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Posted 12/30/2012 5:00 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Everyone,

I normally post in the Crohn's forum, but tonight I am looking for advice regarding my husbands meds. 

He was in an accident 4.5 years ago and has a severe brain injury.  The doctors put him on Trasodone 200mg, abilify 10 mg both at bedtime.  He was also on Tegretolfor 2 months but he became peranoid and very irretable so the doctor is weaning him off that and starting Lamotrigine, and also increasing the abilify to 15 mg.  Apparently the Tegretol slows the metabolism of the lamotrigine and abilify and this could cause his issues.

However, I am not convinced that the abilify isn't causing some of the problems.  He seems very anxious and very irritable.  He can't handle 3 abilify at night - he wakes up and is loopy, so I tried giving him one abilify in the am and 2 at bedtime.  The two at bedtime are ok now, but it seems 1/2 hour after he has the abilify in the am he is impatient and growelly.  Sometimes this lasts 4 hours then he calms down, and sometimes its all day, oh yay!

I can really use your advise and wisdom with these medications.  Is there anything else you can recommend?  A mood stabilizer?  Does abilify effect others this way?  His short term memory isn't good, so I have to figure this out on my own.

Thanks for your input.

Happy New Year!

Julia

 

Posted 12/30/2012 5:00 PM (GMT 0)
Abilify can destroy short term memory and concentration. When I was on it I couldn't read - my memory was so bad I couldn't remember what I had just read. I was in college at the time and had to withdraw because I couldn't study or learn while on Abilify.
Posted 12/31/2012 4:28 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Chloe43,

Thank you for your response. That is very good to know about the short term memory issues. I know my husband is always asking "what now?". What did you replace it with? I have read some of your other posts and your insight is very helpful.

Happy New Year!

Julia
Posted 12/31/2012 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
I was treated primarily with Lamictal (150 - 200 mg), Lithium (900 - 1,200 mg), and Seroquel (50 - 400 mg). These worked very well for me. I'm off medication and stable for now. When symptoms begin again, I'll be back on these medications.

Seroquel can be a difficult medication. For me, it is worth the side effects when I'm unstable. I don't stay on it when I'm well because of the side effects. I can stay on Lamictal and Lithium when I'm well because I tolerate them well.

Remember that the Lamictal isn't doing anything for him yet. It will take a couple weeks at at least 100 mg dose before you'll notice any effect.
Posted 1/1/2013 2:58 AM (GMT 0)
Chloe,

Thank you again for your input. Did you find the abilify made you irritable, growchy? The doctor says it should calm him, but I havent seen any change in 2-3 weeks. I gave him a 1mg lithium yesterday and another one today to help calm him. We see the doctor again January 7.

These pills are hard to figure out, what is helping and what isn't. As of today he is on 50 mg lamotrigine in the am and 50mg at bedtime also alsone with tarazadone and abilify.

Julia
Posted 1/1/2013 3:20 AM (GMT 0)
I had unbearable akathesia from Abilify.

Here is some drug info on Abilify: http://www.drugs.com/sfx/abilify-side-effects.html

The side effect of anxiety stood out to me in your family's situation. Some people get very irritable with anxiety. That might be a possibility?
Posted 1/5/2013 6:40 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Chloe,

I hope you are doing well.  Just an update on my husband.  We went to the psychiatrist today and He did decrease the abilify by 1 pill/day and added 25-50 mg of trazadone in the morning.  I hope this helps to relax him.  What do you think?  We go back to the doctor in 2 weeks for a follow up. 

Julia

 

Posted 1/5/2013 9:01 PM (GMT 0)
I'm glad you got an adjustment. I hope things go better for your family. :)
Posted 1/28/2013 6:23 PM (GMT 0)
I read this thread thinking it was about a bipolar person and their husband. That was what I was hoping for so that I could get help for my problem. It turns out though that I am similar to your husband, Chloe43, in that I also had a severe brain injury in 1990 when I was 19. That was also where my bipolar II, PTSD, hashimoto's,and whatever else will make me miserable
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