Should I switch from Abilify to a new antipsychotic with less weight gain?

[SeekerOfTruth007]

I have schizoeffective disorder, and Abilify is the only medication which stops the worst of the symptoms, but it causes weight gain. I'd like to lose weight to fight, even at my age. I've been trying to cut weight for a month now, because I wanted to Amateur fight, but I only lost 5 pounds so far, so I'm still not light enough to weigh in at 205. I want to lose the weight, and i'm positive it's my Psych meds which cause me to gain so much weight. I was at 190lbs about 7 or 8 years ago, and the damn medication has pushed my weight up to 222 as of last month and 217 right now after losing another 5 pounds.

I want to lose the weight, but I have to stay on freaking psych meds because my mental health is way more important even than weight loss goals. I'm afraid to go off Abilify long enough to try a new medicine, because what if the new medicine doesn't work? I'll go batshit crazy again, which I'm still not entirely cured as things stand.

What would you do? Try the new medicine anyway? Or just stay on Abilify?

Updates

2 mo

Oh yeah, I see my Psychiatrist again in a few days, but I'm still not sure what to do with myself. I'm type 2 diabetic, which is somehow geneticlaly inked with schizoeffective disorder anyway but I can't afford to keep packing 25 extra pounds on me anyway. Either way, I think I'm going to try the new medication and somehow phase out abilify.

[Anonymous]

I'm on it as well and it is really difficult to lose weight on this drug. I've been on it for 5 years now and the only thing that is helping now is doing OMAD and cutting out fast good completely. I'm down 23lbs in 16 days.

I fear going on another drug too and it not working so I did what has been the culprit in my weight gain which is fast food and eating in a surplus because of it.

Try eating whole foods and stay away from fast food for a while if you eat it sometimes and see if that makes a difference.

Also, maybe try eating one meal a day like I am doing. You might see some great results. But even just eating whole foods and eating far less will do the trick. I track all my food and calories as well and eat under 1200 calories a day.

I plan on doing this for the rest of my life because it's the only thing that has worked so far and I'm not hungry doing this at all.

[Anonymous]

Ask for invega its an injection. You take it once per month

[RespectAutonomy]

I was intoxicated in a gambling way on abilify. But I gained much more weight and couldn't basically function on haldol (first generation typical antipsychotic). You may be prescribed a different second generation atypical antipsychotic. My opinion is Cobenfy (third generation) is the best, but expensive.

[Maybe_Maybe_not]

It is your psychiatrist's role to decide what antipsychotic fits best overall, and it is your role to discuss that with them, as well as the effects you experience. Just please don't quit medication abruptly as the adverse effects are notoriously worst than the side effects of antipsychotic.

[NathanDavis]

ask your doctor... lmao