HLon99
Well-known member
Hi forum hope you are all having a good day,
I've been taking Aripiprazole for the better part of a year now to control (hypo)mania and psychotic features associated with bipolar disorder. I was initially prescribed a low dose, 5mg and it worked remarkably effectively. Within 2-4 weeks, I was totally stable. However, after a few months, I started taking only half a pill (2.5mg) as I started to feel that it caused me to feel a bit flat and dull in my emotions (emotional blunting).
I told my psychiatrists about this and they were OK with it, as long as it works. I am medication compliant and fairly responsible with how I manage my condition; I always keep my doctor in the loop about any changes and we trust each other. However, since then I had two mild hypomanic episodes, one for a week in November 2020 and one just yesturday (which is resolving now). I'm now concerned that maybe 2.5mg doesn't offer enough protection and that I should go back up to 5mg.
I read that the minimum effective dose of Aripiprazole is between 10-15mg and upwards. I'm most likely go back up to 5mg, which is something I can do myself. However, I'm debating whether I should ask for 10mg . Pros and cons as followed:
Pros of going up to 10mg:
- Bring it in line with the proven recommended dosage.
- Minimises the chances of relapse, which is important for me since I have a lot of things going on in my life within the coming months and a lot of pressure, which an episode will compromise.
Cons:
- More side effects: this includes things like dulling my emotions, cognitive and movement problems. I also found that on higher doses my balance and coordination goes a bit off.
- Tolerance: The more you use medication, the more tolerance you develop in the long run. If I jump the gun on the med increase now, I'll develop a greater tolerance. Perhaps it would be better to save 10mg for a rainy day.
- Middle ground: I can go for a middle ground and go from 2.5mg to 5mg. I can do this without the hassle of contacting my doctor as I have the full 5mg pills, I just choose to take half. Its worked pretty well in the past and I seem to be very responsive to medication.
Right now, I feel like going for the middle ground of 5mg is the reasonable choice, but of course one can never be sure with bipolar. I realise you are not proffesionals, but I would find it helpful if you can share your experiences. What dosage are you on? Does it work for you? Does anyone have experience with low doses of medication and how does that work for you?
Any input will be much appreaciated.
As always, all the best,
-H
I've been taking Aripiprazole for the better part of a year now to control (hypo)mania and psychotic features associated with bipolar disorder. I was initially prescribed a low dose, 5mg and it worked remarkably effectively. Within 2-4 weeks, I was totally stable. However, after a few months, I started taking only half a pill (2.5mg) as I started to feel that it caused me to feel a bit flat and dull in my emotions (emotional blunting).
I told my psychiatrists about this and they were OK with it, as long as it works. I am medication compliant and fairly responsible with how I manage my condition; I always keep my doctor in the loop about any changes and we trust each other. However, since then I had two mild hypomanic episodes, one for a week in November 2020 and one just yesturday (which is resolving now). I'm now concerned that maybe 2.5mg doesn't offer enough protection and that I should go back up to 5mg.
I read that the minimum effective dose of Aripiprazole is between 10-15mg and upwards. I'm most likely go back up to 5mg, which is something I can do myself. However, I'm debating whether I should ask for 10mg . Pros and cons as followed:
Pros of going up to 10mg:
- Bring it in line with the proven recommended dosage.
- Minimises the chances of relapse, which is important for me since I have a lot of things going on in my life within the coming months and a lot of pressure, which an episode will compromise.
Cons:
- More side effects: this includes things like dulling my emotions, cognitive and movement problems. I also found that on higher doses my balance and coordination goes a bit off.
- Tolerance: The more you use medication, the more tolerance you develop in the long run. If I jump the gun on the med increase now, I'll develop a greater tolerance. Perhaps it would be better to save 10mg for a rainy day.
- Middle ground: I can go for a middle ground and go from 2.5mg to 5mg. I can do this without the hassle of contacting my doctor as I have the full 5mg pills, I just choose to take half. Its worked pretty well in the past and I seem to be very responsive to medication.
Right now, I feel like going for the middle ground of 5mg is the reasonable choice, but of course one can never be sure with bipolar. I realise you are not proffesionals, but I would find it helpful if you can share your experiences. What dosage are you on? Does it work for you? Does anyone have experience with low doses of medication and how does that work for you?
Any input will be much appreaciated.
As always, all the best,
-H
