How do I avoid having to take my Abilify injection this morning?

I might also add that for years my depression has been so bad that I am now in an assisted living program. My doc told me that if I fail to comply that I may lose my housing…

Can you change doctors?

Is there a NAMI chapter in your area? They have an amazing peer to peer program that teaches you about your rights. If a medication isn’t working or making you sick you have a right to refuse it and ask for a different medication. That is not an unreasonable request but you may have to taper off of the first med for your own safety.
My son made sure that in his durable power of attorney he made it clear that he didn’t want to ever be on Zyprexa again. That was within his rights. I’m not sure they can refuse you housing if you refuse a specific med and ask for another one. I am pretty sure you can get all those questions answered in a peer to peer class though.

If you feel powerless do you have a relative or friend who can help you? Can you request a consult from another psychiatrist? Emphasize that you are not trying to get out of taking medication, but that you simply are requesting a change in medication, because these meds are making you feel awful.

The situation you describe right now, I think I would refuse the shot, but of course I am not in your body or your situation, I just say this based on what you have told us. I know what it is like to feel like medication is poisining me. As long as you don’t have a history of paranoia, I would say you can trust your instincts that your body is not doing well on your current medications. Some meds you need to be weaned off or it can be very dangerous or at minimum cause you to feel much worse. Are you able to call a pharmacy and ask if your drugs need to be tapered off? I am not suggesting you stop them all altogether, but I think if you know it is dangerous to just stop cold turkey it will be important information for you to have.

The most important thing right now is you get an appointment with a new doctor ASAP. Medical professionals can be downright horrible about listening to complaints about side effects. You need a nurse, counselor, or doctor who will take it seriously and help you.

It’s hard to change doctors if you are on Medicaid. You can though. Are you part of a SMI program? (Severely Mentally Ill) Do you have a councilor or life skills coach as well as a psychiatrist? Most people who live in assisted living or transitional housing due to depression or other mental illness are part of these networks.

If you are in an SMI program, you should have access to someone called a Care Coordinator or some similar name like that. The Care Coordinator can tell you how to request another doctor for a second opinion or even switch doctors.

Good Luck!

Added: AS for not taking it THIS MORNING, I don’t think you should refuse it if they are threatening to pull you from housing. Remember that there are much more people waiting to get into transitional housing than there are spaces. They look for any excuse to kick you out. I’d tough it out until you at least talk to a Care Coordinator.

Feeling emotionless and flat is different than increasing your depression. Which is it?
Many anti-depressants will shut off the minor emotions, so that you only feel emotion when it is quite intense, which is a bit jarring.

Talk to your doctor! There are different mixes of meds that can help. It’s really not a good idea to stop any medications without doctor approval.

And like @judi says, get into a NAMI group, they can help in many ways.

Don’t take it. Have you seen the commercial for it? I lists out possible DEATH at least 4 times at the end.

@Rickomg You can die from Tylenol.

@Rickomg Anti-pyschotics are different.

Withdrawing:
You can reduce Abilify withdrawal symptoms by slowly tapering off of this medication. Do not stop taking Abilify abruptly; see your doctor before reducing or discontinuing this medication.
http://www.goodtherapy.org/drugs/abilify-aripiprazole.html

I’m sorry. There are SO many things that can be done to help people that does not involve Psych drugs. I am 100% against Psych drugs as their is NO help only life time dependency through taking them. They only mask the real problem that should be dealt with. That is my final word on this subject ( I will not speak on this question again) as I’m sure there will be many out there trying to justify their addiction to them. You asked a question and I answered it. If you don’t like my answer then don’t ask the question in a public forum. The truth hurts when you’ve been brainwashed into buying the hype the Psych “doctors” (Ha!) are selling you. I wish you the very best in the future.

@Rickomg – I don’t think it’s wise to tell someone in assisted living for depression not to take meds. If your brain is soaking up too much seratonin THAT is a real problem. People don’t take meds to avoid the “real” problem. They take the meds to help them deal with the problems. They don’t mask anything.

Would you also advise people not to take mood stabilizers for bipolar or anti-psychotics for schizophrenia?

@Rickomg I respect your opinion (please don’t leave!!) and feel much the same about Big Pharma spewing nonsense at all of us, but you have to be careful advising people on medical issues, especially mental illness.

Some people need meds and with my own bi-polar mother, counseling was part of the solution, along with the correct dosage of meds.

@Rickomg, you obviously either don’t know anyone with a true brain disorder or you’re in denial. If someone had diabeties would you withhold insulin? Some people don’t make enough or make to much of specific hormones and medication can help these people. It can even save lives and your comments are reckless and dangerous.

BTW I am a Diabetic. And when It was discovered My A1C was 10.4 (Normal people are below 5 diabetics are around 7 and Mine was 10.4) I went into a depression for about 3 hours. Then I changed my mind and decided to DO something about it. I changed my whole outlook on food and life. I cut out sugar and carb’s as much as I possibly could, Got to the Gym and got active in life again. In 5 months time eating healthy and exercise I dropped 50 lbs retook the test and My A1C was a 4.9. There are always alternatives. Yes even for all theses “Dreadful Diseases” that the Psych “Doctors” (ha!) have named with such cool and ominous sounding names. There ARE cures out there and lifetime psych drugs are definately NOT the answer. I have helped MANY people deal with upset, hurt, dispair, and overwhelming grief, by finding the real source of where that comes from within each individual. Its not hard to do it just takes some time and a caring ear that is not afraid to lay the truth before them and continue to do so until they cognite on it. Throwing Psych Drugs into the mix only serve to jack up the system even more and YES it does MASK the issues. If it were a cure I would be saying differently but according to your top leading Psych “doctors” (Ha!) There is no cure for anything only manageability through psych drugs… I will NEVER buy into that HYPE. Its time to WAKE up! The world seems to be falling asleep here.

@Rickomg May I ask how you help people deal, are you a psychiatrist or what is your qualifications for such work? I’m not mocking, I’m interested.

Because I have seen, observed, studied, and use what I have found to be 100% true from life. Why do you need some degree or some proof of yet more lies heaped upon people? I learn everyday from the school of life. I need no approval from some professor… never have. I see what I see and know what I know by experience from MANY avenues of life. The bottom line is we all have within ourselves to fix whatever mess we get ourselves into. Be it mental or physical. Thought rules form. Period. Rarely in only a few cases ( when compared to the masses) is there a Physical issue/birth defect etc etc. For the rest (about 95%) of the populace, its ALL based on decisions made by the individuals. you decide somewhere in the flow of things how your going to act/react to any given situation. You can change your mind on anything by simply deciding to. Sometimes it’s learning the skill to catch that decision before its made on automatic and others it’s deciding to let go of negativity or deciding to move forward beyond some current issue. Whatever the problem is. It can ALL be handled and cured if given the correct handling for it. Each individual is different and has their own challenges in life no two people are ever the same so each person requires a different handling to help them. But they CAN be helped.

@Derrick545 This question is now 12 hours old as of my writing, so I’m sure you’ve either had your injection or refused it. I have bipolar disorder type 1, and I took Abilify for many years. It worked for me, but it was not perfect. I had to take other medicine along with it to help with other symptoms.

In the end, my Psychiatric Prescribing Nurse Practitioner and I decided to try a medicine newly approved to treat bipolar disorder called Latuda. It’s working better for me than the Abilify did, and I’m taking fewer pills.

I recommend you speak to your doctor about alternatives and simultaneously seek out a new doctor.

@Rickomg You wrote, “The bottom line is we all have within ourselves to fix whatever mess we get ourselves into. Be it mental or physical. Thought rules form. Period.” That’s bullshit. What you are spewing on this thread is dangerous and stupid.

A few years ago, one of my very close friends died. Did he get himself into a mess with cancer? Did he think himself into breast cancer that moved to his spine and finally his brain?

I suggest you educate yourself on the reality of mental illness. For now, let the professionals do their jobs. Your words here are harmful.

@Derrick545 Please, be very careful asking for medical advice on the Internet. There are many people who have computers and Internet access who will write very dangerous things.

Its a Fact and I’m sorry if you cant see it. You are directly responsible for putting yourself exactly where you are today. By decision or indecision acting or inaction your life is yours to decide how you wish to live it. There may be some minor outside influence by the universe but you decide how to deal with things and that is fact. When the truth is told many do fear it because it means the can’t lie to themselves anymore. I’m NOT saying there aren’t problems I’m not saying people don’t have Issues. I’m saying that we have the ability to handle it. You have decided you cannot. Then so be it. That still does not change the fact. I believe it was Henry Ford that said – “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t…. your right.”

@Rickomg I’m going to disagree with you on this and tell you that your post above sounds pretty manic to me unfortunately. Peace to you.

Can you see a therapist in addition to the psychiatrist? Can you get reimbursed for it? It would help to get a second opinion. Mostly what psychiatrists do these days is prescribe pills. They may do good sometimes, but based on my limited experience with mild depression, I have quite a bit of skepticism. You need to find someone else with whom you can talk this over.

I definitely have peace. But thank you. Fact is Fact, Truth is Truth it’s up to you to see it or not. “Manic” LMAO I wish you all the best.