I have recently just switch from 300mg Seroquel and 750mg valproic acid and am now on 10mg Abilify and and the same valproic acid. The Seroquel did wonders at first but really quickly stopped working for me,so we brought the dose down to 150 then I went cold turkey next day to 10mg Abilify. What a horrible night. So on night 2 i went down to 5mg just to bring this up slowly.I haven't been able to sleep in three days . I feel like my whole body is crawling. I take it a 9pm and by 6pm the next day I feel just ok enough to get out of bed . In time for my next pill. My body is hot and cold ,heavy nausea ,and I'm restless ,like my legs and arms need to move constantly. Also my hands are very weak and shaky. I'm wondering is this normal ? Should these side effects subside?I really hope so as I am noticing a difference ,albeit small ,already In my mood and thought process.
Thank you for any help
Should Abilify make me rest and not sleep ?
Question posted by 2sidessamecoin on 31 July 2018
Last updated on 13 August 2018 by Barbara334
5 Answers
I just started Abilify 2 mg to assist my Cymbalta and Lamictal to start working again. I am bi-polar 2. At the very beginning I too felt the "high". Now I'm unaware of the Abilify except my moods are much better controlled. As for sleep, my M.D. told me to take in the morning to avoid or minimize sleep problems.
I take 15mg twice a day. One at 5am and one at noon. I've taken it for years. I have always found it giving me a little energy. I've taken it at bedtime but I can't sleep then. It will take your body a little time to adjust to the new medication. Going off the Seroquel like you did, probably didn't help any. Your body was used to having the Seroquel in it and when you stopped it so abruptly, you're going to feel the effects. Give the Abilify a chance. Titrate it up slowly and then your side effects won't be so bad. I've taken Seroquel before and personally I like the Abilify better. It will take time to get your sleep adjusted but bear with it. Please let us know how you're doing.
Ruth
Abilify can make some patients unable to sleep and wake up with an extremely dry mouth. Yet one of my friends received great benefits from taking Abilify. She no longer had any hallucination after taking it.
Hi. @! Abilify is very energizing for many people: "nervousness, poor sleep quality, agitation, restlessness, anxiety, insomnia, dizziness, shakiness, tremors, hyperactivity, restless leg syndrome, akathisia, nausea, etc., are all listed as potential side effects when starting treatment with Abilify. The good news is that it gets better every day and resolves quickly.
"Side effects have been reported to be generally mild and transient. They are most common during the first 2 weeks of treatment and decrease in intensity and frequency with continued treatment. They generally do not lead to treatment cessation."
Try giving it a little more time and you'll probably be just fine.
Best regards and I hope Abilify works as well for you as it has for me... I've been taking it successfully for almost five years!
This sounds awful for you! I take 10 mg Abilify myself in combination with other medication and I was told specifically to take my Abilify in the morning as it interfers with a good sleep. The symptom you described about having to move constantly is called “restless leg syndrome“, a well known side effect of antipsychotics. I had this on Seroquel and had to quit taking it. Best wishes for you.
Related topics
abilify, seroquel, bipolar disorder, sleep disorders, valproic acid, sleep
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