# Lithium and abilify



## angelgail13 (Mar 8, 2009)

What is the difference between lithium and abilify.:um I am on abilify and I think it is making me sleepy. I take it for mood swings. ANyone on abilify? If so should I take it at night and see if that helps with the drowsiness? I feel like I am on a med roaller coaster.:doh I really don't know much about abilify or lithium or drugs like these any info would really help me.

Thanks,
Angel


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## Medline (Sep 23, 2008)

What's your exact diagnosis?


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## angelgail13 (Mar 8, 2009)

Depression, SA, moodiness (extremly) and ocd. My doc. mentioned lithium a while back but I am afraid to take it. I don't want any med that will make me gain weight or make me sleepy. I have two active kids to take care of so I can't be sleepy and out of it all day.:b Thanks for the respond to my post I know I ask a lot of questions.

Angel


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## Medline (Sep 23, 2008)

I would advise against Lithium (except when someone is suicidal) and for Lamictal against your depression and "moodiness". The Abilify can work against mood swings but it is not a mood stabilizer, it's an antipsychotic with all associated risks. You will probably need a high dose of a good SSRI like Lexapro too, but just when you're mood has been stabilized. The SSRI should help with depression too and with SA & OCD @ higher doses.


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## stealyourface722 (Aug 31, 2008)

i got pretty much the same diagnosis as u and Im taking abilify also. And ya it makes me sleepy too! ive tried lithium, nothing wrong with it. It made me more depressed at high doses. i was sleepy too, i ate alot but i dont think it affects metabolism like the other meds. isnt abilify pretty good? really good mood stabilizer for sure. makes me irriatbale though.


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## angelgail13 (Mar 8, 2009)

When do you take your abilify? And how much do you take? 


Angel


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## stealyourface722 (Aug 31, 2008)

at first i took it in the morning... but Ive been tired lately so Ive been taking it at night and im a little less tired but not as calm. i take 1 mg which sounds wuss but is beast for me. what about you? are you doin good on it?


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## angelgail13 (Mar 8, 2009)

I take 5mg and I really don't know if it helps or not?????:um I think I am going to start taking it at bedtime starting tomorrow to see if that helps with the drowsiness. How long have you been on it? I have been on it for about two months now and really don't see any differnece in me. My husband says I am acting better but who know's???? Take care.........

Angel


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## stealyourface722 (Aug 31, 2008)

did you start taking it at night yet? is it working? hopefully it is. cya


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## angelgail13 (Mar 8, 2009)

I am going off of abilify. It is making me gain too much weight.:mum I just don't know how to get off of it. I guess slowly like any other med.????? I hope you have good luck with it.:clap I don't need any extra weight. Take care and let me know how you are doing on it.

Angel


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## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

risperdal made me gain massive weight: 110ibs in two years abilify seems to be weight neutal for me/


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## copper (Nov 10, 2003)

Long term use of Lithium may wreck havoc on the kidney's. Two of the clients that I deal with had to go off of Lithium due to causing them to go into stage 4 renal failure which is the next number when you where dialysis is required. It didn't happen instantly. It took about 20 years for this to happen.


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## copper (Nov 10, 2003)

angelgail13 said:


> I take 5mg and I really don't know if it helps or not?????:um I think I am going to start taking it at bedtime starting tomorrow to see if that helps with the drowsiness. How long have you been on it? I have been on it for about two months now and really don't see any differnece in me. My husband says I am acting better but who know's???? Take care.........
> 
> Angel


The only way to tell is to take data. You would have to come up with a criteria like mood levels. But you would have to have a baseline when you aren't on the med and then take data when you are on it. Then construct a graph to show the results. This is what a large part of my job at work is doing. Staff take data on behavior and then I construct a graph out of this and I present this to our Psychiatrist in order for him to make med decisions. Most of my clients we use a mood level starting from a level 1 and working up to the highest which is a level 3. You would have to come up with definitions for each level.

If the tablet can be cut in half. Just take half in the morning and half at night. That may help with the drowsiness. But be enough to help during the day hours.


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## 99x (Oct 4, 2007)

I've been on lamictal for awhile and at the dose it stabilized my moods was the dose that killed my memory and concentration. I cut my dose in half and I honestly can;t tell if its doing anything for me, however there are alot of new stresses to deal with than before I started. I just started lithium last week at 300mg twice a day and have experienced no side effects what so ever. I feel that its been working a little, yesterday I was a wreck though. I need to do blood work before I know for sure that I'm at the right dose, but I really think it needs to be increased. Definitely helps my aggression though and I don't feel zombified.


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## MoreThanWords (Apr 25, 2009)

Lithium is a mood stablizer is generally used for people with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Abilify is a supplemental drug to lithium and other antidepressants, but it is also sometimes used alone. I take 600 mg of lithium and 2 mg of Abilify (down from 10 mg after getting very sick). At this dose, I have no side effects, and for the first time in a year of experimenting with different meds, I am starting to feel good again. I take my Abilify with dinner. I have no problems with drowsiness. Being on mood altering meds always seems to be a rollercoaster. I know it's tough. Once you find what works for you, things will be better. The benefits far outweigh the side effects. Hang in there!

To 99x -
I was on lamictal for a long time. I also experienced increased concentration problems and memory loss. It didn't do a whole lot for me though. I hope everything works out with your lithium. It takes awhile to start working. Stick it out, it will get better.


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