I have been taking Abilify (generic name aripiprazole) for bi-polar...

[IT COULD BE WORSE]

...disorder for about 5 weeks now and for? the last 3 weeks i have been so sleepy that i can't even function...like i sleep about 20 hours a day now since it is christmas break from school...sleepiness is a side effect but how do i know if what i am going though is related to the med? When do side effects go away the med really helps me but i can't keep on sleeping my life away....please help!!!!

[msraina888]

Call your therapist or doctor whoever prescribed it, perhaps you need a lower dosage. Good luck.

[chatsplas@sbcglobal.net]

Don't stop taking it. It may NOT be the right med for you, but you have to work with your doc about changing dosage or to diff meds. Get an appointment with your doc to talk about this. Do you see any change in sleepiness? Often symptoms one experiences over first two weeks will ease off or change after couple of weeks. But it sounds like something needs to be adjusted for you to function best. It can take time to get it right, but when you do, it allows you to more fully be yourself--on a more even keel.

[colbuck8toes]

you really needd to check with your doc. stopping cold turkey can be a problem

[jayne beal]

hello sweetie,

am sorry and very surprised to hear that. I took the same drug and couldn't last longer than about two weeks on because it made me so jittery...l.o.l. yes it knocked me out the first time but after that i was bouncing off the walls.

have you tried lithium? look up drugs on the net. type in bi-polar medications and there should be some sights that will list the different meds you can try and their side effects.
or you could try a pro plus counter active pill. check with doc first but a shot of caffine may well help.
failing that...get the doc to change the pill but go in with your list of possibles so she knows you have educated yourself. keep a sleep diary so that she knows how badly this drug is affecting you.

good luck