Geodon
The below information on Geodon has been taken from official FDA sources, but we cannot guarantee it's accuracy. Please use this site for educational purposes only. This site does not replace a proper discussion with your doctor.
| Brand Name: | Geodon |
| Generic: | Ziprasidone Hydrochloride, Ziprasidone Mesylate |
| Availability: | Prescription |
| This drug was approved by the FDA in one form or another on: 2001-02-05 ,2006-03-29 , | |
| This drug is made in one form or another by the following companies: Pfizer Inc. | |
| This drug is available in the following forms: Capsules and Injectables Oral Suspensions | |
| View the actual FDA approved label for this drug at the following links: PDF Label PDF Label |
About Geodon
Geodon can increase your chance of an abnormal heart rhythm (the way your heart beats) if you have certain heart conditions or take certain medicines. Therefore do not take Geodon if you have the following heart conditions:
- long QT syndrome (a specific heart rhythm problem)
- a recent heart attack
- severe heart failure
- certain irregularities of heart rhythm (discuss the specifics with your doctor)
Precautions for Geodon
- Geodon may have a higher risk of heart problems than some other medicines that are used to treat schizophrenia because it may change the way the electrical current in the heart works. We do not know whether this will be harmful, but some other medicines that cause this kind of change have sometimes caused rare dangerous heart rhythm problems. Because of this possible risk, Geodon should be used only after your doctor has considered this risk for Geodon against the risks and benefits of other medicines available for treating schizophrenia.
- Dizziness, and sometimes fainting, caused by a drop in blood pressure may happen with Geodon, especially when you first start taking this medicine or when the dose is increased.
- Geodon may impair judgment, thinking, or motor skills. You should be careful in operating machinery, including automobiles, until you know how Geodon affects you.
- It is important to avoid overheating and dehydration while taking Geodon. Geodon may make it harder to lower your body temperature.
Side Effects of Geodon
The following are the risks and potential side effects of Geodon therapy. However, this list is not complete.
- Geodon may cause dangerous problems with your heart rhythm (the way your heart beats). Call your healthcare professional right away if you:
- Faint or lose consciousness
- Feel a change in the way your heart normally beats (palpitations)
- Increased chance of death in elderly persons. Elderly patients treated with atypical antipsychotics, such as Geodon, for dementia had a higher chance for death than patients who did not take the medicine. Geodon is not approved for dementia.
- A life-threatening nervous system problem called neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). NMS can cause a high fever, stiff muscles, sweating, a fast or irregular heart beat, change in blood pressure, and confusion. NMS can affect your kidneys. NMS is a medical emergency. Call your healthcare professional right away if you experience these symptoms.
- A movement problem called tardive dyskinesia (TD). Call your healthcare professional right away if you get muscle movements that cannot be stopped.
- High blood sugar and diabetes. Patients with diabetes or who have a higher chance for diabetes should have their blood sugar checked often.
- Other serious side effects with Geodon may include low blood pressure seen as dizziness, increased heart beat and possibly fainting, seizures, persistent erection), increase or decrease in body temperature, and difficulty swallowing.
- The most common side effects include feeling unusually tired or sleepy, nausea or upset stomach, constipation, dizziness, restlessness, diarrhea, rash, increased cough / runny nose.
Interactions with Geodon
Because certain other medications can interact with Geodon review all medications that you are taking with your healthcare professional, including those that you take without a prescription.
Your healthcare professional may have to adjust your dose or watch you more closely if you take the following:
- dofetilide
- sotalol
- quinidine
- certain medicines to control the way your heart beats
- mesoridazine
- thioridazine
- chlorpromazine
- droperidol
- pimozide
- sparfloxacin
- gatifloxacin
- moxifloxacin
- halofantrine
- mefloquine
- pentamadine
- levomethadyl acetate
- dolasetron mesylate
- probucol
- certain medicines to treat high blood pressure
- tacrolimus
Avoid drinking alcohol while taking Geodon.
Recent Forum Posts on Geodon
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Geodon
I have trouble with severe anxiety, depression, and OCD. A lot of the drugs I try work for a while and then stop. I'm taking Wellbutrin 450mg, Remeron 30mg, and Geodon 40mg at night. Also klonapin for anxiety. I'm not sure the Geodon is helping. I know I'm not up to the therapeutic dose of 120 - 160mg. The problem is it makes me sleepy. I sleep for 10 hours when I take it. That's better than seroquel, it made me sleep 18 hours. But they say Geodon has a short duration so you need to take it twice a day. I've been told the sleepiness goes away in 4 weeks. I've been on it two weeks now.
I just have this terrible lack of ability to feel pleasure anymore. I've lost all of my interests I used to have. I get by at work and some would say I excel at my work, but it is an extreme effort to continue.
How can anyone take this twice a day it seems to make you so sleepy?
Posted By Bill at Sat 3 Dec 2005, 12:00 AM in Geodon || 0 Replies
update
I have been on geodon for over a year. It has help me 80mg a day. My doctor put me on zyprexa plus geodon. I am working for eight months now. But i have gain 20#. zyprexa Has given my life back but i cant take the weight gain. I just feel like stop using zyprexa. I am afraid if i do i might go back to my paranoid ways.. I want to stop using it with out doctors order. why cant they make a drug that doesnt make you gain weight. wish me luck i have to lose weight.
Posted By kathy at Mon 6 Jun 2005, 12:00 AM in Geodon || 0 Replies
My experience
I am bi-polar, and take and am doing well on celexa as and anti-depressant, depakote as a mood stablizer, and geodon, as my antipsycotic. I am so very grateful to be stable because there has been many times where I wasn't. It was always hard for me to trust my doctor, and I was always changing the medicing on myself. I have learned to just follow his orders, because when I try to do it myself I always fall back into the hell that is my illness. I'm type 1 manic. My highs come with paranoia and hallucinations and delusions. I am so very grateful for this site. I have learned more, and don't feel as alone. Like we all can feel at times. Thanks for reading my comment and I wish all of you the best of luck. Praise God.
Posted By Kim at Sat 27 Sep 2003, 12:00 AM in Geodon || 2 Replies
GEODON
MY SON HAS BEEN TAKEN THIS DRUG FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS NOW AND HIS CONCENTRATION HAS GOTTEN WORST, JERKING OR INVOLUNTARY MOVEMENT HAS STARTED, HE DIDN'T HAVE THIS BEFORE TAKING IT. HE CAN'T HOLD A CONVERSATION WITH YOU NO MORE THAN THAN 3 MINUTES AT A TIME, HE STARTS TO TALK TO HIMSELF AND LOOK OFF IN SPACE.
Posted By Unregistered at Mon 4 Aug 2003, 12:00 AM in Geodon || 8 Replies
Zyprexa
I have just started to take Zyprexa, the first couple of days I felt so good. Then of course it went away. I am also taking Wellbutrin 300 mg a day. Is this a good mix for anyone? Or should I be taking the Zyprexa with say remeron. I can not take the ssri drugs because of the horiable Sexual side effects. I am slightly bi polar. And how long should I give the Zprexa to work? Thank you.
Posted By Glenn at Wed 8 Oct 2003, 12:00 AM in Geodon || 0 Replies
Sleepiness
Geodon has been a wonderful medication for me. Seems my head is clear and the mood swings have all but disappeared. It was such a change of pace for me that I even was afraid the "feeling good" would vanish. It hasn't and I have more energy now, I'm no longer paranoid and my life with my daughter has been renewed.
I have a question . . . I have noticed that if I take tylenol along with the Geodon (for anything) that I become so drowsy that I cannot function. Has anyone else had this peculiar side effect with tylenol?
Again, I can't say enough about Geodon. It's given me my life back.
Posted By Gina at Sat 3 Dec 2005, 12:00 AM in Geodon || 1 Reply
Geodon side effects
My 16 year old daughter was placed on Geodon about one month ago, she was lacking concentration and the ability to think clearly. She couldn't concentrate on her homework or orgnize her time. Since being on Geodon, she has done remarkably well, she is able to plan her time on homework, complete assignments on time and she says she feels "calmer inside".
However, she just mentioned to me yesterday that she has been having what seems like breast milk secreting from her breasts sporadically. I have read that Geodon has a rare side effect of increasing levels of prolactin (a hormone that increases blood levels and effects production of unwanted breast milk)
I will call her physician tomorrow, but am so hesitant to remove her from this medication, since she otherwise is doing so well on it.
Please let me know if anyone has experienced this side effect, and if so did you have to go off of Geodon?
Many thanks,
Posted By Annonymous at Sat 3 Dec 2005, 12:00 AM in Geodon || 0 Replies
Geodon
I was hospitalized and given 160 mg Geodon right away with 50 mg Zoloft and 1000 mg Lithium. I was rushed to emergency room in ambulance 4 days later. Severe dizzyness, I was shaking uncontrolably, major chest pains, teeth chattering, crying so hard. I am still sick, I stayed up all night twitching like crazy. What has happened to me?
Posted By Tanya at Tue 5 Jul 2005, 12:00 AM in Geodon || 0 Replies
use of Geodon
im 42 yrs.old and depressed all of the time i have been on effexor for over
a yr. now and my depression seems to be getting worse so i go to a profesional
for advice. i dont sleep well either so i tell him whats going on with me for about 40 min. he perscribes me geodon to sleep on and doubles me up on effexor
I had no ideal that this was a scho.med i to am having little trimmers and shakes i have had fever also im so tired of being depressed and nervous
all of the time i have been taking geodon for two weeks now and it helps
with the sleep but the side effects are bad does any one have any ideal on what i need thanks for any replys
signed tired restless an depressed
Posted By Unregistered at Wed 25 May 2005, 12:00 AM in Geodon || 0 Replies
Geodon/side effects
My doc started me on Geodon 120mg nightly about 1 month ago. I felt drunk when I woke up every morning, and had to go back to bed. I didn't end up "awake" until 2 or 3 in the afternoon. I hated that. Then about 2 weeks into taking it, I had a horrible episode of dizziness and incredible heart palpitations, and extreme headach. It was so bad my daughter called and ambulance. I spent 3 days in the hospital.. They didn't give me the Geodon, and all was well. I saw my Psch. last week, and he started me on the Geodon again..80mg nightly.. again I feel drunk every morning.. So I didn't take it tonight, I told my husband I'm going to take it in the morning since it causes me to feel awake after taking it, and hopefully by the evening the effect of sleeping will be beneficial, and then when I wake up, I won't feel drunk and want to sleep till the afternoon. The other side effects, heart palp, dizziness haven't hit me.. so hopefully it has to do with the dosage. My Doc, says he has some paitients that can only tolerate 20mg.. He would raather have me decrease my dosages then increase..
I also don't feel hungry all the time.. ABout 4 yrs ago I had a bad manic episode and was put on Depakote along with other meds, and I gained 20 lbs in 2 months, i haven't been able to loose that, but since I've been on the Geodon, my close it feeling looser. so maybe it will help me with weigth loss.. I'll let you all know..
Good luck..
Sonia
Posted By Sonia at Thu 13 Sep 2007, 11:17 AM in Geodon || 0 Replies
Geodon
I was first prescribed 60 mg twice a day. I could not take that cause I was sleeping all the time. I went AMA and started taking 60 mgs once a day and have been fine for the last six months I have been on it. Recently though I have noticed that I am very jittery about an hour before I am due to take it. Considering upping another 20 mg if I can get my pdoc to go for it in a week at our next visit - he is to be informed of my change in dosing on our next visit. I am praying that we don't have to keep on upping it to keep my bp1 symptoms w/psychotic features under control. Geodon with Atavan (prn which is rare) are the only meds I have been on for the last six months. I have also found in the last few months I have been unable to miss a dose. About six weeks into this I decided to get drunk and not take my meds. That was a BIG mistake. 1. I did not get drunk as expected and 2. all I did was lie awake all night long listening to my husband breathe in bed. A couple of weeks later I decided not to take it again to see what would happen and it was a mess. I was right back to being jittery and I could not get to sleep till I got up and took it. I am really getting the feeling this stuff is addictive. I've tried to ask my pdoc about it but so far I have not had an answer. I just recently found info that this stuff causes heartburn. I wish I knew this before I started taking it. I've got a confirmed ulcer the size of Texas and nothing seems to be helping it outside prescription medications. I have a constant lump in my throat that does not seem to go away but on rare occasions. It has done great for my psychosis but I am not sure I want to be on this med to much longer. I have taken many of the other anti psychotics with little success. Risperdal was a nightmare & almost go me a divorce. Abilify I could not sit still. Zyprexa I gained a ton of weight. Not sure what is left but not sure either how the heck I can get off this med if need be. I am just praying that Ambien can break the hold this stuff has on me if and when the time comes. Otherwise I think I am stuck on this stuff for the rest of my life. Good Luck if you try this stuff I pray you don't have my reaction. I just wish I would have found this board sooner and another board I found a few days back. I might have changed my mind on trying this stuff. I try to leave my medical care up to the doctors but this time I had to take matters into my own hands.
Posted By Pat at Sat 3 Dec 2005, 12:00 AM in Geodon || 0 Replies
No Subject
I have been on several medications for what I believed to be was depression. It was never enough or it wasnt right.. After 7 years of taking all different medication. I was diagnosed with Bi Polar and being a Borderline Personality. I am only 23 years old and I always thought WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME!! finally 2 weeks ago my doctor prescribed me Geodon.. OH MY GOODNESS it is the perfect thing i've ever taken. My paranoia has substantially subsided I am happier and things are going great only 2 weeks into it.. Geodon is GREAT.. No weight gain like zyprexa i am taking 120 mg. 60mg at night and 60mg in the morning
Posted By Shelly at Thu 13 Sep 2007, 10:45 AM in Geodon || 0 Replies
fever
I have had a fever since a week after I took this medicine. Is this common?
Posted By Sheila at Fri 1 Aug 2003, 12:00 AM in Geodon || 2 Replies
geodon-heart trouble?
I have been put on Geodon for bi-polar! I dont understand my illness and dont know why I was put on a anti-psycotic. Does anybody know exactly what is bi-polar? And what should I expect from the geodon concerning my heart? All the information I have gotten on it says there are side effects that effect the heart. Any information on this would be greatly appreciated!!!
Posted By sheila at Mon 4 Aug 2003, 12:00 AM in Geodon || 11 Replies
Geodon
Hi everyone, You better leave that junk Geodon alone, It has gave my husband Tardive Dyskinesia and Tardive Dystonia and has ruined his life. He took it for 8 months and there is no cure for it. He has tried other meds. and nothing won't help. It is irreversible. He is only 46 yrs. old. God Bless.
Posted By anonymous at Sun 13 Jan 2008, 7:02 PM in Geodon || 0 Replies
Geodon
I had been on Cymbalta for about three years, prescribed by my GP for general depression. I asked her for a different medication a year ago as I felt the Cymbalta had worn off. She gave me Effexor XL which immediately made me ravenous. I woke up hungry, went to bed hungry, and was hungry all the hours in between. Having regained 50 lbs 7 years ago on Paxil which I still haven't lost, I wasn't going there again. When I told her the Effexor wasn't working, she recommended I see a psychiatrist, which I can understand - out of her realm. But I didn't feel so bad so I went back on Cymbalta. Then last February I started feeling anxious all day long. For me anxiety is a gnawing in my stomach, cold sweaty hands. I couldn't get in to see a psychiatrist until Jun. Because I have rheumatoid arthritis and Cymbalta helps with pain, the psych left my on Cymbalta but added 20 mg of Geodon saying he thought I was bipolar II (I had previously been diagnosed as bipolar but hadn't had trouble in years). The first four weeks on 20 mg of Geodon were heavenly. I became slightly manic but not in a bad way. I was sleeping okay but hopping out of bed in the morning, stopped taking naps, and tackling projects around the house that had needed doing for years. I went back to see him at 4 weeks and he said he thought I was too manic (I naturally talk very fast whether I'm manic or not)so increased my dosage to 40 mg per day. This zonked me. Once I took a nap on my office floor in the middle of the day and when I woke up my staff said I acted drunk, the 40 mg did that to me. I told the dr and they said to take it with food. My slight and beloved mania went away. I wanted to go back down to 20 mg so tried this on my own but the slight mania did not return. After about 6 weeks on 40 mg, it stopped zonking me. He gave me Trazedone which I take only when I think I need some help sleeping, which is about half the time. My sister who is a nurse practitioner and the dr both said that Trazedone is very mild. Anyway, I began feeling more anxiety again in Nov. I went back and he put me on one 40 mg and one 20 mg a day. About a month ago I started feeling useless and hopeless and the day loomed so incredibly long, I didn't know how I would get through it, and I understand why people think death is an option even though I didn't have a plan for killing myself, I wished I had the courage to do it. I called to make an appt and found out he was leaving town for 2 weeks but he said he'd see me at his out of town clinic that day. I was in such bad shape that my husband drove me the 18 miles as he didn't think I could make it. His answer was to up the Geodon to two 40 mg per day and added Wellbutrin XL to the mix. Now I was taking three antidepressants every day and sometimes four when I took the Trazedone for sleep. My clinical depression had never been like this before - the hopelessness and uselessness, even though I'd seen these written as symptoms of depression. I guess I never really knew what it meant. Four weeks after the emergency visit, I went for a recheck and told him I was still feeling anxious and he upped my Geodon dosage again - to 100 mg a day. He must think this stuff is a miracle drug. I don't feel as hopeless and useless as I did the day I made the emergency visit, but I do feel this way about half the time. I can't stand to go to my job which is challenging and interesting and I've always loved. Then today I was looking again at side effects of Geodon and it says some uncommon side effects are depression and anxiety! I think this Geodon is causing my depression and anxiety, not fixing them! I have never been a dr hopper before, in fact, have never done this before, but I'm leaving this psych and going to a dr who treated me years ago when I was first diagnosed as bipolar. I have tried taking myself back down in Geodon dosage but that has made me feel physically sick. Unfortunately, I can't see the new dr until the end of this month. I guess I'll muddle through until then. Oh, Geodon has caused my appetite to be under control, I've been able to start a weight loss program, and I stopped biting my nails after 50 years of trying to stop that habit. It was like it took away my compulsion to bite my nails. My compulsive shopping has decreased somewhat as well.
Posted By Krista at Fri 9 May 2008, 8:25 AM in Geodon || 1 Reply
cost of Geodon
I have insurance, but my co-pay for Geodon is still $68+. My husband and I are on a number of medications, and we really can't afford all of them. Is there any program which provides free samples or prescriptions at lower cost? Geodon works well for me, but I'm afraid I may have to switch back to one of the cheaper anti-psychotics if we don't get some help. Please respond.
Posted By Paula at Sat 27 Sep 2003, 12:00 AM in Geodon || 3 Replies
I'm free!
I have been taking two 80Mg caps twice daily for my schizophrenia and have had wonderful results.For the first time in a very long number of years I stopped hearing voices.It's like a gift has been given to me.
I have taken everything and in every combination without these results and had to stop zyprexa because of a dramatic weight gain.
Based on my experience Geodon is a miracle.I can't begin to stress enough how much it means not to have these auditory hallucinations.
Posted By pete at Sat 3 Dec 2005, 12:00 AM in Geodon || 0 Replies
audible thoughts & echoing
I have been prescibed geodon 80 mg twice daily, with Remeron and Neurontin for a problem I have been having for a short time with hearing MY OWN THOUGHTS AND MY OWN THOUGHTS ECHOING. I am NOT hearing voices or hallucinating and none of my own thoughts are telling me to "do something". II know now that this is a very high dose and I am extremely fearful of using this medication along with the 2 other drugs the dr. prescribed neurontin 600 mg at bedtime and Remeron 45 mg at bedtime.
Please reply as soon as possible. I do NOT think that I am on the right medication and I am fearful that it will cause severe side effects and ALSO it is NOT helping with the problem for which it was prescibed.
Sincerely,
Pamela Beckham
Posted By Pamela at Wed 8 Oct 2003, 12:00 AM in Geodon || 4 Replies
Geodon
I Have been takeing 40 mg a day, 20 in the morning and a 20 at night.To my surprise it not only has help me with my depression it has help me with my Fibromyalgia.I have had severe pain for years but it has been unbareable the past two years.After a few days on the low dose of 20mg I notice I was able to move around in bed without so much pain.After increseing up to 40mg I only have a few Days a week of pain and I am hopeing that as time goes on I will have complete relief .I hope someone sees this, that might do a study with Fibromyalgia patients.Good Luck to all of you needing help with pain.
Posted By Ann at Fri 12 Sep 2003, 12:00 AM in Geodon || 1 Reply