Aripiprazole and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 2)

• NeG...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 12, 2023

Aripiprazole for Major Depressive Disorder "My diagnosis was atypical depression (a type of MDD) and was prescribed Abilify paired with Lamictal. My Abilify dose was a 5mg pill per day. From day one that I took it, I became incredibly irritated. I felt agitated and restless almost immediately. I was so restless, like I was itching from inside my chest and soul, I don't know how to describe it. I couldn't eat, couldn't feel hungry, slept fewer hours, had insomnia, felt stressed, felt anxious, and constantly felt nauseous/stomach pain. The only benefit was that I had intense energy to get up and move, but it didn't feel nice. My motivation for getting up was because of how irritated I got when I lay down or rested. Working out would help but never enough to calm down my restlessness. Overall, I gave it a chance for 1 month (plus a few days of withdrawing it with the assistance of my psychiatrist), and it didn't get any better over time. Horrible experience."

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

Aripiprazole 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."

• Smi...
• October 23, 2019

Aripiprazole for Depression "Abilify and Cymbalta 90mg were such a great match for the treatment of depression, however, Abilify caused such strong anxieties, which we sorted out by using lorazepam 0.5g morning and evening. But Abilify did help Cymbalta to work for my relative, gave it 8 weeks to see its full effect. The side effects were horrible, but they all went away after 4 weeks, except for the anxiety."

• bla...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 31, 2018

Aripiprazole for Schizophrenia "My dear lovely Abilify... where should I begin? And what have you done? You feel deeply ashamed, Abilify... who made you Abilify? Are they as poisonous as you are...? I would like to know... because you have destroyed my health and my life... no way back from here. Anxiety, suicidal thoughts, depression, weight gain, metabolic syndrome, confusion, apathy. I am not myself anymore... Abilify, what have you done? Who made you? And why so poisonous?"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 12, 2012

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "I have been taking Abilify for nearly two years to manage my episodes of rage. The medication helps me to talk myself down in circumstances that I would usually build on my ridiculous ideas. It is a miracle medicine for me. Last month, when the price went up to $120, I decided to try and manage without it since I am also on a mood stabilizer and an antidepressant. That was a bad idea. After about 9 days, I started noticing my episodes of rage increasing, and I also started feeling more social anxiety. My husband requested that I begin taking the Abilify again, and after just a couple of days, I was back to my 'normal' self. I take 15 mg at bedtime. Although the cost is high, it is worth it to keep my sanity."

• Gab...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 9, 2019

Aripiprazole for Depression "I was prescribed Abilify for depression/bipolar disorder, and after taking it for only 3 days, I had some of the worst side effects I have ever experienced on a medication. Muscle spasms, inability to fall asleep or stay asleep, complete loss of appetite, stomach pain, pain in joints and muscles, full body ache, extremely intense manic episodes, heart racing, anxiety, shaky hands, and feeling extremely foggy and unable to form proper sentences or think critically. This is the worst drug I've ever tried. If you have depression, just stick to SSRIs."

• Iha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 31, 2016

Aripiprazole for Depression "I am 18 years old. I've been taking Abilify for almost two months, and it has seriously messed me up. I have anxiety and depression. The only slight improvement I've seen is in my ability to interact socially. Otherwise, I feel awful. I either feel like a complete zombie, or I feel crazy and obsessive. My boyfriend is scared of me because I've become so out of character and a jealous monster. I quit cold turkey and feel better than I have since I started taking it. Would not recommend."

• Dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 12, 2022

Aripiprazole for Major Depressive Disorder "Abilify was great at first. Anxiety and obsessive and ruminating thoughts slowed down a lot for the first month on 2 mg. Once my dose was increased to 4 mg, everything went downhill. I developed anhedonia and worse anxiety. Even after I dropped my dose for a few months, things didn't get better. I stopped taking Abilify, and just when I thought things couldn't get worse, they did. Within a week of stopping, I developed severe insomnia, anxiety, and an insidious inner restlessness. The anhedonia has also remained 2 months later. I would gladly go back to the depression that Abilify was prescribed to treat in exchange to be done with the lasting negative effects of Abilify. Please do not take this for MDD, and please do not stop taking it suddenly if you are already on it."

• Anonymous
• December 9, 2019

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "Up until recently, I was taking just 1 mg of Abilify along with 300 mg of Lamictal. My doctor had me on 2, but I felt like it made me feel apathetic and kind of dissociated, so I began cutting the pill in half. I did notice that I felt less depressed, could focus better, and did not experience such strong mood episodes. However, within a month, I was experiencing this extremely intense paranoia that I never had before. I had chest pains and headaches regularly. I couldn't eat and often felt sick because of how anxious I was. So yes, Abilify did benefit me alongside this weird side effect. My doctor had me convinced the medication wasn't causing the paranoia, it was 'just me,' but as soon as I stopped taking it, the headaches, chest pains, and bursts of anxiety have stopped. I do feel more depressed and my mood swings have come back harder. I'm getting a new doctor soon to hopefully put me on another type of antipsychotic."

• She...
• January 11, 2018

Aripiprazole for Depression "After 3 years, I'm miserable taking this drug. Worked great at first. Felt clear and awake. Now I have to stop this med. Gained a lot of weight. My breathing is difficult, and I find it hard to swallow food. I have stopped breathing 3 times now. I have reflux problems and worsening anxiety. Sad because it worked so well at first."

• FLS...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 7, 2018

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I don’t know how to explain how incredible I feel since being on 2 mgs for only 5 or 6 days. I was under extreme stress for years and became totally frozen with fear, anxiety, major depression, and was spinning out of control. I worked with my psychiatrist, gave her my exact symptoms. She was just so understanding, as I am not a huge proponent of psychopharmacology, nor have I ever taken something so strong. I'm using less pain medication, I’m running again, I’m waking up and able to get out of bed, which I haven’t been in so long. I’m losing weight, which feels miraculous. I feel miraculous! This drug is giving me my life back!"

• FLS...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 7, 2018

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I don’t know how to explain how incredible I feel since being on 2 mgs for only 5 or 6 days. I was under extreme stress for years and became totally frozen with fear, anxiety, major depression, and was spinning out of control. I worked with my psychiatrist, gave her my exact symptoms. She was just so understanding, as I am not a huge proponent of psychopharmacology, nor have I ever taken something so strong. I'm using less pain medication, I’m running again, I’m waking up and able to get out of bed, which I haven’t been in so long. I’m losing weight, which feels miraculous. I feel miraculous! This drug is giving me my life back!"

• Ran...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 6, 2022

Aripiprazole for Major Depressive Disorder "Has helped depression greatly. At a 5 mg dose, the first week only slept 8 hours whole week. Dose went up to 7.5 mg, and I started getting 7 hours of sleep a night. I look forward to things now and am not sleeping 16 hours a day from depressed exhaustion. So give it time to level off before giving up due to anxiety or sleeplessness. I am having some anxiety, but no panic attacks, and experienced some larger chunks of memory loss yesterday, so am decreasing my dose after a year and a half on Abilify. Would not like to have to stop taking it, but there are other meds out there. I have been through a lot though."

• Gol...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 23, 2014

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "Started on Abilify in addition to Effexor and Lamictal. Immediately had tremors in hands, lips, and speech. Gained weight and was anxious. Stopped taking when I ran out; tremors stopped, lost weight, and no noticeable negative consequences. Don't know why it was prescribed, but it caused more problems than it helped. Side effects were terrible."

• Mad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 1, 2021

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "I was prescribed 2 mg of Abilify to take for being diagnosed with bipolar depression. I started with half the tablet in the morning, and OMG! I felt sleepy the first day and somewhat disoriented. I felt that anxious feeling you get with new meds hours later. At night, lights were so bright to me, and it also gave me insomnia. Second and third days were worse with side effects. I almost dialed 911. I was perspiring, felt lightheaded, and extremely weak. It made me feel paranoid. Had a panic attack, and the rest of the day, I felt as if I drank 6 cups of coffee. Never again! Bye Abilify!"

• Mad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 1, 2021

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "I was prescribed 2 mg of Abilify to take for being diagnosed with bipolar depression. I started with half the tablet in the morning, and OMG! I felt sleepy the first day and somewhat disoriented. I felt that anxious feeling you get with new meds hours later. At night, lights were so bright to me, and it also gave me insomnia. Second and third days were worse with side effects. I almost dialed 911. I was perspiring, felt lightheaded, and extremely weak. It made me feel paranoid. Had a panic attack, and the rest of the day, I felt as if I drank 6 cups of coffee. Never again! Bye Abilify!"

• Chi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 23, 2022

Aripiprazole for Major Depressive Disorder "I was so scared to take this after I took Paxil and had a complete mania episode…scariest thing ever. Then I got put on 2 mg of Abilify…I'm so happy. I feel NORMAL. I don’t feel suicidal, my dissociation isn’t as bad, my social anxiety isn’t as bad. My anxiety is definitely still there, but everything else. I want to get up out of bed in the morning. Who knew I could be a morning person who wants to listen to music?! This saved my life…truly"

• Chi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 23, 2022

Aripiprazole for Major Depressive Disorder "I was so scared to take this after I took Paxil and had a complete mania episode…scariest thing ever. Then I got put on 2 mg of Abilify…I'm so happy. I feel NORMAL. I don’t feel suicidal, my dissociation isn’t as bad, my social anxiety isn’t as bad. My anxiety is definitely still there, but everything else. I want to get up out of bed in the morning. Who knew I could be a morning person who wants to listen to music?! This saved my life…truly"

• boo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 24, 2022

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "Okay, this was the worst for me. I know some people love it, but it gave me severe akathisia to the degree that made every single day a nightmare. Could not sit still for more than a minute, could not sleep, super jittery, extremely angry... I tried it twice over the last 5 years, and both times were the same. I wouldn't take it again, not for a million dollars!"

• A G...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 11, 2019

Aripiprazole for Schizophrenia "So I've been on this Abilify injection (against my will) for a couple of years because my family just wants me to be normal again. And man, do I feel normal! It's so great! (I was being sarcastic... really, really sarcastic.) I can't sleep for more than a couple of hours at a time, I suffer from persistent psychological pain due to anxiety/restless leg, and I have gained 70 lbs! And there's more! If I keep taking it, I'll probably wind up with diabetes! What a great drug to give a permanently disabled veteran to ensure that they live a long, peaceful life! Seriously though... it's terrible. Low quality of life in exchange for little to no psychotic symptoms... bad trade. Find something else that works for your condition!!"

• kit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 27, 2022

Aripiprazole for Major Depressive Disorder "After the loss of my emotional support animal and 5 months of being completely shut off from the world and my husband. My psychiatrist started me on Abilify 5 mg at first (already on Paxil, Lamictal, Adderall, and clonazepam). The first 2 days were amazing, my head was quiet, but the headaches were horrible, along with increased anxiety and nausea that was decreased with constant eating. So I discontinued it. We tried again at 2 mg a month later since I started to self-harm and was overwhelmed with life altogether without the support of my best friend. 2 mg was great, I was even studying for 30 minutes every other day. But I was so jumpy. Startled easily and constantly, and uncontrollable movements at times. But no headaches, so I was all for it. Then after 2 weeks, BOOM, stopped cleaning and stopped walking. Complete apathy, loss of sex drive, and dry mouth, dry stools (never a problem, I actually love using the restroom minimum 2 times a day) went down to 1 time forcefully and quickly gained weight. Discontinued back to normal."

• kit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 27, 2022

Aripiprazole for Major Depressive Disorder "After the loss of my emotional support animal and 5 months of being completely shut off from the world and my husband. My psychiatrist started me on Abilify 5 mg at first (already on Paxil, Lamictal, Adderall, and clonazepam). The first 2 days were amazing, my head was quiet, but the headaches were horrible, along with increased anxiety and nausea that was decreased with constant eating. So I discontinued it. We tried again at 2 mg a month later since I started to self-harm and was overwhelmed with life altogether without the support of my best friend. 2 mg was great, I was even studying for 30 minutes every other day. But I was so jumpy. Startled easily and constantly, and uncontrollable movements at times. But no headaches, so I was all for it. Then after 2 weeks, BOOM, stopped cleaning and stopped walking. Complete apathy, loss of sex drive, and dry mouth, dry stools (never a problem, I actually love using the restroom minimum 2 times a day) went down to 1 time forcefully and quickly gained weight. Discontinued back to normal."

• Luc...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 1, 2020

Aripiprazole for Major Depressive Disorder "Within the first few days, I could feel Abilify working to lift my depression, giving me more optimism and energy. However, at my starting dose of 5 mg, I had restless legs both during the day and at night. A lowered dose of 2 mg worked great for a few months, but now it’s ineffective (this is the dose I’m currently on). My psychiatrist had me increase the dose, but I didn’t feel any effects, so she put me back down to 2 mg. I’m also taking Adderall, and I notice if I skip a dose of Abilify and then take Adderall, I get really bad anxiety as the Adderall wears off. So right now, it’s kind of a neutral medication for me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 23, 2021

Aripiprazole for Major Depressive Disorder "I've never been diagnosed as schizophrenic, but this made me paranoid and delusional. Strong twitching and noticeable jerking movements, intense anger, frustration, anxiety, unwanted intrusive thoughts, weight gain, and various other symptoms. In response, my psychiatrist increased the dose of aripiprazole and added additional meds to combat the symptoms. I stopped seeing friends, stopped attending events I had been going to on a weekly basis for years. Eventually, I couldn't even go into a grocery store. Two days after discontinuing aripiprazole (with new doc's blessing), I landed in a psychiatric ward. It never occurred to me that it was the medication's side effects and not me, my mind, my inability to just put on my 'big girl pants' and deal with life. Approximately six years since then, and my mind is not the same, I'm not the same. The fallout is real. Then, I was working full-time, just promoted, and in school. Now, I'm on disability. It works for some, but please proceed with caution."

• Dai...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 18, 2019

Aripiprazole for Schizophrenia "Successful on Abilify Maintena 300 mg for 5 years, except flat affect, anxiety, and inhibition. Switched to Aristada, hoping to help negative symptoms. First month thought it was a miracle drug... was able to smile, feel more emotion, go to the gym daily (on Abilify, I felt fear going alone). Started feeling agitated slowly, then psychosis started on/off, then full inpatient hospitalization for 2 weeks. Returning to Abilify. Why won’t NIMH reinvest in improved research? Find what was helping in Aristada and remove what wasn’t! I felt so close to feeling normal, but psychosis can take my life away!!!"