This med Zeldox (Geodon/ziprasidone) was helpful for me for years with no side effects. Well, in the very very beginning it made me very sleepy, but that eventually wore off, especially when I reached higher doses like 160 mg.

I say helpful, but not perfect because even at 160 mg (along with Tegretol and Lamictal) it wasn't always completely powerful enough to stop my mania. I had to have a second antipsychotic added. However, when my pdoc took me off Geodon, I became manic on just the remaining mix, so the Geodon was helpful to a degree.

I eventually had to go off Geodon. Though it was virtually side effect free for 5.5 years, after that it started to give me bad akathisia. I'm not sure why it took that long. Anyway, getting off Geodon was rough. I had withdrawals and mania came back again. Instead of going back on it again my pdoc raised my Seroquel XR higher and higher.

I'd definitely recommend Geodon be tried. For some people it works sufficiently. Again, it can be quite side effect friendly. It was very weight friendly for me. I had a normal BMI most of the time I was on it.