Abilify Akathisia
July 10, 2012 9:04 PM Subscribe
Abilify-filter: Will the akathisia go away?
I started Abilify two weeks ago, one week on 2 mg and now on 5mg, in addition to Cymbalta and Seoquel. I'm experiencing akathisia. It's low level annoying most of the time.
Will it go away? I'm seeing my psych next Wednesday to talk about it, but I want to know whether I can hope this side effect to fade, or whether to look at another med.
I started Abilify two weeks ago, one week on 2 mg and now on 5mg, in addition to Cymbalta and Seoquel. I'm experiencing akathisia. It's low level annoying most of the time.
Will it go away? I'm seeing my psych next Wednesday to talk about it, but I want to know whether I can hope this side effect to fade, or whether to look at another med.
I don't know anything about this drug except what I just read in the last few minutes, but here's a published report with 4 case studies: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2671776/?tool=pmcentrez
In it, 3 of the 4 were able to reduce or eliminate their akathisia by reducing or eliminating use of Abilify (it's not clear what happened with the 4th).
So, those symptoms apparently can go away if you stop taking the drug entirely. But it seems like you're already using a rather low dose and it's not clear from the above example of the symptoms will go away as you continue to use it. I am guessing they will not, but I am not a doctor.
posted by imagineerit at 9:44 PM on July 10, 2012
In it, 3 of the 4 were able to reduce or eliminate their akathisia by reducing or eliminating use of Abilify (it's not clear what happened with the 4th).
So, those symptoms apparently can go away if you stop taking the drug entirely. But it seems like you're already using a rather low dose and it's not clear from the above example of the symptoms will go away as you continue to use it. I am guessing they will not, but I am not a doctor.
posted by imagineerit at 9:44 PM on July 10, 2012
and I agree with griphus -- if you're getting these symptoms on such a low dose you should ask your doctor if there's a different option you can try.
posted by imagineerit at 9:45 PM on July 10, 2012
posted by imagineerit at 9:45 PM on July 10, 2012
Ugh. Quit it NOW. I took Abilify for a few months and the akathisia crept up on me (along with some very terrible affect problems) but got kind of scary. If you are noticing it this soon, please talk to your doctor soon.
posted by queensissy at 12:50 AM on July 11, 2012
posted by queensissy at 12:50 AM on July 11, 2012
Best answer: Here's what happened to me with Abilify. Like you, I started on 2 mg and went up to 5 per doctor's orders. My mood was much improved but, additionally, I swear to god it was like speed or mania, even. I couldn't sit down and read a book, and I'm someone who normally can do that for hours at a time. I found myself reorganizing the file cabinet at 11:30 at night. Stayed up late, slept poorly, up at the crack. Then, to make matters worse, I misunderstood the doctor's instructions and started taking 10 mg. That turned me into Ricochet Rabbit, so I called the doc and tapered down, then stopped it entirely. Then I got miserably depressed again. After trying a few other complementary drugs to my main antidepressant that didn't help, as a heroic measure we decided to try Abilify again. This time I never took 10 mg, and after a few days of a little akathisia, I settled into it and now I don't have that problem at all.
What does this mean to you? IANAD, so I dunno. Just throwing it out there. Is Abilify helping your mood enough so you feel it's helpful to you? If so, and if your jitters are staying at "low level annoying," you could opt to wait a little longer and see. Or you could talk to the doc and see about trying a lower dose. Or give it up. Speaking as a veteran of scores of psychotropic drugs, I can tell you that some side effects just aren't worth the benefit of the drug in question.
posted by scratch at 6:50 AM on July 11, 2012
What does this mean to you? IANAD, so I dunno. Just throwing it out there. Is Abilify helping your mood enough so you feel it's helpful to you? If so, and if your jitters are staying at "low level annoying," you could opt to wait a little longer and see. Or you could talk to the doc and see about trying a lower dose. Or give it up. Speaking as a veteran of scores of psychotropic drugs, I can tell you that some side effects just aren't worth the benefit of the drug in question.
posted by scratch at 6:50 AM on July 11, 2012
Response by poster: I called my doctor to see if we can move up the appointment. scratch is totally describing my life right now, and I don't think I want to play with tapering it up and down if I can just try something else.
I will say that I have gotten a lot done (in 15 minute spurts). But I've also found myself sitting on the kitchen floor or curling up on the ottoman for no reason.
posted by freshwater at 9:01 AM on July 11, 2012
I will say that I have gotten a lot done (in 15 minute spurts). But I've also found myself sitting on the kitchen floor or curling up on the ottoman for no reason.
posted by freshwater at 9:01 AM on July 11, 2012
I had this happen while taking Abilify. It went away within 2 days of stopping Abilify.
posted by LightMayo at 1:48 PM on July 11, 2012
posted by LightMayo at 1:48 PM on July 11, 2012
I've had this happen with Seroquel and it went away with stopping it. I've also had it happen with Zoloft and now it seems Cymbalta is doing it to me (pity because the Cymbalta was helping my fibromyalgia). I tend to be really sensitive to meds.
I only write this because you might not want to rule out the Seroquel (it started years after I started the Seroquel) or Cymbalta.
posted by kathrynm at 2:51 PM on July 11, 2012
I only write this because you might not want to rule out the Seroquel (it started years after I started the Seroquel) or Cymbalta.
posted by kathrynm at 2:51 PM on July 11, 2012
Response by poster: I got in with my doctor right after my last comment. We're trying Cogentin to reduce the akathisia, and there's been some improvement. I'm going to give the new combo a week.
posted by freshwater at 4:06 AM on July 13, 2012
posted by freshwater at 4:06 AM on July 13, 2012
Response by poster: Update -- I am apparently one of the few for whom Cogentin (Benztropine) works like a charm. Love the combination.
posted by freshwater at 6:16 AM on September 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by freshwater at 6:16 AM on September 19, 2012 [1 favorite]
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