Geodon and risperdal

Hi all. My DH has been taking Geodon for 5 months for "delusion - other". The docs don't feel he's bi-polar or schizophrenic. He started up on 20mg and was taken all the way up to 160mg at night until he got ridiculously drowsy on this drug from that dose. He was having issues getting up in the morning (even after 9 1/2+ hours of sleep the night before) and was getting scared of driving to work as out of it as he'd be. The doc took him down to 120mg and it was still bad. So, then they dropped him down to 80mg and he started experiencing severe anxiety. He said he felt like his chest was closing in on him. So, now he's on 100mg and still tired, but not as bad.

Don't get me wrong.. if this was the only issue, I'd be fine with it. The Geodon was a godsend, at first. It really made his delusion dissipate (he wanted to run off and preach the word of God on street corners) and he was able to go back to working 8-hour days after a few months.

But now that he's gotten past that (he's had this once before, 6 years ago, and they had him on risperdal and depakote until the delusion was gone and then took him off of everything completely) he is BEYOND depressed. He has no history whatsoever of depression and has never felt this way before.Our family has never seen him like this. It's increasingly interfering with our relationship, as he just stares at me blankly if I happen to get upset about anything. He's just completely dead inside and feeling worthless. He can't even have an emotional conversation with me anymore and he used to be the most attentive, wonderful husband and friend he could ever be before he got on Geodon.

He also has zero interest in sex. I mean, he can go through it just fine, but he just doesn't want it on his own. And that's depressing for me!!

All in all, I want him off this drug as it seems that, once it did its job, it's eating away at his cognitive and emotional sides. He has a hard time reasoning and, of course, then ends up getting depressed because he feels worthless at his job. I just don't get it.

My question is: if he should happen to be bi-polar ( I mean, if the docs have all gotten it wrong) and he's going through a depressive phase, shouldn't the Geodon be helping? He just seems to get more and more depressed as gets further and further away from being delusional.

We're going to the doc on Thursday and I'm going to tell him that I want DH off this med.. no matter what he thinks. We just can't keep going through this crud anymore. I'd appreciate any feedback/advice/empathy you all can give.

I just miss my husband and I feel like this drug is running him into the ground and wrecking our marriage. :(

Geodon - Weight Loss, Mania Anyone?
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I've been on Geodon for 5 wx & have lost 15 #'s. I usually weigh 130, now 115. looking anorexic, but my depression is a lot better now, I'm happy, first time in ovr a yr. nothing else could break the barrier except the Geodon, but it makes me manic, on top of already being manic…can't sleep. as I was about to crash & burn (thu), before I went running to the ER, i found my stash of 4 mg Risperdal that I just weened myself off of 3 mos ago, due to the long term side effects I was having (td, slurring, twitching, sexual dysfunction...). it took the edge off, til I can talk to the pdoc on tue.

like many of you, i’ve tried everything. i’m at my wit’s end. This bizarre combo seems to work for me. It puts a muzzle on the mania, allowing me a more hypomanic state where I can function & still feel really happy. although I’m going to try 40 vs 60 mg geodon. & try going down to 2 mg risperdal or try another a/p. adding the risperdal allowed me to sleep, along w/the lorazepam. but, I prefer not to be on risperdal

So, as of now…i'm on 60 mg geodon, 675 mg lithium, 4 mg risperdal & 1 mg lorazepam X 2/day.

has anyone else had this experience? Especially w/the mania & weight loss?

PLZ HELP! QUEENIE

I'm on 40mg at night, and have been having good experiences with it before. I don't experience anxiety, if anything, I feel less anxious than I ever did before. I was on Risperdal and gained 75 lbs VERY quickly, even after changing my diet to low-cal, low-fat, and doing everything else in the book. Now I'm off that Risperdal garbage, on the 40 mg of Geodon, and couldn't be happier. I am bipolar, and don't experience the rapid cycling that I did before, even on the Risperdal. I'm considering asking my psychiatrist to take my oldest son OFF that Abilify mess that makes him miserable and put him on Geodon. Thumbs up from me!

hi...I have been on 40 mg Geodon for 2 weeks....the headaches and subsequent muscle tension in my head, neck and upper back are really bad!! Will this go away?

My 18 year old daughter (BPD with hallucinations) has been taking this drug since December. She is currently taking 320 mg. per day (split between morning and evening) - rare but it has been done - although I'd prefer not. First, I don't even think G gets to theraputic levels until 80 mgs. DD was on Risperdal (which worked wonderfully but her prolactin level went through the roof) and so they slowing titrated her off of that and on to G. Yes, the side effects were horrible at first. Again, it isn't until you reach theraputic levels that you start to see those side effects diminish and our experience plus other experiences I've heard of is that the higher the dosage the fewer side effects. I would highly recommend an EKG (just to be on the safe side although the side effect of heart problems appears to be over emphasized with the research I've found). I have to say that her hallucinations continue but are better - her BPD is very well stabalized with this drug (and we saw the advantage for her BPD early on). She is very level or able to regain stability when she senses a mood swing coming. Now her biggest side effects are tremors (which she's had with both Abilify and Risperdal) and a dry mouth (typical with Geodon). She occasionally gets headaches which, again, can be a side effect.

Honestly, our experience is that our DD has had side effects that were more intensified with every new medication and every dosage increase. Over time, that has always gotten better (except the prolactin level with Risperdal). I think people sometimes don't give it "enough time" but I know I'm not in their shoes. Lastly, for BPD, I'd definitely recommend giving it a try - the difference in our DD is like night and day.

noticed my jaw is clenched as i read others this happened as well my eyes are blurry now and ive only been on this shit for a week. I just took 60mg just before i read these posts and im supposed to take another 60mg in the morning but im gonna just skip it totally until i see my psychiatrist. I'll tell her it was my decision to stop bc it wasn't helping it was only making me more anxious with negative side effects. I can't stop shaking either and my jaw shakes and legs are restless as well as hands. When i was on risperdal i had like no side effects but i got off it bc it lowers your libido. Anway my suggestion would be to find another drug that is for you bc this is certainly not for most after reading this forum.