Comments on: Hiding Akathisia in Abilify

By: nance

nance — Wed, 09 May 2012 15:48:26 +0000

I have had akathisia for 15 years! I woke up at 3:30 one morning itching all over. Doctors give me benedryl, then lamictal. All was okay until my SSRIs quit controlling the depression. I quit all meds. Withdrawal was a surprise in hell. The one thing I can’t shake is the akathisia. Right now, we’re trying levothyroxin, clonazapam, and doxepin. I may be stuck with this for life. The thing that makes me most angry is that no doctor ever told me that akathisia is a side-effect of SSRIs. They just masked it. The akathisia makes me crazy, suicidal, an depressed. If anyone knows anything that can help this condition, I’d love to hear about it. Thanks.

By: fredrick

fredrick — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 19:04:04 +0000

This conversation thread has been eye opening. I have been searching for treatment for akathisia but it seems like very many people are suffering from this effect of virtually everything that antagonises D2 receptors.

Im interested in GAD inducers and glycine. Also of interest is using haemographic feedback to train people to increase their frontal lobe function which can help to reduce symptoms and in some cases allow a reduction or cessation of ap medication.

By: DanBun

DanBun — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:53:14 +0000

took it for 2 years, then spontanously dropped it due to numerous negative side effects it caused.

I feel great since ~1 year without taking anything like that.

DO NOT TAKE THIS DOG SHIT IT’S JUST A CASH MACHINE!!

for real, guys.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 04:13:05 +0000

I am one of the fortunate ones. I was on 30 mg Abilify for over a year. I was having morning drowsiness and difficulty getting out of bed. My pdoc and I identified Abilify as the culprit so I recently stopped taking it. The dose was cut in half two times and within a months time I was off it completely. And I had no withdrawal effects! I thank God for this. After reading about some of the side effects I am grateful, because it could have been a lot worse.

By: Robert

Robert — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 04:23:55 +0000

Also am on 10 mg abilify. been so for 3-4 months i think now, after risperidone caused me severe akathisia. I still find abilify to have this side-effect, but lesser in intensity than the risperidone did. still wish i could be off it. so uncomfortable!

By: Paula

Paula — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 23:32:22 +0000

Will it go away after 6-8 weeks like they say the side effects will do?

By: Paula

Paula — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 23:31:24 +0000

I have been on 10 mg Abilify for 2 weeks now. I have severe akathisia. I have always been compliant with my meds, but this is ridiculous! I have called my doc, but she isn’t good about getting back to me.

By: spelcheq

spelcheq — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 03:01:29 +0000

From late 1998 until 2005 I took Prozac. Starting in 1999 I had episodes of what I now know was akathisia, but these events increased in 2000 when I started on Trazadone. Then in 2003, I had what seemed to be an extended psychotic episode, auditory (mostly) and visual hallucinations as well as delusional thinking. I had been taking oxycontin for pain, the above named drugs, thyroid medicine, a couple other medications, when I started seeing a psychiatrist who specialized in pain management because I wanted to get off the oxycontin. I thought it was the cause of the episodes. This psychiatrist doubled the Prozac to 80 mg., started me on depakote, lithium, and clonadine (?). The tremors started almost immediately, so constant I could barely get a fork into my mouth and I could not drink from a glass; the akathisia symptoms started daily and tripled in intensity. This was about the time Abilify came out and the doctor also prescribed it for me and gave me samples and a prescription. I read the info about Abilify online and when it was released it was touted as the best new drug for schizophrenia. Thank God I started suspecting the meds I was taking as perhaps a cause of my problems. In the meantime, I was weaned off oxycontin by my pain management specialist and started on increasing doses of the fentanyl patch for pain control. The transition was easy which was surprising as I was physically and probably psychologically addicted to the oxycontin. At this time my psychiatrist also started me on baclofen, and older drug which turned out (surprise!) to have akathisia as a side effect. My psychotic symptoms eventually subsided but I was physically incapacitated, difficulty walking, frequent falls, constant insomnia, daily akathisia symptoms and felt utterly dissatisfied with the psychiatrist. I was referred to another psychiatrist who literally saved my life. The psychotropic drugs were discontinued, wellbutrin was started, Trazadone and Prozac gone, and after 5 years of all these symtoms and a deep suicidal depression, within 6 weeks the depression lifted and the akathisia was diminished 85% and I began to heal mentally and physically. I now take a small dose of Lamictal as my new Pdr. diagnosed me as bipolar (explains lots of poor life decisions and behaviors) and 40 mg. Paxil. I know Lamictal and Paxil can also cause akathisia and I have had about 5 episodes in the past 6 years, but they were were the lack of mood swings and incredible anxiety being banished. I was in the hospital recently for 10 days for pneumonia and whatever meds they gave me triggered the worst episode yet the day I returned home. These “walking death” events usually last 12 hours or less, followed by 12+ hours of deep sleep. I am going to have sleep studies done soon and hope that these episodes will go away forever.

By: Jill

Jill — Fri, 13 May 2011 15:39:00 +0000

I have taken 2 mg of Abilify for only 3 days and I experienced the worst side effects of any meds I have been on. I feel completely strung out, dizzy, and unable to do much of anything during the day. My Psychi told me this morning to stop taking it, that it is not the right drug for me. She mentioned akathisia and I looked it up online. I would never recommend that anyone use this medication. I agree with the suggestion of Lamictal (Lomotrigine) which I experience no side effects from and I am very sensitive to meds for some reason. I felt paranoid on Abilify as well. I was able to keep it in check by reallizing it was a side effect of the Abilify but I really hated feeling this way. My Psychi did not tell me about the potential of akathisia either, which is super frustrating. I will take only Pristiq and Lamictal for Depression and anxiety for now. I have had both most of my life and find it hard to keep hope that things will improve. I believe my spirituality has helped me get this far in life.

By: JM

JM — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 00:17:37 +0000

clozaril can improve these

By: Joy

Joy — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 02:01:34 +0000

Guys, from what I have researched (and I have researched this very extensively) ALL ANTIPSYCHOTICS CAN CAUSE AND WORSEN AKATHISIA. Your best bet is to get off of them entirely. If you feel like you are going to become psychotic take a very small dosage or take some kind of mood stabilizer such as Lamictal to get through the withdrawal. This is what I plan on doing, being that I have been on Abilify for 2 years and am now starting to get worsening of the Akathisia. This is not something to mess around with. A lot of people with Akathisia kill themselves because of the torture. Because of my faith in God, I have never attempted suicide although I have desired to many times. Instead, I have been spending hours and hours researching psychiatry and finding truth, particularly psychiatrist Peter Breggin’s multiple books, which have helped me tremendously. I recommend them to all of you. Breggin writes about the ineffectiveness of psych meds in doing anything but causing psychosis, torment, and disease.

By: JMS55

JMS55 — Tue, 30 Nov 2010 21:17:34 +0000

To Alex:

By: jana

jana — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 22:49:19 +0000

I was on 2mg abilify to begin with. Couldn’t sleep or keep still. Got off it. Went back on it, but 5mg instead for some stupid reason. The akathisia was a bunch worse. Now I’m trying 1 mg…but I can still feel the jitters, so now I’m trying .5, I feel like this medication can work but it just takes time and a lot of discomfort in the meantime.

By: misses kats

misses kats — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:58:52 +0000

ren- go to canada pharmacy

By: ren

ren — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 18:23:25 +0000

My son has been suffering from severe depression and anxiety for years. He is 25 and sober for the past three years…working hard to stay that way despite inability of doctors to find the right meds for him. He is in a very goohospital for psych and rehab for ten days and is on Abilify and paxil and remeron and clonopin .5 mg 3 times a day. He knows all about medications and has researched them online often…they are all scary. He has no insurance and is starting back for his last year of college and won’t be able to see these same doctors. I am confused and don’t know who to trust. My son has been increasingly suicidal and I cannot even think about losing him. Also do not know how we will pay for all of this plus the costly Abilify…he has no insurance. Anyone out there have any suggestions? Also he is supposed to start cognitive therapy to stop negative thoughts,