Can A New Medication Work For One Month Then Stop Working?

Family
1

My sz spouse has been taking a monthly shot of Ambilify 300mg - his 1st one worked well. The voices were quiet(er) and he was able to hold conversations with family and enjoy them. The 2nd one however didn’t seem to take hold. After 4 days, I noticed a drop in his concentration, he was reacting and responding to his voices again and after a week, he’s been very hard to talk to; he can’t concentrate, very little sleep and he’s talking to the voices 24/7. He’s agreed to go into the VA Mental HC this afternoon for a med check. I was wondering if there’s anything I should ask in particular because this is unusual or if this is something that can happen with a new medication.

Thanks-this forum is a life saver and I appreciate any of your thoughts.

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Yes, it can. I think that would be a good idea.

3

Psychosis doesn’t heal with one shot, or even two. It takes months of medication along with allowing the brain to heal. Something must have triggered it to start again.

4

Thanks for your response. May have been the Christmas season-I’ve noticed in the past he has some aversion to this period after an initial time of excitability. So it doesn’t mean the Ambilify will not work in the future? Just that we have to be patient and wait till the symptoms subside? He was given an additional daily 5ml Ambilify pill to take till we see his psychiatrist in 2 days. She may change him over to another medication.

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5

Thanks, Doctor! Even after 10 years, this disease continues to surprise me.

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6

No problem. Yup. I bet in I’m for more of those too.

7

My son started Invega injections a few weeks ago. He’s doing very well, but from what I read, it takes some people a few months to get the dosage right. I would think Abilify is the same.

Good luck! I’m hoping it’s just a combination of the holiday stress or he needs a slight adjustment in dosage.

My son’s had a few times when a med would seem to work for a few weeks to a couple months, then it seemed to piddle out. Sometimes, upping the dosage would do the trick, sometimes not.

8

Amen to that!! 10 long years for my son now and it’s still a battle!

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I’m glad your son has persevered thru all the med issues. I hope my husband will. We went back to VA Mental HC (Triage-since he didn’t have a appt) and they gave him Abilify pills (same med as the shot). He has an appt with his doc in 2 days. She said she has something else in mind for him. Hope so-no sleep last night and he was yelling/cursing at the voices for most of it. I gave him a bit extra this morning and he’s calmer and got some sleep.