In order of prescription, and I dare say the popular drug of the day ,given to my daughter from age 11>18:(antipsychotics)
Melleril--total zombie and slept more than awake.

Risperdal--eyes rolled straight up,stuck,pale, sweating, appeared she was dying, at age 11: drug removed.

Zyprexa-replaced risperdal--weight gain, eyes rolled up, but benedryl allowed her some relief.(50 pounds weight gain).

Abilify--totally manic,awake 24/7 for a week, agression towards hospital staff.

Seroquel--10 days no sleep, manic, locked down by hospital staff due to extreme aggression. Assaultive, and risky behavior.

Haldol-delusions increased, especially with dose increases.

Docs now considering the first gold standard: Clozaril.

Going back and forth, like a bad dream.

Looks kinda trendy doesn't it? the order of the meds given over a 5-6 yr period of time? Then back to the old gold standards. Why? could it be the new ones are not what they claim to be? the end all be all, clean, streamlined, less side effects solutions>?
It's all about the latest and greatest money making medication on the market. The bottom line is the dollar not the human being suffering at the expense of their health, minds and souls.

I agree, speak up. I know many nurses and staff that have opinions about these medications and the input would be profound here. Go anon if needed, but do not be silent any longer.

Serequel just put me to sleep, so I went off it after 2 weeks. Abilify was memorable, out of over 50 drials, this one turned my life upside down. My pdoc added it to my 150 mg of daily Effexor, and I didn't sleep for 3 days, I was having a ball, "working" oline that entire time, posting non-stop, and would have kept it up indefinitely if not for the intervention of a couple other mentally savvy bloggers who told me I was in trouble. So I called my pdoc the next day and he told me to go off both meds and make an appointment to see him. I complied, and went smackdown into a depressive episode. A few months later I called the mental health clinic to schedule an appointment, but turns out enough time had lapsed since my last visit I'd have to star over, after several years with them, and be designated a new patient, but, since the Texas legislature gutted funding for all new patients (but psychotics) that I would have to go on a waiting list. It's been 2 years and I'm still on that list. This is the first time in over 11 years I've been completely off psychotropics, and hold Abilify, if not responsible (for I am the captain of my own ship), it was definitely the precipitating factor.

My daughter has been on seroquel for years. It has been wonderful for her. Not only are her voices gone but also her visions. She can think clearly as well. Without seroquel she is a manic psychotic bipolar. She has a life on seroquel. All these drugs react differently with everyone. What works well for one person may not for another.

I'm one of the lucky "Seroquel is a cure-all" people. I'm bipolar II and on a low dosage of Seroquel. I've never slept better, and it allows me to function like a "normal" human being. It's helped with my depression, though things aren't perfect quite yet. I'm also on Lamictal, which also helps with the depression and almost cancels out the Seroquel weight gain.

The zombie-drowsiness went away after a couple of weeks, and the only other side effect I get is trouble with my weight. When I miss a dose, I'm a little hyped up the next day. If one drug can help me this much, I can live with the side effects.

Seroquel was touted by my perky pyschiatric nurse as a "sleep aid/anti-anxiety med/anti-depressant/anti-mania agent all-in-one". It gave me nosebleeds for the first time in my life (not even in my drug experimenting days did i get THOSE) and it made me wet the bed. when i reported this highly embarassing side effect to her, she had the gall to ask, "well did you drink a lot of water right before bedtime? no more drinking a GALLON of water right before bedtime!" nevermind the fact that i am a young adult and am fairly certain i haven't wet the bed for 19 years.

not to mention the fact that i had no lust for life, could barely drag my rotting carcass from bed before noon, and never really was alert, awake or engaged with life while on it. i hate it. perhaps they should use it on large circus animals like elephants or rhinos when they become violent or unruly.

Lily, I hear you. There are so many undignified things that happen to us on meds. The day I drooled was quite a day for me. I stood there and thought "I'm drooling". I got off of the offending med cocktail. Why does it seem we ask intelligent questions to doctors and they give us answers like you got? Well doc, I just know I drink a gallon of water at bedtime and that really is the root of all evil.
On that note of doctor comments: My daughter asked the her psych why she was so agitated, and he got out a tape measure, and measured her waist.He told her to take a walk. Now being loaded up on Zyprexa at the time, what he should have done, is what I did on my own:(drove her to the general doc and ordered the tests) get a fasting blood sugar, and all levels on what meds she was on back then, Depakote and Lithobid. When she asked about her behavior( she was really agitated and it really bothered her) that SHE was concerned about, he said "You have ran out of time, make another appointment."
Wrong answer. Two words for that day: "Youre fired."

Joanne makes a very good point that not all drugs work the same for everybody. But the real point is that we need forums where people can share not only their success stories but also their "war stories." I found it very interesting that when mr. Behrman had success with Abilify in the beginning, about.com/bipolar posted his article but when he started having side effects, the article was taken off the web site. It doesn't take too much to figure out that the big pharmaceutical company that makes Abilify who pays the way for about.com/bipolar would have nothing of this on a page on which they were the main advertiser. Shame on about.com, shame on Abilify (Bristol Meyers Squibb) and thanks to people like Mr. Berhman for having the courage to tell the truth.

My daughter was prescribed Abilify last year. It was a nightmare for herself, and the family as well. Seizures began, and her mental status was beyond comprehension. Movements were limited due to the severe side effects of the medicines.
Unfortunately, when this medicine was prescibed the doctor did not stop the medicine, and subsequently she has suffered permanent danger from the medicine.

My two concerns are tremor and weight gain. I put on 45 pounds in 16 months after starting Abilify. I also developed a n horrible facial tremor.

I'm on abilify. I've had blurred vision, tremors, and possibly weight gain. My gait during walking is not the same. But it cleared my head, and my psychiatrist tells me that the symptoms would subside in a few weeks.