#geodon

Brand Name: Geodon

Generic Available

Common Dosage Forms:

Capsules: 20 mg, 40 mg, 60 mg, 80 mg

Injection: 20 mg/mL as the mesylate salt in a single dose vial following reconstitution with sterile water

Suspension: Equivalent to 10 mg/mL

FDA Indications/Dosages:

For the treatment of schizophrenia: Initial oral dose is 20 mg given twice a day with food. Dosage adjustments, if indicated, should occur at intervals of not less than 2 days. Maximum dose is 80 mg given twice a day.

For the treatment of acute agitation in schizophrenic patients for whom treatment with ziprasidone is appropriate and who need rapid control of the agitation: The recommended dose is 10-20 mg given intramuscularly as required up to a maximum of 40 mg/day. No more than 10 mg should be given every 2 hours or 20 mg every 4 hours.

For the acute and maintenance treatment (as an adjunct to lithium or valproate) of mania or mixed episodes associated with bipolar disorder, with or without psychotic features: Initiate treatment with 40 mg twice a day with food. Increase to 60-80 mg twice a day on the second day if tolerated. The normal dosage range for this indication is 40-80 mg twice a day.

Monitor: FBG, Lipid panel, Weight, BP, CBC

Pharmacology/Pharmacokinetics: Although the exact mechanism of action of ziprasidone is unknown, it is thought to act by antagonism of dopamine D2 and serotonin 5HT2 receptors. It has also been shown to be an antagonist at histamine H1 and alpha-1-adrenergic receptors. Ziprasidone is well absorbed after oral dosing and reaches peak plasma levels at 6-8 hours. Food increases relative bioavailability by two-fold. Its terminal half-life is 7 hours and steady state plasma levels are reached in 1-3 days. Metabolism occurs primarily via reduction by aldehyde reductase and to a lesser extent by the CYP3A4 pathway.

Drug Interactions: Carbamazepine may decrease plasma levels and ketoconazole may increase plasma levels. Ziprasidone should not be used with other drugs which may prolong the QTc interval including dofetilide, sotalol, quinidine, other class Ia and III antiarrhythmics, mesoridazine, thioridazine, chlorpromazine, droperidol, pimozide, sparfloxacin, gatifloxacin, moxifloxacin, halofantrine, mefloquine, pentamidine, arsenic trioxide,  levomethadyl acetate, dolasetron mesylate, probucol, or tacrolimus.

Contraindications/Precautions: CONTRAINDICATED IN PATIENTS WITH DEMENTIA-RELATED PSYCHOSIS. Use is contraindicated in patients with a known history of QT prolongation, with recent myocardial infarction, with uncompensated heart failure, and in patients currently taking a drug which prolong the QTc interval. Use with caution in patients with hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, or bradycardia because of the risk of sudden death due to QTc prolongation. Rare cases of Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) have occurred in patients taking antipsychotic medications including ziprasidone. Symptoms of NMS include hyperpyrexia, muscle rigidity, altered mental status, and autonomic instability (irregular pulse or blood pressure, diaphoresis, and cardiac dysrhythmia). As with other antipsychotics, use with caution in patients with a history of seizures, in those at risk for aspiration pneumonia, and in those who will be experiencing conditions which may contribute to elevated core body temperature. Suicide is a possibility in patients taking antipsychotics, therefore, dispense the smallest quantity manageable. Rare cases of leukopenia/neutropenia and agranulocytosis have been reported in patients taking antipsychotic agents. Use with caution in nursing mothers. Pregnancy Category C.

Adverse Effects: The most common adverse effects include drowsiness, nausea, constipation, dyspepsia, dizziness, akathisia, cold symptoms, extrapyramidal syndrome, diarrhea, rhinitis, asthenia, dry mouth, dystonia, and non-allergic rash.

Patient Consultation:

This drug can cause serious heart arrhythmias, please inform your physician of any past history of heart problems.

Inform your physician of any prescription or nonprescription medications you currently take.

Take this medication with food to help its absorption.

Use caution when performing tasks that require alertness.

Avoid alcohol while taking this medication.

Do not discontinue this medication abruptly.

It may take several weeks to see symptom improvement after starting this medication.

Use appropriate precautions against heat exposure and dehydration.

Store in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and children.

Contact a physician if the above side effects are severe or persistent or if you experience fainting, palpitations, or dizziness.

hey i could end up even more ripped hell yeah thats a plus

on the minus side...

oh and also

Hey, anon!

I've never taken any of this medication. However, I do take meds that affect my weight by making me a compulsive eater. So, yeah, I feel your pain.

If anyone here has ever taken GEODON and knows the side effects or how it works, help us out! Feel welcome to enlighten the conversation.

Good luck with the new medication. I hope it turns out fine for you!

Xx

Ive been on low dose Abilify for about a year and a half. The only side effects I had were it made me sleepy and hungry all the time which resulted in me having put on like 50lbs. That was too much weight gained and I was tired of buying new pants so I talked to my doc.

Tomorrow Im starting minimum dose Ziprasidone. Hopefully I can lose some of this weight or at least stop gaining it and have very little other side effects.

Honestly Im probably okay to go off my meds all together (my doc even suggested it) but with me going back to school in a few months, now is not the time to try that.

I’ve been tried on a shit ton of meds so I figured I’d give my experience on them. My diagnoses are: schizophrenia, PTSD, generalized anxiety disorder, and borderline personality disorder.

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Sleep Meds:

Trazadone- WORST. SLEEP. MEDICATION. That I have EVER taken. Sent me into a psychotic break (thankfully I was inpatient at the time) and was overall a bad time. Made my psychosis horrible.

Vistaril- Same experience as Trazadone except a little less severe and made me a tiny bit less drowsy than trazadone did.

Remeron- It was most likely just my body, but I had a dystonic reaction to it and had hella leg jerks so I can’t take it.

Atarax- Was just like taking 50 mg of Benadryl. Made me drowsy but didn’t help my sleep at all.

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Anti-depressants:

Zoloft- This is the only antidepressant I’ve been prescribed for depression/anxiety and it really mainly helps my anxiety but at least it helps right? Dont cold turkey it if you don’t want to end up inpatient.

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Antipsychotics:

Abilify- Weight gain. Twitches. Sleep. One of the worst I was prescribed for my schizophrenia/psychosis. Even months after I’ve been off it I still have minor twitches in my neck/head area and put on 20 pounds I probably won’t lose. Helped my hallucinations the most but the side effects outweighed the benefits.

Risperdal: WEIGHT GAIN. Once again made me put on even more weight (about 10 pounds, so not as much as abilify). Made my brain foggy and I couldn’t concentrate on anything. Slightly toned down the voices, increased my paranoia.

Seroquel: Actual hell. I’m not bipolar but it ended me up in the hospital as my psychiatrist was worried it had made me severely manic. Constantly sleeping. Not much difference with psychotic symptoms.

Geodon: I wasn’t on this long, it just gave me severe anxiety. As for helping my symptoms, quieted voices a little bit, increased paranoia.

Latuda: made me VERY angry after only two days of being on it. Didn’t notice any difference in helping my psychosis.

Vraylar: This is what I’m currently on and have been on for about three weeks. It works almost as well as the abilify did as for psychotic symptoms but the twitches are worse than on the abilify. Still hearing and seeing things but not as severely. No weight gain so that is a plus!

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Benzodiazepines:

Ativan- I’ve only ever taken Ativan as needed and it works wonders. Helps me sleep, calms me down, and helps the twitches from side effects of antipsychotics.

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