I know someone w/ bipolar illness who takes Abilify and has had positive results w/ it. However, when she first started taking it, it upset her stomach. She had to take Pepto Bismal for a few days at the beginning. Now, she has no problems. It had an interesting effect for her...it was sort of stablizing and calming at the same time. A good medication for her overall. I think there was a small amount of weight gain, but not much. Not nearly as much as with other medications she has tried. She also takes Lamictal, which was an excellent choice for her. No weight gain and to the best of my knowledge, no side effects. When she made this decision, she reduced the Abilify dosage, but she still takes a small dosage of Abilify. It seems to help her keep calm/stable and continues to be part of her treatment. Wishing you well.