Compare Lamictal vs. Abilify
Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, ratings, and more.
Prevents seizures and stabilizes mood.
Lamictal (Lamotrigine) is most useful for treating severe seizure disorders, and for bipolar disorder with more depression symptoms than manic symptoms. Just be careful to increase your dose slowly to avoid skin rash.
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3.7/ 5 average rating with 184 reviewsforLamictal
Helps control your thoughts and mood.
Abilify (aripiprazole) is good for treating psychosis and mania, and can help with depression. It's less likely to cause side effects than other antipsychotics.
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3.2/ 5 average rating with 252 reviewsforAbilify
Upsides
- Effective at lowering the frequency of seizures in people with epilepsy or Lennox-Gestaut syndrome. Typically used together with other medications for severe seizure disorders.
- Works best for partial, tonic-clonic, and absence seizures.
- A first-line treatment for bipolar disorder. Effective long-term treatment for stabilizing mood. Prevents both depressive and manic episodes, but the effect is greater for preventing depression.
- Doesn't require routine blood tests.
- Effective at relieving psychotic symptoms and manic episodes.
- More energizing than other antipsychotics.
- Fewer side effects than other antipsychotics.
- Studies show that it can also be helpful for depression, especially in women, if your symptoms don't go away with an antidepressant alone.
- Available as a generic, which is cheaper.
Downsides
- Can cause double vision, dizziness, sleepiness, and headache.
- Has the risk of a rare but life-threatening rash.
- Can make hormonal birth control less effective.
- Might be less effective than other medicines for treating manic episodes (acute mania) in people with bipolar disorder.
- Mild risk of extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS), a movement disorder that includes stiffness, tremor, restlessness, and slow, repetitive, or involuntary movements.
- You might need routine blood tests to check how the medicine is affecting your body.
- All antipsychotics come with side effects that make them difficult to take. You might need to try a few different medicines until you find the one that works for you and that you can tolerate.
Used for
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar I disorder
- Depression
- Autistic disorder irritability
- Tourette syndrome
Dosage forms
- Pill
- Extended release
- Chewable tablet
- Dissolving tablet
- Pill
- Dissolving tablet
- Liquid
- Injection
Price
Lowest price
$26.75
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$2715.90
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Reviews
184 reviews so far
66%
saidit'sworth it
58%
saiditworked well
18%
saidit'sa big hassle
Have you used Lamictal (Lamotrigine)?
Leave a review252 reviews so far
44%
saidit'sworth it
40%
saiditworked well
34%
saidit'sa big hassle
Have you used Abilify (aripiprazole)?
Leave a reviewSide effects
36possible side effects
- Dizziness38%
- Headache28%
- Diplopia28%
- Ataxia22%
- Nausea19%
- Blurred vision16%
- Somnolence14%
- Rhinitis14%
- Pharyngitis10%
- Rash10%
- Vomiting9%
- Cough increased8%
- Flu syndrome7%
- Dysmenorrhea7%
- Fever6%
- Diarrhea6%
- Incoordination6%
- Insomnia6%
- Abdominal pain5%
- Dyspepsia5%
- Constipation4%
- Tremor4%
- Depression4%
- Anxiety4%
- Vaginitis4%
- Convulsion3%
- Irritability3%
- Speech disorder3%
- Pruritus3%
- Vision abnormality3%
- Neck pain2%
- Reaction aggravated (seizure exacerbation)2%
- Anorexia2%
- Arthralgia2%
- Concentration disturbance2%
- Amenorrhea2%
4possible side effects
- Restlessness13%
- Sedation8%
- Tremor6%
- Difficulty controlling movements5%
Risks and risk factors
- Suicidal thoughts or behavior
- History of depression
- Serious skin rash
- People also taking Depakote
- Taking more than the prescribed dose
- Increasing the dose too quickly
- Serious allergic reactions
- Blood disorders
- Meningitis
- Interactions with birth control pills
- Taking birth control pills
- Withdrawal seizures
- Stopping Lamictal (Lamotrigine) suddenly
- Increased risk of death
- Elderly patients with dementia
- Suicidal thoughts or behavior
- Age 24 years or younger
- Use of antidepressant medications
- Shaking and restlessness
- Increased blood sugar and cholesterol, and weight gain
- People with diabetes
- People with high cholesterol
- Driving impairment
- Alcohol
- Taking other medicines that make you less alert
- Low blood pressure