I saw that ad today - I guess they are targeting the stay at home moms?

I hadn't been aware of this, but it explains why just the past couple of days people have been coming in mentioning Abilify and depression (my reaction has been, say what?). I agree, it doesn't look like progress.

arspsychiatrica.blogspot.com

I think you and The Last Psychiatrist as well as others predicted this. Combine this which does seem somewhat targeted at stay at home moms with the recent article in the NYT, "Having a Baby: Depression Linked to Premature Deliveries" (which of course neglects the fact that the environmental factors which might cause premature deliveries could make one unhappy, uh, like not being able to afford prenatal care) and you've got real live Stepford Wives.

I was horrified when I saw the ad. How long will it take for this country to wake up? When a fourth of our population is finally on these toxic drugs and they go, "Gee, this is not helping me." That could take decades!! I was hoping for a quicker awakening of the masses.

I've seen the ad a couple of times. When they say "2 out of 3 people in treatment for depression don't see improvement", I keep screaming at my TV "DOESN'T THAT TELL YOU SOMETHING???"

Direct to consumer propaganda is forbidden in Brazil.
From time to time there's am advertisement approaching some health problem and the lab's logo appears and at the end you're invited to ask your physician for more details.
I'll have to take a break. This s becoming totally out of control!
Abilify for depression?
Are these people joking?
What else? I'm starting to be out of adjective to classify all of this.
I'm horrified!
I would like to know what serious psychiatrists, I believe there are some left, have to say about it.
Those who really care about their patients.
Does it still exists?
They've lost their powers, I'm sure and we have to discuss with those who still are not aware of the most common side effects of drugs.
Those side effects that are already common knowledge.
They have the nerve to deny!
"NEVER HEARD ABOUT IT! I HAD JUST ONE PATIENT WHO HAD IT BUT IN TWO WEEKS HE WAS JUMPING OF JOY!"

I open a blog on literature and arts.
This is beyond my strength.
What keeps me going is thinking that other people will not be prescribed these things unless it's really necessary.
But it seems to be far from this day.
I wake up everyday and the first thing I do after taking a cup of coffee is coming to try to do something.
It's useless!
I'm wasting my time.

I saw the ad as well.

In addition to the atomic-bomb-to-kill-a-bug aspect of Abilify pharmacologically as a treatment for unipolar depression, I didn't remember the (I thought required) rat-tat-tat "Abilify may cause weight gain, etc., etc." of side effects listed in the commercial.

I won't order the information packet, but I will await your report eagerly, Philip.

Why sometimes regulation works?

-The Dutch Code Commission in 2004 found AstraZeneca’s claims in its promotion of Seroquel unjustified, not based in two relevant studies and therefore misleading.

-Pfizer has sponsored an Impotence Association campaign in which the logo of Pfizer figured prominently on the advertisements. The UK Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA) ruled that this was inappropriate and could encourage patients to ask doctors specifically for Viagra.

-In 2004 Pfizer pleaded guilty on charges of falsely marketing its epilepsy drug Neurontin for off-label uses.

-Before GSK’s anti-depressant Paxil was approved for use against `social phobia’ in 1999, the company organised a large public awareness campaign about the condition, renaming it `social anxiety disorder’. GSK has been accused of grossly exaggerating the numbers suffering from this condition, leading to much higher sales of Paxil and inappropriate drug use.

-Published data for Lilly’s antidepressant Prozac claimed that the drugs reduces the likelihood that people will harm themselves. However, data from clinical trials indicated the opposite, namely that people continue to harm themselves.

-"From Dec. 1, 1997, to Oct. 31, 2006, Health Canada received 615 domestic reports of adverse reactions (ARs) suspected of being associated with the use of quetiapine. Nine reports involved cases of pancreatitis and 11 involved cases of thrombocytopenia. Neither of these ARs is mentioned in the Canadian product monograph.1"

"Although relatively rare, drug-induced thrombocytopenia may be associated with risks of morbidity and mortality.6 Perhaps because of its low incidence and idiosyncratic nature, drug-induced thrombocytopenia has often gone unrecognized during early clinical trials of drugs and was first reported after marketing.6"

Here I am again!

My "favorite" part of the ad?

Older people may experience death.

I saw this ad also, on TLC or maybe HGTV - on "mom" networks.

I saw something even worse. They had a girl scouts recruiting type gathering at my local library(charlotte NC), one came out with a goodies bag that was advertisement for Ambien CR. I can't see straight enough to even begin to file a complaint. Pharmacy advertisements directly to adults is questionable at best. To youths its absurd. I guess its really like the tobacco companies and going to take more restrictive laws to rein in the "any profit" and "get them early" monsters.

At the risk of being placed in a firing line, I would like to quietly put up my hand and say that Abilify as an adjunct TX to depression has helped me tremendously.

Disclaimer: I am not a stay-at-home mom or a TV watcher.

Abilify is a seriously dangerous drug, I've seen several people go completely manic on it. The data I've seen at conferences is also not very convincing regarding its efficacy, this is a disturbing trend.

It just ran on CNN during post election results. It was sandwiched between two Netflicks ads.

It was bad, but personally I am more offended by the Guardisil ads.

... I would like to quietly put up my hand and say that Abilify as an adjunct TX to depression has helped me tremendously.

You're in Dutch now, PR. But it brings up a question no one here seems to be asking. Does Abilify actually help someone in depression? If it does then that's the end of the argument, such as it ever was.

in a perfect world, all drugs would be strictly tested, would list every single possible side effect, and would publish the efficacy trials. in a perfect world, ourselves and our doctors would not buy into drug ads. in a perfect world, our doctors would really listen to us, would give us more time in our appointments, would ask us questions, and would follow up personally after prescribing any meds with serious side effects. in a perfect world, the fda would do its job. in a perfect world, we would all be intelligent enough to do our own investigating before putting anything in our mouths.

this is not a perfect world. what the hell do we do?

keep asking questions, keep talking to each other, and take good care of ourselves.

It seems that any psych-drug can be used in a huge spectrum of diseases.
Perhaps it's about time no to label what the drug is for.
The off-label use is beginning to make some people believe that the psychiatrist is a very good one because he is prescribing a drug that is not for that disease and it gives an idea that it's interesting to use something "new".
I believe that it should be on the directions: "Indications: "psychiatric drug."
When I was prescribed Klonopin it was on the directions that it was for epilepsy. I've kept on thinking why on earth I was prescribed that but I could never imagine that that tiny little pill cold make so much harm and be so hard, if not impossible, to withdraw.
Now clonazepam is prescribed for many diseases.
Unfortunately clinical trials are being made with the same old drugs just to have the use on label...
blah... blah..blah..
Guess you understood.
I'm tired.
And sad.
No matter what the changes that are need to be done ... blah blah...blah
Feel like crying.....

I'm not depressed!
I'm really deeply concerned with all this mess.
And it makes me really sad.
More strange is the silence of the psychiatrists.

InTheWild wrote: "I've seen the ad a couple of times. When they say "2 out of 3 people in treatment for depression don't see improvement", I keep screaming at my TV "DOESN'T THAT TELL YOU SOMETHING???"

Yes, ITW, exactly. Wonder if they tell you that in the zoloft and effexor ads? In a sign on your psychotherapist's and/or CBT practioner's wall? Right under the notice that there's no reason to suspect that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance despite advertising campaigns?

As for the woman who likes it, Abilify is a major tranquilizer like all other psych drugs. There's no newness to the fact that many people like the buzz and sedation they get from this sort of drug but if you're doping under the false impression that it's some sort of magic chemical imbalance correcting sciencey drug, you are just plain wrong.

What a go Bristol-Myers Squibb; next they will add it to my morning Cheerios, and everyone will be happy, the world will be at peace, and all humanity will hold hands; especially those vested in Bristol-Myers Squibb's bottom line. What a go FDA for doing your job! I think they could advertize cyanide with a pretty side effects warning label, and psychiatrist would pass it out as the hoards lined up to take it. Just the world we live in! Stupid human tricks part 12 coming this fall on a TV near you.

Yours Truly,
Stan

The word for this Abilify campaign is sleazy. The pimp-in-chief is Charles Nemeroff. Aided by a band of cronies and KOL wannabes, Nemeroff has headed up two CME road shows for Abilify this year, hitting venues like Boston and Chicago. He has also done spots on CME websites like Medscape.

Here is my take on Abilify for depression and on Nemeroff's behavior.
http://hcrenewal.blogspot.com/2008/06/medscapes-cme-ethics-part-ii.html#links

Meanwhile, Nemeroff is under investigation by the Senate Committee on Finance. Sooner or later BristolMyersSquibb/Otsuka are going to understand that Nemeroff is damaged goods.

Interesting that they never mention it's an antipsychotic. Why not call it what it is? Is it because they know people would not be showing up at their physicians' offices requesting they be placed on an antipsychotic for depression?

I saw the print version of this add several months ago in a gossip magazine (let's not say anything about the fact that I was reading a gossip magazine). They are obviously targeting women. Of course, that's par for the course with psych med marketing.

nuam,
In a perfect world?
You're saying that accountability is possible only in a perfect world?
People who are here have already experienced these drugs.
Those who are seeing these advertisements don't have a clue about nothing.
I don't think all these people blogging about theirs experiences do it just for a therapeutic reason.
For me, I know it's a little contribution but here I'm, there's nothing therapeutic about doing it.
I would love to forget it all and keep on pretending that nothing is happening.
It's very easy to do it. I would stop thinking about all these people all this crazy prescriptions and I assure you that I would be a lot more happy than dealing with this subject every day.
Same for some blogger I visit that sometimes wants to stop blogging on this subject too.
Perhaps it would be better.
No matter how hard people work things continue the same.
Let's wait for the perfect world.

A Believer,

I've seen the ad a couple of times. When they say "2 out of 3 people in treatment for depression don't see improvement", I keep screaming at my TV "DOESN'T THAT TELL YOU SOMETHING???"

Posted by InTheWild at November 4, 2008 12:40 PM

According to your logics how should we discuss with this data?

Lisa wrote: "Is it because they know people would not be showing up at their physicians' offices requesting they be placed on an antipsychotic for depression?" Yes, yes, yes.

A Believer wrote; "Does Abilify actually help someone in depression? If it does then that's the end of the argument, such as it ever was." Actually, that's far from the end of the argument. I was initially happier on all of the psych-meds I was prescribed, and then, as they set a long-term and severe chemical imbalance in place in my system, all of them nearly killed me. See? Initially I was "helped," then I was injured, long-term.

Once an antipsychotic always an antipsychotic! as long as the consumer understands this drug has been re-marketed into mainstream as a depression drug. It carries a black box warning for diabetes, and yes it created wild mania (awake for 10 days)in my daughter when they tried to knock psychosis out with it. (it was unsuccessful).

These DTC ads are dangerous, because innocent ppl could be influenced, go to the doc, get the samples and not know what the heck they are taking.

Scary times as far as I'm concerned, that being based on having a daughter who suffers from chronic psychosis and who has trialed ALL antipsychotics with bad results (less than efficacious to dangerous results).

I read the clinical trials and the results are not all that great. 10-11% improvement in depression symptoms but 25% of people get akathisia, which is a very disturbing side effect that makes you want to jump out of your skin.

Akathesia is the main cause of homicides/suicides with the SSRIs. So just double the impact with Abilify and look what you get? More than diabetes.

Pharma will stop at nothing to push the pills. And Abilify doesn't have a black box warning for kids. None of the atypical antipsychotics do so they're all off label for kids, except for Risperadal for autism. All the atypical makers are lined up at the FDA door to get official approval to be given to kids - though the psychiatrists are already giving them anyway.

They need to give them for that new disorder we have here - pediatric bipolar.

Two comments and/or questions.

Isn't a common practice of pharma companies to extend the patents on their drugs as long as possible to come up with new uses for them? i'm pretty sure this is the case - the longer the drug is under the laws of the patent, the longer the pharma company cane make huge amounts of money and consumers don't have the choice of generics. and when a drug has a new use, i believe the company then patents it for the new use, thereby extending the time that they have control of the drug under patent so it can't be made by other companies as a generic.

I was prescribed Abilify as a 2nd drug to treat depression in, I think, summer 2005. I think I may have been on Paxil at the time, and near the end of the approx. 5 years I was on Paxil. The main side effect I experienced that made taking the drug unbearable was that I was always ridiculously tired. I slept a LOT and still could barely stay awake at work! I drank tons of coffee. :-) Abilify may also have been the drug I took that messed with my vision. I'm not sure that that side effect happened with Abilify though. It could have been something else at some other time. But yeah, it made me constantly sleepy and I lasted maybe 2 weeks on it. When the psychiatrist prescribed it, she said it was an anti-psychotic but that she and some others had prescribed it as an add-on to anti-depressants for treating depression and had had some success. So I agreed to try it. And it didn't effect me in any positive way, unless you call wanting to sleep 24 hours a day positive! :-)

I admire everyone's stance on the pharmacutical companies and the push to sedate in our cutlural, but as someone who has suffered from major depression since 5th grade, has had several suicide attempts, and who didn't use meds until my mid-twenties, What do you suggest? I am on a anti-depressant, been in "talk therapy" with a really great counselor, and have seen a psychiatrist for med management. I've exercised, ate right, went to church, meditated, prayed, done support groups, and am very sucessful, yet daily I am fatigued, I fight incredible depression, and have pain throughout my body causing my mood to fluctate frequently which often makes it difficult to be the best mom, wife, and employee I can be. I am willing to try something that just might help find some balance. What do you suggest, if not medicaiton?

I'm in the same boat as you, Ryan. I've been severely depressed for over 12 years (22 now), with a dissociative disorder. I'm tired of people saying exercise, vitamins, etc. will help, like they know what they're talking about. Whether or not the drug companies make money, why should that be of any concern to someone if the drug helps them? It's not like they're forcing the pills down your throat. I highly doubt that vitamins and a gluten-free diet cured Jenny McCarthy's son's autism.

Drug companies exist to make a profit. Stores exist to sell stuff. It's business. One has to ignore the marketing and just realize that indeed a great many people have vastly improved lives from medications of all kinds, abilify included. Visit depression forums, or sites where patients rate and review their meds, you'll see miracle stories abound. Failures are there too. Intolerable side effects for some also. But the miracles deserve stand-up-take-notice.

John:

Is this the infamous John McPimp coming out of hiding?

It really doesn't matter!

You talk about business? You call doping up kids, damaging them for life, or killing them good business!

I would personally call it genocide!

I gather it's a great business if you’re a pharmaceutical company, or pushing the medical model myth as they have, and you do with Child Bipolar Diagnosis!

You really are a piece of work! Say Hi to your new pal Herb for me! Now go peddle your BullS--- somewhere else!

Yours Truly,
Stan

Stan:

Funny how you totally disregarded John's point that many people have benefited from psychotropic medications. I guess you only accept evidence that supports your position and dismiss with derogatory comments anything that doesn't fit in with your worldview.

What a shame, because there is a healthy middle ground between medicating everyone with any type of emotional or cognitive distress and banning all medications in psychiatric illness. Both extremes should be avoided at all costs, and the truth is much more nuanced.

Using derogatory remarks like "pimp" and "genocide" does not help matters. I also think it is utterly hypocritical of you to complain about drug companies dehumanizing patients by forcing harmful medications upon them, and you equally dehumanizing clinicians and those who have been helped by those medications.

Take care.

Just one more comment.

I find it very interesting that those who condemn medications with the most nasty commentary are completely silent in the face of Ryan's request for an alternative to help manage his depression.

It's easy to destroy and tear down. Try to build something instead.

Take care.

I took abilify. For a year.
Unsuccessfully.
In fact, to put in light, it almost killed me, or nay, medication with little supervison nearly killed me.

When I speak, please take heed, of the warnings;
do not view them as a condemning black speech of all medications etc.

I first started taking abilify when I was fifteen. Suffering from depression and mania in a moderate amount I was whisked to a psych ward with papers of "Could be harmful to self or others", to which I left with a pat on the back, and several prescriptions for abilify.

I was never fully talked through what medication was exactly; its components, side effects etc. I just wanted to get better. And fast. And the doctors seemed to hand it out so happily, it was like giving away a bandaid.

Unfortunately, being so young,
risks were greater. I began shaking uncontrollably, being agitated, and panicky. I also, within six months, went from being 102 lbs, to a whopping 140.

Still, even with updates with doctors, and friends watching out for me: no one seemed to really think that was bad. In fact, they said I was courageous.

And I occasionally I would stop, for maybe up to a few days to 2 weeks at a time (but maybe only three times or so within the entire course) and I would have to be forced to believe they were working, because I felt so much worse without it them-even worse than how I felt long before I even started them.

Three months before my seventeenth birthday, shit hit the fan, to say mildly.
I attempted suicide three times. Once coming dangerously close to death; to which, to this day, I still have ringing in my ears because of it. I went with impulse; I came drunk to school; I even had a panic attack and had to be sent to the hospital.
My dreams were horrid; fatigue was worsening, weight was gaining, and most of all: I became violent. So violent that I hit my boyfriend of three years, and was almost pressed with charges.

Who was I before?
I was a straight A student. Sixth in my class.
President of several clubs. Artistic and institute worthy. Slim. Very social. and prominent in my hometown. With, despite, episodes of minor depression and mania.

By the end?
Failing all but two classes. Lost priveledges in clubs. Zombied in any of my creativity. Bordering obesity. Lost all but two of my friends. The list goes on..

I was blamed for all my mistakes.
They said I wanted attention. That I needed to be locked up.
The cruelty was so horrible, that I left my hometown on my own.

But I also stopped my medication.
I've been off it for six months. And it's the best I've felt in two years.
I have an audition for booker T. Washington.
And I'm slowly rebuilding what was burnt down.

THE MAIN POINT:
Yes, this was pretty much a life story for me.
Heed:
MEDICATION CAN HELP YOU. IT CAN. I know of friends of which it has worked, but:
KNOW THE RISKS.
CHECK WITH DOCTORS FREQUENTLY. ASK QUESTIONS.
ASK YOURSELF EVERY DAY IF IT IS HELPING.
ASK YOUR FRIENDS TO NOTE HOW YOU ARE ACTING.
DO NOT BE IGNORANT LIKE I WAS.
---
For others, who are on my path,
WHO CANNOT FIND MEDICINE THAT HELPS.
I can give you hope:
1) BACH FLOWER.
I got on this completely herbal treatment a month after I quit my meds. It has no side effects, is cheap, and seems to soothe me. At least make me decently logical.
a)It is very new agey. So for the cynical, this might completely bullshit for you.
b) If you want to use it: It's cheap, and will do no negativity towards you.

Good luck.

PS:
Besides some bach flower, for someone like me:
VITAMINS, EXCERCISE, YOGA, THERAPY

It's amazing how immensley that will help you.
It's not a quick fix. But now, I realize, that depression can't be that way. It can't be covered up usually and healed with pills.

Ryan,

Sorry, I missed your post initially, However, in a response to DGuller in another thread, I did list alternatives. Here they are. If you have tried them already, my apologies.

1. Get vitamin D level tested. There are some thoughts that 400IU is too low and you should be taking 1000IU. If you can't afford a test, maybe on your own, supplement between 1000 and 1500.

2. Fish Oil Capsules - Make sure they are pharmaceutical grade. It may take trial and error to find the right brand. EPA seems more key for depression.

3. Check this site out by someone who claimed magnesium was key in his depression:

http://tinyurl.com/5qhxh6

Warning - it is alot to read.

Personally, I found magnesium helps but too much causes problems. But your experience might be different,

Also, make sure you are getting enough time in the sun during the day which is harder if you live in a climate not conducive to that.

Hope this helps

Abilify caused insomnia (10 days no sleep) for my daughter in a psych ward, and the doctors took her off of it for that reason.

I hate drug company tactics as much as the next person (medical student, member of Physicians for a National Health Program - I get it).

That said, Abilify + Lexapro has been a miracle combination for me.

Placebo effect? I don't care. If it saves my life, I don't CARE whether it's really the Abilify or just the idea of the Abilify that helps.

I agree 1,000% - when are the people in this country going to wake up? A paranoid schezophrenic was prescribed abilify and seroquel and a week later decapited his five year old son. What the hell?

My 8 year old grandson was given this horrible drug, first day, first dose, he was rushed to the ER & later admitted to the hospital due to mini mal seizure in direct relation to a severe allergic reaction to the drug abilify. We almost lost him, what the hell was a pediatric doctor doing prescribing this medication to a child... someone should be held responsible for the manufacture of this drug, and for the doctors who prescribe it. I pray I never have to see by grandson like that again, I was so terrified because he was so close to death & may have lasting side effects from this one dose. Wake up Americans, stop allowing our medical people systematically kill off our elderly & our children.

Hello, everyone: Boy, am I ever glad I came across this site. I just saw the ad for Abilify a few nights ago for the first time here in Canada. I noted the extensive list of possible side effects, including seizures and suicidal tendencies.

Even so, as all anti-depressants make me wound-up and jittery, I thought to check into this, regardless. Thanks, everbody, for the heads up.

A special note to Ana re: clonazepam. You can get off it, but it's really slow going. I've spent the last 2 years being weaned off .075mg at a time under a doctor's strict supervision. It isn't fun, but eventually it is amazing how your body learns how to sleep and function normally again. I'd highly recommend that you read the information on Wickepedia on clonazepam/klonopin that's now available. Never try to go off this cold-turkey. Good luck!

I wish I could tell if the 10mg of abilifify at bedtime was helping my depression. I don't think i am bi polar. I was diagnoised with just depression in my personality. Anyone have info or comments?

Abilify is being recommended by the head of the Mood and Anxiety Clinic of CAMH in Toronto, as an alternative to other antipsychotics used for conditions such as bipolar disorder. It apparently has less side effects than medications such as seroquel or lithium (but of course this will vary from individual to individual). CAMH is a leader in mental health and addiction research in Canada.

That said, there is a section of the population who will always say that medication is "bad" or "toxic" or that the side effects are worse than the effects of the illness. You have to have lived with a mental illness and been on the right medication to know that this is not true and that this is what helps to perpetrate myths about mental illness and stigma against the mentally ill.

However, I agree that often it takes time to find the right medication and medication affects different people in different ways. Some people never find a cure through medication but through other means. And things like exercise and meditation really help as well.

Mental illness is as real as AIDS or cancer and it is life-threatening. The anti-medication movement, whether through Christian Science or other, is dangerous and has lead to loss of life. Would you tell a cancer patient not to get treatment???? Thanks for listening.

We just found out that when my son was taking Abilify it was giving him suicidal thoughts. He is no longer on the med but he just now told us this (prompted by an ad on TV for Abilify for depression). He never did tell us while he was taking it. I just posted about it in case any other parents out there had the same thing happen to their kids.

http://raisingbipolar.com/?p=1456

Abilify was definitely not the right drug for me. I wound up in the hospital after a mixed episode that it triggered. An antipsychotic isn't supposed to cause mania OR pervasiive violent thoughts about ending my life that I waqs having. All I hear about abilify is that it either knocks you out or revvs you up, and if you knock a depressed individual down tthey might not bounce back.

from a funny cat related comment to a serious comment now. ....

I just started Abilify about 3 weeks ago. In the last week the symptoms have been.,,,

1. I cannot eat. Anything. I cannot stop vomiting if I eat.
2. I cannot sleep. I am getting an hour, hour and a half a night.
3. I am anxious. I feel like I am having a heart attack.
4. I feel like I want to hurl myself out the window.
5. Suicidal ideation is the worst it has ever been on any med.
How bad is it- so bad I even thought (God forgive me) of taking poison and taking the cat out with me.

When I tried to tell my family- they accused me of being a drama queen. I had no one else to call on the phone- and I did get a hold of one friend- who told me to get off Abilify ASAP and get in the hospital ASAP.

I thought Cymbalta was bad. This is worse. Bless you Andy (Electroboy) for having cahones to state the truth. Bless you Philip for writing this. And thank you for reading this. Tell the doctor to go to hell for writing this script and he/she should take it himself.