Hi fern46. I read your post here and have been thinking about it for a couple of hours now. I took 160 mg of Geodon for about 7 or 8 years, but I am not sure I can definitively say whether or not it gave me any muscle weakness. I know that may sound strange, but I'm just not sure. I do know that for some years I had difficulty standing on my toes and kneeling. It got so bad that I wasn't even able to kneel without falling, unless I was holding on to something. But was it the Geodon that caused it? Some other med? Or did I somehow just stop having that issue? I don't know.

I do know that after 5 years on Geodon I got akathisia. When I went off the Geodon, the akathisia went away. I do remember some years on Geodon when I was quite well balanced and nimble on my feet. But when was it that I had that serious balance problem? Some years seem blurry and it's not always easy to place things in time, but something I took at some point seriously affected my muscle strength. And yet in the last couple of years I know for sure that I've had no problem kneeling or standing on my toes. It's not because I lost any weight. Just the opposite.

Are you on any other medications or started any others soon before, simultaneously with, or after the Geodon? Has the muscle weakness and stiffness only started after some time on Geodon? Or right away?

Please do mention this issue to your psychiatrist. I confess that I never did when I had similar problems. It was disconcerting for me, though, especially since I was a serious ballet dancer in my youth and standing on my toes and kneeling/doing plies is crucial for that. I had long since stopped dancing. Not even dancing at home for exercise/fun.

When I had the muscle weakness, I was likely on most or all of the following medications: Lithium ER (900 mg), Tegretol XR (likely 1400 mg), Lamictal (100 mg), Geodon (160 mg), perhaps Navane (up to 10 mg), Seroquel XR (anywhere between 150 and probably 350 mg), and a baby dose of Klonopin (0.5 mg) with occasional Ativan (mostly 1 mg prn). I have also taken Propranolol (40 mg) and Synthroid (150 mcg), but I doubt these last two played any role. Maybe supplements contributed? I doubt it. My cocktail was extremely big for about four or five years.

If I were to guess the cause of my past muscle weakness, I would guess Lithium. Lithium was a severe humdinger for me in terms of side effects. I got almost every single one on the books, other than weight gain, but not all at once. Some developed over time.