Aripiprazole and Tremors: What Users Say (Page 2)

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

Aripiprazole for Depression "I just started taking Abilify for my second go around. It's been about a week, and reading these posts is making me recollect all of the effects the medication had on me last year. On top of things going maniacal with my best friend and husband, I had to deal with weight gain, twitching, and a terrible shallow attitude burst out (hence the maniacal matrimony). But I felt so much more focused, happy'ish (laughing more but the not reaching my eyes type), and more energy, less lethargy. After being so sluggish and down and gray and tired for years, this was a temporary battle of conscience in deciding whether or not to continue taking the medication. I gained about 50 lbs within 2 months on 4 mg a day. I twitched all through the night for months."

• Ali...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 10, 2014

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "This medicine did not work for me. I suffer from bipolar disorder with mood swings and panic disorder. I went up to 10 mg, and it seemed to help my mood, but it pushed my anxiety off the charts. I was a shaky mess while taking it and also unable to focus and complete tasks. Went off within 4 weeks."

• fre...
• December 18, 2008

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "In a cocktail of anticonvulsants, this non-neuroleptic antipsychotic is great in stabilizing mixed manic symptoms and the depressive side. It took me one month to bear the side effects, but now it's okay. Better than all the antipsychotics I tried before that gave me unbearable tiredness or tremors/jerkiness."

• Tug...
• October 1, 2009

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "I was on Abilify for 3 weeks total. On the 3rd day on the drug, I started to feel shaky, like something had to be moving at all times. I figured it would just go away, so when I got no sleep that night from this, I thought tomorrow would be better. But on day 4, it was worse, so I called my doctor, and he told me to take a half a pill, and by this time, my legs were visibly shaking out of control. I would have to push on them to make them stop. On days 5, 6, and 7, I had the same thing: shaky and no sleep. Everything hurt from the shaking. It was so bad at one point I broke down in the middle of my in-laws' home. That day, my doctor took me off this medicine, and 2 days later, all the shaking was gone."

• Tug...
• October 1, 2009

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "I was on Abilify for 3 weeks total. On the 3rd day on the drug, I started to feel shaky, like something had to be moving at all times. I figured it would just go away, so when I got no sleep that night from this, I thought tomorrow would be better. But on day 4, it was worse, so I called my doctor, and he told me to take a half a pill, and by this time, my legs were visibly shaking out of control. I would have to push on them to make them stop. On days 5, 6, and 7, I had the same thing: shaky and no sleep. Everything hurt from the shaking. It was so bad at one point I broke down in the middle of my in-laws' home. That day, my doctor took me off this medicine, and 2 days later, all the shaking was gone."

• Anonymous
• August 4, 2011

Aripiprazole for Depression "When I first began taking Abilify, it worked well for me along with my Zoloft. However, the side effect of dizziness was so great that I could not walk without a cane, nor could I safely drive a car. Also, I got the jitters so badly it was difficult to go anywhere in public. My doctor finally took me off the medicine, and all the side effects have disappeared, and I am doing well once again."

• Jan...
• September 11, 2021

Aripiprazole for Schizophrenia "I have used Aristada 441 mg now for two years. It has helped with voices and hallucinations. I don’t hear them or see them anymore. I did experience weight gain and hand tremors. I get injected once a month."

• Awe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 17, 2024

For Major Depressive Disorder "This has worked well enough for me that I decided to come online and leave a review. I’ve been making incremental steps. Got off of Paxil, started CPAP, started fluvoxamine, and finally the magic bullet has turned out to be Aripiprazole. My mother took it and loved it but started to get tremors, so she had to stop taking it. She was heartbroken. I’ve always hated getting out of bed every day, now it’s nothing, weekends I'm up at 6:30, and I don’t want to go back to bed. I've never experienced anything like this. Never in my adult life have I gotten up early on weekends until now. I don’t feel speedy either, so I’m just keeping my fingers and toes crossed that I don’t get any tremors and have to stop taking this. Ruminating thoughts, bad thoughts, negative thoughts have melted away. It's a total game-changer for me."

• ser...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 28, 2015

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "I took Abilify for a month, and it was not for me. It first made me happy, but it made me too happy! I became manic again and couldn't settle myself down. I would be up at 2 a.m. working out or cleaning. Also, the side effects were awful! My hands never stopped shaking, and people began to think I had a drinking problem due to the way they were shaking. It also made me gain 5 lbs within a week. Not a fan."

• Car...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 2, 2019

Aripiprazole for Schizophrenia "My eyelids have started to twitch periodically. I haven't figured that one out yet. I have more physical health symptoms than mental health symptoms on this Aristada Indicio injection. I take 2.4 mL every 8 weeks. I still feel like this is too much! Plus, the cost is over $2000 a month. I want Abilify back. This drug has way too many side effects that lead to the effect on a short life expectancy."

• Cds...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 16, 2023

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "I tried Abilify for certain health conditions, mainly for what the doctor suggested: bipolar disorder. The first week was great. I felt my mind was more stable and not racing, however, by week three, I felt horrible. I had unbelievable chest pressure, shaky, chills, lightheaded, flu-like symptoms, plus anxiety. I would not give this drug to my worst enemy. There has to be a better route. I have a family history of heart problems, so maybe that's why. I hope you find help with your struggle also."

• Anonymous
• November 15, 2009

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "I was on this medication for a few years, and it worked wonders on my mood. I can get moody very quickly, and while taking this medication, mood swings were rare. Unfortunately, I began suffering from body tremors and had to stop taking it. My hands would shake uncontrollably, and my head actually shook back and forth. I didn't notice it, but when I would talk to my sister, she would tell me that my head was rapidly shaking back and forth. That is why I rated this a 9 instead of a 10."

• Anonymous
• November 15, 2009

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "I was on this medication for a few years, and it worked wonders on my mood. I can get moody very quickly, and while taking this medication, mood swings were rare. Unfortunately, I began suffering from body tremors and had to stop taking it. My hands would shake uncontrollably, and my head actually shook back and forth. I didn't notice it, but when I would talk to my sister, she would tell me that my head was rapidly shaking back and forth. That is why I rated this a 9 instead of a 10."

• SC ...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 22, 2017

Aripiprazole for Major Depressive Disorder "I prescribed Abilify adjunct 60 mg Cymbalta I had been on for years during a very stressful and depressing time in my life. It was GREAT! I was going to have to go into the hospital, but it worked within 5 days!!! I was recommending it to everyone in my family! After being on it for 6 months and gaining about 20 lbs., I developed a profound tremor or tic in my hand, and I couldn't make it stop - not even at night, so I couldn't sleep. They took me off the Abilify, and within 4 weeks, the tremor stopped completely. I also lost 25 lbs. without even trying since being off of it. Recently, I noticed increased depression and anxiety, so I am trying other meds now to get back on track. So far, Deplin & Latuda have not worked. Just started Rexulti...."

• qwe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 9, 2023

For Depression "This stuff makes you dumb. Do not recommend. So many side effects that last a long time after the medicine is stopped. You want shaky hands, muscles that you can't relax, clenched jaw, that irresistible zombie stare, eyes that just don't look right? Then try Abilify! Guaranteed to make you lose your train of thought. Conversations are a thing of the past! Also, did you enjoy sex? Well, no more of that! You will feel like a dry lizard?"

• Mer...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 23, 2017

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "I started Abilify because my bipolar disorder drug cocktail became less effective. Abilify was new on the market. It lifted my mood considerably, I felt great. And without any bad side effects, I thought. After about 6 weeks, I developed hand tremors. It got worse. My psychopharmacologist sent me to a neurologist, who began treating me for a kind of tremor that's inherited. He did not believe it was due to Abilify, which now has a side effect listed as 'muscle movements that could become permanent.' Naturally, I stopped taking Abilify. So either the neurologist is right, and Abilify activated the tremor, or I developed the permanent muscle movement side effect. Either way, I now have to take an anti-tremor drug."

• KAT...
• April 12, 2011

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "1st day on Abilify seemed like I had energy. 2-3 days later, insomnia set in big time. Even tried taking 2 Lunesta... didn't work. 2 weeks later, I was in the ER from side effects. Tremors, not comfortable in my own skin, slurred speech, couldn't focus or concentrate. Spouse thought I'd had a stroke. They gave me Ativan and Benadryl. I got a new psychiatrist after that. Just starting on Lithium now. We'll see."

• Bip...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 23, 2017

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "Was put on Abilify to control hypomania. I'm very, very sensitive to pretty much every medication. Initially, I had a stomach ache that only lasted one night and some tiredness the first two days. However... after this, I had severe hypomania and restlessness that just didn't go away. It wasn't akathisia, though. Unfortunately, I can't reach the mood stabilizing effect - being at least 10 mg - since I can't go any higher than 1.25 mg without having side effects such as emotional numbness, numbness of my face, twitching, increased eye blinking - which, of course, scares me since there is a risk of Tardive Dyskinesia. It's definitely a very powerful drug. But it really did help my depression and anxiety, just didn't help control my hypomania. LOL"

• wha...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 6, 2021

Aripiprazole for Schizoaffective Disorder "This didn't help me and is very, very hard to discontinue. It made me psychotic, and tremors were really bad after my doctor tried stopping it. I still am just on it to avoid the psychosis that follows stopping (right thing to do)."

• Ali...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 4, 2013

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "I have only been taking Abilify (along with my Prozac) for 2 days. So far, I have had many ups and downs. I wake up feeling shaky and out of sorts. I have trouble breathing and black out a lot. (I black out anyway, but it has increased). Then I go through a period of anxiety and sweating. A little while later, I go through severe nausea and then extreme fatigue. Between each phase, I feel pretty great, but it's short-lived. I'm going to give it more time, but that's the initial reaction for me."

• Sca...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 11, 2021

Aripiprazole for Depression "I was on Abilify for a grand total of two days. I'm sure it's a great drug for some, but I started twitching and having lots of muscle spasms randomly. I was on 2.5 mg and would just twitch so much it drove me crazy. I couldn't sit still and was restless and unable to sleep."

• ntc...
• May 7, 2010

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "I've been on Abilify for about 3 weeks, along with trazodone for insomnia and anxiety, and tapering off Paxil. I've noticed a significant improvement in controlling my emotions, and for the most part, I am a lot calmer. Suffered some side effects such as restlessness and the shakes, but overall the positives outweigh the negatives. I started off on a very low 2.5 mg dose but expect to have this raised at my next appointment with the doctor."

• leo...
• September 26, 2010

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "So far, the best medication for bipolar disorder I've taken. I started out successfully at 20 mg for a year. Then I developed twitching on the left side of my body. My doctor reduced my dosage to 2 mg a day and put me on Artane. I am glad I found this medicine because I don't have to take it daily, and I no longer feel as if I'm going insane. Helpful, but you really need to pay attention to the way your body handles it. My twitching has gone away, thankfully."

• Tin...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 12, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "Worked wonderfully while on it. Only side effect was huge weight gain. 70 pounds! Decided to come off to lose weight. Tried cold turkey first time (dumb idea and without psychiatrist permission). By day 5, I was suicidal, couldn’t stop hysterically crying, felt confused, psychotic, and unstable. Psych said to take a dose right away, and it helped immediately, so I went back on it. 6 months later, I tapered down from 5 mg to 2.5 mg for a month and felt great, with the exception of diarrhea and daily headaches. Month 2, I stopped taking it altogether. By day 7, I started having uncontrollable obsessive and paranoid thoughts, anxiety, lockjaw, shaky hands, and major headaches still. No sleep issues because I was taking 3 mg of melatonin at night, so that was helping. If you are thinking about taking this medication, please outweigh the possible side effects versus the benefits first. I wish I never started it. It’s a powerful medication and not worth the weight gain or detox process."

• Clo...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 28, 2019

Aripiprazole for Bipolar Disorder "This drug destroyed my life. My sexual urges became insatiable, and my drug use went supersonic. After the dust settled, my marriage was destroyed, I’m broke, and my credit rating went from 750 to 400. I’ve lost all credibility with my family and friends. I started going sideways almost immediately after I started taking Abilify. I had trembling hands, I cut myself, and was very irritable. I became a different person."