Geodon increase/bad side effects :(

My Geodon was increased from 60 to 80 mg about two weeks ago. This change was made b/c I had to stop taking Lamictal due to bad side effects and my mood went downhill after stopping Lamictal. Now I'm having a whole new set of side effects and the only thing that's changed is my Geodon was increased. I'm having a lot of memory loss and confusion as well as hair loss. I left a message for my doctor and am so freaked out by these side effects that I'm going back down to my old dose tonight. Has anyone else had any of these side effects from Geodon? It's kind of scary

Hi Amy3boys. I'm sorry to read that you are experiencing such distressing symptoms. I never had hair loss from Geodon, even at 160 mg for about 8 years, but we are all different. I also don't recall memory loss or confusion, but maybe I had a little and just don't remember. If I did, it eased with time. I do know that as my Geodon was increased, I did experience quite a bit of sedation. It was sort of rough getting used to it. I remember once having a guest over to my house and falling asleep sitting up, while she was here. Other times I just hated feeling so drowsy.

In the early days of my taking Geodon, I remember begging the psychiatrist (then an IOP psychiatrist) to let me take all 160 mg at night. He allowed that, and it helped a little. Then when I returned to my usual private psychiatrist, something made me reduce my dose to 80 mg per day, only, which I took all at night. I didn't tell him, and that was not good. I ended up being hypomanic and sometimes full blown for quite a while. I finally fessed up about my lower dose, so my psychiatrist increased it again, making me take 80 mg in the morning and 80 mg at night. That did help stabilize my mood, and oddly, I didn't have any sedation anymore. My body had gradually gotten used to Geodon, so that side effect disappeared.

I take my geodon at night because it makes me sleepy. I take (3) 60mg pills.

Thanks for your reply! I spoke to my doctor and I am tapering off of Geodon and starting to take Vraylar. I hope it gives my mood and energy a boost!

I hope you have good luck with Vrylar. Many people find Geodon to be helpful; I did not. I've never taken a med as odd as Geodon. Didn't do anything positive, but had weird side effects. Not hair loss for me, but yes, confusion...and being sleepy all day, but unable to sleep at night. Strange stuff.

Geodon made me feel like I'd swallowed an atomic bomb. Or like you feel when you get a contrast CT scan. I felt so WEIRD inside! Pdoc wrote down another reason for stopping it, but that was my reason.

I know this is really stupid of me but the sites I read say you have to take it with500 calories!
I don't eat breakfast!
I have been taking my meds after a big lunch then at bed time....no food.
This is probably the reason I am manic now. so for the past week I have taken it with food at night as well.
How does one diet on this? 500 calories opposite ends of the day, that leaves 200 calories for lunch!
this is not doable.
It may be weight neutral but you gain weight because of the amount of food that you have to eat.
sigh
bizi