Aripiprazole is used alone or together with other medicines to treat mental conditions such as bipolar I disorder (manic-depressive illness), major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia. It is also used in children to treat irritability associated with autistic disorder and Tourette syndrome. Aripiprazole works in the brain to change how certain chemicals affect patients. It is an antipsychotic agent.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. Abilify® oral solution was withdrawn from the market on May 15, 2015 and this dose form is not marketed by any generic manufacturers.

Take this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not take more of it, do not take it more often, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. To do so may increase the chance of side effects.

This medicine should come with a Medication Guide. Read and follow the instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions.

If you are using the orally disintegrating tablet, make sure your hands are dry before you handle the tablet. Do not open the blister pack that contains the tablet until you are ready to take it. Remove the tablet from the blister pack by peeling back the foil, then taking the tablet out. Do not push the tablet through the foil. Do not break or split the tablet. Place the tablet in your mouth. It should melt quickly. After the tablet has melted, you may swallow or take a sip of water.

Swallow the tablets whole. Do not break, crush, or chew them.

Abilify Mycite® has a sensor in the tablet, which helps track it inside the stomach or bowels. The Abilify Mycite® System comes with a patch (wearable sensor), a smartphone application (app), and a web-based portal. Follow your doctor's instructions on how to use the medicine.

The Abilify Mycite® tablet is usually detected within 30 minutes after you take it, but there may be a delay of more than 2 hours for the smartphone app and web portal to detect that you have taken the medicine, and sometimes it might not be detected at all.

To apply the Abilify Mycite® patch:

The app will tell you when to apply or remove the patch. It should be changed weekly or sooner as needed.
Place the patch to the left side of your body just above the lower edge of your rib cage. Do not put the patch in areas where the skin is scraped, cracked, inflamed, or irritated, or near the area where you had removed the previous patch. The app will help you place the patch in the correct location.
You may keep the patch on when showering, swimming, or exercising.
Aripiprazole may be taken with or without food. If your doctor tells you to take it a certain way, follow your doctor's instructions.

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

More common

Difficulty with speaking

drooling

loss of balance control

muscle trembling, jerking, or stiffness

restlessness

shuffling walk

stiffness of the limbs

twisting movements of the body

uncontrolled movements, especially of the face, neck, and back

Less common

Blurred vision

dizziness

headache

inability to move the eyes

increased blinking or spasms of the eyelid

nervousness

pounding in the ears

slow or fast heartbeat

sticking out the tongue

trouble with breathing or swallowing

unusual facial expressions

Rare

High fever

high or low blood pressure

increased sweating

lip smacking or puckering

loss of bladder control

muscle spasm or jerking of all extremities

puffing of the cheeks

rapid or worm-like movements of the tongue

seizures

severe muscle stiffness

sudden loss of consciousness

tiredness

uncontrolled chewing movements

uncontrolled movements of the arms and legs

unusually pale skin

Incidence not known

Hives or welts, itching, or skin rash

itching, puffiness, or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue

large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs

redness of the skin

tightness in the chest

unusual tiredness or weakness

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:

Symptoms of overdose

Bigger, dilated, or enlarged pupils (black part of the eye)

diarrhea

fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse

increased sensitivity of the eyes to light

lack or loss of strength

nausea

sleepiness or unusual drowsiness

vomiting

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

More common

Anxiety

belching

blurred vision

difficulty having a bowel movement

dry mouth

fear

fever

heartburn

hyperventilation

inability to sit still

indigestion

irritability

lightheadedness

need to keep moving

nervousness

rash

runny nose

shaking

sore throat

stomach discomfort, upset, or pain

trouble sleeping

weight gain

Less common

Accidental injury

bloating or swelling of the face, arms, hands, lower legs, or feet

body aches or pain

congestion

coughing

difficulty with moving

dryness or soreness of the throat

hoarseness

increased appetite

increased salivation

joint pain

muscle aching or cramping

muscle pains or stiffness

rapid weight gain

sneezing

stuffy nose

swollen joints

tender, swollen glands in the neck

tingling of the hands or feet

tremor

unusual weight gain or loss

voice changes

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

It is very important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits to allow for changes in your dose and to make sure this medicine is working properly. Blood and urine tests may be needed to check for any unwanted effects.

For some patients, this medicine can increase thoughts of suicide. Tell your doctor right away if you start to feel more depressed and have thoughts about hurting yourself. Report any unusual thoughts or behaviors that trouble you, especially if they are new or are getting worse quickly. Make sure the doctor knows if you have trouble sleeping, get upset easily, have a big increase in energy, or start to act reckless. Also tell the doctor if you have sudden or strong feelings, such as feeling nervous, angry, restless, violent, or scared. Let the doctor know if you or anyone in your family has bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness) or has tried to commit suicide.

This medicine may add to the effects of alcohol and other central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medicines that make you drowsy or less alert). Some examples of CNS depressants are antihistamines or medicines for hay fever, other allergies, or colds, sedatives, tranquilizers, or sleeping medicines, prescription pain medicines or narcotics, medicines for seizures or barbiturates, muscle relaxants, or anesthetics, including some dental anesthetics. Check with your doctor before taking any CNS depressants while you are taking this medicine.

Aripiprazole may cause drowsiness, trouble with thinking, or trouble with controlling movements, which may lead to falls, fractures or other injuries. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous unless you know how this medicine affects you.

Check with your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms while using this medicine: convulsions (seizures), difficulty with breathing, a fast heartbeat, a high fever, high or low blood pressure, increased sweating, loss of bladder control, severe muscle stiffness, unusually pale skin, or tiredness. These could be symptoms of a serious condition called neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS).

This medicine may cause tardive dyskinesia (a movement disorder) especially in elderly women. Check with your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms while taking this medicine: lip smacking or puckering, puffing of the cheeks, rapid or worm-like movements of the tongue, uncontrolled chewing movements, or uncontrolled movements of the arms and legs.

Some people who have used this medicine had unusual changes in their behavior. Talk with your doctor right away if you start having unusual urges, such as gambling urges, binge or compulsive eating, compulsive shopping, or sexual urges while using this medicine.

Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting may occur, especially when you get up from a lying or sitting position. Getting up slowly may help. If this problem continues or gets worse, check with your doctor.

This medicine may make it more difficult for your body to cool down. It might reduce how much you sweat. Your body could get too hot if you do not sweat enough. If your body gets too hot, you might feel dizzy, weak, tired, or confused. You might have an upset stomach or vomit. Call your doctor if drinking cool water and moving away from the heat does not cool you down.

This medicine may increase the amount of sugar in your blood. Also, the oral liquid form contains sugar. Check with your doctor right away if you have increased thirst or increased urination. If you have diabetes, you may notice a change in the results of your urine or blood sugar tests. If you have any questions, check with your doctor.

This medicine can temporarily lower the number of white blood cells in your blood, increasing the chance of getting an infection. If you can, avoid people with infections. Check with your doctor immediately if you think you are getting an infection or if you get a fever or chills, cough or hoarseness, lower back or side pain, or painful or difficult urination.

This medicine may increase your weight. Your doctor may need to check your weight on a regular basis while you are using this medicine.

Do not change the dose or stop taking this medicine without checking first with your doctor.

Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines) and herbal or vitamin supplements.