Geodon and muscle spasticity...does anything help?

Has anyone gone through this? I had heard geodon wasn’t that bad in the scheme of anti-psychotic side effects, certainly not as bad as the Seroquel I am on (and have been on for 10+ years).

When I started showing signs of mania again, my pdoc wanted to up the Seroquel but suggested geodon when I reminded him I have Seroquel to thank for my NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease).

I started on 20 mg just at night then 20 mg both morning and night.

All the while, I have gained loads of weight on this weight friendly anti-psychotic, despite walking (briskly) 4 or even more miles a day. Yesterday, I was on my usual walk (had been doing this walk several months), and my lower backs, quads and buttocks started hurting so bad (extremely stiff), I barely made it home. Went to bed at 6 PM last night because of the pain.

Woke up feeling no better. I started suspecting geodon especially when I got to thinking about my recent weight gain. I mean, it is ALL muscle. I don’t gain muscle easily if I am not weight lifting. Walking might tone my muscles, but in the past, it has always made me lean and has caused me to lose muscle if anything.

I left a message on the pdoc’s mobile. Pdoc called back, told me to ditch the morning dose of geodon (without my mentioning geodon at all). I want to stop the night dose too, not wanting to risk just stopping the morning not working (and not wanting to become Musclewoman). Guess I will leave the staff a message for him to tomorrow. My body is reacting to this stuff like it is poison, and I rarely have major side effect issues despite being on boatloads of psych meds.

Anyone else deal with muscle rigidity on Geodon? Does anything help? How long until I start feeling better?! This really, really sucks!

I wonder if its the fact that you are on seroquel and geodon? I know some people take two antipsychotics but it increases the chances for side effects that are typical of antipsychotics.

My experience with Geodon was basically...nothing. I gave it a good try for 2 months, but never noticed anything except that it gave me insomnia.

However, your post is interesting to me. I do have muscle contractions, especially when I walk a distance. It's never occurred to me that it's a med side effect! Of course, that makes sense.

And yes - the so-called "weight neutral" AP's are usually not weight neutral, at all.

I have been on Geodon for 15 years. My highest dose was 80mg x3 at night. Now I am just on 80mg ×2 at night. I noticed about a 25 lb weight gain in 2005 when I first starting taking it. The weight gain leveled off.

Geodon is considered " weight neutral." I laugh at that but I hear it is better in regards to weight gain compared to others.

I take about 5 psych meds and I feel Geodon is the most important. It mellows me out and without it, I get extremely agitated and aggressive.

I hope this helps...