Hi fern. Yes, I had a heck of a time getting off of Geodon. Honestly, it was the hardest bipolar medication to get off of for me, yet.

I took 160 mg for about 5 1/2 years. I started being weaned off at that point after more than a year of extremely terrible akathisia. Geodon was initially very side effect friendly for me, until the akathisia started about 4 to 4 1/2 years in. It definitely did help calm my manias, but never did a full job when really needed. I needed a second antipsychotic added, and that was in addition to Lithium (900 mg), Lamictal (100 mg), Tegretol (1400 mg), and Klonopin (0.5 mg). All of those at the same time.

When my psychiatrist started to wean me off, I was OK after the first 20 mg was removed, and then the second. Then I started to become manic AND had withdrawal effects that included: headaches, upset stomach, loss of appetite, heartburn/indigestion, morning sweating, and anxiety. My doctor kept me at 120 mg for several weeks, then attempted to reduce to 100 mg. I got sick again, so he put me back on 120 mg because it was the holiday period. I was again on 120 mg for weeks, then down to 100 mg for some weeks. Then when I reached 80 mg, the withdrawal effects started again and I was getting manic again. All along, my Seroquel XR dose was going up, up, and up.

I think my psychiatrist kept me at 80 mg for several weeks again. Then I finally reached 60 mg and maybe he went away on his long vacation. Then 40 mg for a while. Then 20 mg. Again, Seroquel XR had to go up and up because of mood breakthroughs. At 20 mg, he considered having a compounding center create a 10 mg pill, but I decided to just go for the 0 mg. I finally managed. According to a history I took, it was about a year for me getting off because of withdrawals, holidays, vacations, mood issues, etc.

At the end of the Geodon, I was up to 600 mg of Seroquel XR, like I am now. Also, I had dependence on Ativan, because I had been taking that to curb the akathisia for years. I think the akathisia disappeared around 60 mg of Geodon, but I had to wean off that slowly, too.