
HLon99
Well-known member
Dear Forum,
Following on from my previous post I am currently debating whether I should stick with aripiprazole (abilify) as my main antimanic and antipsychotic agent or switch to something else. As I previously stated, aripiprazole works great for me and I have virtually no side effects, apart from ONE which REALLY REALLY causes me a problem.
That problem being is that it completely blocks out my ADHD medication. Hence, after doing some research I considered Depakote (Sodium Valproate), however after reading your comments I have decided that this is not the right drug for me due to its long term toxicity to the liver and lack of antipsychotic effect. Also not lithium for similar reasons.
I was about to give up all hope when an idea struck me like an apple from a tree, which my old psychiatrist (now retired) implied (albeit very subtly) to me (God bless him). Why not use a short acting antipsychotic in the evening (like Seroquel) and then take my ADHD medication in the morning once it wears off. You see the problem with Aripiprazole is that it is extremely long acting (half-life 72-94 hours) whereas Quetiapine is only 8-12hrs. Hence, if I take my drugs right, I will have perfectly balanced ying-yang effect. However, I want to know more about the drug before I try it.
TL;DR: How effective is Quetiapine for Mania, depression and psychotic features? How does it compare with Aripiprazole? Any side effects I should be aware of?
Thanks in advance
-H
P.S. I will prob only have to be on a low dose, because I am predominantly depressive type (Stable on Lamotrigine) and have very mild psychotic symptoms. I would also consider other short acting antipsychotics such as Amisulpride.
Following on from my previous post I am currently debating whether I should stick with aripiprazole (abilify) as my main antimanic and antipsychotic agent or switch to something else. As I previously stated, aripiprazole works great for me and I have virtually no side effects, apart from ONE which REALLY REALLY causes me a problem.
That problem being is that it completely blocks out my ADHD medication. Hence, after doing some research I considered Depakote (Sodium Valproate), however after reading your comments I have decided that this is not the right drug for me due to its long term toxicity to the liver and lack of antipsychotic effect. Also not lithium for similar reasons.
I was about to give up all hope when an idea struck me like an apple from a tree, which my old psychiatrist (now retired) implied (albeit very subtly) to me (God bless him). Why not use a short acting antipsychotic in the evening (like Seroquel) and then take my ADHD medication in the morning once it wears off. You see the problem with Aripiprazole is that it is extremely long acting (half-life 72-94 hours) whereas Quetiapine is only 8-12hrs. Hence, if I take my drugs right, I will have perfectly balanced ying-yang effect. However, I want to know more about the drug before I try it.
TL;DR: How effective is Quetiapine for Mania, depression and psychotic features? How does it compare with Aripiprazole? Any side effects I should be aware of?
Thanks in advance
-H
P.S. I will prob only have to be on a low dose, because I am predominantly depressive type (Stable on Lamotrigine) and have very mild psychotic symptoms. I would also consider other short acting antipsychotics such as Amisulpride.