Ziprasidone and Drowsiness: What Users Say (Page 3)

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

Ziprasidone 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

Ziprasidone 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."

• Ani...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 3, 2022

For Autism "I love this med, it works really well. I have been on 40 mg for, I think, 6 or 7 years now, and it works well. I feel less cluttered in my brain and see fewer figures. I also notice that my service dog is still on high alert for stuff I need help with but is able to rest more, with other issues helping me, but with episodes that are not as bad. I was off it for a while due to no way to get to the doctor at the time but am now back on it. Right now, I get super sleepy on it but know that will get better soon, it did before. I don't mind the sleepiness since I take mine before bed, after my husband goes to sleep and after my bath. It has been good because I have had major insomnia lately, so this side effect is helping me get on a better sleeping schedule. Not bad since I take it at times where I can wake up at a good time still."

• Ash...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 23, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "This is the second time I've been on Geodon for my bipolar disorder, and honestly, it's the only thing that's ever helped me. Geodon made me sleep 18 hours a day at first, but as I've increased the dose and gotten used to it, I've noticed that my anger has gotten better, in that after I take it, I'm not enraged. Also, it helps me not be psychotic. It helps me stay grounded in reality. I feel calm, prepared, and stable after I take it. I actually love this medicine. I take 60 mg twice a day. The only side effects are late periods (up to 10 days late) at times of dosage increases, making the PMS very intense, extreme sleepiness, and mild depression. But it's very manageable compared to my anger and psychosis and what I'm like without Geodon, so I'm happy with what Geodon does for me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 18, 2023

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I started taking 40 mg during dinner for 6 days. After 5 days, in addition to the morning drowsiness, I started to experience headaches, and contrary to what they reported, I did not feel much mental clarity. I felt as if something had me 'lowering,' but I didn't have a full experience. I just took it for 6 days and stopped, also because of the long-term fear of psychotic medications."

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

Ziprasidone 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."

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

Ziprasidone 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."

• lea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 12, 2022

For Bipolar Disorder "After trying multiple medications, this is the only one I have been able to tolerate with minimal side effects. Can definitely notice a change in my mood and thought process as well. Only complaint is mild drowsiness/fatigue."

• Alw...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 27, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "I have been on Geodon (Ziprasidone) 100 mg for 5 years to treat my Bipolar II. I also take an antidepressant. For me, Ziprasidone was highly effective in that it treated my depression, mood swings, and mania. Ziprasidone has kept me stable for the past 5 years and enabled me to keep several part-time jobs (I lost all of my full-time jobs due to my illness or wrong medications). However, I have just weaned off Ziprasidone over a one-month period (no problems). I finally had to give it up because of the constant tiredness and lack of motivation that it leaves me with. I wake up tired, it is hard to get out of bed every morning, and I have no motivation once I do so. Obviously, I cannot lie in bed because I must work. I have read on another column that Ziprasidone is extremely sedating. Well, this has been the experience with me. No other side effects, no weight gain, so it may be a good drug for you if you do not experience the sedation effect."

• Jil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 29, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "I've been on ziprasidone for 3 months (40 mg) and like this drug to some extent. Pros: No side effects like nausea or a headache. Hardly gained any weight (but my appetite increased). Helps to fall and stay asleep (I take it 6 hours before going to sleep and I start falling asleep at 11 pm). Cons: Very difficult to wake up in the morning (drowsiness for at least 2 hours upon waking up). It doesn't really help me with paranoia, anxiety, and OCD."

• Cha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 18, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "Ziprasidone (antipsychotic) is the best medication that happened to me. All hallucinations are gone, haven't really gained weight. The only negative side effects are that I feel the need to be moving constantly (could be my ADHD), and I get knocked out within 3 hours of taking the high dose (60 mg) at night. But if I time it right, I can fall asleep at the right time. Caffeine does not reverse the sedation, by the way. I recommend having peanut butter with this. But otherwise, it has been amazing, the positives outweigh the negatives."

• Anonymous
• February 4, 2011

Ziprasidone "I've been taking Geodon for about a month or so now. Recently, my doctor increased my 40 (nighttime) dosage to 60 mg. Two mornings after that, I woke up, tried to get to my bathroom, and the room started spinning, I fainted. Soon after, I called my husband, and the doctor was told to go to the emergency room for tests. Everything came out okay. The next night, back to 40 mg, three mornings later, I fainted again. Going to see my doctor tonight. I had also been in withdrawal from the 'Emsam' patch for depression for well over a week when this all happened. Hoping to stay on the Geodon in a lesser dosage because of all the great sleep I have been able to get. Other than fainting, my mood has been very good, although slow and groggy in the mornings until about 10:30."

• Kie...
• July 11, 2015

For Bipolar Disorder "I've taken it for only 3 days and a half. It has a positive effect for my bipolar. The 1st day I was so scared and wanted to give up because of drowsiness and tiredness, nightmares (40 mg morning and 40 mg afternoon). But after I cut the dose down (40 mg/night only), everything's gone good. I've got feelings of happiness which I've lost for a long time!!! I think it works for depression combined with bipolar. But the problem is that it makes it difficult to feel asleep. I couldn't sleep early, I woke up until 2 am!!! I'm looking to see my doctor soon."

• ilo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 26, 2020

For Schizoaffective Disorder "Medication took much trial and error, but ziprasidone really works for me. It doesn't completely make my symptoms go away, but they are relieved enough that I can function properly. It's an effective mood stabilizer at 160 mg/day, and I can always feel it doing its job when I think I'm going into another episode. I have no akathisia, no weight gain, no anhedonia, no sleepiness like other antipsychotics. My only complaint is that it's short-acting, and you will have to take it twice a day."

• Ris...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 4, 2013

Ziprasidone for Schizoaffective Disorder "Been on it for a month now. Have lost 10 lbs. No voices or paranoia! Miracle. Just very drowsy."

• joh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 5, 2013

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "Makes me really sleepy. But it cancels out my suicidal thoughts and depression, downside is the sedation."

• ejc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 25, 2014

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "Horrendous side effects: acute dystonic reaction, laryngospasm, somnolence."