Ziprasidone for Schizophrenia User Reviews (Page 2)

• Las...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 28, 2019

Ziprasidone "This medicine can cause unwanted sleepiness. Going out in public in the middle of the afternoon, I experienced akathisia, restlessness, and the desire to sleep. I also get wicked dry mouth every night and head flashes. I still am hearing voices on this medication and am taking 160 mg a day, 80 in the morning and 80 at night. My doctor added on Cogentin to help with the akathisia, and it makes me feel even sleepier. Also, the Cogentin causes serious vision blur, so much so that my eyes won't focus when I try to read."

• Kit...
• August 29, 2019

Ziprasidone "I started taking Geodon on a Monday. I didn't get any sleep even after taking trazodone, still didn't get but 1-2 hours of sleep that night, so I decided to skip Tuesday. Slept like a baby that night. Being cautious, I decided to give it another try, 1/2 a pill on Wednesday around 7 p.m. Around 8:30 p.m., I started having what I described as labor pains (no, I'm not pregnant) and a migraine, but the pains didn't last for more than 3 to 10 mins at a time, off and on during the night, but I did get a few hours of sleep. Sometime during the night, but Thursday morning, I felt good enough to start some minor yard work (raking). I began to get very hot, almost to the point of stripping. Things only got worse, the migraines and cramps came back along with hives and the sensation of being stung by 100,000,000 all at once. So here I am now, laying in the hospital from a bad reaction from the Geodon, having it flushed out of my system, so I would never take this medication again... GOOD LUCK."

• ros...
• January 18, 2016

Ziprasidone "My doctor changed my drug regimen from Abilify to Geodon (120 mg). Then I started experiencing trouble swallowing and headaches. These effects were transient, so the doctor asked me to stay on the drug. The condition became worse, and I went to an ear, throat, and nose doctor. They indicated that I was suffering from GERD and inflammation of the larynx. After a few more weeks, I was becoming paranoid and experiencing OCD symptoms. My husband called the doctor and demanded she shift back to Abilify. A couple of days later, all the aforementioned symptoms disappeared. I am sure the drug works for many people, but please pay close attention to the side effects I described."

• Sch...
• August 5, 2017

Ziprasidone "This is a zombie drug, causes me to fall and hurt myself, makes me have zero emotions, and I hate everyone and want everyone in the world to die... would be animal abuse to give it to a pet... I'm not taking this anymore."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 10, 2024

"Ziprasidone is the best medicine for schizophrenia. I have been taking it for 16 years. I feel better. When I add Olanzapine with ziprasidone, I am completely cured of schizophrenia. I started adding Olanzapine 6 years ago. Delusions are completely gone from my mind."

• Ang...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 8, 2016

Ziprasidone "It's wonderful for treating the symptoms of schizophrenia. Unfortunately, it comes with terrible anxiety for me. Almost every night, I get this weird, overwhelming feeling, can't sit still, and I can only describe it as a panic attack. My benzo doesn't help, all I can do is go to bed. I'm only taking 20 mg twice a day. I'm scared if I ever need to increase the dosage."

• Big...
• February 13, 2017

Ziprasidone "Friday, 2-10-17, I was rushed by ambulance due to respiratory acidosis. I was intubated and stayed in ICU because I took Xanax, baclofen, oxycodone, and clonazepam in conjunction with Geodon. It says do not mix this medicine with those medicines. I did exactly what the Dr told me to do. You have to do your own homework. Be safe."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 28, 2022

"I've been on this medication for 1 month. I don't feel that it helped with my demons in my head! Sometimes it feels like it helps, but the next day it feels really bad as well! I've been taking between 40 - 80 mgs daily, can't stand the restless feeling. If I take it in the morning, it also causes blurred vision! It did help with my depression and motivation, but not much with my psychotic symptoms, and the fact that you have to take it with food really is annoying! I think it's time for a new medication! I want to try Vraylar."

• Anonymous
• January 19, 2010

Ziprasidone "Geodon has worked wonders on both my visual and auditory hallucinations. I have no side effects from it other than being a little tired from time to time. I'm taking 40 mg twice a day and have been on it for about a month and a half."

• mus...
• October 29, 2020

"Ziprasidone has been a slight game changer for me. Although the game is still the same, it's been able to level the playing field a bit and make things seem a lot easier. It doesn't feel like I'm taking a serious drug, it just feels like I'm taking something mild that takes the edge off. My psychotic episodes are more manageable, and life is getting better. I've gained weight, but I needed to gain weight anyway. I was underweight and taking Adderall every day to now gaining weight and feeling more normal and just taking Ziprasidone (80 mg/day). It's a mild drug that if you give a chance can really help things feel better."

• Amy...
• November 17, 2018

Ziprasidone "I have been on Geodon for the last 5 years. As soon as I started taking Geodon at 20 mg, my sleep started to get disturbed. I was bumped up to 60 mg, and the hallucinations have tapered off. I still get delusions and feelings that people are talking out of my mouth as my mouth moves with words. I had initial symptoms of restlessness and anxiety, but over time these symptoms have decreased and managed. I take Geodon with food at 5:30 pm, and it wires me so I can't sleep at night. I tried taking Geodon in the morning with food, but sometimes if I don't eat enough food, it causes forced drowsiness and I am unable to do anything but sleep for a couple of hours. I switched to evening in case the forced drowsiness appeared again. I found that moderate exercise 5 days a week helps with sleep because Geodon increases DHEA levels, and when DHEA is elevated, you have sleep issues. In the fifth year of Geodon, I started to get drug-induced Parkinsonism."

• Nan...
• May 2, 2016

Ziprasidone "60 mg very effective for psychotic symptoms. Zero weight gain. However, had to come off due to bad side effects. Quite severe depersonalization and jaw pain. As I understand it, this is quite a rare side effect, so I wouldn't let it dissuade you. Reactions to antipsychotics are very much on an individual basis. Would recommend despite my personal side effects."

• Abs...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 22, 2018

"I have been taking ziprasidone for a year and a half now. Previously, I have taken risperidone for a number of years, but it caused a lot of weight gain and worked very well for my symptoms of schizophrenia. Later, I took Loxapine for about 3 years, but that too didn't help me with my weight concerns even though it worked well for my symptoms. I tried aripiprazole for a while, but it didn't help with my weight, nor did it help with my symptoms. Finally, I took ziprasidone. It has worked well for my symptoms just like risperidone and Loxapine, but it has also helped me get back to my normal weight which I had before taking any medications. So, naturally, I am very happy for the existence of this wonderful drug."

• It...
• January 29, 2022

"I was started on ziprasidone 20 mg 2x daily for racing thoughts for bipolar 1. For a few weeks, my racing thoughts did not go away, so my doctor kept increasing my medication all the way to 80 mg 2x daily within 4 weeks. My racing thoughts stopped, but I felt very drugged and like I saw life from a strange perspective. I would forget where I was or what I was doing, had terrible crying and/or panic attacks. I could not drive anymore for almost 2 months because I felt drunk. My doctor lowered it to 40 mg in the morning and 80 at night, I instantly felt more like myself. Now, on 20 mg in the morning and 80 mg at night, I feel normal again. Hopefully, my racing thoughts don’t return. I also have heart palpitations and very restless legs from this medication. I say tinker with your dosage to best suit you. And every time I increased it, my brain felt like it shut off intermittently. I was very out of it with each increase. Everyone trying to change meds, hang in there."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 11, 2017

Ziprasidone "I've been on Geodon for 6 months now, and it's helped me maintain my weight and take away all my symptoms with minimal side effects. I increased my dose to 120 mg once a day, and now I developed insomnia and can't sleep without taking Xanax. I will be forced to switch medications."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 28, 2020

"This medicine, ziprasidone, did nothing to stop racing thoughts. Doctor suggested increasing to max therapeutic dose, so I did. Gave me terrible akathisia, did not want to be alive on this medicine. Thank goodness I had some Ativan, or I might not be here. Made me gain 50 pounds as well. Wouldn't matter to me if it actually treated what doctor said it would. This is no good."

• Kay...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 25, 2022

Ziprasidone "I take 120 mg Geodon for voices, hallucinations, and delusions, and it definitely helps that, from what I’ve noticed, a year later after starting it. The good thing is that it helps the positive symptoms, and it’s weight neutral. Make sure to eat at least 500 calories with it, as I have eaten less and heard voices. I think I lost like 20 lbs on this, as Zyprexa made me gain 40 lbs, but I was very underweight before. I think it gives me anhedonia, loss of intellect, and less creativity. My thoughts are a lot more clear, so clear that I can now go to college and live a productive life. It disappoints me because I cannot really enjoy myself or any artwork. I used to be an artist, now I cannot come up with new ideas. Geodon has made me stupid. I swear it suppresses a lot of my cognition. I take things so literally now, it’s insane."

• Ope...
• September 11, 2016

Ziprasidone "I've been on Geodon for about three weeks now. So far, no side effects, but it's difficult to take with 500-calorie meals. I'm not much of a breakfast gal and find myself looking for food to take my medicine in the morning."

• JBa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 23, 2021

"This medication was suggested on my son's GeneSight for his MDD with psychotic features. I just knew it was going to be a game changer until it took away his appetite. Food is necessary in order for the medication to work properly. He also couldn’t sleep on this med. No appetite and no sleep for a person struggling with MDD with psychotic features is a no-no. He was on Olanzapine at first, which took him out of psychosis, he slept great but did nothing for his auditory hallucinations. I will now try to find an all-natural appetite stimulant and something to help him sleep. They should probably add an antidepressant to his cocktail. Maybe that will help with the auditory hallucinations. This medication could be a 10 if the person keeps their appetite."

• jer...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 19, 2016

Ziprasidone "Been on it for nearly 2 months now, and I always take it at a time when I have a meal for the best effect. No relapse. I do not gain psychosis when having Geodon. And I do not gain weight on it or feel too extremely hungry when having this. But I've got the same problem that actually occurs with those who have ADHD. Among the problems is lower memory and shutting down things that happen at the same time. Has someone else experienced problems that remind them of ADHD on Geodon? And my dreams at night are not always something to be proud of or try to impress with. I have very sick dreams on Geodon. But it feels like I can be myself on it and still be the person who I really am. Geodon got 7 of 10. Still good. This is my experience on Geodon."

• Rai...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 2, 2023

"Yes, less anxiety but awful side effects. The doctor started me on the highest dose of 40 mg twice daily. I have pain in my head and pain behind my left eye, which I had to have a test done. Tapered down to 40 mg in the morning and 20 mg at night. I had severe agitation and irritability, which caused restlessness in my legs and feet at night. So then down to just 20 mg at night. Clenching jaw, a feeling of crawling in my left ear, muscle tension, neck pain, a fluttering of the heart, constipation, and the list goes on. I do not recommend this medication, the side effects have been too much for me to handle, but to mention worsening depression and suicide. Please research before any doctor prescribes this to you. I’m yet to get off of the 20 mg."

• Mix...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 11, 2019

Ziprasidone "Geodon definitely works for an antipsychotic, but if you don't eat with it, it will make you a zombie, and you won't get up for hours. When you eat with it, it's a whole different story. Anyway, it also makes me so anxious, more than I have even been in my life. It messes with my head so bad. For that reason, I hate it with a passion and never want to take it again."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 30, 2020

"My mom has been on it a good 13 years. Over the years, I've watched my mom turn into a zombie-like person who can't do anything for herself. She barely eats but constantly needs to drink fluids. She hallucinates all day and night when she's not asleep, talking to people who aren't alive or thinking babies are in her bed. I'm studying up, hoping to make a change to her meds. In my opinion, Geodon slowly kills the body. Geodon, Haldol, Benztropine slowly kills."

• Dor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 19, 2016

"I have PTSD with psychosis and have switched from risperidone due to leaking breasts and loss of period. Seems to be working fine, but I prefer to take meds at night, then pass out, which makes eating with Geodon difficult. So far, so good. My docs think it's my best chance to have a period again, not that I can have any more children with all the drugs I take (clonazepam & sertraline also)."

• aaa...
• August 16, 2016

"Absolutely terrible. I had such bad side effects that I ended up back in the psychiatric emergency room because I was having constant panic attacks from it. As soon as I was taken off the medication and switched to a different one, they stopped. They reoccur if I try taking the medication again, even once. It didn't even affect my schizophrenia symptoms."