abilify side effects in the elderly

There are boxed warnings on the labels (also you could go to the medication website as well) stating to use caution about the use of antipsychotics in people who are elderly especially people with dementia. It would be worthwhile to see a neurologist who specializes in gerontology. There are medications specifically designed to treat dementia that might be able to be used without these concerns of which they would have more knowledge of.

Weight gain and diabetes is a problem with all of the atypical antipsychotics because of the receptors they target in the brain (in addition to the ones they are supposed to work on) which cause metabolic imbalances. If kept in check it generally is not permanent though but any changes in weight or appetite should be reported to a psychiatrist. The antipsychotics most likely to cause this are Clozaril and Zyprexa. The least is Abilify though of course it can and does happen.

Found this website by just putting in Abilify. Thought you might like to read it and see if any of the other stuff pertains to you even though it says nothing about stuttering. http://www.abilify.com/abilify/home/index.jsp?

They put her on Lithium and then added abilify a week later. The abilify gave her horrible side effects and I never want to see my daughter in that condition again! I detest the drug Abilify. It is a reckless drug in my opinion. I have been prescribed Lamictal now for 3 years. It is the right med for me. I am not on the floor with depression and do not gain weight. I wish some could challenge their docs.

All the side effects.....sometimes I wonder and very scary. Warning: Adult Material http://www.youtube.com/watch?

Prozac interacts with Abilify and may increase the concentration of Abilify in your body. That may be the reason why you are experiencing the side effects. If you just started on Abilify then you should go talk to your doctor and let him know that you cannot tolerate the side effects and be put on something else.

My lamictal/abilify combo is a DREAM. It has helped me so much... I am so sad I'll probably end up switching meds for the side effects.. they have changed my life. Hopefully another non-trad antipsychotic will help just as much. I hope the meds work for you (without the side effects) just like they do for my mood.

Usually initial side effects wear off after two weeks.

I know this is an old post, but I just started on a low dose of abilify (5mg)about two weeks ago. At first I took it at night because it said it would make you drowsy. That worked fine for a few days, then I started waking up really early like 3am wound like a spring. So, I thought I'll take in the morning, push past the drowsiness and be wound up in the daytime. Right? Nope, if I take it in the daytime, I want to sleep all day even if I take a short nap at lunch.

First I would like to know who perscribed Ativan to you for depression. And why they have kept you on if for "years." Ativan is NOT an antidepressant and has no affinity for that disorder. It's a short acting benzodiazipine. (Antianxiety) The main uses for Ativan are anxiety, irritability in psychiatric or organic disorders, preoperatively, insomnia, and as an adjunct in endoscopic procedures.

Yes these would be side effects of concern. Abilify and the related SDA antipsychotics can at times cause heart irregularities. Having trouble breathing (potentially) and having stiffness in your neck or back could be due to temporary movement disorders (if dystonia is left untreated a person could have trouble breathing, for that reason its best to have a side effect pill with you at all times, check that with your doctor).

Yes some of those side effects may be of concern but only a psychiatrist would understand them in full so it might be worthwhile to page them to make sure. Some of this may be related to blood pressure drop when starting to stand (called orthostatic hypotention) which is a common medication side effect that I have experienced as well. It would be worth discussing with them. Also it may be related to dosage and titration issues.

I think Jaybay just gave you great advice. Lots of elderly have different side effects than the more common ones. Medications can easily interact and sometimes medications that have been fine for a long time all of a sudden aren't. A gerentologist probably is the best place to look for answers. When my mom was alive, we had a few kinks with her medications.

My TN along with the jaw jerking/spasm got so bad I was taking 1200mg of tegretol a day (the limit) and was still expirencing the shocks and spasms, the left side of my tounge is still cut up from all the bites. I stopped taking the antidepessants and viola the spasms stopped and I can control my TN with two tegs again. The down side is my depression is now back in full force. I can tell you this my choice is depression over TN pain, if you ever expirenced TN pain you know what i mean.

My doctor wants me to start on Abilify but I declined after I read the side effects. Has anyone had any uncontrolled movements, weight gain, tardive dyskinesia, etc. with this medication. If so, please let me know. I really need a medication to replace the ones I went off of but my doctor is giving me no other choices. I'm absolutely scared to death about the side effects of this medication. Any and all responses will be greatly appreciated.

I do not believe the medications the medical community has place him on are worth the side-effects. They placed him on Levetiracetam, Benztropine, and Abilify, and the side-effects are NOT worth the potential benefit of what--self-control? I have worked with youth in placement for 18 years, and these medications do not make any significant difference in their judgments because they do not change their value system.

I was on abilify along with effexor for about 6 months. I didnt have any side effects from it but it didnt do any good for me either so I got off it. It was really expensive too! Even with my insurance it still cost $90! If its working for you thats great! And you really arent supposed to drink while on anti depressants! It can make depression worse and alter the effect of the anti depressant. EVeryone reacts differently but I choose not to drink while on them! Best of luck to you!!!!

Ablify does cause acne, its the lesser of the side effects but it has been proven to cause acne. Anxiety, headaches, and insomnia are among the common side effects reported with Abilify. Side effects that are not as common include hemorrhoids, gas, and ACNE. Certain side effects are more serious and should be reported to your healthcare provider. These can include feelings of restlessness or jitteriness, high blood pressure, or abnormal muscle movements.

Abilify can be activating. That is one side effect some people experience. It is less likely statistically than Risperdal to cause this effect but all (currently available) antipsychotics have this potential. See if it improves and if not speak to your doctor about what to do at that point. It would take some time for that effect to pass if you changed medications.

Bottom line is no two people will ever react the same which is why it is a trial and error approach that the doctor must take. It takes time to dial it in but it is worth it in the end. The only thing I would warn you about is to NEVER stop takes your meds without the knowledge and supervision of your doctor. Take care!

Those are very unusual side effects for Abilify but medications can interact and lithium is a good medication but it can have interactions with other medications although those two medications can be and are often safely given together. Speak to the psychiatrist more about this. They can't do a blood test for Abilify for blood levels but they can with lithium. Trileptal unlike Tegretol or lithium does not generally require a blood test.

Abilify has a lot of information on the web about side effects and a quick google may work well, always remember that side effects are not all going to happen to you or even likely - Abilify is well liked and fairly safe compared to some of the AP and AC drugs like Geodon and Risperdal.

Hair loss is not listed as a side effect of Abilify. I would address this right away with an Endocrinologist, as it may be related to your thyroid which can also cause anxiety and depression. Hair coming out in small clumps is a symptom of an underlying condition and blood work can determine what this is. Don't stop the Abilify, but make the prescribing doctor aware of what you're experiencing........

Wellbutrin gave me an allergic reaction, I was itching constantly from the inside out. But that's just me, most antidepressant give me some kind of allergic reaction. I would be cautious about ability though, read about the drugs side effects and long term use effects. It's different for each individual but when I was on abilify it stiffened my facial and neck muscles, slurred my speech and caused me to drool and have severe head aches.

to advise on the side effects of the medications that they are prescribing. It could very possibly be the Abilify side effects, or it could be your anxiety about starting a new med.... If you don't see a let up in symptoms within the next few days I would call your pdoc back and let them know you're having side effects... also, go to the website for the drug, it's a pretty good place to get the side effects, etc.....

Abilify side effects in the elderly

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