Ziprasidone and Drowsiness: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Loa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 7, 2019

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I started taking this medication for my mania. I really didn’t notice a difference in my manic episodes while on it. At night, the ziprasidone would make me uncomfortably drowsy, and even then, I would be unable to sleep through the whole night. On nights where I barely slept, I would wake up so terribly drowsy that I couldn’t keep my eyes open. This impaired my driving and made work and school really difficult, if not impossible. My manic episodes remained the same until I tried stopping the ziprasidone, in which they became alarmingly worse than I’d ever had them before. One night without taking ziprasidone, I had a major manic episode and was awake for over 36 hours. I was only able to rest after taking the ziprasidone but could only sleep 9 hours after being awake for so long. I’m still trying to get off the ziprasidone, but I’m unsure how to do this without sacrificing an entire night's sleep and my sanity."

• ber...
• February 6, 2020

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I’ve been on this med, Geodon, for about a year for bipolar and BPD. I am on a dose of 160 mg, and I take it all at night. I still have mania symptoms, but the only symptom I have is not sleeping. A couple of weeks ago, I was up for 60 hours nonstop, and this past week, I've been getting 3-4 hours of sleep and have felt fully energized. The first time I took this medication, I slept from 8 pm to 5 pm and was groggy for the 4 hours. I was awake before I went back to bed. I haven’t been tired because of it since, though. I also developed an acute dystonic reaction called an “oculogyric crisis” because of this med. I am on amantadine to stop it. This med has been a game changer for me, despite this. I don’t get severely depressed anymore, and my depressive episodes would be really terrible, and my manic episodes would always end me up in the hospital because I'd go on a bender and overdose, or I'd be up for days and be extremely irritable and cranky."

• Vio...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 11, 2022

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I say 'Who Knows' for my condition because they (psychiatrists) can't make up their minds. I'm being re-tested for ADHD soon, which is what I was diagnosed with as a child. Anyway, this drug is terrible. Never again. I have only slept 3-4 hours a night for the past 4 nights, and I just started taking it. I stopped it the night before last per my doctor, and I still couldn't sleep a day later. I was like the Energizer Bunny until today, now I feel like a zombie. The energy was not good, either, it was a manic energy. I am now breaking out in a rash/hives, which can be a dangerous side effect. I am so annoyed, I wouldn't recommend this to my worst enemy."

• Jas...
• November 12, 2009

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I have taken so many different atypical antipsychotics and became worried I would never find the right one. I was diagnosed bipolar, although I believe I may be schizoaffective instead, due to the classification guidelines I have read. But this medicine is amazing. I gave it a P because the only negative effect I have experienced was sleepiness, but Adderall or Provigil fixes that, and I have become so much more willing to do things and have fun with life rather than just be in a negative mood all the time or become agitated with people."

• Kri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 14, 2015

Ziprasidone for Schizophrenia "This is day two of taking 20 mg twice daily of Geodon. So far, I yawn a lot and could fall asleep about 30 minutes to an hour after taking it. That I really hate, because I was already always exhausted to begin with. BUT I will say I have noticed I'm a lot less paranoid and can actually walk slowly without thinking I'm being chased. It is rather pleasant. Now, when I see or hear things, I know it's just my head and can leave it be and not go into paranoid mode. I really hope the sleepiness subsides."

• UT ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 9, 2015

Ziprasidone for Schizoaffective Disorder "I have kind of mixed feelings about Geodon. I have only been taking it for a few weeks. It has eliminated my psychotic features... nearly 100%. The side effects are hard for me, but I have read that people get more used to it over time, so I am not ready to give up on it yet. The side effects I experience are sleepiness, which is a problem at work, but not nearly as bad as Seroquel was. The other side effect that is hard for me is the shakiness it gives me. I have to take Artane, which is a drug for Parkinson's disease, but that does calm down the shakiness. Other than that, my appetite is normal, my moods are calmed down (but I also take Lamictal for that). As far as Geodon's effect on the psychotic features goes, it's amazing."

• Anonymous
• August 3, 2011

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I've taken Geodon for the past year, and it's the best thing that has ever happened to me. It gave me my life back. I no longer bounce between mania and depression. The best thing is that I can sleep at night. I had never experienced a good night's sleep until this medicine was prescribed for me. I didn't even know it. While I do miss the mania, I feel much more stable and well. I eventually got used to the drowsy feeling, and it's mild now. My only wish is that I didn't have to ingest the calories for it to work. Sometimes I would like to have a salad for dinner but can't because it's not enough calories. That is my only complaint. This is a great medication that changed my life for the better."

• csb...
• December 14, 2010

Ziprasidone for Schizophrenia "Geodon has worked well for me. My hallucinations have gone away, and I had very little sleepiness or other side effects. I'm struggling with my weight and wondering if the Geodon is making it harder for me to lose weight, but I haven't gained any more weight while on it. I think that it's a good medication for me. It keeps me stable."

• Anonymous
• July 2, 2008

Ziprasidone for Schizophrenia "I've only been on this for a day or so now (40 mg twice a day), but I can already tell that it's helping to control my anxiety and delusional thoughts. I've been very tired, and everything has a fuzzy/dreamy/dopey feeling, but I'm hoping these side effects subside with time."

• bip...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 2, 2017

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I was prescribed this during a bad mixed episode, and it did wonders for me. It worked within the day! My only complaint is the sedation side effect. I get knocked out within two hours of taking it, so I take it at night. I also find that you can't take it with carbonated drinks, or else you get nauseous."

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

Ziprasidone for Schizophrenia "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 for Schizophrenia "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."

• Anonymous
• July 12, 2010

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I have been on Geodon for over 4 years now. Granted, it was tough to start this medication with excessive sleepiness, but I did not give up on it because my doctor really recommended it and we titrated up to 120 mg per day taken in 4 separate doses of 40 mg. Geodon is an integral part of my bipolar disorder regimen! It stabilizes me perfectly with lamotrigine and Wellbutrin XL. It's a miracle drug!"

• Anonymous
• October 4, 2010

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I have been on this for about a month now. I'm just so sleepy all the time. I can't snap out of it, and even on the lowest dosage (40 mg at night), I can't kick it. I feel like I'm a different person, not in a good way. I'm going to call my doctor and tell her that I discontinued it on my own. I cannot perform my daily functions as a wife and mother when I feel like I'm going to fall asleep behind the wheel."

• pur...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 8, 2015

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I started this medication about a week ago, exactly on 20 mg in the AM and 20 mg after dinner. In the beginning, it knocked me out. But it's gotten better. My PDC will be upping me this Fri to 40 mg AM and 40 mg PM. I'm already feeling like a completely different person a week later. I'm happy doing things with myself, like hair, makeup, actually caring. Cooking dinner every night. I see life differently now. I'm a little worried about gaining weight, but I'd rather be in a good state of mind, honestly, than 130 lbs. A little weight won't kill me, I guess. I give this med an 8 out of 10, only because it is very sedating in the beginning, and you have to eat with it."

• Anonymous
• March 10, 2012

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "Once I got over the sleepiness, it's working great for what it needs to be. My only problems are, one, it makes me feel totally numb. I can't even cry on it. I feel no emotions, and two, I'm very forgetful, and when I forget Geodon, I actually start panicking and throwing up. Just don't forget your medicine."

• Fat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 22, 2019

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "Worst experience ever! Took this horrible medicine for bipolar disorder since Zyprexa made me gain weight. The first dose was like something out of a nightmare. I felt extremely drowsy, but anxious. Worst anxiety I have ever felt. Everything made me anxious. I wanted to sleep, but couldn't because of the anxiety. Worst feeling I have ever felt. I wanted to go to the hospital to flush it out, but just waited it out. One day later, still feeling slight anxiety and want to grind my teeth really badly."

• Rer...
• April 5, 2011

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I was taking a combination of Geodon and Lamictal for about a month and a half. My mood was better at first, but after a few weeks, it seemed to lose its effectiveness. It made me extremely drowsy and made my thoughts clouded. My mood got so bad that I ended up being hospitalized. Within days of being off of this medicine, my mental clarity and energy returned."

• Sup...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 19, 2016

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I'm confused about comments. Do most bipolar 1 patients find Geodon taken before sleep helps sleeplessness? I have been taking Geodon the last 6 months and weaned myself off of lithium. The only side effect I have with Geodon is sleeplessness. Is Geodon more effective taken in the evening? I see my Dr. in a month, I will bring up patient responses to Geodon, taken before bedtime. I'm willing to try!"

• Anonymous
• October 21, 2011

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "After the initial, hard-to-get-through side effects, I stuck with the Geodon, and it has helped me greatly. I'm not as moody, and like some other people's reviews I saw, I'm not as hostile. I'm taking 160 mg/night, and due to severe stress, my doctor added another 60 mg in the morning. I'm over the sleepiness, but do get restless at times. I keep reading about the horror stories about this medicine, but for me, it works well in conjunction with my Lamictal, Klonopin, and Prozac."

• nic...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 7, 2022

Ziprasidone for Schizoaffective Disorder "Surprised that I like this medicine. I went on it for the weight-neutral benefit and have been on it for almost 7 months before. No akathisia at all like I had on the Vraylar, which is a plus. I maintained the same weight for 5 months but just realized that I went up 2 pounds despite eating small portions, working out 5 days a week, and taking an appetite suppressant supplement. Overall, pleased with the drug though because when I was on Vraylar, I gained 30 lbs in a year and had terrible akathisia. Helps me sleep at night, too. The only cons are that I got terrible facial edema on it (face swelling) compared to other antipsychotics I've been on, so my face looks much bigger; also, you have to take it with food, so I can't drive after I take it because it makes me too groggy to drive. Staying on it though until better drugs like Ulotaront come out, because of how I didn't gain as much weight on it and because Geodon is not supposed to raise your cholesterol either."

• Eim...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 25, 2020

For Schizoaffective Disorder "I have schizoaffective disorder, mixed bipolar type, and this ziprasidone medication has been the best! It really gets you motivated, unlike other medications like risperidone. It doesn't cause sleepiness that much during the day, and also, I have been losing weight that I have gained from olanzapine before. The only negative thing about it is that it causes akathisia (restlessness), but it's well controlled by trihexyphenidyl 2 mg. I take 40 mg of ziprasidone twice daily with 750 mg of valproate and 20 mg of fluoxetine. I finally feel normal again!"

• M H...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 12, 2016

For Bipolar Disorder "I will start off by stating I am a pharmacist, so I have some additional knowledge to back my statements, but also am on Geodon 100 mg total daily dose. First off, you must take it with a meal (at least 400 calories), or else you're only getting about 40% of your dose. Secondly, it can cause drowsiness (or somnolence), however, I did not experience that myself. Also, you must be on a pretty solid dose to treat bipolar 1, so slowly increasing may be necessary to prevent side effects, and if that's the case, you must be patient. It did take me a few days to get up to a dose I could tolerate, and that did mean some extra days of hypomania, but it was worth it for the relief I feel now."

• Hin...
• August 27, 2011

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "Geodon has cleared up my mania. I had psychotic delusions of grandeur before and after being treated with this medication. They've cleared up, and I've returned to myself. The only side effect for me was sleepiness, which was irritating to go through at first, but lately I haven't had it in a while. I'd also had trouble sleeping, and this has given me a few hours every day where I was having none at all before. I'm on 80 mg at around supper time."

• Meg...
• May 26, 2011

Ziprasidone for Paranoid Disorder "I was prescribed Geodon for depression with paranoid features. It worked well as a mood stabilizer, and I didn't really notice any side effects during the day (I took 160 mg at night), except for some initial appetite loss. However, when I would take it with my evening meal (you have to take it with food), within 2 hours, I was extremely sedated to the point of not being able to keep my eyes open. I went off the medication after a month as I didn't feel it was helping me enough to justify taking such a strong drug."