DEAR DR. GOTT: My 23-year-old son was diagnosed with bipolar illness about a year ago. He is taking Depakote and Abilify and seems to be doing rather well. Are there long-term side effects from these medications, and what causes this mental illness, anyway?
DEAR READER: Side effects of Abilify include a possibility of tardive dyskinesia (TD), involuntary, repetitive movements of the limbs, trunk and facial muscles. Abilify has been around for fewer than 10 years, so long-term effects are essentially unknown. But the product has so far been shown to have a much lower risk of TD when compared with older antipsychotic drugs.
Your son may also experience weight gain, which can likely be controlled through diet and exercise.
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