Abilify And Teens (Top voted first)

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My 13 yr old son has just been prescribed Abilify and I need to know if anyone has experience with their teen being on this.

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My 15 year old daughter was recently prescribed Abilify 2 days after starting on Zoloft while hospitalized for a major depressive episode. After doing a good bit of research, and with my daughter's permission, we stopped the Abilify. I have a great deal of concern that psychiatrists are susceptible to big Pharmacy and their drug salespeople. Abilify, along with other newer medications is a big money maker and has potential for extremely dangerous side effects, including coma and death. It is not tried and true. Studies are too short term. My daughter is currently doing well on Zoloft, and is also taking natural thyroid hormone for autoimmune thyroid disease, which can contribute to depression. If you are dealing with bipolar or schizophrenia, it does become more complicated, but I don't take FDA approval as meaning that a drug is really safe, especially when it comes to my kids-they are precious. I want my daughter to be safe from the self-harm that had overtaken her, but I also don't want her to be in harm's way from the big money makers. Nutrition and nurturing are what I am adding to the antidepressant, not another drug. And all my research shows that Abilify should be used as an adjunct, not alone. I hope this helps someone. And, by the way, I am a Registered Nurse.

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2

My son took Abilify for about 2 years, ages 14-16, was not approved by the FDA for him at the time. He began taking it after an episode of waking me in the middle of the night telling me that satan told him to kill himself. He was blank and lacked emotion while he was taking it (which was reported to the mental health provider), but no weight gain. He truly lost his personality and sense of humor. He has been off of it for 3 years and I personally feel he may never be the person he would have been had he not taken the drug. His sense of humor has returned for the most part, but he was always very social, and now he's much more withdrawn. He'd rather spend time on the computer playing games with online friends or texting on the cell than actually spending time with local friends. I believe that the Abilify interrupted normal brain development at critcal stages during those years that may be lost forever. He's almost 19 now, and his level of maturity is just not where it should be. My husband typically took our son in for his follow-up visits, even tho I did some of the time. We both told the provider about his blank personality. She seemed really to hear me only after I told her I was going to take him to a dr. whom someone recommended who was an endocrinologist, neurologist, psychiatrist (and maybe even other ologists that I can't recall now). She immediately suggested we wean him off the drug to see how he would do. We did that over the course of several weeks and after a few months he began to change for the better. A lot of development takes place in the brain during those teenage years, and I would get a second opinion from another very highly specialized dr. before allowing a child of mine to take Abilify! I pray you will find the answer you and your son need and not lose your child in the process.

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3

My 12 year old daughter has been taking Abilify for 3 months. She has been doing great. Before putting her on this she was a mess. Poor grades, no focus, she was rude and unbearable. For us this drug has been a god sent.

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My son was on Abilify for about a year. He did really well on it except that he gained almost 50lbs. It helped him focus and concentrate but made hiim extremely hungry to the point that he was getting up in the middle of the night and gorging himself on food.

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I'm 15 and was recently prescribed Abilify. Personally, I don't think it works. From what I've read, Abilify is used to treat Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia. I don't know what I've been diagnosed with because the doctor just said I'm going to prescibe you Abilify and that's it. No, diagnosis. Nothing. But to me, I'm either worse or the same. I get really irritable. Even when I can't get find anything to eat. I've even punched a wall and got a contusion on my hand, because I got so angry. I wouldn't put your son on it. But who knows, people are different. It will work for some, but for others it might not.

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My daughter was a 14 year old in 2008 making straight A's when she had a depression related hospitalization. The Dr then put her on Abilify. From that day on till Mid Feb. 2010 her life was one side effect or another. She gained 100 lbs. Had tremors treated with a Parkinson desease drug. Had 11 common side effects of Abilify. Her Dr only took her off of it when I strongly objected to the drug and pointed out the untreated weight gain and the fact that Abilify is not recommended for use in anyone under 18 years of age that is stated on every Abilify commercial. \My daughter is much better off the drug but has lost 16 months of developement. In fact they say she has the emotional developement of a 12 year old which is less than she had before taking this drug. I have filed a medical mal practice complaint against her DR and I am looking to file a medical malpractice legal suit against her as well. This drug is evil!

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4

When I was 12 years old I took abilify. I was diagnosed bipolar, but last year I found out I have PCOS which is a hormonal imbalance. I took it until I was 15 when my mother and I both decided it was giving me nothing but trouble. It might just have been because I had nothing mentally wrong with me to begin with, but when I started it, I became very depressed and suicidal (psychiatrists played on that and gave me anti-depressants that made me even worse.) While on abilify, I became dizzy very, very easily, would be too tired to do anything and wound up sleeping most of the time, and I developed the startings of an ulcer, which I suffer from very frequently now at age 18. For me, abilify did nothing but confuse and anger me. Then again, I was just a victim of malpractice. Still, I would advise parents and teens to be aware that abilify can have adverse side effects and if anything seems too off, get a second or third opinion about the mental illness in the first place - and never doubt that it could be a medical condition like it was for me.

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in 16, depressed, having frightening thoughts. started on 5 mg, got rid of bad symptoms, gave me even more less-serious side effects (but still), now im on 15mg, and it seems like its all been reversed. im right back to where i started. its not great by itself. i've been on abilify alone for 5 weeks. not even. its been hell. dont do it.

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24

All the replies I have read on this site regarding abilify have been negative. My son is 15yrs old and has been on abilfy for 3months now. Within 3 days of starting this med, his depression was gone completely, there were no more thoughts of suicide. Within a couple of weeks, he was dramatically more focused in school. His anger issues were gone. Now, all of his teachers say how much better he is doing in class and his grades are much better. He is continuing to do very well. He did suffer from some side effects the first few weeks, such as slight nausea, headache, and feelings of passing out with some tachycardia. All resolved at the 3-4week mark, and it was his decision to stick with it because he said he felt sooooo much better on abilify. I no longer worry about him. He makes good decisions now and is finally a happy teen. Our relationship has gotten so much better as well. Two different antidepressants were tried prior to abilify which made him much worse. He has not been "diagnosed" but my son was having all the symptoms of manic deppressive episodes. He is taking 7.5mg. I believe my son would not be here right now if it were not for this med. I pray it continues to work for him. I would never tell anyone that this is the med that will work for them. But, as the pharmacist said, its hit or miss, you will not know if it will work for you unless you try it. Everyone is different.

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6

My daughter has been on Abilify for almost two months. It worked great at first. Now she is battling the world is out to get me syptoms.

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After reading all these comments, i've come to the conclusion that Abilify is nothing but bad for teens. It might be totally fine for adults, but when given to teens, it's nothing but side effects. I'm 14, and I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder one year ago. I was given 5 mg of Abilify at first, just that, nothing else. It didn't seem to do much, but i was noticing that i was more depressed, and numb feeling on it. So, i was given Celexa for the depression. I gained weight, was more depressed, never happy, i was dizzy, and i was cutting myself all the time. I told my shrink about these side effects, and she basically told me Abilify can't do that, and that i'm crazy. Then she upped my dose of Celexa. After upping the Celexa many times, i got more depressed each time. Once i got to the highest dose of Celexa (40 mg) she just told me to take it, and shut up. IDK if this could be a side effect, but i get bad anxiety now, and i had none before i started taking anything. But anyway, i stopped taking my meds on my own like four months ago (my parents were really pissed at me for that though) and i feel sooo much better without any medicine. I rarely get depressed, and when i do, it doesn't last that long. And i'm mostly manic (kinda bad thing, but i don't think it is :D). To make a long story short, Abilify sucks. Don't take it. It's not approved for those under 18. And if you're given it, make sure you do your research first.

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12

My son has normal teenage problems but the doctors his mother takes him to are so quick to label him with all these problems and prescribe heavy duty drugs.In my opion these doctors are no better than drug dealers on the corner.When did it become not normal for a teenager to be moody or rebelios?Have we all gone insane?To me its as plan as the nose on my face.We have sold our own children out to pharmacy profits.I want to fight this but it is like David fighting Golith.Does amyone have any suggestions on how we can battle this huge injustice to our children?

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9

I agree with momofmany-please do your research before taking any drug prescribed to you. If you don't feel comfortable, get a second opinion.

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13

My fiances son was recently taken to a Dr who has had his license suspended twice. The Dr was recommended by child protective services. Anyways, he met with his son, who is 13, for an hour diagnosed him with asbergers syndrome (which is ludicrous) and prescribed Abilify and Buspar. I tried to explain all the negative side effects of Abilify and that some can be perminent but she isnt listening. I do not want him to struggle even more than he is already. I KNOW from professional experience this drug can cause suicidal behavior in young adults and teens and the younger they are the worse it is but because it is professional experience I cant share my stories with her. Is someone out there willing to share their story? Please help me help him!

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46

Please check out the previous answers. I have been following this feed for a long time and am a past user of Abilify myself. It seems most of us/our children have had/are having bad experiences with the drug so it is advisable for you to research both the pros and cons pertaining to your Son. If the benefits of Abilify outweigh the risks to your Son's health, than by all means do what ever you have to. I say, read our responses on here and do some research before putting him on the drug. Just an F.Y.I., B-Complex vitamins have proven very effective for mood related disorders in children and young adults and can be an effective alternative [paired with therapy] to harsh anti-phychotic drugs like Abilify. Take your Son to a Naturopathic doctor for a non-"big-pharma" approach to his treatment plan. I have been medication-free for 7 years now and have never felt better both physically and mentally! Do your research... Thats' all I can say. Good luck to you!

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15

I am 21 now, and some of my worst memories as a teenager are from the time I was on Abilify (at age 16). I have heard very few people come off that drug with positive experience.
While I was on it, I had terrible tremors (which I later found out can become permanent, and may be linked to a life threatening disease (neuroleptic malignant syndrome)). They lasted 3 years afterwards, and I was on the drug for little over a week.
I also had ferocious sweating fits, night terrors, panic attacks, dizziness (to the point of not being able to hold myself up), vomiting, and an overall numbness to the world around me. I'm only glad I wasn't on the drug longer, because in many cases, there have been extreme weight gain and/or weight loss.

Not to mention there's a whole list of other horrific side effects like, fainting, seizures, coma, and death.

This drug should not be given to teens, let alone anyone else that gives a care about their health.

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aight im 16 n iv been on abilfy for almost a year.IT DOES NOT WORK THAT LONG.......i was put on it after my 2nd hospital visit from hearing voices to cut myself.....which sadly i did n i was goin on well 3 days at the hospital n they took me off my other 2 meds(riseridone n zoloft...i think)n put on abilify.....so wat it worked up until a few weeks ago.o wait i was put on it cuz im bipolar.i had a VERY violent outurst at skool.i almost severly hurt a kid who smirked at me n on top of that a couple of weeks ago i asked if my friend had a knife to cut my nails with(evry1 at my skool carries a knife not clippers)n a girl told the skool counselor n she almost told my mom n i wooda been sent to long term in another hospital......that IS NOT GONNA HAPPEN n then in that violent outburst i was ina half a panic attack i was so tense i coodnt breathe n i was yelling at evry1 n then i started cryin(which i dont hardly).my piont is my meds quit workin on me n now im screwed cuz i have urges to kill people n cut myself n i know i need help ut iv been "helped"in the past n nothing works....not meds not therapy....NOTHING AT ALL..... so for you religious ppl out there who comment on this DO NOT TELL ME TO GO TO "GOD" i am an atheist n i believe "god"hates us all cuz honestly i think imma good person deep down underneath all this anger n "god" lets ad things happen to good ppl.ut i figured since i saw this website id put my 2 cents in on ABILIFY n personally i hate it i hate meds to begin with but itll work for a while n quit...thats wat it did on me anyway...n no im sayin itll happen to evry1 who takes it so dont get the wrong idea.o n my dosage is 15mg which is as high as my psychiatrist will go.

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18

I myself am on this drug, as i understand it, it is used to help with people who have scztnaprenia, i suffer borderline personality disorder, but have the symptoms of the above. I find this drug is really helpful to me, it controls the voices and hallacanations i have, if you are worried about weight gain, ask your family gp, if they can prescribe help to get into a gym, or swimming or any physical activity, or if there is a care co-ordinator, ie, a cpn, ask them what help is available, hope this helps anyone, best wishes and care, love janine

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16

My son,17, was diagnosed with Major Depression Disorder and was on Lexapro for about 6 months, he was doing good till he started school again and anxiety and panic attacks begun more frequently and more severe. He was placed in an outpatient treatment program 1/2 day school and 1/2 day program. While at the program another psychiatrist, not his regular, prescribed abilify (2mg), He completed the program about 1 week later ( originally a 20 day program but after they discovered that the insurance only covered 13 days, He somehow was able to successfuly complete the program in 13 days ) Anyways, 1 week later he had the first of 2 all time lows. He had strong suicidal ideations and his demeanor changed to that of not caring about anything. I stayed awake with him through out the night the next day we went back to the center where he was prescribed the Abilify. The following week not much had changed and his don't care attitude increased. the 2nd all time low was 5 days later and had to be hospitalized for 7 days. Leaving him at the hospital and seeing him in such a state of hopelessness was the most heartbreaking thing I had ever done While there I explained that the only new drug since his lows was abilify and I did not give consent to administer till his regular doctor evaluated him, His doctor did take him off the abilfy and his condition improved back to where he was before. We still struggle with his disorder daily but nothing like when he was on abilify. Since then, I have seen the Abilfy commercials where it specifically says that it is not approved for persons under 18 years of age. I wonder if the Dr who prescribed it, knew that.

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17

My 13 year old son was recently prescribed Abilify by a psychiatrist who spend a grand total of 15 minutes speaking with him. When I expressed my concern about this medication, the Dr told me I could always get a second opinion. So that is exactly what I did. I also learned that Abilify is considered an atypical medication, meaning an anti-psychotic. My son has not been diagnosed with any form of psychosis! Look before you leap. Just because they have medical degrees does not mean they know what's best for our children!

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