Sertraline 50 Mg Verses Abilify

[hotrod351]

have been on sertraline 50mg for months now but last couple weeks my depression came back, pretty bad. now there going to be putting me on abilify. the problem i see with abilify is so many people talking about big weight gains. dont need to gain weight. if its a choice between gaining 100 pounds or being depressed now and then, think ill go with the being depressed now and then. after all, i dont think any drug is perfect. anyone else taking abilify ?

 

[Tyronius]

One has to change lifestyle to challenge depression: aerobic exercise, whole foods and leisure hours spent in company of others: a volunteer position.

 

[Panda Bear]

I take 1mg of Abilify and that's all I can tolerate. Can't speak much for the weight gain, but I do seriously watch what goes in my body. 1....because of the Abilify 2.....because what I eat(or don't eat) has a direct effect on my mood and how ky body feels 3......exercise is important, regardless of what med I take.

When I incorporate all these? The weight gain wasn't an issue. My psyc heavily pushes food/exercises as a tool to treat, just as equal as the meds themselves.

But comparatively, Abilify sits in the lower end possible weight gain....

 

[hotrod351]

i get plenty of exercise, i do roofing here in AZ. temps get to 120, not now, only hitting 110. i dont roof 7 days a week, but enough to keep in shape. kinda figured it has to have something to do with what you eat. just wanted to ask to be sure. so if i eat healthy i have nothing to worry about in the weight gain department.

 

[Panda Bear]

Yep and you'll need to keep a watch on how your body feels and its relation to food. Eat on a schedule, if you find yourself craving a certain kind of food, watch that feeling and be careful.

It can increase your lipids and A1C levels too. If you smoke....don't....cut back on drinking too if it's and issue. Really, all these things will benefit you overall.

Good Luck! I hope find some relief soon

 

[Deleted member 28740]

Neighbor on or was on Abilify mentioned a class action law suit in US.

 

[hodge]

I was on Abilify for several months and didn't notice any side effects, but it was horrible to wean off of. The worst withdrawal from any med I've ever had. I know every body is different so that may not happen with others, but I have personally talked to a few others who have had the same bad experience getting off it.

 

[hotrod351]

guess ill just have to see. dont smoke or drink. shes starting me on 2.5mg then to 5mg.

 

[joeylittle]

@hotrod351 - I've done a lot of reading about abilify and weight gain, because it really did change my body (personally), and there seem to be a number of people who that's happened to. What we all seem to have in common is a definite propensity to weight gain - 'fat genes', you could say. So, if you look at where you inherited your genes, and you've got a family pool that is built heavy, and weight management is a real struggle for you - then I would honestly recommend that you just watch it very, very carefully - or, ask to try a different adjunct. I don't know from what you posted if abilify is being added on to the sertaline, or being swapped.

Abilify helps many people. It helped me, for sure. But I was incredibly specific about not changing a thing regarding how I was eating, and I maintained the exact same activity level, and I gained weight anyway. That sort of thing can happen with this drug.

Other people report a real increase in carbohydrate cravings, and a compromised ability to 'work off' the initial burst of weight gain that comes from that. There is no hard data explaining why the mechanism of the drug triggers this, but it is very, very common.

For some, it's weight neutral. Abilify is (I believe) the most consistently weight-neutral drug in the atypical antipsychotic class. The other options are zyprexa, seroquel, geodon, and latuda. Latuda is next, in terms of being weight-neutral, and was recently approved as a primary treatment for major depressive disorder. Seroquel, geodon, and zyprexa, when used the way you'll be using abilify, all have more consistent weight-gain profiles.

So, summing up - if you have a history of weight issues, or weight issues run in your family, be extra careful. Otherwise, if you don't let the cravings get the better of you, and you make sure your activity level stays constant, you have decent odds.

 

[hotrod351]

the abilify is being given me in place of sertaline. i have had a few days in the last couple weeks that depression came back to me. now maybe thats normal to have a day here and there where you get depressed.

 

[hotrod351]

well day one for abilify. been couple hours, dont feel any different.

 

[PointlessExistence]

I was on Abilify for a short time and couldn't handle the akathisia. I didn't take it long enough to gain weight, so I can't answer that question. I just wanted to mention another side effect that made it a no-go for me.