# I love my Abilify. So why did my shrink take me off it cold turkey? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 20, 2019, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-my-abilify-so-why-did-my-shrink-take-me-off-it-cold-turkey/843681 "2019-11-20T01:17:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-my-abilify-so-why-did-my-shrink-take-me-off-it-cold-turkey/843681/41 "2019-11-23T17:30:43Z")
I lived yesterday afternoon and evening twice. Interesting, but coulda been more fun. Today I’m just miserable and depressed at my lot in life. I am suspecting that dropping Prozac and starting Abilify, Zoloft, and Effexor on the same day masked that Abilify was pulling the weight and the other two do absolutely nothing. That, in my experience, is common with antidepressants. OTOH, let us see. Nothing will happen until after thanksgiving. ---
**Author:** ![Arcite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/67e7ee/32.png) [@Arcite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arcite)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-my-abilify-so-why-did-my-shrink-take-me-off-it-cold-turkey/843681/42 "2019-11-23T17:52:50Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > He’s got to be [kidding](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3719459/). I once went through withdrawal from Paxil after losing touch with my psychiatrist, and that was HELL. > > Is there any way to get a second opinion? ☹ > > _good luck_ Abilify is not an SSRI. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-my-abilify-so-why-did-my-shrink-take-me-off-it-cold-turkey/843681/43 "2019-11-23T18:07:47Z")
You’re on Zoloft and Effexor? That is odd. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-my-abilify-so-why-did-my-shrink-take-me-off-it-cold-turkey/843681/44 "2019-11-23T18:08:31Z")
That’s what I thought, Arkite and Sunny, but here we are. I need a second opinion. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Vorlon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@The\_Vorlon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Vorlon)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2019, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-my-abilify-so-why-did-my-shrink-take-me-off-it-cold-turkey/843681/45 "2019-11-23T20:37:21Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > That’s what I thought, Arkite and Sunny, but here we are. I need a second opinion. DZ, what you need it to go home. Their ideal guest is awake enough to eat, and on good days pee and poop by themselves, and nothing more. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2019, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-my-abilify-so-why-did-my-shrink-take-me-off-it-cold-turkey/843681/46 "2019-11-24T01:26:42Z")
> [@Arcite](#): > > Abilify is not an SSRI. No, but his doctor stated: > [@](#): > > . SSRIs don’t need weaning. Which is NOT true. And even if Abilify isn’t an SSRI, it still [shouldn’t](https://www.goodtherapy.org/drugs/abilify-aripiprazole.html) be quit cold turkey. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2019, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-my-abilify-so-why-did-my-shrink-take-me-off-it-cold-turkey/843681/47 "2019-11-26T20:48:15Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > No, but his doctor to > > Which is NOT true. And even if Abilify isn’t an SSRI, it still [shouldn’t](https://www.goodtherapy.org/drugs/abilify-aripiprazole.html) be quit cold turkey. I definitely have the hallucinations covered. That was fun. Can I do it again? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-my-abilify-so-why-did-my-shrink-take-me-off-it-cold-turkey/843681/48 "2019-11-29T13:47:46Z")
So are they taking you off the SSRIs, too? If not, then sure, they don’t need to be weaned. But, otherwise, they most definitely do need tapering, as the effects during withdrawal can be quite bad and even dangerous. That said, it does sound very strange that you were on Zoloft, Effexor, and Abilify. Those drugs have overlapping effects, and combining multiple serotonergic drugs has a higher risk of a dangerous reaction called serotonin syndrome. However, the drug I’d be most wanting to wean you off of would be the Zoloft, not the Abilify. It’s a well-tolerated adjunct. Effexor has all the effects of Zoloft, but then some extra, so I’d keep it over the Zoloft. As for not being able to get a second opinion, what I do is show citations and evidence from reputable sources to my doctor. [Here’s an article](https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/going-off-antidepressants) from Harvard Medical School about how you should taper off of SSRIs. And [here is physician data](https://www.drugs.com/interactions-check.php?drug_list=233-109,2296-1523,2057-1348&types%5B%5D=major&types%5B%5D=minor&types%5B%5D=moderate&types%5B%5D=food&types%5B%5D=therapeutic_duplication&professional=1) about that combination of drugs, including what I said about serotonin syndrome. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2019, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-my-abilify-so-why-did-my-shrink-take-me-off-it-cold-turkey/843681/49 "2019-11-29T14:44:13Z")
[SSRIs absolutely need to be weaned](https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/20161-how-to-talk-to-a-doctor-about-tapering-and-withdrawal-what-to-expect/) no matter what any doctor says. Abilify, I don’t know about. I wish you good luck, it sounds like a bad time. ☹ ETA: Big T I think tapering and weaning the same thing, what do you think weaning off is? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2019, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-my-abilify-so-why-did-my-shrink-take-me-off-it-cold-turkey/843681/50 "2019-12-01T16:14:05Z")
> [@JackieLikesVariety](#): > > [SSRIs absolutely need to be weaned](https://www.survivingantidepressants.org/topic/20161-how-to-talk-to-a-doctor-about-tapering-and-withdrawal-what-to-expect/) no matter what any doctor says. Abilify, I don’t know about. > > I wish you good luck, it sounds like a bad time. ☹ > > ETA: Big T I think tapering and weaning the same thing, what do you think weaning off is? I’m using them synonymously. I just am not clear if, when dropzone said they “don’t need to be weaned”, he meant that he’s not being taken off those meds, or if he means that they are taking him off but not doing a proper wean/taper. I had assumed the former when I first read his post (as he’s only mentioned goi g off the Abilify, which is not an SSRI) but everyone else seems to assume the latter. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2019, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-my-abilify-so-why-did-my-shrink-take-me-off-it-cold-turkey/843681/51 "2019-12-07T01:51:31Z")
It’s been a few weeks and I am near tears much of the time and eating too much outside food. I don’t have it in me to get up to be ready for my restorative therapist, but she hasn’t been coming by, anyway. I need to talk to Quacky McDuckface because I’m sick of this. Eta And someone needs to tell these folks that an ice cream scoop of plain white rice without soy sauce even isn’t a side dish. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2019, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-my-abilify-so-why-did-my-shrink-take-me-off-it-cold-turkey/843681/52 "2019-12-07T02:07:45Z")
Mikey, sweetie. You need to get out of that hell hole. Are your girls aware that this drug has been taken away? Call the Doctor. And do your therapy. Or else. ---
**Author:** ![steatopygia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steatopygia/32/3132_2.png) [@steatopygia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steatopygia)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2019, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-my-abilify-so-why-did-my-shrink-take-me-off-it-cold-turkey/843681/53 "2019-12-07T02:20:37Z")
You have been there too long. You need to go home. Do your therapy. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2019, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-my-abilify-so-why-did-my-shrink-take-me-off-it-cold-turkey/843681/54 "2019-12-07T02:44:43Z")
You need to leave this place. How do you accomplish that? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2019, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-my-abilify-so-why-did-my-shrink-take-me-off-it-cold-turkey/843681/55 "2019-12-07T12:28:59Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Eta And someone needs to tell these folks that an ice cream scoop of plain white rice without soy sauce even isn’t a side dish. They’re leaving the fish out of your chirashi. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2019, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-my-abilify-so-why-did-my-shrink-take-me-off-it-cold-turkey/843681/56 "2019-12-07T15:29:22Z")
Maybe that’s what it was, chirashi with just rice and boiled green beans. They don’t provide condiments at all any more but I have some black pepper and garlic salt and was able to make it edible. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-my-abilify-so-why-did-my-shrink-take-me-off-it-cold-turkey/843681.md?page=2)