Geodon and Depression: What Users Say

• Gia...
• September 23, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "I've been taking Geodon for years and now take the generic Ziprasidone. I can't tell any differences and are unremarkable. It has NOT made me gain weight and that is one reason I started taking this particular antipsychotic. I sleep like a rock but am a little groggy when I first wake up but that goes away pretty fast. The only really remarkable side effect is my emotions or lack thereof. I have total radical acceptance on most issues in life. I'm never overly happy or overly sad. I'm just on cruise control and it takes a lot to make me angry. It has definitely slowed down my rapid cycling, which I'm very grateful for. I am glad my doctor put me on this medication. It has literally been a lifesaver for me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 19, 2012

For Schizoaffective Disorder "When I first went on Geodon, it was like a sigh of relief. The first day I slept all day, but the grogginess passed. I took 160 mg once daily (the 80 mg twice daily didn't work, as it made me groggy). I had slight headaches and akathisia, but it was tolerable, and my mood was greatly improved. No rage, mood swings, or delusions. Unfortunately, I started getting depressed and was bumped up to 240 mg. Big mistake. I became a total zombie. I barely laughed, I couldn't read, and I had no emotions or interests. I lay in bed all the time. I lost 20 pounds and didn't have an increased appetite, which was a plus, but I was so tired. This medicine is a good one, just be careful you aren't put on a high dose."

• Ace...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 7, 2022

For Bipolar Disorder "I've been taking Geodon for a little over a year, and I am constantly exhausted. Tired, no memory, no motivation, raw depression. I'm sure it works for some people, but me? I feel dead inside. So, do not recommend."

• Cle...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 14, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "This medication turned me into a zombie. I was so tired and unmotivated all the time. I decided I wanted off of this poison and had to taper so slow because I got bad withdrawals in the smallest dose changes. I even went down to 10 mg by emptying out half the capsule. When I went to zero, I ended up in the emergency room with severe dehydration from the vomiting and diarrhea caused by the withdrawals, and I was unable to care for myself or my daughter for about two weeks. I thought my body was giving up its will to live. I have quit dilaudid cold turkey with minimal discomfort, so it's not like I can't handle discomfort, but quitting Geodon was terrible, and from now on I will be doing more research on each medication I put in my body."

• Man...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 24, 2020

For Schizophrenia "I have been on Geodon for 9 months now, and though I have lost 30 pounds of the Risperdal weight I gained, I am now experiencing a condition called Anhedonia, and I am absolutely ruined. Now that I see the world this way, I can never go back to the way I was, I get no pleasure out of life whatsoever."

• she...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 14, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "This medication was a disaster for my bipolar disorder. I felt depressed and hyper at the same time. I couldn't sleep, and couldn't think clearly. I was more manic than I'd ever been. Stopping the drug was like turning off the faucet of pain."

• Jil...
• November 15, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "My Dr. switched me from Risperidone to Geodon because of weight gain. I had taken Geodon back in 2002 and didn't have any side effects that I can recall. However, this time it was a nightmare. As soon as I started taking it, I felt sick. The side effects I experienced: sore throat, cough, sore throat glands, restlessness, acid indigestion, heartburn, belching, depression, rash on my neck, loss of appetite, back pain, joint pain, flatulence, hot flashes, insomnia, unable to stay asleep, exhausted. I was on it for 2 1/2 weeks. My Dr. told me to stop cold turkey. The withdrawal was hell. I was dizzy for a week, hot flashes, chills, shaking, nauseous, vomiting, terrible spasms in my thighs. It took about 8 days for me to feel better."

• Ohi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 3, 2015

For Autism "The doctor prescribed Geodon 20 mg at night for my 8-year-old daughter. She has autism and a mood disorder. She has been on this medication for about a week, and I am stopping it. She has become very agitated and restless. As of this evening, she has become severely depressed and is sobbing over everything. It breaks my heart seeing her like this. I would never recommend this medication for any child."

• Tac...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 13, 2019

"Was on Geodon for 6 weeks. Did not help with my irritability at all. If anything, it made it worse. It caused me to feel depressed as anything, as if I couldn't escape my own mind. It was a really messed up feeling. Ironically, Geodon was on my GeneSight test in the green column, yet it had this negative effect on me. Weaning off it now and never taking it again."

• But...
• December 15, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "This was the worst experience I've had with a medication. I had to go off Lithium because it gave me hypothyroidism and diabetes insipidus, and Geodon was a replacement. I was given Geodon at the lowest dose for about two weeks. I was okay, but experiencing a bit of random anxiety. Then my dose was upped, and I had a panic attack (I've only had 3 of those in my life before) within 24 hours. Several days later, I was in the ER with suicidal thoughts for the first time in 20 years. As far as general effectiveness goes, before the dosage increase sent everything haywire, I got depressed right away once totally off the Lithium, so it wasn't really helping anyway. The suicidal thoughts and anxiety were gone within 48 hours after I stopped taking it."

• joh...
• July 3, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "I was put on 80 mg twice a day. Couldn't handle that, so I started taking both at night. I've been on for 4 years, and then the side effects started: bad dystonia in my legs, arms, and face. Also, I was very depressed, felt hollow, and so snappy, always yelling at my kids. No ability to cry (you know sometimes a good cry just helps). So I called my doctor, and she cut it in half to 80. At first, I had some mood swings, but I have gotten them under control. Now I just ache all over and have bad headaches. But, on the lighter side, I feel much happier, not scared of people like I was before (because I was sure they were all talking about me and hated me). I haven't decided if I'm going to go off or completely. Right now, I'm happy where I'm at."

• fix...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 7, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "Do not take Geodon, I cannot stress this enough. It's a terrible drug. For me, it caused loss of appetite, bloating, and easy bruising. When you come off of the drug, it caused severe withdrawal such as brain fog, depression, and flu-like symptoms."

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

For Schizophrenia "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."

• kyl...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 26, 2019

For Schizoaffective Disorder "I have been on Geodon/Ziprasidone for about a year. My doctor convinces me it fights my symptoms, but all I experience is that 30 minutes after taking it, I go into depression. After the depression wears off, I then get sleepy, and I sleep. Other drugs that I have taken don't fight my mania symptoms, and I stay awake for days. The only advantage of Geodon is I sleep, but not after 40 minutes of depression. A small price to pay for sleep. But surprisingly, I wake up like a new man."

• Tom...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 4, 2021

For Schizoaffective Disorder "Whenever I take this medicine, I start to feel depressed, then I feel so sleepy that I am unable to stay awake. So I give in, and after a 3-hour nap, I am all better and back to normal. It happens every time I take the medication. It is the only medication that can take me to sleep. I take 80 mg morning and night."

• Dru...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 5, 2022

For Bipolar Disorder "This is my second review. I just want to warn everyone about this drug. I felt suicidal because of my horrible experience of taking it for 2 months. I felt drugged on this medication. My doctor went from 20 mg to 80 mg twice daily over several weeks. At 20-40 mg twice daily, I felt weird, like I viewed life from a strange perspective, and at 60-80 mg, I felt drunk all day long. I was crying all the time, depressed and suicidal, also very moody. I switched to asenapine and so far the veil between me and the world has been lifted, but suffering withdrawal now. Terrible anxiety and trauma from this drug."

• Jac...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 7, 2022

For Schizoaffective Disorder "DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG: REALLY BAD INSOMNIA. This medicine helped with my symptoms, but it wasn't worth it. It made me feel like a zombie, it made me feel like, it rubbish got rid of my appetite and I lost 70 lbs in about 6 months, it took away all creativity and motivation I had. It made me severely depressed and anxious for a while, made me restless where I couldn't get comfortable, and worst of all was the chronic insomnia. That started with me waking up after three hours of sleep sometimes and not being able to fall back asleep, then turned into me laying awake for hours without even getting close to sleep. I started taking sleeping pills to sleep, and sometimes they wouldn't even work. And even when they did, they made you feel horrible the next day. I never felt sleepy. I know if I wouldn't have taken those sleep aids, I probably would never have slept. Stay away from this drug if you value sleeping."

• Qan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 28, 2019

For Schizoaffective Disorder "Awful. Twitching, jerking, sadness to the extreme. Low output of urine. Made things unbearable due to movements and heart racing. Sweating was like a sauna. Do not recommend."