My experience with Aripiprazole (BAD)
IMPORTANT!! - I am not discouraging anyone to change/stop their medication directed by a doctor, I am simply showing my side of the story as a warning/procaution of what can happen and to get feedback from others and spread awareness.
Before I get into the meat and potatoes, lets lay some things down, I've had symptoms since I was about 5-8 (cant pin point since my memory is so F'ed) - Suicidal and agressive thoughts/beheviour (I would attack others/myself - even family with no apperent reason), I was always incredibly anti-social and had audiotory (mainly - 2-3 times daily increasing with stress) and visual hallucinations (less - 1-2 a week), it was all broken down into "oh, he's just going through a phase" or "he's just trying to get some attention" which made things even worse.
I first got help at around 14/14.5 when post surgery (Opioid anesthesia, because apperantly that changes things a little) I went full on crazy, destroying things, homocidal thoughts and actions (thank god nothing serious happened to others or me - other than my mental), full on insomnia, always being so on edge that simply the fridge making the slightest noise would make me put dents in it with items/elbow and keep on rageing for hours, I got some medication which i cant remember what it was but it didn't do jack (pink circular pills, with some symbol i think).
Then I got switched to a different doc and got put on a tradozone/aripiprazole/xanax (for panic/anxiety attacks) and some sleeping medication which I cant remember what it was and after some time other meds besides aripiprazole were laid off.
First, it was amazing! I could sleep, I could talk to others without thinking of ending them! I stopped thinking about suicide, BUT THEN... the medication has left it's mark on me and now (17 almost 18) I am fighting to function and to keep my life out of shambles while on a MUCH lower dose (now 15mg).
Lets get into the things I've experienced (negative):
Restlessness - I can legit do about 10Km just walking around a 60-70Sq-m home in a few hours - GREAT for weightloss which is much needed when taking this medication (next point). - from start.
Weightgain - eating roughtly 1K-1.5K Kcals while my calculated maintenance with activity comes out to 3K-3.2K Kcals makes some difference otherwise I just gain/stall weight (weekly/monthly basis) so I have to quiet litterally starve for weeks to lose some weight. - from start.
Jerky/stiff/involuntary/shaky movements - quiet a new addition to the pool of negatives but a very serious one, ranging from just a little tremor in hands (no matter if i ate or not in the last hours - saying this to avoid "low blood sugar" comments) to full on spasms (abdominal/legs) that make me almost fall out off my bed, also sometimes those are accompanied with "electric pulses??" in abdominal area. - about half a year now.
Lack of impulse control all over - gambling (illegal I know), sexual, going on shopping sprees, drug addiction (thankfully those less intense - alcohol/caffeine), collectively I thrown away about 2K$ (from my savings + some borrowed) in those years (15-almost 18) which here where I am from its a lot. - almost from start.
Dryness in mouth - nothing too serious but presistent. - about since 16.
Slurred speech - words come out mumbled/slow/very quiet or just plain out wrong. - about half a year.
Prolonged and painfull erections lasting up to hours at times - a few times I though I would need medical attention because of the pain. - from about 15/16 but rarely happen.
Memory loss/blackouts in memory - honestly I needed to look my notes up (which I am presenting to my doc) to refresh myself at this point and see which other negatives I've encountered. I can put things down/away, say something and forget or have full on blackouts in memory (ranging from minutes to hours). - from start.
Not another point in the negatives because those things came out from those point being on top of eachother:
Lack of school attendence (i've pissed away 2 years of school, now in a online schooling system where you dont need attendence and I do just fine - roughly averaging 85% on most tests/exams) (caused by point 4 I think the most but also 7 and 6).
People think that I am a full on tweaker (druggie) because I shake, I move weirdly and speak weird (point 3, 1 and 6).
So is there anything else? Well the only things that helps me is using my imagination of what my life could be without those things, music also helps to an extent (both more mentally than actually), thankfully I've been able to lay off the drugs lately but still the problem presists, wish me luck with my next appointment with doc so he can see the problem and take me off those awfull pills.
If anyone has questions more personal or not I am happy to answer them in comments -regarding the symptoms, how did they emerge or how exactly did they affect me.
Have a happy day everyone and make sure you or your loved once are okay!