Last fall, my then-pdoc took me off Risperdal, which had worked brilliantly for me for 7 years, and put me on Geodon because it had a better side effect profile. (Never mind that I had never had a single side effect with Risperdal.)

I gave the Geodon a fair try -- 4 months -- in which time it did so little (I would say nothing) that I ended up full-blown manic for the first time in my life, because I was essentially unmedicated.

I moved during that time, and had to switch pdocs. I was utterly miserable by the time I could get a new-patient appointment with my new one, and begged to go back on Risperdal. She was fine with that.

That was early January, so about 4 weeks or so. I know it takes a long time for meds to ramp up, but here is my question: Has anybody ever been on something that worked beautifully, gone off it, gone back on it and not had it work? Because while the worst of the mania is gone since I've been back on Risperdal, I feel nowhere near as good on it as I used to, am more depressed, and am having more physical symptoms.

I had heard anecdotally that things don't work as well the second time around, but this is my first experience with that. Just wondering about others.

thanks

Candy