withdrawal is hell

[jenny harkenrider]

I have been on Geodon for five years. Am currently on 20mg twice a day, but in the past have been on as much as 60mg three times a day. Three times in the past eight months I have tried to go off of the Geodon. I have tapered my dose over the course of several weeks or a month until down to 20 mg twice daily; then I reduce it to once daily, or just stop altogether. However, I experience horrible "withdrawal" symptoms within 24 hours of my last dose. Shakiness, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, blurred vision, and - worst of all - what feels like electric shocks in my brain. I don't want to be on this medication for the rest of my life, but I have no idea how to stop it without going through hell physically. Most doctors look at me funny when I tell them I experienced withdrawal from Geodon -- they say that is highly unlikely. Whatever.

[kbm]

Jenny, I had a time when I was on many drugs and the psychiatrist stopped practicing one day, that was it gone. He had some kind of medical problem. I was on four medicines. Not Geodon, although I've just been prescribed to take it. The feelings take a few weeks to go away and, you are absolutely correct, the brain shocks are really hell to deal with. I had to work during it all. My file just said saw patient over and over, no listing of meds, nothing. So I had to stop four drugs at the same time, withdrawal is certain hard. But in time it will all start to abate. Hope this helps.

[troy]

i am on effexor xr and it does nothing for me because i built a tolerance for it,but i too cant get off it due to the horrible side effects,and i know what you mean buy the brain spikes or electric shock they are absolutly horrible id rather be tortured in a prison camp than go through them ,best of luck,troy

[Meg]

troy wrote:

i am on effexor xr and it does nothing for me because i built a tolerance for it,but i too cant get off it due to the horrible side effects,and i know what you mean buy the brain spikes or electric shock they are absolutly horrible id rather be tortured in a prison camp than go through them ,best of luck,troy

Hey try taking Claritin D as recommened for the brain zaps. It helped me.

[Megan]

I actually used to taper my dosage of effexor (I couldn't afford to take it every day, so took it every other or every two days) and would literally base when I needed to take it on the brain zaps. but even taking it every other day, would produce the zaps, and they came earlier and earlier each time, it was like I needed to get a fix! I felt like a freakin druggy!

On the effexor xr, I just switched over to the tablets, which aren't xr, and they are working a MILLION times better! No brain zaps, no withdrawl effects if I'm a little off in taking the med (like a couple hours or so)

The geodon, I missed one day, and it screwed with my head something fierce, was actually having hallucinations (auditory and visual), and my dreams were BEYOND messed up, so I know where you're coming from on that.

It really makes me wonder though, why don't the Dr.s tell us about this when they put us on it? They didn't tell me about ANY of the side effects of EITHER of my meds when they put me on them.

[Bridie]

My psychiatrist prescribed 80 mg of Geodon. I took it for eight days and couldn't stand the side effects. I felt like a three year old horse at the Kentucky Derby and they wouldn't open the gate. I consulted with my dr and he told me to take just 20 mg a day. Well I fired his ass and I'm going to my internist. I do take Effexor XR 300 mg. I do have a wee bit of bi polar but not as severe as my brother. Having taken this drug for just 8 days, am I in major trouble for just going cold turkey. I feel like the air has been sucked out of my body. Any information would be appreciated.

[jenny]

Megan wrote:

The geodon, I missed one day, and it screwed with my head something fierce, was actually having hallucinations (auditory and visual), and my dreams were BEYOND messed up, so I know where you're coming from on that.

Yes! I had the hallucinations too, and it was so terrifying! It is the only time I have ever had hallucinations; but I made the mistake of telling a doctor that I experienced them, and instead of noting that they were caused by the Geodon withdrawal, she instead diagnosed me as schizo-affective. I tried to explain that the hallucinations were not part of a mental illness, but a *result of the meds*-- but of course, I am the crazy one, because I'm the one who is seeing a shrink. And now that diagnosis is on my permanent record.

[hope]

you need to go to Withdrawal and [e-mail]

[avery]

I've been taking Geodon for about two years now. I am down to the lowest possible dose (20mg once a day) and I too have tried several times to take myself off the medication. I experienced the "brain zaps" you guys have been talking about. The physical withdrawls alone are so intense that I couldn't go more than 24 hours off the medication. I had auditory and visual hallucinations. I wish I could get off this medicine!!!

[Paula]

I have been on 80mg geodon for about a year now, also take 60 mg of prozac. I cant seem to get off it either, sickness and heat flashes along with being very cold at the same time. Vomiting just very very weak. Cannot eat, sleep or do anything. I am almost out of meds and cannot afford anymore, so I guess I will start tapering off. does anyone have any suggestions? I will try anything. thanks

[Julie P]

Do NOT abruptly go off the Geodon. My ex-psychiatrist told to to just stop taking it and as a result my life has been a living hell. I started vomiting, got really dizzy, extreme nausea and internal spasms, I got so dehydrated from the vomiting that I ended up in the hospital (thanks to my family care doctor) on IV fluids. I am actually considering suing my doctor for malpractice. You HAVE to wean of this drug, it's VERY powerful.

[Kathy]

jenny wrote:

<quoted text>
Yes! I had the hallucinations too, and it was so terrifying! It is the only time I have ever had hallucinations; but I made the mistake of telling a doctor that I experienced them, and instead of noting that they were caused by the Geodon withdrawal, she instead diagnosed me as schizo-affective. I tried to explain that the hallucinations were not part of a mental illness, but a *result of the meds*-- but of course, I am the crazy one, because I'm the one who is seeing a shrink. And now that diagnosis is on my permanent record.

I also had a horrible experience when I slowly tapered myself off of Geodon. I went to the local ER twice in two weeks from the severe withdrawal effects. The psychiatrist I was seeing would give me whatever he had samples of. I saw him because he was the only one in my area to accept my insurance and I honestly believe he did not know what to do for me so he just tried what he had samples of. The feelings I suffered with were beyond description. I had to call my husband to come home from work to take me to the ER. The doctor there was unfamiliar with Geodon but was very understanding and gave me two injections of Ativan and told me to follow up with my psychiatrist. I called him the next morning and he phoned in a prescription for five klonopin and charged me for the appt. I missed with him while at the ER. How kind of him. A week later the anxiety came back and I went back to the ER after calling my MD who advised me to do so. This ER doctor was not so kind and gave me atarax and told me to see my doctor. I'm sure he thought I was just drug seeking. I saw my doctor later that afternoon and he immediately put me on Xanax and got me set up with a good psychiatrist. I am now on klonopin and doing okay. I will never forget the whole ordeal. I felt like every demon in hell was in my head and I still get nervous when I remember the experience. I live in a small county and now I feel like I am labeled as a psychotic-neurotic.

[jared weissman]

Jenny, were you able to get off the geodon, I feel depressed after coming off it, does this ever go away.

jenny harkenrider wrote:

I have been on Geodon for five years. Am currently on 20mg twice a day, but in the past have been on as much as 60mg three times a day. Three times in the past eight months I have tried to go off of the Geodon. I have tapered my dose over the course of several weeks or a month until down to 20 mg twice daily; then I reduce it to once daily, or just stop altogether. However, I experience horrible "withdrawal" symptoms within 24 hours of my last dose. Shakiness, dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, blurred vision, and - worst of all - what feels like electric shocks in my brain. I don't want to be on this medication for the rest of my life, but I have no idea how to stop it without going through hell physically. Most doctors look at me funny when I tell them I experienced withdrawal from Geodon -- they say that is highly unlikely. Whatever.

[Susan English]

I was taking 160mg of Geodon daily for about 8 months. It was making me very sick. Nausea and occasional hallucinations. I was put in the hospital and taken off cold turkey. It was hell.
I was given heavy duty nausea meds but nothing touched the horrible nausea. I also got diarrhea and was up the first night with hallucinations. The nausea was bad for the first two weeks then became intermittent for two more. So it was four weeks before I felt recovered. No more bad side effects and I feel great. Just keep thinking "this too, shall pass." It does.

[Tiffany]

My brother has been on geodon now for 7 weeks after his first psychotic episode and hospitalization to get stablized. He was on 40mg AM and 160mg PM at hospital. He is at home doing Ok and still has no dignosis and is on 20mg AM and 60mg PM. We have moved the dose around about 5 times and he is sleepy all the time and somewhat like a "zombie". He's 19yo and feels that he cant process information like reading or driving a car. He doesnt do any of the normal 19 yo things like talk o the phone...he says he feels overly relaxed and sleepy....any thoughts???