does abilify cause weight gain

A year ago I was a size 10/12, after one year of being on Abilify, I am now wearing size 15/16 and was hardly eating anything. My doctor told me drugs like Abilify do not burn your calories normally, but quickly store them as fat. I got off of Abilify two weeks ago because of the bloated feeling and weight gain I had.

I have been on Abilify for 6 months. It helped me so much. I had severe depression. I tried all kinds of medicine...and abilify was the one that worked for me. BUT, I am a very small girl...and usually weigh 125 lbs or so...I have gained 11 pounds in 6 months and am almost to 140 pounds. The research I did said 6.8 percent of people on abilify gain at least 7 percent of their body weight. My doctor said abilify increases your appitite... I feel like I have a compulsion to eat....sweets and fast food especially...but I still think it is better then being as depressed as I was. My doctor said she is going to keep me on the medicine for one year...I hope I lose the weight...as someone else has already commented...being chubby does not help with the depression! Hang in there everyone!

help! i have just started abilify 10mg today, I have manic episodes I have been on xanax and efexor also prozamel before. Now is it me? but I have no energy at all and all I have done on the other meds is gain weight. My doc told me that abilify would not have me gain anymore weight im miserable enough about my weight, so from what you all say I can look forward to gaining more weight. i might as well be dead as the song goes "the drugs don't work they just mak things worse". What is the point!

moonbeam. PS can anyone help please :-(

I just started Abilify 2 1/2 months ago and have noticed about 7 lb weight gain. I had the same experience with Lexapro a few years ago. The weight gain (~20 lbs) was so distressing that I demanded to be taken off Lexapro at that time. The weight came off quickly. I am hoping that the 7 lb weight gain I have experienced with Abilify will come off as quickly. I am hungry all of the time and have terrific acid indigestion. I'd rather fight the mood swings of the BP than face this kind of weight gain.

I was put on Abilify in the spring of 2004 for Bipolar II and took it for about a year. I selected it because it was not supposed to cause weight gain. Nevertheless, my weight skyrocketed over the first few months I was on it. I never associated it with the drug. I started walking, getting out more, and at the time was trying to get sober.

I stopped drinking, but I still had a problem with cocaine. I couldn't understand why my weight was at an all time high when I was a cocaine addict! I was normally a size 2 to 4, and I had stared buying clothes in a size 10. None of my clothes fit, and I just wanted to hide in the house all the time, but I forced myself to go to my twelve step meetings despite my limited success. It seemed that just stopping drinking alone would have produced some weight loss, as I was a binge eater when I was drunk, but I only seemed to continue gaining weight.

About six months later I was admitted to the hospital, and I cringed when they weighed me. I'd gained twenty pounds and I had no idea how it had happened. At that time my dose of Abilify was increased ( I can't recall the exact dosage), and I decided to go to rehab. By the time I got to rehab, 4 weeks later I weighed 10 pounds more. I still didn't associate the weight gain with the Abilify because the doctors has assured me it didn't cause weight gain. I just felt like a fat freak.

When I got to rehab they immediately took me off the Abilify because they said I was way overmedicated and too out of it. They put me on a series of mood stabilizers before we found the right one. I instantly started dropping weight and 9 months later weighed 40 pounds less. It was then that it occured to me that perhaps the Abilify was the cause of my previous weight gain. Several years later this was confirmed by a doctor who said that they have found that Abilify does cause weight gain in some people.

I ended up getting carried away with the weight loss and had to go to treatment for an eating disorder. My weight got down to 90 pounds that's how traumatized I was and still am by the weight gain that the Abilify caused and to be fair the weight also reminds me of the time in my life when I was not sober; however, I will never take it again and funnily I gained 8 pounds on Geodon (another one that's not supposed to cause weight gain). Yet Seroquel, which is known to cause weight gain, does not affect me. I guess you have to try different meds to know how they affect you and keep the scale handy! Today my weight is stable with in a 5 pound range and I wear a size 0. There are many benefits to getting sober and finding the right medication!

i have been taken ambilify for 2 weeks and have already lost 10 pounds. I am a petite woman as it is, and nobody warned me of this. Also I am so hungry 30 minutes after i take my pill its like I havent eaten for a week. Anyone else experiencing these side affects?

I have been on Abilify for about a month now and i have lost about 5 pounds and i am actually happy, lol. i was on Cymbalta and gained about 20 lbs. but Abilify has suppressed my appetite, thank god. but i am so tired all the time.

I just started Abilify yesterday and reading about all of the weight gain has me scared. I don't want to seem vain but I have just lost 35 lbs and 4 years ago 90 lbs. I am 5-10 lbs away from my goal and have worked hard to change my lifestyle and put dieting behind me forever. I respect my body and what goes in it. Sure I treat myself and the 100 calorie snack packs have been awesome when I crave sweets.

I cannot have come this close to my goal only to gain weight back. Now I am scared to continue the Abilify, especially when I see that a 30 day supply was $435 - I have insurance but would never not want to give it at least a chance. That is too much money to not at least give it a try.

My doctor assured me that weight gain wasn't an issue. I take Welbutrin XR as well. I will closely monitor what I eat and getting moving more often,

i have been on abilify fo a year and havent gained anything i started to take geodon becuse abilify wasnt working for me i have gained 22 pounds on the geodon in a year.

Thank you all so much. Luckily I thought to look it up after 3 weeks (and 10 lbs or so...hard to tell with the CONSTIPATION!) on Abilify, but I love the drug so now I'm looking for a food plan that's about half what I'm eating now.

:-P Hi i have been on abilify for a month was taken cymbalta for 4 years bad stuff ! I feel really good these days but i am on all theses bioidentical hormones abilify adderall prozac. Have been over weight for the last 15 yrs. Yes AM 53 and weigh 219 and 5'5' would like to weigh less but being mental strong and having a good out look on life it self will make you eat right and become the person you new you wanted to be. Iam no preacher just a mother housewife and someone who is finally there. happiness is yours make it happen !

YES!! It causes SEVERE weight gain! I didn't know this and could not figure out why I was RAPIDLY gaining weight--40 lbs in 4 months!! The dr told me this and I went off of it immediately. Abilify works amazing for depression but it is not worth it to me for the weight gain. I will hopefully lose the weight that I have put on, but if you think that you will be more depressed from gaining weight then I would try something else, if you are not concerned about it, then Abilify is a great drug. I have mixed feelings about going off of it because it worked so well for me. I guess that shows us what type of world we live in, that I would rather be skinny than be happy? It is kind of a catch 22...I am also going off of my effexor xr....don't know what I'll try next, any suggestions?

I have been taking Abilify for a little over 2 weeks now and have gained 10 lbs. I was 130lbs, now I am 140lbs. I have not had problems with my weight in the past so I know it is the medication. I have noticed a big increase in my appetite. I am seeing my doc next week and telling her that I want something different. Whats the point in using a depressing medication if its just going to make you more depressed because of weight gain? Hope this helps....

I have gained weight on Abilify, however, I don't think it is the medications fault. I have been eating more than usual, so I believe it is my own lack of self-restraint that has caused it. 8-| However, I started working out again, and when I have done that on Abilify, I have been able to lose some of the weight I've gained.

My Dr. has just perscribed abilify for me instead of seroquel (for bipolar) due to the side affects it has had on my health over the last 10+ years I have been on it, including chronic pancreatitis and cysts in my pancreas which eventually lead to diabetes about 7 years ago. Yet I had remained on it until now go figure? I have a new Dr. now. After reading the side affects possible with the abilify I am not sure if it sounds much better though. Was there also changes in appitite? I was on lithium years ago & in a very short time gained alot of weight but it was more water weight, I had no change in appitite at all. I could probley stand to gain 5 or 10 pounds but not 40 or more! I just had a major weight loss and would like it to stay that way. Also has anyone had any problems with the other possible side affects?