Comparing Abilify vs Invega Sustenna

For Bipolar Disorder: I am a 24 year old male with Bipolar II. Depression is what I struggle with 98% of the time. I have been taking this med Abilify for about a month now, so long enough. I switched to this from Zyprexa, and that switch was rough. My anxiety came back worse than before on this med and the restlessness was too much for me. I took 5mg and I would get an hour or two of sleep per day and not be able to sit still during the day. I will say that it cured my depression completely, so for that I am grateful. As far as my anxiety, sleep, and overall mood it has not improved. Moving up in dosage caused more restlessness and moving down to 2.5mg or less made me tired and didn't do much for my mood. This med didn't work for me but its not the worst med, give it a shot. I'm switching to Latuda, wish me luck.

For Bipolar Disorder: I would hide at home for months, shaking when a telephone rang. I couldn't let people go and had obsessive thoughts. Abilify gave me calm, confidence and hope. It made me less sensitive to light and time, I was no longer at the mercy of each passing moment. I woke up relaxed, went to bed without a noise in my head, inner voices stopped criticizing me, thoughts didn't race. I was creative but focused, and began wonderful new projects. Had NO side effects- NO weight gain. 'Worked magic that first day. But after a month it seemed to do nothing but make me sad. Evidently that was a manic phase. It blocks my mania, but not my depressive switch. Feels like I've traded manic depression for unipolar depression. I am being switched to lithium.

For Schizophrenia: My husband is borderline schizophrenic and he is given the injection once a month. He has been given the needle for 18 months. During this time he is always asleep, no energy, no interest in life, very slow walking and just can’t do anything. This is not living just existing. Is there an alternative to this drug. So fed up with it all.

For Schizophrenia: This has helped with the symptoms of my illness. There are negative symptoms to it though. Foggy emotions, not sure if it’s cuz of the illness or the med. I am sort of happy now though, but no sex drive, periods, and gained 75 pounds. I took fluphenazine for a couple months, lost 20 pounds but felt worse than when I was on invega.