am on Latuda 40 mg at night and Klonopin 0.5 twice a day or as needed. No side effects."

• Jam...
• April 3, 2008

For Depression "I became less withdrawn, happier, and there was no weight gain. Some insomnia at first, but that cleared up after the first week."

• Lil...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 28, 2013

For Bipolar Disorder "It's not for everyone, but I do well on it. It's a great antidepressant, and it helped me lose a lot of weight, I believe. Only downside: insomnia! But it does go away, eventually (the insomnia)."

• Bry...
• June 17, 2011

For Depression "Side effects were jitters, insomnia, rapid heartbeat, and restless legs."

• Anonymous
• October 24, 2009

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Was prescribed this medicine as an adjunct to Paxil. Too many side effects, insomnia, blurry vision, etc., but I did notice that my compulsion to double-check things has almost disappeared."

• Abi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 21, 2020

For Schizoaffective Disorder "Abilify is the worst possible drug. Gain weight, zombie, restless, no sleep, really, totally insomnia. It's horrible. Stay away from this. Holy moly."

• emg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 9, 2017

For Major Depressive Disorder "Insomnia and feeling horrifically horrible after 1 dose. No more poison, please!"

• Oli...
• July 16, 2015

For Schizoaffective Disorder "The medicine helped tremendously with my paranoia. However, I had insomnia and gained 45 pounds in the six months I was on the medication. For health risks, I had to be taken off the medication."

• tmo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 23, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "Within 1 hr of taking, starting shaking uncontrollably, threw up, and couldn't sleep."

• Jbu...
• August 6, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "This med sucks, anxiety level went up. Couldn't sleep, couldn't concentrate. Can't spend quality time with my son. Yet to find the miracle drug."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 26, 2023

For Bipolar Disorder "Not effective, and it made me so restless I was working myself up into constant panic attacks. Couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat, agitated, and didn’t even help stabilize my BP1."