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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by lymom3 on December 12, 2006, at 21:57:51
The pdoc wants to take me off the Abilify due to swelling and put me on Geodon. Don't know much about it at all. Any experiences that you guys can share?
Posted by yxibow on December 13, 2006, at 0:05:39
In reply to Geodon anyone?, posted by lymom3 on December 12, 2006, at 21:57:51
> The pdoc wants to take me off the Abilify due to swelling and put me on Geodon. Don't know much about it at all. Any experiences that you guys can share?
>
>Sorry to hear you had a bad reaction to Abilify. In terms of potency I would classify them about the same. If you didn't feel akathisia from Abilify you may not feel it from Geodon. I know I felt it from both. Everyone is of course different. Just my experience. Geodon went through a retrial a little while back because of rare QTc prolongation but was determined to be of statistical indifference and remarketed (Mellaril still has these heart rate anomalies and has never yet been challenged other than I think it now carries a black box)
-- Jay
Posted by lymom3 on December 13, 2006, at 7:06:32
In reply to Re: Geodon anyone? » lymom3, posted by yxibow on December 13, 2006, at 0:05:39
Abilify was great except for the massive swelling of my feet and legs that even diuretics couldn't touch. Mentally I felt better than I had in years. A year or two a ago I would have been eager to try a new med that might help. After a few disastrous med trials (don't count s/e's from Abilify as anywhere near disastrous) I'm scared to try another one.
Posted by TrishP on December 13, 2006, at 7:13:24
In reply to Re: Geodon anyone?, posted by lymom3 on December 13, 2006, at 7:06:32
> Abilify was great except for the massive swelling of my feet and legs that even diuretics couldn't touch. Mentally I felt better than I had in years. A year or two a ago I would have been eager to try a new med that might help. After a few disastrous med trials (don't count s/e's from Abilify as anywhere near disastrous) I'm scared to try another one.
What dose of Geodon is he going to start you out on?
What dose of Abilify were you taking?
Posted by lymom3 on December 13, 2006, at 7:30:29
In reply to Re: Geodon anyone?, posted by TrishP on December 13, 2006, at 7:13:24
I was on 5mg of Abilify. The 4-6 week mark seems to be where every med wants to start killing me for some reason. Starting me on 40mg of Geodon if I can work up the courage to take it...
Posted by Sebastian on December 13, 2006, at 8:28:14
In reply to Re: Geodon anyone?, posted by lymom3 on December 13, 2006, at 7:30:29
Geodon is not that strong. When I started to take it I was expecting the worst, but it was realy mild and the next day I started taking the full dose of 3x 60mg.
Posted by Phillipa on December 13, 2006, at 10:06:05
In reply to Re: Geodon anyone?, posted by lymom3 on December 13, 2006, at 7:30:29
I know the feeling many disastrous med trials. Love Phillipa
Posted by RN320 on December 16, 2006, at 17:18:46
In reply to Geodon anyone?, posted by lymom3 on December 12, 2006, at 21:57:51
Hi-
I've been on Geodon for >3yrs now- I take 180mg a day currently, but at one time was up to 320mg. Although that dose (way above what the FDA recommends- they say that 180 is the highest one should go) really helped my symptoms, I did develop some akasthisia and TD symptoms. At the dose of 180mg a day I don't have those symptoms anymore, but my one and lnly remaining problem is that I grind my teeth really bad. My pdoc says that this is a known side effect. So, I wear a custom mouth guard to protect my teeth most of the time. If you have cardiac problems, your family doctor and cardiologist need to know that you're taking this drug, since Geodon, like some of the other "atypicals" can prolong the QT interval on your EKG. If you ever need an antibiotic while on Geodon, there are several contraindicated antibiotics- the one class that comes to mind is the "Quinolones" (Avelox, Levaquin...to name a few). Hope this info helps.
/m
Posted by Sebastian on December 18, 2006, at 11:26:49
In reply to Re: Geodon anyone?, posted by RN320 on December 16, 2006, at 17:18:46
I used to take 5x60mg pills and for a long while 4x60mg pills. The problem with that dose is it made my vision blury. I cut down on dose and it started to go away. I've stoped it and switched to abilify.
Posted by lymom3 on December 18, 2006, at 11:32:21
In reply to Re: Geodon anyone?, posted by RN320 on December 16, 2006, at 17:18:46
I can't stand the jaw clenching. I am about at the end of my rope with that. It started before Geodon; maybe just due to anxiety or something but I can't take it...
Posted by RN320 on December 18, 2006, at 13:10:33
In reply to Re: Geodon anyone?, posted by lymom3 on December 18, 2006, at 11:32:21
I can really understand how frustrating the teeth grinding is......I knew that I was a "grinder" early on in adulthood, but the Geodon's made it much worse. It took me about 6 months to get used to wearing a mouthguard. Do you have one? They're about $400 in my area, and if you get a lower guard, you can still drink and take pills without having to take it out. It's not real noticeable, but has really helped me in a couple of ways- first, it decreases the wear on and protects your teeth, and second, it's actually trained my mouth so that when it's not in, I don't find that I'm grinding so much. It was a real hardship to buy this thing a few years ago, but it's been well worth the investment for me.
Happy Holidays-
/m
Posted by khfreibe on December 19, 2006, at 6:55:57
In reply to Re: Geodon anyone?, posted by RN320 on December 18, 2006, at 13:10:33
I don't know about the teeth grinding, because I have always had that habit. I have been on Geodon for over a year now and know that it messes with your vision and your alertness. Of course my doc didn't ever tell me until my appointment yesterday that you are suuposed to take with food. I know that If I took my geo any later than 7 or 7:30 at night that I am unable to function until 10 or 11 the next day. This is really frustrating when you have to be at work at 7. I am making the switch back to topamax, which I was on a few years ago. I can also attest to the blurry vision.
> I can really understand how frustrating the teeth grinding is......I knew that I was a "grinder" early on in adulthood, but the Geodon's made it much worse. It took me about 6 months to get used to wearing a mouthguard. Do you have one? They're about $400 in my area, and if you get a lower guard, you can still drink and take pills without having to take it out. It's not real noticeable, but has really helped me in a couple of ways- first, it decreases the wear on and protects your teeth, and second, it's actually trained my mouth so that when it's not in, I don't find that I'm grinding so much. It was a real hardship to buy this thing a few years ago, but it's been well worth the investment for me.
> Happy Holidays-
> /m
Posted by jedi on December 24, 2006, at 2:50:57
In reply to Geodon anyone?, posted by lymom3 on December 12, 2006, at 21:57:51
> The pdoc wants to take me off the Abilify due to swelling and put me on Geodon. Don't know much about it at all. Any experiences that you guys can share?
>
>
Hi,
I am currently augmenting 75mg of Nardil with 80mg of Geodon and it is working quite well. I have recovered a lot of the motivation that I had lost with chronic atypical depression and the meds to fight it. The Geodon does seem to add to the jaw clinching but Abilify caused akathisia which was unbearable. Seroquel just put me to sleep. As an aumentor, I am hoping to stay on this low dose of Geodon, to minimize any side effects. There have been a number of studies showing the atypical antipsychotics as good augmentors, even in unipolar depression. I believe it is the antagonism of 5-HT2A that is the main benefit.
Be Well,
Jedi
Posted by jedi on December 28, 2006, at 10:27:01
In reply to Re: Geodon anyone?, posted by jedi on December 24, 2006, at 2:50:57
Hi again,
I just had to cut my dosage of Geodon in half to stop side effects that were really strange and hard to define. Almost like the uneasy feeling of akathisia I got from Abilify but without the movement. I actually stopped the med for two days to start feeling normal for me. Then started back up at 40mg. Hopefully this low dose will continue to offer some augmentation of my Nardil.
Jedi
This is the end of the thread.
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