My daughter has been on Abilify for about 3 years now. And it works great but, over the last year to a year and a half she has went from a size 5 to a size 12/14. The doctor she has now is not the doctor who put her on the medication so she doesnt feel comfortable taking her off, so she referred us to a specialist. Well the are jacking around wanting to do therapy (dont get me wrong, i am sure it wouldnt hurt) but I need her meds changed before she blows up anymore. Before the meds she was little bitty so she needed to gain SOME weight but this is redicilous, I am thinking of just taking her off the meds.
Thanks everyone for your great advice. I think I will wean her off slowly and see if she even still needs the meds. As far as the few questions that I failed to mention enough info: She is developmentally delayed the new term for "mentally retarded". She had bad mood issues and the doctor who put her on this medication didnt give me a diagnosis she just said we would try that med, but she was a pediatric doctor specializing in internal med. She also has some sort of neuropathy in her feet that she takes meds for.
DO NOT just take her off, my boys have both been on abilify for a while and it is a med that needs to be slowly taken away. We did not have a weight gain from it though.
If you decide to take her off her meds, be sure to do it gradually. By quarters if you can. as in a quarter less this week or even two weeks, then a quarter less for another two weeks, and so on. Some of those meds can really cause a bad reaction when you are coming off them, as in THINK YER HAVING BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS NOW?????????
Also, get a calcium/magnesium supplement, its what's used in drug rehab to calm the nerves of people coming off of neuro stimulators. Lack of dissolved calcium can cause blood (which can be acidic) to aggravate nerves that are used to another chemical.
Also, what do you mean developmentally delayed? is it just physical or are there other problems. I don't know anything about abilify, is she on anything else?
Good Luck!!!
R.
Get her off the abilify!! My mother was on abilify and she gained 30 pounds in a very short time after almost sixty years of being rail thin!! Have you read the other side effects? My mother's sugar also went out the roof for the first time in her life. I have read up on this medicine and i am sure that sometime in the near future it will be taken off the market just like zyprexa, its cousin drug, and there will be class action lawsuits all over our televisions and internet. Find a doctor who will ween her off this stuff. My prayers are with you!!
I know this may be frustating, but please don't just take her off her medication. Medication must be tapered off, so that nothing will happen to her body system. If she has been on the medication along time, she will go thru withdrawls. Please be patient with the Drs., and follow their advice. I'm sorry you are going this, hang in there.
Hi T.
You did not give your daughter's reason for being on the medication. My son was born with pervasive developmental delays. He was on Risperdal for a long time and one of the side effects was weight gain. I just had to monitor his diet. When he was taken off Risperdal, it was done over a two week period and another medication was immediately put in its place, with no problems or absence of medication in his system. My son also had weekly counsciling and it was great for him. He started out one on one and then went into group. It really helped him. I never questioned him about any thing they discussed, unless he brought it up and wanted to talk about it. Do not just take her off the medicine. It needs to be done and supervised by a doctor. Sometimes we have to accept some of the side effects in order to deal with the
medical problems.
Good Luck
Let us know how it goes. By the way, my son is now 23, graduated from high school, and working a full time job. Still delayed in some areas, but improving everyday. He still takes medications and will all his life. He got off the medication for one day and put himself right back on them. He said he functions much better on them than off.
Don't take her off of the meds because of weight gain. I'm also on abilify and I did gain weight when I started (like 30 pounds) but I've learned to control my portions, because the ablilfy makes me feel hungry ALL the time (one of it's unappealing side-affects). You might need to talk to your daughter about her diet, what she's eating, how much she is eating, and what she need to be eating. I cut sugar out of my normal everyday diet (I do splurge on special occasions) and that dropped 15 of the 30 pounds I gained.
I would look into changing her diet before changing her medication, especially if it has been helping her besides the weight gain.
You defininetly need to talk to a professional ASAP about discontinuing this drug. I am curious why your daughter is on an antipsychotic drug. Abilify is for bi-polar and schizoprenia. I can't imagine your child having this diagnosis since age 5. Did you get a second opinion? There could be other reasons for whatever problem that is was having to warrant such a diagnosis. Also, there are natural, less-dangerous treatments for many kinds of neurological disorders.
I am a chiropractor and have provided care for children in my office for over 14 years. I have seen many "miracles" happen when the nerves and spinal cord are relieved of pressure by gentle, chiropractic adjustments.
I would also highly recommend an all-natural supplement in whole-fruit juice form. I'm sure you will find that you will like the results for your daughter. It will help her on a cellular level. You can get it at: www.drtina.gomangosteen.com.
This is very important to the health of your daughter. I recommend and pray that you will find natural ways of helping your daughter. The long term damage for this drug is still unknown.
Contact me if you have any questions.
T. Theriot, D.C.
New Iberia, LA
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____@____.com
T.,
I was curious as to what Abilify was used for and looked it up. It says it is only to be used in patients 10 and up. If your daughter is only 8 she probably shouldnt be on it anyway and should be changed. There is also a risk of diabetes if there is a family history and her weight gain would not be good for her health. You should find another doctor. Someone who will actually pay attention to your daughter and her health and not one who looks at her as just another patient.
T.:
Please do NOT stop the Abilify on your own abrubtly. A doctor will need to monitor your daughter's response to the drug leaving her system. It needs to be done very gradually for the least shock to her system. And she will have a big adjustment. The doc may even want to add some meds to counterbalance. It's very complicated. I know weight gain is an issue and a valid concern, but it's very sensitive to find the right meds and every person responds defferently. Consider a very careful approach. Your daughter is very fortunate to have you to advocate for her needs.
Hey T.,
I am sorry to hear what a struggle you are having. I would suggest another specialist. And really that is a psychotropic medication so any pediatric psychiatrist should be able to tell you the proper way to wean. DO NOT cold turkey her or wean yourself. It really matters how you come off some medications and there are even a few that can be fatal when discontinuing the wrong way. At worst you may need to contact the manufacturer. They can tell you how to discontinue as well.
But the other issue... about the weight gain. I would wonder why she has gained so much weight. Most psychotropic medications do not cause weight gain but rather increased appetite.. hence some weight gain. I would see if some lifestyle changes would help and maybe even if an appetite suppressant medication could be added safely to her medication regimen. If the Abilify works then I would see how you can remain using it and what else can be done. Or have a good doctor look at what class of meds abilify is in and what other meds may work the same but less side effects.
Best of Luck,
MB
Do not take your daughter off her medication without doctor approval. There may be side effects. If you are not happy with the care she is receiving - find a doctor who will give her the care she needs. Not all medications for her conditions will cause weight gain but there will be side effects. Therapy is always a good option.
You may want to check out the following link -
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a60...
I think DRUGS are prescribed WAY TOO OFTEN and the kids are really getting messed up.
You may want to check the ingredients of the food she eats - high fructose corn syrup, sugar, and any artificial sweeteners could be the culprits behind her weight gain.
My grandson was labeled as ADHD and put on three different drugs (though not at the same time). I totally disagree because I see him as a healthy, inquisitive child and all I did was wean him off the drugs while changing his diet - removed sugar mainly - and give him natural whole-food supplements.
God Bless,
~V~
hi T., whatever u do don't just yank he off those meds as she will have a reaction if u do so. i could not get mine refilled for a week n omg the mess my mind was in have the new dr give her smaller doses n just lower them as u go along. hun plz don't just stop um for her sake n urs any questions feel free to contact me J.
My niece did the same thing. They took her off slowly and put her on Topamax(topiramate) and she has lost all the weight and is doing great. I would have to check in to soemthing else. This is not safe for her and not good for her self esteem. Good luck.
I didn't know that it could be use on a child but anyway if you take her off don't do it all a once ween her off of it slowly, I have heard that about all drugs like Abilify, but I would either check with another Doctor for Children get a second opinion Good luck
