How do i stop taking abilify

Therefore, if you are taking it, you should probably avoid taking any cannabis products. Because Abilify is documented to carry certain long term and life-altering altercations as well as a host of less serious side effects, you might want to think about tapering your use of Abilify. While medications like Abilify tend to moderate and relieve certain symptoms, they rarely provide a cure for the condition itself.

While non-drug-related treatment options may not provide as immediate and acute symptom relief, these alternative options could eventually lead to real improvement. Discontinuing use of Abilify should also be done gradually, while slowly tapering and reducing your dosage.

Tapering is an important step because it will limit the withdrawal symptoms you might otherwise experience. Because Abilify is a dopamine blocker, abruptly discontinuing use of Abilify causes dopamine to suddenly be released into the system in amounts the body and brain are not used to processing. This causes the system to become overloaded, which could lead to manic episodes, hallucinations, or other symptoms that may or may not have been present before you started taking the drug.

For this reason, the medical recommendation is to gradually taper the use of any antipsychotic medications when attempting to discontinue use. The tapering process should be carefully tailored to the individual and should consider all factors such as nutrition, toxicity, and genetic factors to avoid withdrawal symptoms and to ensure the success of the process.

You can learn more about Abilify, its common side effects, and the Alternative to Meds Center tapering process in this video. Alternative to Meds Center has worked for years with thousands of patients to develop safe, exacting, and individually tailored Abilify tapering programs. Please contact us if you or a loved one is considering tapering their use of Abilify and wishes to learn more about alternative means of initiating recovery and restoring mental health.

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If you are affiliated with this page and would like it removed please contact pressreleases franklymedia. WN Lifestyle Home - Health. Photo From gettyimages Originally Posted On: Learn more about Abilify, and why you might consider alternative treatment alternativetomeds.

Photo From gettyimages. What Are the Risks of Taking Abilify? If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor before starting Abilify. But, Abilify is an antipsychotic drug. If you take Abilify during pregnancy, consider enrolling in the National Pregnancy Registry for Psychiatric Medications. Pregnancy registries collect information about the safety of drugs when used during pregnancy.

For more information, talk with your doctor. Misuse means taking a drug differently from how it was prescribed. For example, someone might try snorting Abilify to achieve this effect. But misusing Abilify can cause dangerous side effects, including overdose. To lower your risk of misuse with Abilify, take the drug exactly as your doctor instructed.

Abilify and Rexulti are both atypical antipsychotics used to treat major depressive disorder and schizophrenia. Abilify also has other uses, too. Abilify contains the active drug aripiprazole, while Rexulti contains the active drug brexpiprazole.

Check with your doctor to see which drug is right for you. Do not take more Abilify than your doctor prescribes. Taking more than this can lead to serious side effects. You can also call to reach the American Association of Poison Control Centers, or use its online resource. However, if you have severe symptoms, immediately call or your local emergency number or go to the nearest emergency room.

Abilify and Latuda are both atypical antipsychotics used to treat bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Abilify has other uses, too. Also, talk with your doctor about which medication is best for your condition. Abilify and Vraylar are both atypical antipsychotics used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. These drugs each have other uses, too.

Check out this side-by-side breakdown of Abilify and Vraylar to learn more about these medications. Costs of prescription drugs can vary depending on many factors.

These factors include what your insurance plan covers and which pharmacy you use. To find current prices for Abilify in your area, visit GoodRx. If you have questions about how to pay for your prescription, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. If you have questions about taking Abilify, talk with your doctor or pharmacist. They can tell you about other treatment options for your condition. You can also view this article to learn about other treatment options for depression , which Abilify is used to treat.

Disclaimer: Healthline has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects.

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With treatment, this serious and lifelong psychiatric condition may be manageable. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Watson, PharmD on September 16, What is Abilify? What are some frequently asked questions about Abilify?

What is Abilify used for? How is Abilify taken? Once you start taking an antipsychotic medicine, the brain adjusts to having a new level of dopamine around. If you stop taking it suddenly, the balance starts to change, and your old symptoms could return. You could also experience some unpleasant withdrawal symptoms like headache, feeling sick and sleep problems.

They will work with you to reduce your dose gradually rather than stopping suddenly. The speed at which you reduce depends on how unwell you were and how long you have been on aripiprazole.

If you have taken more aripiprazole than the dosage recommended by the doctor who prescribed it to you, you must get medical help immediately — even if you do not feel any different. Take a friend with you if possible, in case you start to feel ill on the way. While taking aripiprazole, some people may think about hurting themselves or taking their own lives. You must go straight to hospital with your tablets if you have any of these thoughts. Aripiprazole can cause serious side effects like allergic reactions difficulty breathing, swelling of your face or throat, itching skin lumps and other serious symptoms, which are listed under the 'Side effects' tab.

Go to a hospital if you experience any of these effects, taking your medicine with you. Stopping aripiprazole suddenly might cause unpleasant withdrawal effects — go to your doctor if you want to stop, or if you are having these effects. You might feel sleepy or dizzy in the first few days after taking aripiprazole — do not drive a car, ride a bike or operate machines until you see how this affects you.

If you take aripiprazole while you are pregnant, there is nothing to suggest it will harm the developing baby, though the medication can cause symptoms in newborn babies. Use good contraception while you are taking aripiprazole and tell your doctor if you want to start trying for a baby. You might get any of the following signs:. While taking aripiprazole, some people think about hurting themselves or taking their own lives.

This can happen to anyone, including people who are under Take a friend or family member with you to keep you safe on the way. Stop taking your medicine and seek medical help straight away if you get any of the following symptoms:.

If you start to experience muscle spasms or abnormal bodily movements that you cannot control, you should go and see your doctor as soon as possible. Antipsychotic medications can cause a wide variety of problems with movement such as tremors, restlessness, agitation and unusual movement of the lips, tongue, hands or pelvis.

If the movements are severe then you might find it difficult to speak, eat or breathe. These are called extrapyramidal side effects EPS. Aripiprazole is less likely to cause these movements than some of the other antipsychotics. A subgroup of the movement side effects is called tardive dyskinesia. This is an uncommon side effect of aripiprazole.

It occurs in less than one in people and can be a legacy of taking earlier antipsychotics. The first sign might be some movements of your tongue that you cannot control, and they may be quite regular and rhythmic. The problem with tardive dyskinesia is that it might not stop, even if you stop taking your medicine.

You should have your weight, height, waist circumference and blood pressure checked regularly while you are taking aripiprazole. Your doctor should also do blood tests to check your liver, blood sugar, and some hormones before and regularly during your treatment. You may also have a heart test called an electrocardiogram ECG before you start treatment - and periodically while taking aripiprazole - if you are at risk of heart disease.

In the first two or three weeks of taking aripiprazole, side effects such as feeling agitated and restless, or feeling sick may make you feel generally worse. They should wear off quite quickly but if they are a problem, speak to your doctor or care team. The side effects that come with aripiprazole are different to those of many other antipsychotics, but they can be serious.

Do not stop taking the tablets until you talk to your doctor, or you may get withdrawal symptoms as well. There are other side effects that you can get when taking this medicine — we have only included the most common ones here.

Please look at the paper leaflet inside your medicine box, or ask a doctor or pharmacist, if you want to know if you are getting a side effect from your medicine. If you do get a side effect, please think about reporting it to the 'Yellow Card' scheme. Aripiprazole has also been known to make people feel like gambling to extremes. If you have ever had problems with gambling in the past, you should talk to your doctor about this before you take it. We use cookies We use cookies on this website to store user preferences, aid in accessibility and analyse our traffic.

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Open site search Open main navigation. View shareable links View Basket : 0 items. Guide Menu for Aripiprazole. Hide Show guide menu. Guide contents jump to section About aripiprazole Aripiprazole and everyday life Uses, warnings, safety and side effects About this information More information and advice.

About aripiprazole. Please note. Always talk to your doctor about your situation and whether this medication is for you. Thinking about trying medication? Read our guide. How aripiprazole works. Aripiprazole and everyday life. Frequently asked questions. How long does it take to start working?

What effects will it have on my body? It is very difficult to know how it will affect each person who takes it. Your doctor should measure your weight regularly when you are taking aripiprazole. Should I tell my family and friends I am taking it? Will it affect my sleep?

Aripiprazole may make you feel very sleepy but may also make it hard to get to sleep. Sleepiness has been shown to affect young people more than adults.