Abilifyneedhelp88: Here for information and support......

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

Day 5

 

Good Day--Busy-Church-prayer...Health fair- got some advice on B vitamins which a kineseologist did some testing and determined my b vitamins were lacking and would help with withdrawal. No obvious symptoms with withdrawal today...stayed busy..arranging questions for integrative MD on 22, gathering records and hopefully there will be no stigma for being a "mental" patient. If he does I may need to call him on it and give me a little more respect. Seeing Psyche on Wednesday... plans are to say "Everything OK here, 13.5 good, need my medical clearance for fertility doc, Ok on meds, no obvious symptoms (at least any that I think he could actually do anything about without giving me more Meds which is absolutely not what I want) Almost 9pm - tired..Went to philly for Icarus took an hour and no support group.. disbanded 5 years ago...wasted trip..but met a nice woman who her and I picked out some nice clothes from a free street sale, so I got a beautiful blue jacket..Hope everyone is hanging in there..

[Karma]

Hi Abilifyneedhelp,

 

B vitamins can be helpful in leveling out mood and from what I've learned, B vitamins help our adrenals.  However, I would caution you to only try one vitamin at a time and go with lower doses initially to see how you feel.  When our CNS gets sensitized coming off of these drugs, even vitamins can have a profound effect. 

 

Note that I am coming off of Effexor, Xanax and Neurontin and I take B complex 100 and I also supplement extra B12.  If I take too much B12 I get really aggravated and lose patience.

 

Best advice is one change one thing at a time, see how you do, then either increase or add something else.  But give yourself time to see how your system reacts to the new introduction, even if it is just supplements.

 

Karma

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

Hi Karma,

 

Thanks for Responding. Day 7 here and no horrendous symptoms. Stayed busy and stayed positive about the 13.5 Abilify. So want to go faster bc I don't want to be on this for months. Sleeping well now but still have to get up to go to the bathroom which I found out is a side effect. Really really want off this drug...Had pounding headache this am. Lots of medical stuff going on...Chiropractor, urologist, fertility,therapist, psyche etc. Soon High Risk Maternal doc...I almost feel like Dr's are running my life insteaad of me running it...Has to change...They are there to help me help myself not TELL ME what to. I told my urologist that NO I will not be doing an MRI with contrast. He knows I have kidney disease and still orders me contrast. What an idiot.

You really have to watch these docs and question everything and do you own research, something I did not do with Psyche. I was naïve in that area letting psyche after psyche take advantage of me when in my op they really do not know too much...if they did they would know how the heck to get me off this drug safely. I swear if I ever get off this stuff, I will never go back. Got the B-Complex....Back hurts a lot...Icing down...Hope everyone is having a good night..See ya'll tomm.

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

Day 7 and morning of Day 8

 

The morning of Day 7 I awoke again doing research on Abilify and came across MIA's site where they had RX List and punched in Abilify and there was the list of SE'S reported and established and I just froze with an unbelievable stare and found it hard to believe that ANY Dr. could consciously prescribe this drug and feel ok about it. I kept saying to myself I have to get off. For my own psychological well being I dropped another .5 as to make myself feel like I am making some progress. Seeing the marker move it just what I needed. I went to my chiropractor who is aware of what is going on with this and he said I should be careful of reading things on the internet because you can get emotionally and psychologically stressed out. I feel I need to be aware of the poss. SE's and try to see if I am experiencing any of them. I understand it can kind of be like- kind of self-fulfilling in a way but I believe it is better to be informed and know the truth. How do other people use the internet in researching their drugs?And matching up SE's? Or do you prefer not to look and remain somewhat naïve?

 

After chiro, went to Lunch and then to swim...

 

Came home and had a thorough conversation with a friend who is willing to go to the integrative doctor with me on the 22nd.

Formulating my questions, my needs, desires and wants from him.

 

Went to see Psyche- had agenda...to refill more on Trileptal, to get letter of ok for pregnancy, to let him know I am doing ok and that I dropped another .5

 

His response--- OK, OK, and you shouldn't cut any more right now. You are doing well.

 

I said I didn't plan on doing that at least for another 2 weeks. I said that the reason why I cut it another .5 was because of the

measurement factor and the difficulty of measuring. I was actually getting 13.4mg..so the drop now is .4 in actuality. And this really wasn't the real reason. The real reason is because I needed to do something for myself after reading RX List and emotionally for me this was the right thing to do for me. It relieved me. And I feel like progress is being made.

 

So then I reminded him of why I am doing this. Possibility of future pregnancy...

 

And he said if that happens, he will have to take me off quick, I then said that is what I am trying to avoid, coming back into this office and possible getting on more medication..because of unforeseen problems occurring.

 

Personally I am so overwhelmed with the SE's, the few that I am experiencing( those that I am aware of) and then the ones internally that I am not.............That I am determined to get off this drug one way or another....The mental fog, the mental unclarity, the head heaviness, dizziness upon standing, etc. etc.

 

And now since today is Cycle Day One of my Period, the cramps, the back pain, the overall malaise, nothing Psychiatric however.

Ice packs on back, cramps...

 

And just as I was writing this, Phx hosp calls at 826 in the am before I have had my bkfst after I inquired about my status for finishing clinical...And as much as I want to hear what the message says, I come first, my bkfs before I start jumping into things and getting pulled into a thousand diff. directions...

 

If that occurs then it is on to gathering paperwork, background checks, etc. in addition to dealing with fertility clinic and my back problems...............Somebody just tell me to BREATHE....And if you are a praying person...please pray for me and my cramps today in which I can' take NSAIDS bc of my kidney issues. Its plain Tylenol....I pray that I do not have to go out today and that some kind nice loving person will call me today...Thanks....

[Altostrata]

Please let us know how you do with the .5mg decrease from 15mg.

 

Please do not spontaneously make large decreases in your Abilify dosage. You will get off it, but you need to be very systematic about it.

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

Hi Alto,

 

I was on the 1.5 decrease from 15mg for 7 days, I cut it back .5 yesterday so now I am on 13.0 mg I just got really frustrated with the slow progress I was making, overwhelmed by the possible side effects and the current SE's, the mind fog, inability to remember certain things and having trouble connecting thoughts. I plan to stay on this dosage at least for the next two weeks and perhaps beyond. And what does systematic mean? 2-3 weeks? No one has a discontinue schedule, no doctor, no pharmacy, no pharmaceutical company...

 

I agree with you that it was spontaneous but it helped mentally tremendously...

 

It just seems so slow and I am so concerned as to what it is doing to my body and brain...

 

I hope you understand....

[Altostrata]

Of course! Take care of yourself.

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

Good Evening All,

 

Whew!! OMG...What a whirlwind of a day...

 

830- Fertility Appt/bloodwork/US - All results well

1130- Chiro Appt

130-245 Telephone Call with friend who is coming with me to Integrative MD

245-335- Review of Hospital Clinical email that finally came through...Yeh!!!

4-5- Reiki Appointment-Interesting-said my Trileptal and Abilify came in at a 1-2 with 5 and above being useful for my body (no surprise there)

5-530-travel and pharmacy

(pharmacist was overprotective and overconcerned about me being on Trileptal (Category C)and Abilify..after I gave him a script for Zithromax from the fertility center....

 

And he wasn't much help in discontinuation....

 

took a walk to clear head to relax and currently on way to go swimming....

 

No overbearing symptoms except some stress and pressure....

 

Hope everyone had a bearable day....

 

Onward---13mg

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

Hello All,

 

Another busy day...Can't even remember right now all that I did.....but am now beat...No obvious symptoms today...except pains here and there...still have back pain. some upper right quadrant pain...dizziness when standing...still on 13mg...Some anxiety about tomorrow...Have important Dr's appt with new integatrive MD...Hope he's willing to work with me. Truly want to know what these drugs have done to my body and wish I could sue every doctor I have seen for not being truthful with me about the dangers of these drugs....Printed out part of Peter Breggins book Ch. 9..Antipsychotic withdrawal...for him along with medication info if he is not up on these drugs...Tired of being physically dependant on these drugs....Just like everyone else on this board I would assume....

 

Honest with my prayer group about my situation with the drugs...

 

Don't plan on dying as a psychiatric patient....like they all want you to believe you have a lifelong illness like diabetes..I am not sure how I got conned into this....Well I do know...I was a minor...It has to stop somewhere....

 

Have renal ultrasound to look at cyst on kidney...hopefully it has not grown....

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

Does anyone know of any other support groups for people who are coming off these drugs????? Besides this one???

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

Peter Breggin MD- Your Drug may be your problem.......How and why to stop taking your psychiatric medications....A book for everyone on this board......

 

Gives you a better understanding of what you are involved with.....

 

Physical Dependency is the word that comes to mind....

 

Page 225 last paragraph-important for everyone....

 

Doing Well....see sign line....

 

Integrative MD--Listened to me tell him that I  had been on several psyche drugs for past 28 years and wanted to get off of them to get pregnant. He asked me how many times I had been hospitalized which I didn't exactly want to tell him but he pushed and I told him over 10. Seemed to zoom in on the bipolar part instead of the realization that I wanted to improve my health in relation to bringing a child into the world....Felt like he was categorizing me into a mental patient from the get go...even wrote "bipolar" on my chart which made me cringe....Don't know why that label makes me so angry, humiliated, and embarrassed....Not sure how I am going to work with him.....especially when I asked him if he would consult with my psychiatrist and he said well I am not sure what I would talk to him about?? Well about me and my condition.....How I am doing, etc....I told him I wanted to take six months to get off these drugs and he said that was a good plan and it was an unknown factor of how I would do being off of them.....My concern is how I will do while getting off of them... So far only one bad day in 3 weeks.....sleeping six to seven hours with one pee break in the middle of night.

 

Couldn't figure out how to change sign line but now on 750mg Trileptal twice a day...no significant changes.....except usual side effects and maintaining on 13mg Abilify.....Thinking more clearly on less Trileptal....

[Altostrata]

Good to hear you're doing well on less Trileptal. Did you go from 900mg to 750mg?

 

There are other groups, but none, I believe about coming off your specific drug combination.

 

Peter Breggin's latest book Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal is a big disappointment -- almost nothing in it about how to go off drugs.

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

Yes I heard about this book and I also read reviews in which there were no specifics regarding this....The first book Your drug may be your problem gave a little more information  and was helpful for anyone interested....I am down from 1800 to 1500mg Trileptal as of 10/23 and holding steady but a little apprehensive about letting my doctor know I did this on my own....Was planning to hold there until at least Thanksgiving....My next Abilify withdrawal to 11.0 mg is due Nov. 9......after a month on 13mg....

 

symptoms: Dry Mouth, Back pain, muscle pain, some memory issues, dizziness upon standing, 0 depression, 0 mania,

 

Clinical progressing at Hospital...

 

HSG results: blocked fallopian tubes...

 

Eating Well and exercising...sleep ok...interrupted by pee breaks...

 

Next Dr's appt. Nov. 1, Oct. 30

[Altostrata]

Please consider seeing Dr. London.

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

For those of you who have been labeled bipolar...

 

An excellent conversation by Joanne Moncrieff M.D and Will Hall...

 

http://beyondmeds.com/2010/08/27/bipolarmedmyth/

 

Also Dr. London has not returned my emails or phone call to her....

 

Met with my Psychiatrist yesterday.....whom I found out later has regular weekly lunch visits with the "Abilify" drug reps by a friend who works there...

 

Let him know I wanted to take 6 months in reducing medications....as far as withdraw goes...Seemed agreeable...

 

Reluctanctly agreed to stay on 13mg but added that I might try 12.5 just so I feel like I am making progress. He warned with the upcoming stress ahead (hospital clinical) that making a change may not be a good idea...I agreed but at the same time am considering a possible .5 change.

 

The realities of what these drugs do to you neurologically and physically make me understand what I have been feeling all these years...Sedated, slowed down, cognitively impaired, etc.

 

Although my doctor seems to praise me for completing my nursing training and doing well on my recent exam...

 

So there must be some brain activity left....

 

Just want off this drug....

 

Trying hard to be patient everyday and don't want to speed up the process to my detriment....

 

computer battery running low...have to post now...

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

Feeling so sedated.....................hate this feeling............like you are alive but dead....brain feels fried....

neurologically abused by abilify and trileptal.....time to take it again.....why on earth am I doing this to myself? And I cant abruptly stop......I pray to God there will be a day when this is over, when I can get off this.....

 

 

[Rhiannon]

There will be a day, but it's definitely a case of the tortoise getting there faster than the hare. If you try to go too fast you will exacerbate your symptoms to the point that you may have to reinstate, or worse, you will be unable to keep up with your life's needs and obligations and end up with even more personal losses due to the drugs. Or possibly even end up on even MORE meds.

 

Please take your time. Once you've been tapering a while and you've got some experience under your belt, you can experiment then with going faster, but it's better to start slow until you have a really good sense of how the withdrawal symptoms come on and unfold over time and then how they resolve over time. Also, how all of that is affected by life stressors and such.

 

I totally relate to and understand hating taking the drugs that you can't just stop taking because they will make you so ill if you do. I get it. The reason I'm telling you to go slow is because I have seen so many people sabotage their own tapers by pushing it too hard. In the long run, by the time they recover and get back on track, it ends up taking even longer, and with so much additional suffering.

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

Thank you so much for your support and especially your compassion......Thank you Rhi....

 

I really appreciate it and I feel like you GET it....Esp the part about not liking taking the drugs bc of how they make you feel and the SE's....

 

Thank you for being honest about absolutely HATING them....Which are all my thoughts as well and it takes a lot to down them knowing what they are actually doing which is NOT helping me at ALL...And I feel like I am in a quagmire and its hard to find your way out....(The mental health system)

 

Trying Melatonin tonite to work with the sleeping issue which is a SE of Abilify and also a withdrawal symptom...Not sure which is which but I suspect it is a side effect bc this has been going on since I was put on it....Nothing else really except maybe an irritability with my husband but he has always at times made me that way bc of his behavior...(i.e: bothering me when I need to study after I asked him to leave me alone -nicely at first, then nice a second time, ok now irritated after the third time, now angry the last time....He does not like it when I raise my voice but after trying to be firm and failing he tends to run on my patience... and could also be bc of me bc of lack of sleep....Been up since 4am-5 really with the time change....

 

And also thanks for the warning about taking it slow....I appreciate that....its been well taken....

 

I think I read somewhere that someone who was on this went from 10 to 5 to 2 in two weeks but said everything was a blur during that time.

 

I think the hardest thing to do is to determine how much, when and how long to hold...So far it has been relative ok without a lot o fanfare except for the feeling yesterday which just felt like a huge brain fog and it didn't help listening to Joanne Moncrieff M.D talk about the truth of what these drugs actually do to you. That they really aren't mood stabilizers or antipsychotics  but sedatives and the fact that there really aren't any conclusive tests to indicate bipolar but a  cluster of symptoms indicated by the DSM which can diagnose just about anyone if you have two to three symptoms or you may have thought you had.

 

I just have to express myself: I am SO SICK OF Mental Health..and all the information out there that claims of chemical imbalances which has just been regurgitated by the Pharmaceutical companies which in turn educate the doctors................then society.....Its interesting to find out that

there are a lot of people out there that believe chemical imbalance is a myth and their rationales are very convincing and very believable...I hate being trapped b/n what I believed for a long time and the new information out there now even by psychiatrists themselves....

 

I almost became overwhelming nauseated when a friend of mine who works for my doctor told me that the abilify people are in his office every other week giving out free lunches.....and how influenced he is to prescribe abilify meaning he would rather have me on it but my ability to really enjoy

 and experience life is hindered by these drugs, the overwhelming state of cloud they put you in and the inability to experience  real emotion....I AM TIRED of BEING DRUGGED..... 

 

I absolutely hate this situation and cannot speak to anyone really about this except for this board....

 

Thanks for listening to my rants....If I don't express myself about this I am rather going to IMPLODE...

 

And thanks to everyone on this board who has taken the time to respond to my posts...Means a lot...

 

 

 

The tortoise

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

Why is it that I feel so alone in this process of getting off? Why isn't it like a fad or something? Where you can go to the local drugstore, find exactly the right directions, follow them and be free of this nightmare? Why the hell is it so uncertain? The doctors are just seemingly unknowing and not supportive, my family is wary, I have no friends who have been through this or are even on psychiatric medication. And I feel so unsupported.....Does anyone else feel this way at times?

 

I need to find more people who are trying to come off....I need daily support like I need food and water....I need understanding and compassion......

 

I just need someone to talk to about what I have been through to other people who have been through the enormity of what I have been through. I need to tell someone so I can heal...Telling a paid therapist is not the same healing as sharing with someone who has almost walked identically in your shoes....

 

Where can you find people who realize they have been abused by the system, coerced by doctors, drugged beyond oblivion and forcibly against will medicated, shoved into a room in isolation and thus called treatment.....I've been through 19 hospitalizations in 28 years convinced to take these drugs bc I had a "chemical imbalance" the only chemical imbalance I have is from these drugs... I am so sickened at the way I have been treated, the way society had me accepting this, the doctors supporting it and the horrifying memories I have that in reality could be an interesting book but too painful to write....I am all about healing now and recovery.

 

My friends have no idea what its like to be on these drugs and cannot relate. And if you have dilemma's regarding them, people offer no compassion yet "speak to your doctor" like he is the all knowing force and ultimate authority on the subject which I have found not to be the case...

 

I believe in God though and have prayed to him and my angels to get me unstuck from this mental health quackery one day before I am no longer on this earth. and I pray that the drugs do not kill me or leave me severely disabled....I pray for children, I pray for my nursing career and I also pray for healing....

 

I also pray that no one will ever go through what I have been through...

 

 

 

 

 

[Meimeiquest]

And that is why Alto has worked so hard to have this forum. Really, apart from the almost dying part, I would prefer chemo...and I've had an easy time. Some people are encouraged by madinamerica.com, although it has its issues. There are a few books as well...I've only read Death Grip.

 

On another point, if you would like to share it...how long were you on lithium before kidney damage set in? Do you feel that your levels were well-managed? Did it cause other problems? I think I really might have bipolar II, which I think can be managed without meds, but I don't know how long it will take me to learn how to do it. And my apologies for high jacking your topic!

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

And that is why Alto has worked so hard to have this forum. Really, apart from the almost dying part, I would prefer chemo...and I've had an easy time. Some people are encouraged by madinamerica.com, although it has its issues. There are a few books as well...I've only read Death Grip.On another point, if you would like to share it...how long were you on lithium before kidney damage set in? Do you feel that your levels were well-managed? Did it cause other problems? I think I really might have bipolar II, which I think can be managed without meds, but I don't know how long it will take me to learn how to do it. And my apologies for high jacking your topic!

Hi Meimei,

 

I was on Lith for 25 years and only after an ultrasound did I find out that I had a renal cyst and a 40 GFR level and a 1.3 crt level. I was then switched to Trileptal. I only wish I hadn't been on for so long...I see you have been on it since 06. I would get a Lith level every month and monitor your salt, water intake as well as getting blood tests for CRT and even get CRT clearances as well...I'm in a rather weird drug induced sort of head kind of strange feeling which in addition to feeling dizzy today....Back to your question, My levels were checked every month....Looking for different ways to deal with my life...Sounds like you are too...The consensus with Bipolar II is that you still need meds but who ever said "They" were right.....you have to decide for yourself....

[Meimeiquest]

How did your levels run? My record high is 0.8 and now 0.4 as dr. has not increased dose as I have gained weight. I know it would be tough to go without any meds, and really if I only succeed in getting off just the other 5 meds. I will feel like I've accomplished something. My oldest daughter is a sophomore in high school, and I hate to be withdrawing from meds her whole high school experience. The problem with switching to another drug is that I don't like any of them either and I will never, ever take another antipsychotic.

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

My levels usually ran around 0.8 no higher or lower just consistently at that level....

[Meimeiquest]

Thank you! I am so sorry for all you have been through.

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

Hello All,

 

Just thinking of a friend of mine who took 21 Ativan and mixed them with Alcohol and then texted a friend to tell her she was in trouble and wound up at a Psychiatric hosp. and they gave her vistaril the first nite, then Seroquel the next nite, then thorazine...She signed herself out after the third nite....Thank God!!! Who knows what was next?!! She has a sleep disorder and an eating disorder, weighs 90 pounds and is having a very hard time now...esp. with insomnia the last 17 years....now getting ambien from friends....has tried over 50 natural and medical tx for this....Worried about her....

 

My situation--been getting about 6-7 hours of sleep a nite with 3 tablets of calm forte...Still having cognitive fog in am to mid morning then better in late evening. On 10mg of Abilify now and maintaining. No obvious symptoms other than fog and insomnia....So far so good and still on Trileptal 1500mg...Seeking energy healing and healing from my church...helpful.....Seeing a nutritionist....muscle pain....absolutely hate foggy feeling...numb brain.....looking for more clarity with decrease.....anyone know if there is more clarity in lower dosages of this drug??? Edted?

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

Note for altostrata or anyone else who has searched the Inet for info about tapering off antipsychotics:

 

• Has anyone else heard of Alice Lee Bloom and what is your op of her brown rice, Gaba and use of whole food powders?
• She also seems to taper using Haldol and Seroquel for a zyprexa taper.

  See this link:http://holisticpsychiatrist.com/2010/05/06/five-easy-tips-on-how-to-withdraw-from-antipsychotics-safely/

 

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

 

Heather

[Meimeiquest]

Hi Heather, I was hoping someone more knowledgeable would chime in on your question about drowsiness with Abilify. I have only taken it in doses of 2.5 and 5mg, and I had to stop it for akathisia...definitely wasn't sedating to me! It also suppressed my appetite (very good thing for me). So, due to the akathisia I was moved to Zyprexa which was just a bad drug for me.

 

Personally, I just am cautious about introducing any new drugs in the tapering process (although I did add a beta-blocker recently to cooperate with my PCP--I'm afraid if I'm not careful I could end up without a dr. to write my refills). I think overall you will get there faster by just slowly reducing the original drug(s) because similar drugs can hit on different subsystems, mucking up things in a slightly different way. But actual research is so lacking on drug withdrawal, and there can be so many root causes of the original problem, that we each have to take the known principles and then gingerly "crawl out of the tree" in our own way.

 

I think whole foods in general are extremely important as a part of epigenetics management, and general body function. I feel so much different on a gluten-free, high vegetable, whole food diet. Lisa's Love posted in her thread about the eating plan that her dr. recommended for her in withdrawal. It is based partly on the WAPF guidelines that I try (try, not do) to follow for my family. This plan is more restricted, but it is pretty easy. I have added in coconut oil, lemon juice, and spices. Powders I cannot speak to...just the food is expensive!

 

I think a lot of GABA supplements don't actually cross the blood-brain barrier, but they do work on peripheral receptors.

 

And all this is from a very uninformed perspective.

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

When you speak of akithesia....in what way did you experience it?? Meimei?

[Meimeiquest]

Physically...I could stop moving, but it was really hard and took all my conscious effort. I am generally a very low-energ person.

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

Looking for a way I can respectably tell my psychiatrist I really think of his profession.....instead of sitting there submissively asking for prescriptions....and saying Yes I have insomnia from your F* medicine and I hate what you have done to me in the name of "help" and some disease process which is untestable, unproven, and inequivacobly misunderstood.  How the drug I am on does nothing to improve mood but to tranquilize, induce zombie like reactions, alter consciousness, disable people, change brain chemistry, induce adverse cognitive function, oppress patients, and put them at risk for more than any considerable benefit that could be imagined or real.

 

I hate being in this position.....but at least I am 5 mg down and finally going in the right direction with my health.

I just want to tell him what I think of his f* dx and continue standing up to him....There is nothing worse than being on this medicine...At least with Chemo you know its destroying cells good and bad...This stuff just changes your brain chemistry and you just hope you can get it back....HEALING, HEALING, HEALING......

[Jemima]

The Road Back is a program which pushes overpriced supplements that they sell, and we have had some members actually get worse while taking them as they are too stimulating.  I think there's a topic on that program but I'm not sure where.

 

Ah.  Here it is:

 

The Road Back

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

Good Evening All,

 

I wish I had a lot of symptoms to discuss with all of you but at this point I do not...Just some headaches and fatigue right now...I am praying constantly that there are no long term effects and that my neurotransmitters will go back to normal without a lot of fanfare..I am now on 2.5mg of Abilify and holding here steady for awhile...I met with a nutritionist today who said it was a mute point here to try and lose weight while being on this lovely drug. I feel for all those on this board who are suffering and I really hope I make it through. I still have a lot of anger at all of my doctors, the ones in the past and even the present one who refuses to see that these drugs are harmful not helpful. They expect you to just put up with the SE's..what is the matter with them? I think everyone on this board has displayed a mountain of strength to stand up and say NO MORE..Why are we such a minority? When will the 300 billion dollar industry wake up...For Christ's sake...even nursing homes have gotten rid of antipsychotics so why the hell is anyone else on them? I will never be a psyche nurse like I originally planned bc I could not with my conscience give someone any of these drugs. I used to think that is what I wanted to go into but I just can't bring myself up to doing that not after the extent of what I have been through. I want freedom...from this..like never before....I feel like such a fool from being in the MH system and believing and accepting without questioning bc it was all around me and people were encouraging me. It was like they too were groomed by pharmaceutical companies and their theory of the chemical imbalance...How else would they describe depression, mania, psychosis, etc..its all theorized and hypothetical...Anyway enough of me...will write again...

[Edted]

Hello Abilifyneedhelp88:

You have decreased the Abilify very quickly (from 10 to 2.5) in the last two weeks. Please be careful. You said you are holding now, I hope you hold for more than a month. You won't reach the new steady level until then.....long half life. If you start having symptoms, please say something and don't try to tough it out. If you need to re-instate some, it's much better than letting things go down hill. I hope you are doing well.

Ed

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

Been awhile, sorry I have not posted since Nov. 20....Not much going on...except Thanksgiving and some angry emails to my mother who first introduced me to Psychiatry....then forgiveness and a good holiday...Nice to feel something even being on these drugs...

 

Had first day of clinical on tues....went well

 

Continuing to take last dose mentioned...no significant problems...moodiness, yes, anger at situation and past...praying for release of the psychiatric trap...Amazed at how deep I am into it...bought Joanna Moncrieff's book, the myth of the chemical cure....offered no way to get out but just statistics which scared me about relapse...and didn't give me a lot of hope in getting out....will write more tomm...getting late and need to get rest....

[Altostrata]

Statistics of relapse do not take withdrawal syndrome into account. It's almost universally misdiagnosed as relapse. Take heart!

[Abilifyneedhelp88]

Under a lot of stress....Labrador of 8 years just dx'd with sarcoma of right atrium.....coupled with being in a new environment at the hospital taking care of patients....Emotions of pain and sadness for my dog...and being thrust into hospital nursing from being off of work for a year and three months...very very stressful....On 2.5 Abilify and trying to do the best I can with my memory which I desperately need for work...which I blame on the drug...and the unclearheadeness.(if that is even a word) Canceled dr. apt to take my pet to the oncologist...She's dying...Need to get off the Abilify...not sure of consequences except possible psychosis, movement disorder, etc...or maybe nothing...Just want off...Made very good progress so far in last 2 months...with little symptoms...Heard It takes 16 days to totally get off...5 half lives...Fear is what is holding me back...Off to my bath and another day tomm... Please send Good thoughts and prayers to my lab Cocoa...Thank you...Hope everyone is well tonite and recovering quick but slow...