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Weaning off of aripiprazole (Abilify)

Posted by u2luvr @u2luvr, Apr 28, 2019

My doctor wants me to go cold turkey off Abilify 10mg. I'm terrified to do it. I've tried twice and gave up. She won't prescribe it for me again. But, I do have 3 months of refills left. I'm thinking of splitting the pill in half for 5mg. Then try that for a month or so and then splitting that 5mg in half and then go from there. Has anyone had any experiences doing this? The doc thinks the Abilify is making my shopping addiction worse. I agree. I'm on so many drugs. I feel like a walking pharmacy. I'm so tired all of the time and I've gained a ton of weight as well. Sux.

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Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jan 9, 2022
In reply to @ellenheimberger "I took abilify for over 6 years then took 2 mg every day then 1mg every..." + (show)
Profile picture for ellenheimberger @ellenheimberger

I took abilify for over 6 years then took 2 mg every day then 1mg every morning then 1 mg every other day then stopped. I had a breakdown fir stopping as i am bipolar and labeled for life. It never goes away

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Welcome, Ellen. Do you mean that you stopped too suddenly and had a breakdown? How are you doing now?

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janey2022 | @janey2022 | Oct 14, 2022

I have been taking aripriprozole for around 4 years now for psychosis it does not seem to do anything for my paranoia at all so I want to come off it but my doctor's are not helpful in helping me any advice

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jennifer521 | @jennifer521 | Jun 1 5:49pm
In reply to @gorettigirl71 "What is the update on your daughter's weaning off of Abilify? I have been on it..." + (show)
Profile picture for gorettigirl71 @gorettigirl71

What is the update on your daughter's weaning off of Abilify? I have been on it for 11 years only as an adjunct to an anti-depression med. I didn't know or realize exactly what the dr. was giving me and here I am on my 6th try to get off of it. I am down to a very tiny piece of a 2 mg. pill and will continue to take that every other day for another month then every 2 days etc. I was watching this dr. today explaining how difficult it is to get off of it and I'd like to share this with you. There is an alternative way to do this, and a place that can possibly help, which is holistic recovery. If I go into a horrible withdraw again, I will be calling this place. It's in Arizona. Also, he says that diet, exercise, and positive surroundings are major to get better. Please comment on how she is doing.

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@gorettigirl71
I heard about this place in cedona it’s very expensive, my son has been put on abilify injection monthly .he stopped it without tapering and 3 months later had another psychotic episode only to get him right back on the injection but I know it’s the withdrawal and not what they say is schizophrenia can anyone help me please I’m the mum my son is 24

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jennifer521 | @jennifer521 | Jun 3 5:42pm
In reply to @janey2022 "I have been taking aripriprozole for around 4 years now for psychosis it does not seem..." + (show)
Profile picture for janey2022 @janey2022

I have been taking aripriprozole for around 4 years now for psychosis it does not seem to do anything for my paranoia at all so I want to come off it but my doctor's are not helpful in helping me any advice

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@janey2022 did you come off it my son is on it and he tryed cold turkey only to end up on it again do you have any suggestions

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Moderator
Lisa Lucier, Moderator | @lisalucier | Jun 3 8:29pm
In reply to @jennifer521 "@janey2022 did you come off it my son is on it and he tryed cold turkey..." + (show)
Profile picture for jennifer521 @jennifer521

@janey2022 did you come off it my son is on it and he tryed cold turkey only to end up on it again do you have any suggestions

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@jennifer521 - that sounds rough for your son. Cold turkey can be a really hard road for mental health medications.

Is he still wanting to taper off the aripiprazole (Abilify), or is he content to stay on it?

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jennifer521 | @jennifer521 | Jun 4 1:10am
In reply to @lisalucier "@jennifer521 - that sounds rough for your son. Cold turkey can be a really hard road..." + (show)
Profile picture for Lisa Lucier, Moderator @lisalucier

@jennifer521 - that sounds rough for your son. Cold turkey can be a really hard road for mental health medications.

Is he still wanting to taper off the aripiprazole (Abilify), or is he content to stay on it?

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@lisalucier he is on a community treatment order for 6 months so he has no choice but after that if they don’t extend it he wants to taper off but I’m Sydney Australia I don’t know of any places like the one in cedona Arizona unfortunately but I will definitely see if I can find a good psychiatrist that can help

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imagine4134 | @imagine4134 | Jun 21 4:20pm

I’m on Abilify. Have been since 2003. It’s been a wonder drug for me; however, not all drugs help us equally. I can relate going off a psych med. I was on lexapro. My doc wanted me to go cold turkey. It made me so sick. I threw up. I too gave up and refused to go off of it. I ended up having to go to another doc. He wanted me off of the lexapro too, but he was willing to ween me off of it. I agreed to go off of it. The thing was his speed in which he wanted to cut back was too fast. So I broke the pills down even more. It worked without getting sick. I would have a “discussion “ with that doc making you go off cold turkey. There’s a little known syndrome that a person can suffer when going off a psych med. I was one of those lucky people lol that had to be weened off of it.
Sorry it’s so long. I hope my experience and extra info helps relieve some of the anxiety. You’re not alone with it.

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