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Compare Lamictal vs. Abilify

Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, warnings, and more.

Key takeaways

Lamotrigine (Lamictal) and aripiprazole (Abilify) are both prescription medications, but they are used for different conditions and belong to different drug classes. Lamotrigine is an antiepileptic used to treat seizures and bipolar I disorder, while aripiprazole is an atypical antipsychotic used for schizophrenia, bipolar I disorder, and as an add-on for depression. Lamotrigine is available in various forms, including immediate-release and extended-release tablets, and can cause serious skin reactions like rash. Aripiprazole, on the other hand, is available in tablets, solutions, and orally disintegrating tablets, and can cause side effects like movement problems and sleep issues. While both medications can cause dizziness and have serious side effects, aripiprazole is more likely to cause weight gain and high blood sugar. Lamotrigine requires careful dose adjustments to avoid severe skin reactions, whereas aripiprazole can take several weeks to show full effects and may cause impulse-control problems. Both medications are available in generic forms.

Lamotrigine (Lamictal)
Aripiprazole (Abilify)
Lamotrigine (Lamictal)
Aripiprazole (Abilify)
Summary of Lamictal vs. Abilify
Summary for Antiepileptic
Prescription only
Lamotrigine (Lamictal) can be used alone or together with other medications to treat seizures. It's available in immediate-release and extended-release formulations. The immediate-release formulation can also be used for bipolar disorder. Lamotrigine (Lamictal) can cause serious skin reactions like rash.
Summary for Atypical antipsychotic
Prescription only
Aripiprazole (Abilify) is an atypical antipsychotic used to treat different mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder. It works by balancing certain chemicals in the brain to help control thoughts, mood, and behaviors. It's available in many dosage forms, including an oral tablet, solution, and an orally disintegrating tablet (ODT) that can be used in adults and children as young as 6 years old for certain conditions. Common side effects include headache, movement problems, and sleep problems.
Indications of Lamictal vs. Abilify
Indications for

•Seizures (partial seizures, tonic-clonic seizures)

•Seizures of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome - immediate-release only

•Bipolar disorder - immediate-release only

Indications for

•Schizophrenia

•Tourette syndrome in children

•Bipolar I disorder

•Depression (add-on treatment)

•Irritability associated with autistic disorder in children
Pros and Cons of Lamictal vs. Abilify
Pros and Const for Antiepileptic
Pros

•Starter kits are available to help with dosing when you first start the medication.

•Dose can be adjusted based on your response

•Available in various forms: chewable tablets, quick-dissolving tablets, and extended-release tablets

•Available as a lower-cost generic

Cons

•Can cause dizziness

•Dose has to be slowly raised due to risk of serious rash

•Interacts with many medications such as birth control pills, divalproex (Depakote), and dofetilide (Tikosyn)

•Unknown if safe or works well in children under 2 years old (immediate release) or children under 13 years old (extended release)

Pros and Const for Atypical antipsychotic
Pros

•Only taken once a day

•Available in a liquid and dissolvable tablet for people who have trouble swallowing pills

•Less likely to cause weight gain than most other antipsychotics

•Available as a lower-cost generic

Cons

•Can make you feel restless

•Risk of movement problems that can be permanent

•Can raise blood sugar and cholesterol

•Can take several weeks to see the full effects
Common Side Effects of Lamictal vs. Abilify
Common Side Effects for
Below are common side effects reported by adults who took this medication along with other treatments. Percentages can differ depending on your condition (e.g., bipolar) and your age.

Immediate release

•Dizziness (38%)

•Headache (29%)

•Double vision (28%)

•Loss of coordination (22%)

•Nausea (19%)

•Blurry vision (16%)

•Sleepiness (14%)

•Stuffy nose (14%)

•Sore throat (10%)

•Rash (10%)

Extended release

•Dizziness (14%)

•Nausea (7%)

•Vomiting (6%)

•Tremor (6%)

•Feeling tired (6%)

•Double vision (5%)

•Diarrhea (5%)

Common Side Effects for

•Headache (27%)

•Agitation (19%)

•Trouble sleeping (18%)

•Anxiety (17%)

•Nausea (15%)

•Vomiting (11%)

•Constipation (11%)

•Dizziness (10%)

•Trouble staying still (10%)

Note: Side effects were reported by adults who took aripiprazole in clinical studies for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Warnings of Lamictal vs. Abilify
Common Side Effects for

•Severe skin reactions and allergic reactions

•Overactive immune system

•Irregular heartbeat

•Suicidal behavior and thoughts

•Meningitis (brain inflammation)

•Withdrawal seizures

•Possible eye problems

•Interaction with other medications

Common Side Effects for

•Higher risk of death in older adults with dementia-related psychosis

•Neuroleptic malignant syndrome

•High blood sugar, high cholesterol, and weight gain

•Difficulty controlling movements

•Changes in blood pressure and higher risk of falls

•Risk of infection (from low white blood cell count)

•Difficulty concentrating and extreme sleepiness

•Seizures

•Impulse-control problems
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Compare Lamictal vs. Abilify

Key takeaways

Summary of Lamictal vs. Abilify

Indications of Lamictal vs. Abilify

Pros and Cons of Lamictal vs. Abilify

Common Side Effects of Lamictal vs. Abilify

Warnings of Lamictal vs. Abilify

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