Side effects
In the first two or three weeks of taking aripiprazole, side effects (such as feeling agitated and restless, or feeling sick) may make you feel generally worse. They should wear off quite quickly but if they are a problem, speak to your doctor or care team.
The side effects that come with aripiprazole are different to those of many other antipsychotics, but they can be serious.
Do not stop taking the tablets until you talk to your doctor, or you may get withdrawal symptoms as well.
Young people aged 13 and over are more likely than adults to get the following side effects:
- extreme tiredness and sleepiness
- dry mouth
- strange movements and twitches of muscles
- dizziness
- increased appetite and weight gain
- restlessness
- pain in the abdomen (belly)
- fast heartbeat
Common side effects for both children and adults taking aripiprazole include:
- uncontrollable twitching or jerking movements
- feeling anxious or restless
- feeling or being sick
- discomfort or pain in the stomach
- constipation (difficulty pooing)
- lightheadedness
- trouble sleeping
- blurred eyesight
There are other side effects that you can get when taking this medicine – we have only included the most common ones here. Please look at the paper leaflet inside your medicine box, or ask a doctor or pharmacist, if you want to know if you are getting a side effect from your medicine.
If you do get a side effect, please think about reporting it to the 'Yellow Card' scheme.
Aripiprazole has also been known to make people feel like gambling to extremes. If you have ever had problems with gambling in the past, you should talk to your doctor about this before you take it.
Body
A side effect of aripiprazole can be both weight loss and weight gain, although it is less likely to cause weight gain than other antipsychotic medicines.
It is very difficult to know how it will affect each person who takes it.
Sometimes aripiprazole is given to people taking other antipsychotics to not only help their symptoms but also to reverse some of the weight gained.
Your doctor should measure your weight regularly when you are taking aripiprazole.
Young people will gain some weight each year as they grow, but anything more than that should be watched.
If you put on weight, there are other antipsychotic medicines you can try, or ways to try and lose it again. Talk to your doctor about this if it worries you.
Sleep
Aripiprazole may make you feel very sleepy but may also make it hard to get to sleep.
Sleepiness has been shown to affect young people more than adults.
See how it affects you for the first few days of taking it.
Go back to your doctor if this causes a big problem for you.
Sex and fertility
Sex
Aripiprazole is unlikely to cause side effects that affect your sex life (and is also less likely to do so than other antipsychotic medications).
If it works for you, aripiprazole may have a positive effect on your sex life as your symptoms settle, and you can concentrate on your relationships.
If you have a penis, you can get an erection that is painful and lasts for a long time (priapism) when taking aripiprazole. If this happens, you must go to a doctor straight away.
Fertility
There is no information to suggest aripiprazole has any effects on fertility.
You should use a good contraceptive while taking aripiprazole and talk to your doctor about options if you are trying to get pregnant.
Pregnancy, post-natal and breastfeeding
Pregnancy
There is nothing to suggest aripiprazole will harm the developing baby during pregnancy.
If you decide to carry on taking aripiprazole through your pregnancy, you should talk to your doctor and midwife about it before the birth.
Your dose may need to increase later in your pregnancy as the body gets rid of aripiprazole more quickly. After delivery, your dose will go back to what it was before.
Post-natal
Aripiprazole can cause some symptoms in newborn babies – for instance, your baby might be born a little earlier than expected and may suffer from agitation, muscle spasm or weakness, shaking, drowsiness, feeding problems or breathing problems.
You will need help from the midwife and doctors, so it is better if they are looking out for these side effects. These usually are mild and go away in a few days without treatment.
Breastfeeding
Aripiprazole is passed to the baby in breast milk in small amounts. Breastfeeding may offset some of the symptoms. Talk to your doctor or midwife about your feeding options.
Driving and transport
Do not drive a car or ride a bike just after you start taking aripiprazole.
Taking aripiprazole may make you feel very tired or dizzy and affect your eyesight when you start taking it.
This could affect you if you drive a car, ride a bike, or do anything else that needs a lot of focus. It might be best to stop doing these things for the first few days, until you know how it affects you.
Do not worry - most people drive as normal while taking aripiprazole.
School and exams
Try not to take aripiprazole for the first time just before your exams.
Aripiprazole could make you feel very tired and dizzy, make you feel restless and affect your eyesight.
You should talk to your doctor about any future exams if you are starting aripiprazole. You might decide together to delay starting it until you have completed them.
If they are more than a week away, however, you might find that it is better to start aripiprazole to improve your motivation to study.
Do not worry - most people take exams as normal while taking aripiprazole.
Friends and family
You may want to let your family and friends know you are taking aripiprazole so they can support you and help you look out for side effects.
For guidance on this, check out our page on getting support with your medication.
Sport
Aripiprazole is not a banned substance in sport.
Taking aripiprazole may make you feel tired and dizzy, and affect your eyesight. This could be dangerous in some sports so it might be best not to take part in them for the first few days or weeks, until you know how it affects you.
Do not worry - most people do sports as normal while taking aripiprazole.
Alcohol and street drugs
Alcohol
You can drink alcohol while taking aripiprazole, but the two together could make you very sleepy.
During the first few days, it might be best to stop drinking alcohol until you see how the medicine affects you.
If you want to drink alcohol, plan how you will get home safely if you feel sleepy.
Street drugs
Be careful if you are also using street drugs,
Antipsychotics block the effect of dopamine, so this means the ‘high’ may not be as ‘high’ as before from any drug. You may be tempted to increase your dose of the drug to make up for it, but this could be dangerous.
Cannabis can make drowsiness worse with aripiprazole.
Cannabis and other drugs may have their own side effects on your mental health, like anxiety or psychosis. For more information, have a look at our drugs and alcohol page.
Methadone can make drowsiness worse with aripiprazole.
Aripiprazole could reduce your craving for cocaine and could reduce the level of happiness that you feel when taking cocaine.
Aripiprazole and stimulant drugs such as amfetamines can affect the heart, and this can be dangerous when taken together.
Prescription medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist before you take aripiprazole if you are prescribed any other medication, to check that the combination is safe.
Before you start taking aripiprazole, tell your doctor if you are taking any other medications including things you have bought over the counter and topical applications that you put on your skin.
Monitoring
You should have your weight, height, waist circumference and blood pressure checked regularly while you are taking aripiprazole.
Your doctor should also do blood tests to check your liver, blood sugar, and some hormones before and regularly during your treatment.
You may also have a heart test called an electrocardiogram (ECG) before you start treatment - and periodically while taking aripiprazole - if you are at risk of heart disease.
References and further reading
For more helpful links and information, have a look at our references and further reading page.