Geodon is pure agony!

[SPARTAN-B125]

I've taken Geodon since 2010, it seemed fine at first but as the years went on the side effects just got worse and worse. My doctor told me how good I'd feel, but all I felt since 2011 was this horrible, crushing depression and despair that sweeps over me within an hour or two of taking my dose at night. It's horrible, it saps my will to do anything, I feel like I'm sinking through an endless dark void that swallows all my enjoyment! It goes on and on until I end my suffering by going to sleep. I looked and this HORRIBLE side effect isn't listed ANYWHERE for Geodon! I feel so alone!

And then when I don't take enough, or take it too late, I get withdrawal symptoms that are just as bad! My whole body itches and burns and I get jacked up like I drank five cups of coffee and I'm potentially up suffering, tossing and turning, itching and burning, until 2 AM! And then I can't wake up the next morning until after ten!

It's just gotten worse and worse over the years, and the worst part is, the original complaint - the depression - is the lesser of two evils, because after it tortures me alive until I give up and go to sleep, I wake up bright and early the next morning and feel great. Why do I have to make this agonizing catch-22 decision every single night?!

My doctor FINALLY listened to me and is going to phase out the Geodon and put me on Latuda instead, but the process is going to be so slow, I can just tell. And I'm scared.

Please let me know if any of you guys have taken Geodon and have had similar side effects to me. I'd like to know how you cope...I really could use some hope right now.

 

[ftfipps]

It's not Geodon, but similar, I was on risperidone for 6 months and just weaned myself off of it. Today is like my fourth day off the medication. In my opinion, antipsychotics are evil. I feel genuinely sorry for people with autism that are on high doses of antipsychotics. I was in the hospital with a guy who was obviously severly autistic and I'm sure he was being pumped full of antipsychotic meds. He was always crying and sluggish and miserable. I feel so fortunate to have gotten off of it when I did. The withdrawals are horrible! I'm suicidal depressed and can't concentrate on anything at all.

 

[Southern Discomfort]

Ziprasidone (Geodon) isn't available here in the UK, but I've been on two antipsychotics. I was on risperidone first now I'm on aripiprazole. I've never had any emotional side effects of antipsychotics and so far I've been quite glad I've been prescribed them as I've flourished in the past four years.

What I would say to what you're experiencing, are you sure it's the medication doing that to you or another symptom of depression and anxiety that the medication isn't covering you from?

Not like it matters too much but if it doesn't work then it doesn't work and you should be taken off it as you are. I think the good thing is that going onto another antipsychotic isn't as hard to deal with as going off antipsychotics in general.

 

[Butterfly88]

When I switched anti-psychotics (Seroquel to Geodon) my doctor did it over a six month period. It took a while but in the end it was worth it. Still taking Geodon and it seems to be working well for me but everyone is different. That being said, I've been on some other psych meds that had bad side effects. In my experience it's best to switch meds slowly. Withdrawal will only be worse and potentially dangerous if done too fast. Good luck with Latuda, according to my psychiatrist it's supposed to be better than Geodon, only reason I haven't taken it is because my insurance won't pay. Hang in there, withdrawal won't last forever.

 

[Mattymatt]

I wonder if cannabis could be used as an antipsychotic.

 

[tree]

I wonder if cannabis could be used as an antipsychotic.

This link is to a six year old study.
A critical review of the antipsychotic effects of cannabidiol: 30 years of a translational investigation. - PubMed - NCBI

This is a link to a variety of scholarly articles.
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=cbd+antipsychotic+dosage&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart

 

[SPARTAN-B125]

This link is to a six year old study.
A critical review of the antipsychotic effects of cannabidiol: 30 years of a translational investigation. - PubMed - NCBI

This is a link to a variety of scholarly articles.
https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=cbd+antipsychotic+dosage&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart

I have Aspergers and two traumatic brain injuries so I have to stay away from weed and any sort of psychedelic for that matter...they run the risk of making my psychological symptoms irreversibly worse.

However I do occasionally use CBD oil, which I believe is what you were talking about. That has all of the intoxicating THC taken out of it as far as I know, and it has helped me before in the past.

It's not Geodon, but similar, I was on risperidone for 6 months and just weaned myself off of it. Today is like my fourth day off the medication. In my opinion, antipsychotics are evil. I feel genuinely sorry for people with autism that are on high doses of antipsychotics. I was in the hospital with a guy who was obviously severly autistic and I'm sure he was being pumped full of antipsychotic meds. He was always crying and sluggish and miserable. I feel so fortunate to have gotten off of it when I did. The withdrawals are horrible! I'm suicidal depressed and can't concentrate on anything at all.

Yikes! That sounds like my experience alright. I'm so sorry to hear about that poor guy. I hope he gets taken off of them.

My own complaints, as an artist, aspiring programmer and all-around creative person, is that Geodon dulls my focus, like horribly. But I'm happy to say that's getting better. I used to have to take Vyvanse in the mornings to counteract Geodon's awful sedative effects that would make it hard for me to even keep my eyes and body up in the mornings (I take Geodon at bedtime each night.) But I slowly got taken off Vyvanse and with that harsh drug out of my system, I actually have more energy and focus. It's amazing how things happen that way.

It gives me hope for when I get taken off Geodon. In fact, tonight's the night I started taking my reduced dose! 100mg instead of 120. I feel hopeful but also nervous.

 

[ftfipps]

I have Aspergers and two traumatic brain injuries so I have to stay away from weed and any sort of psychedelic for that matter...they run the risk of making my psychological symptoms irreversibly worse.

However I do occasionally use CBD oil, which I believe is what you were talking about. That has all of the intoxicating THC taken out of it as far as I know, and it has helped me before in the past.



Yikes! That sounds like my experience alright. I'm so sorry to hear about that poor guy. I hope he gets taken off of them.

My own complaints, as an artist, aspiring programmer and all-around creative person, is that Geodon dulls my focus, like horribly. But I'm happy to say that's getting better. I used to have to take Vyvanse in the mornings to counteract Geodon's awful sedative effects that would make it hard for me to even keep my eyes and body up in the mornings (I take Geodon at bedtime each night.) But I slowly got taken off Vyvanse and with that harsh drug out of my system, I actually have more energy and focus. It's amazing how things happen that way.

It gives me hope for when I get taken off Geodon. In fact, tonight's the night I started taking my reduced dose! 100mg instead of 120. I feel hopeful but also nervous.

I am starting to have hope, now. I am starting to feel the dopamine coming back a tiny bit. I've read that Antipsychotics can cause permanent damage to your body. I have been prescribed Risperidone on and off since I was a teenager. I never noticed that there were bad withdrawals in the past when I quit taking it. The withdrawals are hell but I feel a hell of a lot better than when I was taking it. Good luck to you.