Posted by Christ_empowered on July 23, 2010, at 16:54:45
In reply to Re: Geodon dose ???, posted by SheilaC on July 23, 2010, at 16:35:34
Hey. Maybe we just angry about the adderall thing. Even though 20mgs/day of Adderall is a pretty small dose (severe cases of ADD and narcoleptics sometimes take several times that), it is still a schedule II substance--its probably not something he wants you to experiment with in terms of dosing, even if your experiment makes perfect sense (which it did, by the way).
Geodon can make people tired, so I think it is kind of strange that your doc is saying that it couldn't be or probably isn't the Geodon. Even non-sedating or minimally sedating antipsychotics can make people more tired and lethargic.
I don't know what to tell you about Geodon dosing for your problem. From a safety standpoint, you're better off with the lowest dose you can get away with, because every single dose increases your odds of tardive dyskinesia and other tardive syndromes. I'm not saying this to scare you--if Geodon works for you, take it--I'm just saying that the "LED" (Lowest Effective Dose) is what doctors are supposed to aim for when they're prescribing antipsychotics. Higher dose antipsychotics are sometimes called for in severe cases, but sometimes high-dose antipsychotics create a whole new set of problems (social withdrawal, apathy, lethargy, depression, etc.). So....I personally agree with his decision on lowering the Geodon, unless you have active psychosis or something.
Could you maybe try something else for sleep? The thing about seroquel is that it doesn't even become active as a mood-stabilizer/antipsychotic until you hit higher doses (I want to say a couple 100mgs/day, but I'm not sure...). Until you hit that point, its a very expensive antihistamine with lots of potential side effects. Have you tried hydroxyzine? It comes in two forms, Vistaril and Atarax. If I remember correctly, hydroxyzine can have anti-anxiety effects and boost antidepressants, although there is a small tardive dyskinesia risk when using higher doses for a prolonged period of time. There's also a risk of seizures, mostly for people prone to seizures or people temporarily at risk of seizures (people undergoing benzo or alcohol withdrawal, for instance). Hydroxyzine is old, so its pretty cheap, and I don't think it has the same potential metabolic side effects as seroquel. Then again, if you like the seroquel and you're aware of and OK with the potential risks, then by all means, take it.
I hope this was somewhat helpful.
poster:Christ_empowered
thread:955451
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100720/msgs/955655.html