[raspberrytorte]

I've only been taking it for five days, but I've noticed, since starting it, that I haven't been digesting what I eat.

Anyone have this situation when starting it, and if so, did it go away?

[Crazy Hitch]

I'm not on geodon but I just wanted to say I'm sorry that you're having this side effect and I hope that it passes soon

[wiretwister]

never had that as I remember ...

Are you eating enough with it? I really need to make sure I eat a meal with it. Light things are not enough.

[raspberrytorte]

I've been taking it after eating a banana and peanut butter, which I have to make myself do because I'm never hungry now. And when I do eat I get a tummy ache.

It's just so frickin bizarre. I've never taken anything with this strange of a side effect.

That is definitely not enough. I need to have something more substantial. It is hard to find something that is not sugar or carbs to have with it. A bowl of cereal is ok and usually edible or 2 eggs or A peanut butter sandwich etc. I know that I need to have it with meals as in breakfast and dinner. It was hard to eat enough in the morning but I am more used to it now and find the morning anxiety more barable.

[raspberrytorte]

I'm not really a meal person. I've always been more of a grazer, so this whole having to eat an actual meal with it is going to take some getting used to!

It took me a while too. I wonder if we can come up with something you can eat that works. Nuts? Do you drink milk? Weetbix? Toast? Potato?

[raspberrytorte]

Today I'm supposed to start taking it twice a day, so I just ate a peanut butter sandwich and drank a huge glass of milk and then took it, so hopefully that'll be enough.

Had to make myself eat again. Just gag! I don't know what's up with that. I feel fine otherwise.

[Luctor]

Is it absolutely imperative you take geodon with food? What happens if you don't?

Good thing my pdoc told me about this.

[raspberrytorte]

I was told by my pdoc that you have to take it with food, or it doesn't metabolize in your body or something and doesn't work as well?

[Luctor]

Originally Posted by raspberrytorte

I was told by my pdoc that you have to take it with food, or it doesn't metabolize in your body or something and doesn't work as well?

That makes sense. I'm used to taking my meds with nothing but a cup of coffee. Pdocs can be so slack. Pretty annoyed.

Anyway, good luck with your geodon experience - I hope it gets better. I'm starting it this weekend.

[raspberrytorte]

luctor - Good luck!

[BipolaRNurse]

Yes, you have to eat fatty foods with it or the drug won't be absorbed, which renders it useless.

[electricbipolargirl]

Hi Raspberry,

I'm on Geodon, too. How did you find out that the food you eat wasn't getting digested? (I don't know if the answer would be TMI, so if it is, feel free not to answer).

[kimber1234]

I had constipation at first but it went away after about a week. I was also unbelievably tired!!!!! Hope that helps!

Kimber

[raspberrytorte]

It's a little TMI. Lol. It's like when you poop out corn because you don't digest it.

bipolar nurse - Would peanut butter count?

[lovejoy91]

Originally Posted by Luctor

Is it absolutely imperative you take geodon with food? What happens if you don't?

Good thing my pdoc told me about this.

Geodon will not work successfully if you don't eat a meal with it.

Originally Posted by raspberrytorte

Today I'm supposed to start taking it twice a day, so I just ate a peanut butter sandwich and drank a huge glass of milk and then took it, so hopefully that'll be enough.

Had to make myself eat again. Just gag! I don't know what's up with that. I feel fine otherwise.

Goodluck! I hope it helps. Worth trying. It is a good drug, just a couple of annoying niggles.

Originally Posted by Luctor

Is it absolutely imperative you take geodon with food? What happens if you don't?

Good thing my pdoc told me about this.

My pdoc never told me but it was in info available to me. It took me a few months to figure out to eat with it too - I get terrible acid reflux now, if I dont eat with it, it is a million times worse. But everything out the other end is normal lol.

[RisuNeko]

I was hallucinating every day when I wasn't eating with Geodon. I think it's probably an underlying issue, possibly schizoaffective (that's my pdoc's suspicion), but yeah, it definitely doesn't work unless you eat enough with it. I read a journal article that said the optimal amount of calories is 600.

[Secretum]

Geodon aggravated my nausea. It was so terrible that I had to go off of it after two months.

[RisuNeko]

I'm on geodon and metformin and I thought the sole source of my frequent vomiting was the metformin but maybe it is the combination of the two. Who knows.