Expert: Ivan Goldberg, M.D. - 4/1/2009

Question
Hello Dr.  My doctor has just prescribed Abilify for me as a mood stabilizer (we first tried Lamictal, but I immediately developed an obvious rash - apparently an allergic reaction).  My father, a more experienced psychiatrist, didn't love the idea for the same reasons you mentioned (tardive dyskinesia and other side effects).  But my current dr. says that newer antipsychotics won't cause these problems.  I am 30, female, not bipolar, but suffer from terrible, sudden mood swings.  I'm also on prozac (for OCD).  I came upon this site searching for help with binge eating, which I also suffer from.  Should I not take the Abilify?  What do you think could help me?

Answer
Hi Jen . . .

Because of the risk of tardive dyskinesia, with rare exceptions, I reserve the use of antipsychotic medications for people who are having psychotic symptoms.

For mood control I often use combinations of antidepressants and mood stabilizers such as lithium, Tegretol, Depakote, Trileptal, and Lamictal.

Here are some links you might want to check-out:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18515468?ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEn...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17149539?ordinalpos=17&itool=EntrezSystem2.PE...

Best regards . . .

Ivan
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