Abilify questions.... | ADHD Information

Hi everyone!

I've never posted before, but really need some advice.  I'll try to be brief...

My 8 yr old son was diagnosed by a neuropsychologist with ADHD, PDDNOS, an anxiety disorder and an unspecified learning disorder.

We have tried most of the ADHD meds.  Concerta worked for about 6 months, then seemed to make his symptoms worse (particularly the anxiety).  We were also concerned about growth issues (40 pounds at age 8 1/2...same as his 5 yr old brother).  We have recently taken him off Concerta and his anxiety disappeared, but he is so out of control it is scarey.  He is so impulsive he took sissors and cut his hair off down to the scalp.  He rode his bike out in traffic and has been doing other reckless things.  He is hurting his little brother to the point where I have to stay in the same room to keep him safe.  The doctor wants us to try an anti-psychotic called Abilify.  He feels he has a mood disorder and it will help him.

Has anyone had any experience with this drug?  

Thanks so much!  This message board always seems to be so supportive... 

Well, it does seem to help some people, but I would talk to your doctor and find out why he isn't trying a mood stabilizer. Abilify is for mania and schizophrenia. Some doctors are using it off label to treat mood disorders, but that really isn't it's intention. Some doctors feel it is safer, there isn't a toxicity risk with it, and not as much of a weight gain issue as there are with mood stabilizers, and that may be why the trend with this med is increasing. It doesn't seem overly effective with mood issues though, although it does help some children.

My son took it for about 3 weeks. His initial diagnosis was AD/HD with anxiety and some depression. He tried Concerta, Adderall, and Strattera, all of which were a disaster for him, which is why he went onto Abilify. He is now being tested for Aspergers. Anyway he started out on 2.5mg which did absolutely nothing. He then went to 5mg, and for exactly 8 days seemed to do fairly well. He was calm and cooperative, but also very sleepy, and looking back, I think we were just seeing the sedating effects of it. Suddenly we just saw nothing. It was like he wasn't taking anything at all. He was bumped up to 7.5 mg and still there were no effects at all, so I ended up pulling him off of it.

He didn't have any bad effects from it though, it just didn't help. Make sure you don't let him get to hot, and he keeps up his fluid, as it can make it more difficult for the body to lower it's temperature.

I hope you have success with it. If not, just keep in mind that there are many other options out there for stabilizing moods. Good luck!

You may want to check the PDD board. If he has PDD-NOS, like my son, that would be his primary diagnosis and the meds affect PDD kids differently than ADHD kids, even with co-morbid ADHD. Here's the link:

www.autism-pdd.net/forum/default.asp

 

LadyM and MomWI,

Can't thank you enough for the info.