Is Abilify Safe To Be Taken?

Brief Answer:
Abilify will work for you

Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for your query. Welcome to HCM.

What I understand here is, You have depression and taking antidepressants [nefazodone] and most of the antidepressants sedate you. You are tapering the nefazodone because of sedation only.

You must be doing all these under the observation of the psychiatrist I suppose.
Nefazodone can cause sedation, it's true. It may be the reason for your sedation.

If you are not improving or not tolerating nefazodone then drug must be changed. if you are very sensitive to drugs then antidepressants with activating effects will work well like, prozac, wellbutrin, pristiq etc.

Abilify is not a antidepressant but an antipsychotic drug which can be used in case of resistant depression. It does not cause you sedation, it will make you active. Your doctor must have something in his mind for giving it to you. Abilify is usually given in the morning but you can take at night. It does not interfere with your natural sleep. Abilify is much safer drug then any other antipsychotic drug. In resistant cases of depression it is quite effective, it gives good results.

Abilify has similar minor side effects as other drugs like, nausea, burning in the epigastric region, restlessness in the body etc. These side effects will go away within next few days of atarting it.

In my patients I usually give prozac or wellbutrin, both the drugs do not cause sedation, even if they are taken at night they interferes with sleep. That is why these both drugs are given in the morning.

Here I am not confirmed about your diagnosis but for depression there should be at least 2 different drug trial for adequate duration in effective dose. So, if that is not attempted then before giving abilify I would have given you prozac or wellbutrin with tapering of nefazodone. There are chances that abilify is given you because it is non-sedating drug.

So finally you have to discuss all these issues with your doctor. My opinion would be tapering nefazodone, starting prozac along with it and waiting for response. Abilify I would give you before prozac only if you have resistant depression or bipolar disorder.

Hope I have answered your query. if you have further query then feel free to ask. Wish you good health.

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Brief Answer:
Abilify alone will not work

Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing again.

I think that if it is mixed anxiety and depressive disorder then abilify alone will not work. You have to take at least one potent antidepressant along with it.

As per my last suggestion, Prozac will work well with abilify. Abilify has dopamine modulating effect in brain so taking it with bupropion will not be wiser, because bupron also increases the dopamine. Combining prozac with abilify will be much better and beneficial to you.

Discuss about the combination of abilify and prozac. Both has activating effects so it may be possible that for first few days you may experience increased anxiety, but it will disappear within 3 to 4 days. taking anxiolytics like klonopin will work for initial anxiety caused by this drugs. Anxiolytic should be taken for short term only.

Discuss about combining prozac with abilify with your doctor.

Hope I have answered your query. If you do not have further query then close the discussion and rate the answer. Wish you good health.

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Brief Answer:
It will go away

Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing again.

Yeah, drowsiness will go away with time. It is good that you are feeling better. Follow advice from your doctor. You have to go for higher dose like 5 to 10 mg for beneficial effects of abilify. 2 mg will work as a placebo.

Hope I have answered your query. If you do not have further query then close the discussion and rate the answer.

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Brief Answer:
It can be tried

Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for writing again.

I do not have clinical experience with Brintellix. It is a brand name of the drug vortioxetine. It is a newer antidepressant with action similar to other SSRI drugs but also has some action on norepinephrine. As I have said because it a new drug and still not available in my country I can not say anything about it but as per the literature it can cause minimal sedation and dizziness. Other side effects are similar to SSRI drugs.

I can not be as sure as Prozac here. SO you have to discuss about it with your prescribing doctor and follow his advice.

Hope I have answered your query. If you do not have further questions then close the discussion and rate the answer. Wish you good health.

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