Hello, I’ve just had 5mg of Aripiprazole added to my 20mg of CItalopram for depression not psychosis.
Does anyone have any experiences of Aripiprazole they could share please?
I’m concerned about some of the reviews about weight gain, compulsive gambling and shopping. Is 5mg a high dose?
Thanks
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Mental health
Aripiprazole Yea or Nah?
Palmtreemetrocuth · 03/03/2024 19:34
Pibolar · 03/03/2024 19:40
5mg is often the starting dose, so quite low. 30 would be high. It made me feel more motivated to begin with. No weight gain as of yet or gambling. Recently I feel like a zombie.
JoantheVampireSlayer · 03/03/2024 20:29
I've been taking 5mg since the middle of last year. For mood stabilisation, not psychosis.
My side effects have been leaking urine and exhaustion. The leaking particularly really gets me down, I'm 34 ffs. However I'm too afraid to stop taking it incase I go back to feeling suicidal like I did before...
Pibolar · 03/03/2024 20:09
Yes bipolar 😂
I’ve been on 5 since 2nd Jan. I tried upping to 10 but it gave me blurred vision and made me restless. The first month was great, I was really motivated and got a lot of stuff done. No side effects at all.
7th of feb i became depressed, this lasted for 3 weeks (shouldn’t be a problem if you are on anti depressants, but who knows) then started to feel like a zombie. I didn’t take it for one day and felt like a fog had lifted. I now take them at night and feel better than I did but still not myself. Not sure if this is down to the meds or my condition, will be discussing with my psychiatrist at my next appointment.
everyone reacts differently so might be worth a go but make sure you are aware of the side effects would be my advice.
Antagonishy · 03/03/2024 21:00
Can I ask who has prescribed you an antipsychotic for depression? And have you tried other SSRIs or an SNRI at all first? I'd be really cautious about adding an antipsychotic for anything that isn't bipolar or schizophrenia tbh. The side effects are no joke, and stopping taking them isn't easy either. So if you've not tried other SSRIs first, I'd go back to your doctor.
Antagonishy · 03/03/2024 23:15
Ah, sorry to hear about your sister. There is separate guidance for children that you can search https://bnfc.nice.org.uk/. I hope it helps. I have actually been on my antipsychotic for 16 years, and its life saving. But I dearly wish they could make one that didn't cause me to crave carbs and gain weight.
Antagonishy · 03/03/2024 23:28
I'm on a slightly older antipsychotic, but yes, 2 stone weight gain over 15 years. Mind you, I've also had a baby and lived through 2 lock downs, which didn't help!
DarkChocHolic · 04/03/2024 18:47
@Palmtreemetrocuth
That's good to hear. I am on every aripriprazole recent thread.
DD has also been prescribed this for depression and emotional dysregulation but I haven't started it as she also has eating issues.
Going for a review this week to discuss whether Adhd meds or aripriprazole on better as she has recently been diagnosed.
But I am worried about any medication after not having luck with fluoxetine.
ActualWordSalad · 04/03/2024 20:28
I've no experience of mood stabilisers, but I'm just wondering why they haven't put your Citalopram dose higher? The max dose is 40mg.
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milkyway512 · 04/03/2024 21:15
I have been on aripiprazole for about 6 months now and haven’t noticed any weight gain from it. It did make me a bit more impulsive but not to the point where I couldn’t control it if I tried. It has helped calm me down, as I am on it for psychosis but I also have depression which I take sertraline for. I’m on amisulpride and aripiprazole and they both have helped me so much. Aripiprazole isn’t the strongest antipsychotic either - there are much stronger ones out there for illnesses like schizophrenia so don’t worry about being on this really strong drug, because while it is strong and an antipsychotic, it’s nothing like risperidone or clozapine which are the big guns for when you’re really psychotic.
I hope this helps and reassures you at all :)
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