Has anyone taken aripiprazole / abilify ?

[yenool]

If so how do you find it, is it helpful?

It is an anti-psychotic medication but the doctor suggested a low dose for anxiety and depression.

I don't really trust the doctor after some bad experiences. The list of side effects is quite long and some of them quite serious. Weight gain is a concern as well.

[Emphyrio]

I haven't taken it, but know a couple of people who do.

Pros: Doesn't have the same issues as other antipsychotics - ie less weight gain, less sedation. Works as a partial dopamine agonist - to simplify things - it increases dopamine where deficient and puts a brake on it where it is in excess. Hence it can be used at low doses as an add-on for depression and higher doses for psychosis.

Cons: Does come with other nasty potential side effects like akathisia and other movement disorders.

I found that lithium orotate worked really well - if you want to try it for agitation etc then 10mg (2 tablets) a day works well - and give it 2 weeks to see a difference. The dosage is 10 to 20 times smaller than that used in bipolar - I have seen no side effects.

[yenool]

I haven't taken it, but know a couple of people who do.

Pros: Doesn't have the same issues as other antipsychotics - ie less weight gain, less sedation. Works as a partial dopamine agonist - to simplify things - it increases dopamine where deficient and puts a brake on it where it is in excess. Hence it can be used at low doses as an add-on for depression and higher doses for psychosis.

Cons: Does come with other nasty potential side effects like akathisia and other movement disorders.

I found that lithium orotate worked really well - if you want to try it for agitation etc then 10mg (2 tablets) a day works well - and give it 2 weeks to see a difference. The dosage is 10 to 20 times smaller than that used in bipolar - I have seen no side effects.

Yeah the risk of movement disorders (rare but potentially permanent) and even sudden death scares me a lot. However they keep telling me this med can help with social anxiety and low mood.

Is lithium orotate the same as the lithium they prescribe for bipolar? TBH I've researched lithium and although that has bad effects (kidney/thyroid) it still sounds less scary than Abilify.

It doesn't really help me that I have exhausted my GPs knowledge and now I don't trust my psychiatrist and have fallen out with him.