Alyssak: Abilify taper

[Alyssak]

I am currently tapering abilify 4 mg with guidance by my psychiatrist. my psychiatrist advised to reduce to 2mg and to stay there until august 2022. And then after that we will cut that pill in half for one month. And then in September take that remaining half for another month. Reducing to 2mg from 4 has been ok but I do feel anxiety, my obsessive thinking is nonstop but it’s not too much for me to handle, I also feel depressed. I would do nothing all day but lay in bed if I could. I feel very scared about tapering. I’ve tried tapering on my own foolishly once before and it was a disaster. The reason I want to come off of abilify is because we learned that antipsychotics have caused me to develop overactive bladder or urinary urge incontinence and my quality of life is poor. Praying that once off the medications that this side effect of urinary urge incontinence is no longer present.
 

my current medications:

anafranil 25 mg once daily

abilify 2mg once daily ( originally 2 mg twice daily)

[Altostrata]

Welcome, @Alyssak

 

On 6/17/2022 at 6:37 AM, Alyssak said:

Reducing to 2mg from 4 has been ok but I do feel anxiety, my obsessive thinking is nonstop but it’s not too much for me to handle, I also feel depressed.

 

It sounds like you got withdrawal symptoms from this reduction. If I were you, I'd put the dose up a little to 2.5mg. This probably would stop the withdrawal symptoms.

 

We recommend a much more gradual taper, see Tips for tapering off aripiprazole (Abilify)

 

For what reason are you taking Ability?

 

To help us out, follow these instructions Please summarize your drug and withdrawal history in your signature You may need to use a computer to do this.

 

[Alyssak]

I have increased to 2.5 for the next 30 days.

[ChessieCat]

Please create your drug signature as requested above.  Thank you.  We need to be able to see your drug history and dates and doses at a glance.

[Altostrata]

Please create your drug history signature and let us know know how you're doing.

[Alyssak]

I am currently on 2.5mg , reduced from 4mg . I’m doing ok, I have increased anxiety in the morning but this is normal for me. Nothing I can’t handle. 

[Altostrata]

Did you feel any change from the updose to 2.5mg last Monday?

[Alyssak]

The anxiety I was feeling has calmed down since increasing to 2.5. Thank God! So I feel comfortable continuing this dose for three more weeks.

[Altostrata]

If the updose relieved symptoms, that suggest those were withdrawal symptoms.

[Alyssak]

Ok thank you for confirming. I will stay at this dose for 2-3 weeks.

[Alyssak]

Abilify taper

 

I took my last 1mg tablet of abilify on august 14. Sixteen days later and  I’m having severe anxiety in the morning hours. Once the afternoon rolls around I calm down and go about my day but the morning hours are awful. How can this be since I tapered so well? 

 

Edited August 30, 2022 by ChessieCat
added topic title before merging with intro topic

[Altostrata]

Hello, @Alyssak

 

If you were taking 4mg Abilify, then reduced to 2.5mg, then 1mg, then zero on August 14, we would consider that to be a rapid taper likely to result in withdrawal symptoms. You quit cold turkey off 1/4 of your initial dosage.

 

Suggest you reinstate 0.5mg, stabilize for a month or more, than taper more gradually according to Tips for tapering off aripiprazole (Abilify)

[Alyssak]

I understand but my psychiatrist will not prescribe the liquid abilify. Basically saying there’s no way I could be having withdrawal at this minimal dose and that it’s reoccurrence of symptoms. What am I going to do? I’m suffering so much and I’m really scared

[Alyssak]

I’m desperate. I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to put myself in danger. I don’t know if I should go back on the medication until I find a new doctor ? Or just keep going. I feel damned if I do and damned if I don’t.

[seventyseven]

I'd try to get a new doctor. This one sounds very insensitive.

[Altostrata]

Any doctor can prescribe these drugs. Do you have a good relationship with your GP?

 

There is no reason to keep that psychiatrist on your payroll.