r/Abilify_Aripiprazole

I have been on desvenlafaxine 100 mg and aripiprazole 5 mg for about a year now for my MDD and GAD. It feels like I have total cognitive blunting—I can't do any work, and I struggle with severe executive dysfunction, weight gain, and lethargy. My mood is dull all the time; I am constantly irritated or sad, and I can't stop ruminating over my thoughts continuously.

Before this year, I was hospitalized because of my anxiety, and afterward, my doctor put me on aripiprazole. Since then, I have suffered from severe hypersomnia. My doctor suggested setting up a timetable and following a strict routine, but whenever I sit down to study, I am unable to do so unless I push myself with all my energy under intense pressure and high alertness Because of that extreme stress, I wake up with chest pain in the early morning around 3:00 AM.

Without forcing myself to that extreme degree of stress, I cannot sit to work, or else I fall asleep easily and feel completely exhausted. It’s either too much pressure or I do nothing—I can't feel normal or accomplish things normally. Please help me figure out what I should do; I am completely fed up with trying and failing like this."

i’m 16f which probably is the reason i can’t get a proper diagnosis, i got diagnosed for ADHD as a kid and constantly have been convinced i have bpd since i was 13, and bipolar just recently. I have phases where i wake up at like 7am when i normally wake up at 1pm during my depressive episodes. I’m currently having some sort of depressive episode, very exhausted, crying easily and barely feeling much. I am incredibly impulsive and spent 20k in one month once on clothes, i hate being the same for too long.

(16F)

My psychiatrist is putting me on abilify for irritability in my autism and Prozac for depression and anxiety related issues. The last medication I was on was Zoloft. While taking it I saw a very small difference in my lifestyle, so I eventually tapered off of it and haven’t been on any medication since last year. I’m worried now that because I’m being put on two medications -after a long medication hiatus- the drastic changes will be so abrupt- I just want to be prepared. I am already slightly overweight for my height and age, not super active, and fairly insecure (and I’ve heard abilify makes you gain pretty fast) so this is probably my biggest fear… is this a guaranteed side effect? Could I even experience weight loss? I fear that If it does gain weight then I’d immediately drop the med even if it helps. Just any advice or heads up about this combo + what to expect!!

Also side tangent: I’m also really worried about being completely numb to everything. I am currently doing online school so theatre is my only social interaction each day and there I am so authentically myself, I don’t want that to change. I don’t want it to change the way I think and process and make jokes and socialize with others. I just want it to minimize the overbearing depression and overstimulation. Should I expect to feel nothing??? Idk

Also!!! Edit: there is like a 99% chance I have endometriosis. Either way my periods are excruciatingly painful, debilitating in every way there is, and super super heavy. Have these meds affected anyone’s menstrual cycle or am I just overthinking lol

(35f) I've been on Abilify for 2 years (I got postpartum psychosis with my little one) and was on risperidone for a while (was fine didn't have anything else wrong with me), but then I was switched to Abilify and have been stable on it for 2 years. Aside from the weight gain, I'm doing really well, or so I thought! My doctor is now saying that she wants me to try lower my cholesterol naturally because it's very high! The only thing that has changed is that I'm now on Abilify. I don't see myself getting off of it anytime soon, but I'm wondering if anyone else has had high cholesterol (nothing has seemingly changed in my diet). My doctor is wondering if this is hereditary or something else is going on... Abilify is the only thing I can come up with. Anyone else go through something similar? how did you combat the high cholesterol? Did you get off of Abilify all together? I see a new psychiatrist in November and my PCP wants me to bring it up with her as well. Thanks for any responses!

has anybody else experienced this? i've been taking 20mg of ritalin LA on top of 27mg of concerta just to be able to function again. i don't know if it's abilify or what, but it started since i started drinking it :(

i've had very low motivation, been very depressed, exhausted. i'm only on 5mg, so i don't know if i should increase my concerta dosage or lessen my abilify dosage. my doctor said it won't work as well as a mood stabilizer on 2.5mg so i'm staying on 5 but i'm thinking of lowering it.