Hazy, zombie feeling

[Cat Dancer]

I am taking 40mg of Prozac in the morning, 1 mg of Klonopin at night, and 10 mg of Abilify at night as well, but in the morning until about 1 or 2 in the afternoon the next day I feel hazy, disoriented, spacey. I'm pretty sure I didn't feel this way before. Maybe it's my regular affect? The Abilify is new. The Prozac is reduced by half of what it was before. I wonder if it was giving me energy. I miss my energy.

Hopefully this will wear off? I've been on the Abilify just over a week now. I DON'T like this sleepy feeling. I feel like my body is out of my control or something bad could happen to me. If that makes any sense.

Anyway, is it possible this is a side effect that will wear off in a week or so?

 

[Daniel E.]

I would guess that, as with other drugs, some of the potential side effects of Abilify go away or abate after a short time in some people while in other people the side effects may persist until there a dose change.

Of course, you should contact your doctor if you desire a remedy of the situation. In any case, do not discontinue Abilify abruptly. From what I have read searching Google, it is one of those drugs that needs to be titrated down.

 

[Cat Dancer]

Yes, you're right.

I am hoping eventually this will go away or I can go down on the Abilify. It does seem to be greatly helping with the OCD and self injury thoughts. But I don't like the zombie feeling. But the side effects are worth the benefits. For now.

 

[Daniel E.]

Yeah, I do think there's hope with Abilify:

Although from a small, open-label study, these results suggest that aripiprazole [Abilify] holds promise for treating OCD. Larger, controlled studies of aripiprazole as monotherapy and as augmentation in partial responders to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are needed.

The use of aripiprazole in obsessive-compulsive disorder: preliminary observations in 8 patients.

The most commonly reported side effects include restlessness/akathisia, somnolence and nausea. These may be dose-dependent and usually occur early on during treatment, with many patients developing tolerance.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/..._uids=16197361&query_hl=7&itool=pubmed_DocSum

And a post at another forum:

I'm very sensitive to meds and their SEs, but Abilify has been pretty easy for me. I also started at just 5 mg., and I had a very slight headache and tiredness, which eased quickly.

Abilify, Anyone using this?

 

[Cat Dancer]

That makes a lot of sense. I have to say it seems to be helping me a lot. The thoughts come into my head, but I'm able to process them as "just thoughts" or "hey, that's irrational" and move on much better than before. Some of them are worse than others and I still have urges to hurt myself, but it's much less than before I was on the Abilify. So it's worth it. I'll see what the doctor says if this doesn't ease up by the time I see him again. Hopefully it will.

Thanks for the information.

 

[Into The Light]

janet, the medication is really making a difference in you. you are definitely doing much better now than you were before. i just wanted to let you know that. you're sounding a lot better - i know you're still having a hard time but it's definitely better than before.

 

[Halo]

I was just about to post the same thing as Ladybug. I do see the difference in you Janet and it is absolutely wonderful. I know there are still the ups and downs each day but overall I see the improvement and it brings a smile to my face

Take care
:hug: :hug:

 

[Daniel E.]

BTW, the Abilify website seems to suggest that side effects may improve within 2 weeks:

In 4- and 6-week, placebo-controlled clinical studies, 7% of people on ABILIFY stopped treatment due to side effects, compared with 9% of people on placebo. It’s important to give ABILIFY a chance to work. But if the side effects are bothersome or don't go away in 1 or 2 weeks, talk to your healthcare provider.

Abilify Side Effects - Abilfiy.com

 

[Cat Dancer]

I really, really do FEEL better. I've wanted this for so long and I'm happy with this medication. I am glad to hear that I can give it a week or so more for the side effects to wear off. Or I might just start drinking coffee. :shocked:

Or it could be because certain cats wake me up at 2 in the morning. Grrr.

 

[Cat Dancer]

I still feel restless and it's hard to focus, but the thoughts of self harm are so much less and so much easier to deal with that it's worth it. I don't like the not being able to focus. I had it before anyway though. It's just worse. :shocked:

 

[Cat Dancer]

Stopped the Abilify. The side effects were too annoying. The doctor gave me a prescription for something else, but I'm afraid of the same side effects. I just want to be a real person in a real world, not feel like this.

 

[Halo]

Janet,

I know you are afraid of the same side effects but to be honest you won't know if you will have them until you try it. If you do have the same side effects with the new medication then at least in your own mind you can always say at least you tried it but if you never try it, you will never know if this is the medication that works and doesn't give you the same side effects.

You never know until you try

Take care
:hug:

 

[Cat Dancer]

I know you're right.

I'm just tired of all of it. Trying out medications. This one seemed to work really well for the obsessions and the compulsions, but I can't take the side effects anymore. I'm very discouraged and I feel like I let the medication down and my doctor. Everyone.

 

[Halo]

Janet,

I can definitely relate to that. I have been through so many medications that I have almost lost count. The side effects are difficult at times and it is discouraging but at those times I just have to think that there is a medication out there that is made for me that I have just not come across yet and when I do boy watch out because I am going to be dancing on table tops with happiness :lol: (okay that was a bad mental picture ) but honestly there are so many medications and combinations to try that you just need to hold onto the hope that you will too find one someday that will work and not give you the unnecessary side effects.

By the medications either not working or having too many side effects and needing to come off of it, you are not letting your doctor down at all. They are in this with you and don't want you to go through the side effects either and trust that you are giving the medication an honest try and once the side effects become too much then you switch to try a different one.

Trial and error is what medications are all about....your doctor knows that and probably expects it.

Take care
:hug:

 

[Into The Light]

you're not letting anyone down. you did the right thing by talking to your doctor about it. the side effects were too hard on you, so that's when you try something else. you're taking care of you, don't lose sight of that. give the new medication a chance, and talk to us when you're feeling down about it. :hug:

 

[Cat Dancer]

I don't know what to do.

I think for now I'll just call and say I only want to be on the Prozac. I was reading about this other drug and the side effects look even worse.

I want to run away from it all, the medications and the therapy. I am really scared about thinking this because I've been so committed and now I think I just don't care. Maybe it's not that, but fear. I don't know.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

I don't know what to do.

I think for now I'll just call and say I only want to be on the Prozac.

How well was that working for you before, Janet? That would take you back to before you went into the hospital.

I was reading about this other drug and the side effects look even worse.

The list of POSSIBLE side effects for ANY medication can be overwhelming but it's important to remember that there are just that: possible and in the majority of cases unlikely.

If you doubt this, check the list for any common over-the-counter medication like aspirin or advil or tylenol.

I want to run away from it all, the medications and the therapy. I am really scared about thinking this because I've been so committed and now I think I just don't care. Maybe it's not that, but fear. I don't know.

It's just fear.

Your doctor spent years getting his training. You have nothing to lose by following his advice. You have a great deal to lose by ignoring it.

 

[Into The Light]

janet, they have to list all potential side effects, so yes, that can become overwhelming and scary. i remember when i talked to my doctor about anti-depressants, i didn't want to take them for worry of all the negative things that could happen, but it really is weighing the pros against the cons and the actual risk/chance of the side effects happening. every person is different and every person reacts differently to the same drug. i remember reading up about my prescribed anti-depressant and users' comments and it had me worried, but in the end i didn't experience any of what they did.

i think you're just scared right now. it's part of the process of healing. :hug:

 

[Halo]

Your doctor spent years getting his training. You have nothing to lose by following his advice. You have a great deal to lose by ignoring it.

That is a great way to look at it. I love what you wrote David, thanks

 

[Cat Dancer]

How well was that working for you before, Janet? That would take you back to before you went into the hospital.

I understand that, but sometimes side effects are greater annoyances than the benefits. Does that make sense?

Your doctor spent years getting his training. You have nothing to lose by following his advice. You have a great deal to lose by ignoring it.

I didn't say anything about ignoring his advice. I'm trying to take their advice. The medications, the new ones, are expensive and not completely covered by insurance like Prozac is.

Maybe I'm doing the wrong thing going off the Abilify. If it is working in some ways for me. I'm just having a lot of doubts. I've been on it since about the 7th of March. Maybe I need to give is some more time. Maybe I've totally done the wrong thing by mentioning the side effects. Maybe they weren't side effects. Maybe it's just ME.

How do you know if something IS a side effect and not just your personality?

I'm so upset with myself. I don't know what to do.

I am trying to trust the doctor, but I did end up in the hospital and I WAS doing everything he said to do. Maybe I need a new doctor. Maybe I can't get well. This is so confusing.
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How do you tell if something is a side effect?

I guess I'm wondering if maybe the medication is just uncovering my personality and what is bothering me isn't a side effect. If that makes any sense. I hope it makes sense.