Switching from Abilify to Geodon? Anyone?

Hi Concerned Dad,

Welcome to HW! Hope you get lots of feedback on your question -- starts to pick up from about this time (evening here in the UK, but afternoon I think in the USA).

Unfortunately a lot of bipolar meds are associated with weight gain -- I wish that weren't the case -- but as with all meds they seem to have different effects for different people, and very often two meds both associated with weight gain will work differently for the same person, with one causing it and the other not. There was a thread a couple of days back about this issue with lithium and I found a useful webpage that I posted in a reply, which I think mentioned that Geodon is less connected with this side effect, so this could be a very good move. Here's the thread:

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=13&m=608068

More often than not you have to taper off and then come off one med completely before starting another (well, that is when they're both of the same type as these two are) -- otherwise it's like having a double dosage in the system and that can really throw a person off-kilter. That said, coming of a med can also cause withdrawal symptoms, and it's possible that this is what your daughter is coping with. My instinct says it's her being on the meds together.

You're right to call the pdoc to clarify on this: he/she should have made this clear to you before and I'm sorry that this was not done. Hopefully this incident will remind him/her that clarity in these cases is of utmost importance.

All best luck with it -- and let us know how it goes.

Rosie x

Hi:  I take Geodon and it is not supposed to make you gain weight and I have actually lost some weight.  Also, I take it at night or I am a Zombie.  My doc started me out on 60mg and after one dose I slept for 72 hours!  So he cut me back to 20mg at night and I gradually had to work my way up to 80mg at night which works well for me.  Some people take it twice a day but I can't tolerate that and the once a day dosing works well for me...Good Luck...Lazy

Judy mentions NMS. Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome is rare [about .2% incidence] and can happen with many medications used in Psych and outside, however, signs of this include a rise in body temperature, muscle rigidity, and tends to cause increasing loss of contiousness rather than sleepiness followed by wakefulness. It can also present with catatonia, tachycardia [rapid heart rate], tachypnea [rapid breathing], labile blood pressure [jumping up and down - may be associated with headache and faintness], dysarthria [problems speaking], dysphagia [problems eating], diaphoresis [excessive sweating], sialorrhea [An excessive secretion of saliva], incontinence, myoclonus [muscle twitching/jerks], tremors, and serum creatine kinase elevations.

The risks of NMS is not dependent on the condition per se but does increase with pre-existing catatonia and certain problems in the deeper part of the brain. Exhaustion, agitation , and dehydration may predispose an individual to the condition.

While I suspect that here the issue is over sedation [possibly better to finish one drug then start the next], however, seek immediate medical attention if you notice any of the following rare but serious side effects: confusion, fever, fast heartbeat, muscle stiffness, increased sweating, change in the amount of urine. If they arise do not give any more psych/sedative meds until seen on an emergency basis.