Is it safe to withdraw Effexor by replacing Abilify?
Patient's Query
Hello doctor,
Can Abilify (2 mg) help me get off 37.5 mg Effexor? That is what my psychiatrist prescribed.
Hello,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
You are taking a minimum dose of Effexor on alternate days, and it is relatively easier to get off from this dose. But you are not able to get off from the drug. Abilify is Aripiprazole and is an antipsychotic drug. In a low dose, the drug might help to ease withdrawal if you suffer any. But since the drug is different from Effexor in pharmaco-dynamic actions so I do not think the drug can help in reducing the severe withdrawal symptoms. Taking low dose Klonopin (Clonazepam) along with Abilify should help to minimize the anxiety due to withdrawal, and you should give it a try.
Same symptoms don't mean you have the same problem. Consult a doctor now!
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