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How To Withdraw Abilify Slowly Without Any Side Effects?

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Posted on Tue, 10 Jun 2014
Question: I take 10mgs of abilify every other day.I have been doing this for several years.
How do I ween myself off this outrageously expensive drug?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Manisha Gopal (20 minutes later)
hello,
thanks for your query,
abilify is an antipsychotic drug used in schizophrenia. bipolar disorders.
you are on this drug since several years.stopping this medication can have serious withdrawal symptoms.
it should be gradual withdrawal done by your psychiatrist,after seeing your status.kindly visit your psychiatrist.all d best. take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Manisha Gopal (21 hours later)
I need to ween myself off off the outrageously expensive abilify.I have been taking 10 mg every other day.I take daily 300mg of effexor,80mg of ritalin and .25 mg of levothroxine.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Manisha Gopal (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
can make it 5mg daily or change drug

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Abilify, is usually given in doses 5-30mg. You are taking 10mg on alternate days and keepin fine. Check if there are any suspiciouness like symptoms or hearing of voices present. If you and your family members feel that there are no such symptoma at present, you may try to make it 5mg on a daliy basis. One should first take it daily to see the results and not on alternate days. Later, after few weeks you may reduce it to half after monitoring the response.
i would also XXXXXXX to add something here-- if there are only monetary reasons behind thebdiscontinuationvand otherwise you re ok with treatment, & you want to continue with an antipsychotic- you may shift to olanzapine or resperidone. They are relatively cheaper and give response in relatively lower dosage strength.

You may also talk with your treating team about this change. There are many patients who have financial issues and we have to alter the meds accordingly whenever feasible. There is no point in giving something which a patient cannot afford for required duration.

So, try out the reduction as mentioned above or better would be to shift to a lesser expensive medicine. Anti psyhotics are very important drugs and it is always beneficial for the patient to continue it.

wish you best of health.
Please feel free to ask more questions for clarification.

Dr. Manisha Gopal
MD Psychiatry
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Manisha Gopal

Psychiatrist

Practicing since :2005

Answered : 947 Questions

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How To Withdraw Abilify Slowly Without Any Side Effects?

hello, thanks for your query, abilify is an antipsychotic drug used in schizophrenia. bipolar disorders. you are on this drug since several years.stopping this medication can have serious withdrawal symptoms. it should be gradual withdrawal done by your psychiatrist,after seeing your status.kindly visit your psychiatrist.all d best. take care.