[Amy3boys]

I was taking 80 mg Geodon at bedtime but recently decreased to 60 mg due to akasthesia. The akasthesia seems to have stopped but for some reason I'm feeling weird/maybe having feelings of depersonalization in the evenings. I'm wondering if it has to do with only taking Geodon at night instead of twice daily. Could it be wearing off and making me feel strange by the end of the day since I only take it at night? I should probably ask my doctor about this. If you take Geodon do you take it twice each day? Thanks for any replies!

Hi Amy3boys! I'm glad that you no longer have akathisia. I know how torturous that can be. I've had akathisia on a few medications, but Geodon was the worst. Perhaps your current feelings of dissociation are part of a little withdrawal? I don't know. Please ask your doctor about that. I have had periods when I experienced depersonalization/derealization, but I don't think it had to do with Geodon, even though I was on Geodon at that time.

Most of the time I took Geodon I took 160 mg per day. They started me out twice per day, which is the recommended. However, in the beginning it was quite sedating for me. I managed to twist a doctor's arm into letting me take all 160 mg at night. That did help calm daytime sedation. However, over time I got naughty and decreased my daily dose to 80 mg, taking the full 80 mg at night. Unfortunately, that was not enough for me. I was getting severely manic, nearly being hospitalized a few times. Then I fessed up to my psychiatrist and told him what I had done. He then had me taking 80 mg twice per day again (totally 160 mg per day). That did help curb the manias for a while. I do believe taking it twice per day was better. I recall that when I only took it only at night, it would calm me down at night, but like you said, during the day it seemed to have worn off. Taking twice daily helped with that a bit.

Actually, the phenomenon of my moods being leveled after my evening doses, and then growing out of control in the mornings through daytime, is common for me. Even to this day. My evening medications are pretty potent and numerous. They do help me get decent sleep. I do take medications in the mornings, but they are not sedating for me at all. Because of that, I gain momentum throughout the day. Often by 2 or 3 pm, I can be pretty high energy. Occasionally, I have to take an "as needed" Seroquel IR, but I try not to.

[bizi]

I take 80mg twice a day.
bizi

[~Christina]

Geodon is reported as one of the medications that should taken every 12 hours IF your on a mg dose that can be split.

There’s been a few members over the years here that there is such a “ feeling “ that reminds them it is absolutely time to take it , such as nausea, shakes , agitation and a quick feeling of doom.

[Amy3boys]

Originally Posted by ~Christina

Geodon is reported as one of the medications that should taken every 12 hours IF your on a mg dose that can be split.

There’s been a few members over the years here that there is such a “ feeling “ that reminds them it is absolutely time to take it , such as nausea, shakes , agitation and a quick feeling of doom.

Thanks! I'll be heading home from a trip to NC tomorrow and will check in with my doctor about this!

[BipolaRNurse]

I take 40 mg in the AM and 60 at night. Sometimes I think about taking it all at night so I'm not sleepy during the day, but I've been much more even since I started taking the AM dose and I don't think I should mess with it. If it ain't broke...

[Curlynurse1]

I take 40mg but am titrating off currently... nasty side effects

[fern46]

Originally Posted by Curlynurse1

I take 40mg but am titrating off currently... nasty side effects

Me too, but for different reasons. How is your taper going? I'm down to 20mg every three days and will stop completely at the end of this week. No major withdrawal side effects to report. My sleep has been a little disrupted by constant vivid dreams, but otherwise I've been ok.

[Amy3boys]

Originally Posted by fern46

Me too, but for different reasons. How is your taper going? I'm down to 20mg every three days and will stop completely at the end of this week. No major withdrawal side effects to report. My sleep has been a little disrupted by constant vivid dreams, but otherwise I've been ok.

I'm wondering if something else (another antipsychotic?) should replace the Geodon since I can only tolerate lower doses (b/c of akathisia) but did better on a higher dose. Are you going to take anything in its place? Good to hear you're not having bad withdrawals.

[fern46]

Originally Posted by Amy3boys

I'm wondering if something else (another antipsychotic?) should replace the Geodon since I can only tolerate lower doses (b/c of akathisia) but did better on a higher dose. Are you going to take anything in its place? Good to hear you're not having bad withdrawals.

I would say that depends on whether you experience sympyoms without an AP. Is Geodon doing anything for you or do you have breakthrough symptoms while on it? If so, I would think a replacement is warranted.

I am not going to take anything in its place. However, I've only had one episode and no history of depression or mania otherwise. My doctors are weaning me off because it is the only way to know if I truly need to be medicated or not. It could be that I do not have a mood disorder and my episode of psychotic mania was a one time thing. Trial and error is the best thing they can offer since diagnosis is not an exact science. I have been taking 20mg of Geodon for over 6 months and I haven't had any signs of mood swings in almost 10 months, so my doctors felt it was time to let me try life without it. I'll go back on it if needed.

I was taking the lowest dose possible already so I did an every other day taper and then moved into every third day. That seemed to work pretty well, but my understanding is that withdrawal can be harder depending on the amount you take and how long you've been on it. I asked around and a lot of people suffered through some pretty harsh effects.

[Curlynurse1]

I’ve been on 20mg for the last week I plan to slowly get off in the next month... at this low dose I feel emotions not robotic feeling alive again so happy to be off this medication

[Amy3boys]

Originally Posted by Curlynurse1

I’ve been on 20mg for the last week I plan to slowly get off in the next month... at this low dose I feel emotions not robotic feeling alive again so happy to be off this medication

Were you on a higher dose before getting down to 20 mg? If so, was it difficult to taper down? Thanks!

[Curlynurse1]

Originally Posted by Amy3boys

Were you on a higher dose before getting down to 20 mg? If so, was it difficult to taper down? Thanks!

I was on 60mg every night so not a high dose wasn’t too bad to taper the only thing is your feelings and emotions come back so you really start feeling alive again

[Amy3boys]

Feeling alive again sounds good to me! I'm taking 60 mg at bedtime too. I recently started taking Lamictal so I'm wondering if it can replace the Geodon. I know they're from different classes of meds but I'm going to ask my doctor tomorrow.