geodon - discontinuation syndrom

[jane schmidt]

I have had unbearable physical responses to tapering geodon - even very, very slowly

[linda tucson]

For the 5 years I've been on Geodon,even at low doses, I have experienced a very exaggerated startle reflex. This is involuntary and very embarrassing. For example, if someone brushes past me in a store, my reaction is to scream loudly. In cars, I yell HELP, HELP, HELP, as the driver slows down. I have absolutely no control over this and people look at me, sometimes they laugh at me. Has anyone else had this? My doctor refers to it as a movement disorder. It seems to be getting worse....

[sarah]

ive been on low doses for over 6 months and ive never had that but i cannot keep my eyes open n the morning and when i do they roll around, it kinda scares me bc all the sudden when im drivin to work they do it. i just got off geodon for a month though and nothing happend i just turned into a huge bitch. but now im back on it again bc ive relized that without it i am crazy.

[Liz-Chicago]

I have been on geodong for about a month. 80mg per day taken all at night. The first 2-3 weeks were hell. I wake up and could barely see or function, but just this last week I've noticed a difference. Also I have noticed that if I eat a heavy meal before I take it-forget it-I'm out. Check the PDR-I think food absorbtion actually exacerbates the side effects. I don't know if I need more or less. I take 10mg of klonopin daily as I have panic disorder also. I have not been diagnosed with BPD but am manicky episodically. Any comments about dosage? Anyone notice a difference? I feel restless alot-but I usually do anyway, but this is a little different-wonder if it's the drug.

[Christy]

Sarah, I am sponsoring a discussion group on Geodon in Texas on Thursday, Aug. 10. I'll be glad to compensate you for your time. email me at [e-mail].

[Linda]

Christy wrote:

Sarah, I am sponsoring a discussion group on Geodon in Texas on Thursday, Aug. 10. I'll be glad to compensate you for your time. email me at [e-mail].

My son started taking geodon less than 2 weeks ago. He is much better mentally, but has very bad headaces for a couple of hours after taking. He takes 40mg at bedtime only. Also, has just had a bad day yesterday of not eating all day and feeling sick. He finally ate a bowl of soup last night. Will this go away? I have called his doctor twice since he started taking and he has an appointment this next week. He is trying to get back in college. The first day of class is tomorrow. We need encouragement...how long should it take before he adjusts or should he change meds. We believe he is bipolar with mixed symptoms.

[Elisha]

My daughter just started taking geodon and it seems to make her very sleepy all day. She takes 40mg twice a day. Any suggestions on how to keep her from wanting to sleep off and on all day. Some of you say you only take it at night could that be an option?

[Wanda]

I started taking Geodon reluctantly about a two weeks ago. The first week was really bad!!! I was taking 60 mg once a day and I took it at night with my evening meal. The drug kept me up for hours a couple of nights and then in the morning I could hardly open my eyes and my stomach was upset -- very nausau. After five days of this and barely making it to work alive (I really should not have been driving under these conditions)-- I changed the time that I take the medication to Late afternoons and now I can wake up feeling somewhat like my normal self -- safe to be on the road. I'm up to 80 mg once a day and so far everything seem fine. I'm hoping the benefits of this drug outweighs its many side effects?

[terry]

i take geodan and i dont feel very good i walk back and forth all day hoe can i get off this.please hepl if you have any inf.on it.

[terry]

Elisha wrote:

My daughter just started taking geodon and it seems to make her very sleepy all day. She takes 40mg twice a day. Any suggestions on how to keep her from wanting to sleep off and on all day. Some of you say you only take it at night could that be an option?

my husban is taking it for more then too month but his was better with out it,im trying to get him off this drug.i know every body is not the same but the more i read the wors it gets.good luck

[terry]

terry wrote:

<quoted text>my husban is taking it for more then too month but his was better with out it,im trying to get him off this drug.i know every body is not the same but the more i read the wors it gets.good luck

now i take it only at night it was hard but i got off it at daytime i dont sleep i fill better now.my wife buts lost of water for me to dring all day it helps to flosh your body.

[Caka]

My daughter has been taking Geodon for four months and when she misses a dose, she is up ALL night and begins to hallucinate & hear voices.(This was never an issue before she took the meds. She has been diagnosed Bipolar. I want to get her OFF of it immediately. Please help!

[Martin]

linda tucson wrote:

For the 5 years I've been on Geodon,even at low doses, I have experienced a very exaggerated startle reflex. This is involuntary and very embarrassing. For example, if someone brushes past me in a store, my reaction is to scream loudly. In cars, I yell HELP, HELP, HELP, as the driver slows down. I have absolutely no control over this and people look at me, sometimes they laugh at me. Has anyone else had this? My doctor refers to it as a movement disorder. It seems to be getting worse....

I have developed a startle reflex but it is milder than yours. I didn't think this getting startled was anything to do with the Geodon but maybe it is.

[Jeremy]

I am a 30yo 195lb male. I have mild schizophrenia and BPD. I will just share my negative experience in hopes that someone might find it useful. I was on Geodon for 8 days exactly. I was prescribed to take 40mg at bed. After two hours I was so drowsy I couldn’t function so sleep was inevitable. I would take my pill at 8:30PM before I would go to sleep. While I was trying to sleep my nasal passages would constrict which caused me to panic sometimes. Waking up was a god’s task. To say I had no energy is an understatement. This would last until 1:00PM the following day when my energy would return along with a better mood. This caused me to be late for work and unable to function while at work. I fought through the pain for exactly eight days. The first night without Geodon was a painfully agonizing sleep. I was awake more than sleeping, restless, with fits of anxiety. I was tired throughout the day. My speech and thoughts were erratic, I had shakes, my stomach was upset (couldn’t eat); I was depressed, and had massive amounts of anxiety. Luckily my Dr prescribed me Gabapentin which seem to bring me out of this. I might be in the minority or just had reactions, but this is my testimony.

[jab]

I don't know what you've tried, but there are many drugs for bipolar disorder. Another important part of cognitive behavior therapy.

Linda wrote:

<quoted text>
My son started taking geodon less than 2 weeks ago. He is much better mentally, but has very bad headaces for a couple of hours after taking. He takes 40mg at bedtime only. Also, has just had a bad day yesterday of not eating all day and feeling sick. He finally ate a bowl of soup last night. Will this go away? I have called his doctor twice since he started taking and he has an appointment this next week. He is trying to get back in college. The first day of class is tomorrow. We need encouragement...how long should it take before he adjusts or should he change meds. We believe he is bipolar with mixed symptoms.

[Tammy]

My daughter is 11 and been on Geodon for 5 weeks.She has been diagnosed with ADHD and Anxiety.Has tried 10 to 17 diffrent drugs from anxiety meds. to ADD meds. and only has luck with the mood stabilizers like this one.I am now weaning her off.She was taking 20mg. twice daily.Side affects are too bad.So sleepy she could barely function, hyper, itching everywhere out of control, eating all the time tons of food, stomach aches in the mornings everyday and loose stools, nausea.My daughter is so diffrent, shes napping on the weekends and haven't seen any good benefits.Not sure where were going from here but my gut feeling says this is not worth the risks and the side affects!!

[pamela gorman]

my doc put me on geodan at 40 mgs. then said to increase to 80 next week i started seizing i called her 18 times asking what to do she never returned my call i was then diagnosed with tardive dyskinesia. last year a different doc gave me so many spsych meds i was seeing ghosts and put in a pysch ward 2 times

[melissa deetz]

I have been on geodon for over 3 months ,40 g at night.I now pace te foors and am so nervous about riving ,my legs and hands shake at times,i never feel likedoing anything .I want to sto taking this drug against my docs orders,I was wondering if anyone else has had these symtoms and if smeone is tapering off what te ide effects are.Please email me at [e-mail]. thank you

[Claire]

Um I don't even have bi-polar or any sort of schizophrenia, but my psychiatrist prescribed me Geodon a few months ago for get this....WEIGHT LOSS. I think this pill (80mg) has caused me to have horrendous manic episodes. Like BAD, we're talking I think I am the exorcist sometimes. I am weaning myself off of it as we speak, and I am not experiencing MUCH withdrawal symptoms. I have been STILL experiencing random outbursts of anger. SO ANNOYING!!! My psychiatrist doesn't give a crap that she sucks and prescribes me pills I don't need. & also, Geodon clashes horribly with my ADHD medications. Don't even get me started. Help!!!!

[Angelsdelight]

Caka wrote:

My daughter has been taking Geodon for four months and when she misses a dose, she is up ALL night and begins to hallucinate & hear voices.(This was never an issue before she took the meds. She has been diagnosed Bipolar. I want to get her OFF of it immediately. Please help!

I started taking geodon because I was in crisis. I notice if I take my medicine just a little bit later than usual that I will be up all night hallucinating. I don't know if it is really me or a side effect from the meds because I never hallucinated except for when I was in a crisis situation.