# abilify and sleeping problems



## flapjacker (Nov 30, 2008)

Anyone take abilify and have problems sleeping. Ever since I started taking abilify over a month ago, my sleeping patterns are really bad. Yesterday I slept from 10pm-12am, then 6am-9am, then 11am-1pm. Tonight I slept from 1am-3am. This is what my sleeping patterns have been like for the past month. I get maybe 2-3 hrs of sleep and I wake up.

Anyone have this problem and maybe have any suggestions. I take abilify around 9pm.


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

Are you aware that abilify is the nastiest atypical antipsychotic when it comes to movement disorders?


> Int J Neurosci. 2009;119(12):2274-9.
> Movement disorders associated with aripiprazole use: a case series.
> Hall DA, Agarwal P, Griffith A, Segro V, Seeberger LC.
> 
> ...


Also see this:


> Tardive dyskinesia and new antipsychotics.
> Correll CU, Schenk EM.
> 
> The Zucker Hillside Hospital, North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System, Glen Oaks, NY 11004, USA. [email protected]
> ...


Considering many ppl dont even know they take medication wich could cause a permanent movement disorder, i think a warning is on its place here. The same thing happened to my mum, with the TD came a pretty bad depression, she wasnt even psychotic.

Offcourse if you are psychotic i cant tell you to not take antipyschotics, but i do suggest to swich to one of the less nasty ones. (or just dont take any if you just suffer from depression/anxiety, the risk is not worth it).

I wouldnt even dream of touching this nasty crap. TD isnt something to laugh it.


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## euphoria (Jan 21, 2009)

Yeah, it messed with my sleeping patterns too. I'd wake up at about 4AM every morning. If I hadn't been on mirtazapine it probably would've prevented me getting to sleep as well.

I agree with crayzyMed, Abilify was awful for me, and I think the way they market it as a "new generation" antipsychotic is very misleading.


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## notcoolzeus (May 25, 2010)

Hmm come to think of it, my anxiety got ALOT worse once I started abilify. It certainly hasn't helped so I guess I'll probably stop taking it and see if there is any improvements.


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

notcoolzeus said:


> Hmm come to think of it, my anxiety got ALOT worse once I started abilify. It certainly hasn't helped so I guess I'll probably stop taking it and see if there is any improvements.


Good idea!


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## euphoria (Jan 21, 2009)

Abilify made it impossible for me to sit still, had to constantly move my legs, and made anxiety worse.


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## Noca (Jun 24, 2005)

I knew Abilify was **** at first sight. Never bothered trying it. Everyone I know thats used the drug its sucked for them.


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## flapjacker (Nov 30, 2008)

There are numerous side effects. Upon first starting the only side effect was I could not stop moving and stretching (akathisia). Its very uncomfortable to not move or stretch. I've been on it over a month now, and I still have this problem several days a week. Headaches were a big problem too, I had them every day for about a week and a half.

My sleeping is messed up, my eating habits are awful now. I am gaining weight massively. I feel like my whole body aches probably from weight gain. My kidneys hurt. There are a lot of side effects. I tried to take abilify every other day to possibly counter a few of the side effects, but that only made them worse.

On a positive note, however, it makes me feel reaaally good mentally. I'm in a great mood. My thoughts are quieted. It's mainly akathisia, and only being able to sleep for very short periods that is getting to me. I also drool in my sleep, so now I have 2 rash spots on my lower lip due to something I can't really help.

I don't think I should be on it. Actually, I had gone to the doctor to ask about carbidopa to take with 5htp, but he laughed it off, merntioned something about movement disorders, and gave me this abilify and told me to give it 100%. I don't know if I'm doing the right thing anymore, heh

Other various side effects include horrible night sweats, constipation, clumsiness, stiff back, feeling swollen, etc. I don't see my doctor for another 2 months so I dont know the best choice. Continue to use abilify for 2 months or try to come off. I also don't know what the best method for stopping is, be it tapering or cold turkey. I would not like to cause any permanent damage to my body.


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## Foh_Teej (May 5, 2004)

akathisia was terrible with abilify for me. supposedly beta blockers really help but i wasnt on them when i tried it. I felt like jumping out of myself and trying to go to sleep was a massive effort


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

flapjacker said:


> There are numerous side effects. Upon first starting the only side effect was I could not stop moving and stretching (akathisia). Its very uncomfortable to not move or stretch. I've been on it over a month now, and I still have this problem several days a week. Headaches were a big problem too, I had them every day for about a week and a half.
> 
> My sleeping is messed up, my eating habits are awful now. I am gaining weight massively. I feel like my whole body aches probably from weight gain. My kidneys hurt. There are a lot of side effects. I tried to take abilify every other day to possibly counter a few of the side effects, but that only made them worse.
> 
> ...


There are so many other meds that could help, why take the risk of taking a med that could cause a permanent movement disorder? First i also tought the risk was like extremely small and that it probably wont happen, untill i saw it happening to my mum, sometimes she sends me a textmessage that she goes to sleep without even talking because she can barely talk. Those meds are *NOT* benign. They could even cause the life-threatening neuroleptic malignant syndrome (altough this risk is extremely small).


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## flapjacker (Nov 30, 2008)

Well I decided to come off of abilify. I am tapering, but does anyone knowledgeable recommend a better method. I don't see my doctor for 2 months, and I don't want to be on abilify for 2 more months.


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## crayzyMed (Nov 2, 2006)

There might be some good information here:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/wdrawl/20050214/msgs/461633.html


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## finder912 (May 4, 2017)

*Aripiprazole and sleep*

Talk with your doctor about making a change. Sleep is critical to mental health and clear thinking. I started my prescription on Tuesday and by Thursday, after two nights of almost no sleep, I had had enough. I work several jobs and don't have the opportunity to take naps to catch up. I called my doctor's office to talk about alternatives.


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## SFC01 (Feb 10, 2016)

finder912 said:


> Talk with your doctor about making a change. Sleep is critical to mental health and clear thinking. I started my prescription on Tuesday and by Thursday, after two nights of almost no sleep, I had had enough. I work several jobs and don't have the opportunity to take naps to catch up. I called my doctor's office to talk about alternatives.


I liked the energy on aripiprazole but first time it made my tongue, lips and jaw flap about on their own and second time, like you, it disrupted my sleep quite a bit. Shame cos I quite liked the other effects.


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## Gillman fan (Sep 24, 2016)

The ability of drug companies to get doctors to prescribe antipsychotics for indications other than psychosis, schizophrenia etc. shows that their marketing divisions are incredibly influential. Maybe a few exceptions with low dose i.e. Sulpride/Amilsulpride and Risperdal. I hope that in 20 years things will change and doctors will learn from their mistakes, but I doubt it.


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## Mr Bacon (Mar 10, 2012)

Abilify was hands down the worst med I've tried. I felt constantly on edge, couldn't relax, had this pressure in my chest and forehead.

I couldn't sleep on it either. Probably 3 hrs of sleep a night on average, just like the OP.


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