Does Abilify withdrawal make you lose weight?
By
Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira is a Pharmacist and Doctor of Philosophy in Sciences from the University of São Paulo (USP). She has experience in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Milena’s Highlights:
-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.
-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration in the areas of Pharmacometrics and Population Pharmacokinetics, 2018.
-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.
“Science can be translated, and it is essential that everyone has access to quality information to make informed decisions” – Dr Milena Oliveira, PhD.
Professional Experience:
With a decade-long career as a researcher, Dr Milena has amassed extensive experience in conducting research projects in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics.
Her expertise also extends to the preparation of technical and scientific reports, literature reviews, data analysis, and scientific communication, both oral and written.
Dr Milena has served as a Clinical Pharmacist, providing expert supervision and guidance to teams during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the ICUs of two reference hospitals for patient hospitalization.
In her most recent role, Dr Milena worked on the implementation of the deliberatives of the São Paulo State Government Pharmaceutical Assistance Coordination. These decisions were aimed at ensuring medication access within the Unified Health System.
A widely multidisciplinary background enabled Dr Milena to become a professional capable of integrating scientific knowledge into private initiatives, education, and healthcare, delivering consistent services in patient safety and population health.
Professional Memberships & Affiliations:
Dr Milena Oliveira is a member of the Regional Council of Pharmacy of the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
Education:
-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.
-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration, 2018.
-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.
Relevant Published Work & Citations:
Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, Nardotto GHB, Pippa LF, Simões BP, Lanchote VL. Analysis of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in plasma and urine with application in the evaluation of total, renal and metabolic formation clearances in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. Nov 2020. 191:113-124.
Abstracts. CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology. 2020 Nov; 9 (S1).
Pippa LF, Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, de Andrade JM, Lanchote VL. Total, renal and hepatic clearances of doxorubicin and formation clearance of doxorubicinol in patients with breast cancer: Estimation of doxorubicin hepatic extraction ratio. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. 2020 Jun 5; 185:113-231.
Godoy ALPC, De Jesus C, De Oliveira ML, Rocha A, Pereira MPM, Larangeira DF, Lanchote VL, Barrouin-Melo SM. Determination of Allopurinol and Oxypurinol in Dogs Plasma by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with an Ultraviolet Detector: Application for Pharmacokinetic Studies. J Chromatogr Sep Tech. 2017; 8 (4).
Clímaco EC, Oliveira ML de, Pitondo-Silva A, Oliveira MG, Medeiros M, Lincopan N, et al. Clonal complexes 104, 109 and 113 playing a major role in the dissemination of OXA-carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in Southeast Brazil. Infection, Genetics and Evolution. 2013 Oct;19:127–33.
Conference Papers:
Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B.; PIPPA, L. F.; ROCHA, A.; SIMOES, B. P.; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Daunorubicin metabolism and urinary excretion in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 84th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (DGPT) and the 20th Annual Meeting of the Association of the Clinical Pharmacology Germany (VKliPha), 2018, Göttingen. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg’s Arch Pharmacol, 2018. v. 391. p. S76-S76.
Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . The low contribution of urinary excretion in the elimination of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 49th Brazilian Congress of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics., 2017, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2017. p. 64-64.
Oliveira, M. L.; PIPPA, L. F. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Quantification of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in human plasma by LC-MS/MS. In: I International Meeting of Environmental Health and Toxicology (IMEHTOX), 2016, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2016.
Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. . PFGE typing of Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from different University Hospitals. In: V International Postgraduate and Research Symposium, 2012.
Clímaco, E.C. ; SILVA, A. P. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. Relação clonal entre linhagens de Acinetobacter baumannii produtoras de carbapenemases da família OXA em quatro hospitais no Brasil. In: XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012, Santos. XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012.
Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Dissemintion of OXA carbapenemases genes in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in University Hospital of Juiz de Fora, MG. In: 8th CIFARP – International Congress of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2011, Ribeirão Preto.
Clímaco, E.C. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Avaliação do sequenciamento parcial do gene rpoB e de seus flanqueadores para identificação de espécies de Acinetobacter na rotina laroratorial. In: 2° International Symposium on Clinical Microbiology, 2010, Florianópolis.
You can view some of Dr Milena’s work below and links to her professional profile.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dra-milena-locci-de-oliveira-28986042/?locale=en_US
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Milena-Oliveira-6
Escavador: https://www.escavador.com/sobre/5394254/milena-locci-de-oliveira
Lattes: https://buscatextual.cnpq.br/buscatextual/busca.do
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57199779361
Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=list_works&hl=pt-BR&user=1YUBDIQAAAAJ
Does Abilify withdrawal make you lose weight?
Yes, Abilify withdrawal does make you lose weight, especially if you gained a lot of weight on this medication. Abilify can cause a significant amount of weight in some people and it could create a number of new difficulties for the one taking this medication.
However, when you withdraw from it, you soon begin to lose some of the weight, but you may not lose all of it. This is because your body will not magically lose all the extra weight on stopping the medication and you will need to put more effort into your weight recovery journey (1).
Some other factors can also affect your weight loss. If your doctor is switching you to another medication after stopping Abilify, the amount of weight you will lose will also depend on how the new med makes you feel and how much weight it allows your body to lose.
If you are successfully done with your treatment and you’re not switching to any other medication after Abilify, then you may lose more weight.
However, the best way to accelerate your weight loss process is to take good care of your diet. You should also incorporate exercise in your routine to strengthen your body, mind, and your immune system. However, if you are losing a tremendous amount of weight, please reach out to your doctor.
Can you withdraw from Abilify abruptly?
No, you should never stop taking Abilify abruptly. Antipsychotics should always be tapered off gradually to prevent disturbing withdrawal symptoms associated with abrupt discontinuation.
Sudden Abilify withdrawal is known as Aripiprazole discontinuation syndrome (2), which can cause a number of disturbing symptoms, some more common than others. These include (3):
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Dizziness
- Headaches
- Flu-like symptoms (fatigue, muscle aches, chills)
- Sweating
- Restlessness
- Agitation
- Mood swings
- Suicidal thoughts (in rare cases)
- Rebound psychosis
Some case studies have also reported rare symptoms which may last longer, like dystonia and restless leg syndrome (4,5). This is why it’s extremely important to make sure that you don’t discontinue taking Abilify without your doctor’s approval.
If it is not the right choice of medication for you, your doctor will safely switch you to another antipsychotic medication.
Final words
To sum up, withdrawing from Abilify may cause weight loss, especially if the medication made you gain weight. Most psychotropics are associated with weight-related side effects and some can be managed by lifestyle changes.
However, make sure you report your side effects to your doctor. If Abilify withdrawal is affecting the quality of your life, your doctor may prescribe a low of the same medication or any other medication to help mitigate the disturbing symptoms.
Just make sure you don’t stop using Abilify or any other medication that can affect your psychological functions without consulting your doctor first.
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References
1.-
Speyer H, Westergaard C, Albert N, Karlsen M, Stürup AE, Nordentoft M, Krogh J. Reversibility of Antipsychotic-Induced Weight Gain: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2021 Jul 28;12:577919. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2021.577919. PMID: 34393989; PMCID: PMC8355990. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34393989/
2.-
Philip NS. An aripiprazole discontinuation syndrome. R I Med J (2013). 2013 Feb;96(2):13-4. PMID: 24933746. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24933746/
3.-
Sansone RA, Sawyer RJ. Aripiprazole withdrawal: a case report. Innov Clin Neurosci. 2013 May;10(5-6):10-2. PMID: 23882434; PMCID: PMC3719459. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3719459/
4.-
McLaren JL, Cauble S, Barnett RJ. Aripiprazole induced acute dystonia after discontinuation of stimulant medication. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2010 Feb;30(1):77-8. doi: 10.1097/JCP.0b013e3181c92eb2. PMID: 20075654. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20075654/
5.-
Dokuz G, Ergün S, Topçuoğlu V. Restless Legs Syndrome After Aripiprazole Discontinuation: A Case Report and Review of Literature. Psychiatr Danub. 2022 Winter;34(4):738-740. doi: 10.24869/psyd.2022.738. PMID: 36548895. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36548895/
