Abilify Drug Interactions

People who are taking certain medications should avoid using them together with Abilify. Any prescription or over-the-counter medication that has a sedating effect should be avoided during treatment because of the increased risk of severe drowsiness or other side effects. Examples include narcotic pain relievers, muscle relaxers, sleeping aids and benzodiazepines.

Major Interactions

There are currently 17 different drugs that are known to have major interactions with Abilify. Due to the wide range of generic drugs that are available, though, these 17 drugs are classified by almost 90 different names. It is important to discuss any medications that you are taking, both prescription and over the counter (OTC), with your physician and your pharmacist. Very common OTC drugs, such as acetaminophen and aspirin, are among those that can cause major issues, so it is crucial not to take any other medications with Abilify unless they've been cleared by your physician.

Clozapine, in all of its formats, can be highly dangerous when mixed with Abilify. Other medications to completely avoid include all formats of bupropion, propoxyphene, zonisamide, tetrabenazine, sodium biphosphate, topiramate, tetrabenazine, metoclopramide, propoxyphene, iohexol, metrizamide, hyoscyamine, methenamine and methylene blue. Caffeine taken with Abilify can also cause major issues, so make sure that you do not take any pain relievers that contain any of it, regardless of the amount.

Moderate Interactions

They are almost 1,000 different drugs that are known to have moderate interactions with Abilify. Managing such a large list is difficult, and it is possible that your physician will knowingly prescribe you a medication that is on the moderate list. When two drugs are known to have a moderate interaction with each other it is up to the physician to determine whether or not the potential good outweighs the potential bad. You should still make sure that you're aware of any potential interactions, however, and make sure that you report anything that is not normal.

Hundreds of common OTC drugs are on the moderate interaction list. Pain relievers and cold and flu medications turn up on the moderate interaction risk several times, so it is especially important to pay attention to OTC drugs from those categories.

The list of prescription drugs that present a moderate interaction list is extensive, and it spreads across a wide range of different categories, including allergy medication, HIV medication and pain medication. It is important to carry something on you at all times that will alert emergency physicians to the fact that you are taking Abilify. Morphine, for example, is a commonly given drug for pain in the ER, but if the ER staff knows that you are taking Abilify, they may choose to go with a safer alternative.

Other prescriptions which may pose a moderate risk include:

• Actiq (fentanyl)
• Ambien and Ambien CR (zolpidem)
• Benadryl
• Citalopram (Celexa)
• Decadron
• Lamictal
• Lasix (Furosemide)
• Metformin
• Methadone
• Morphine
• Oxycodone (Oxycontin)
• Percocet
• Lyrica (Pregabalin)
• Prozac (fluoxetine)
• Seroquel (quetiapine)
• Zoloft (sertraline)
• Soma
• Vesicare (solifenacin)
• verapamil
• Zyprexa
• Zyrtec

Supplements & vitamins

Some vitamins and dietary supplements could cause adverse drug reactions, so patients should always check with their doctor or pharmacist before starting any new medication. Alcoholic beverages should be avoided while taking Abilify due to increased confusion and depression of the central nervous system.

If your physician prescribes you a medication that is known to have an interaction with Abilify, you should monitor yourself for any unusual changes. Not everyone reacts the same way when drugs are mixed, so you shouldn't expect to develop symptoms because other people have, but if anything unusual occurs, you should consult with your physician immediately.