Ziprasidone and Tiredness: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 14, 2014

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I started taking this medication about 6-7 months ago. The first (and only) side effect I experienced while taking it was drowsiness; it made me extremely tired to the point that I was sleeping 12-14 hours a night. I would wake up exhausted, and around noontime, I would have to take a 1-2 hour nap. Over time, my body adjusted to the medication and I am no longer tired on it. Overall, this medication has helped me significantly. I had a manic episode associated with bipolar disorder and psychosis along with it. Geodon helped clear my mind, and it has given me virtually no side effects. I used to take it three times a day with food, then I dropped it to two times a day, and now I only take it once a day. I take this medication for bipolar."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 14, 2014

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I started taking this medication about 6-7 months ago. The first (and only) side effect I experienced while taking it was drowsiness; it made me extremely tired to the point that I was sleeping 12-14 hours a night. I would wake up exhausted, and around noontime, I would have to take a 1-2 hour nap. Over time, my body adjusted to the medication and I am no longer tired on it. Overall, this medication has helped me significantly. I had a manic episode associated with bipolar disorder and psychosis along with it. Geodon helped clear my mind, and it has given me virtually no side effects. I used to take it three times a day with food, then I dropped it to two times a day, and now I only take it once a day. I take this medication for bipolar."

• tat...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 18, 2014

Ziprasidone for Schizophrenia "I was given numerous medications to treat my condition, and many of them just put me in a daze and made me sleep all day. I couldn't function. Then my psychiatrist put me on Geodon, monitored my condition, and slowly increased my dosage. My condition started to improve to the point that I can now function in society. I can understand now when I start to feel paranoid and hear voices-that they are only in my head and are not real. I come back to reality and calm myself down. Geodon has helped me more than Thorazine or Seroquel. I take 80 mg in the morning and 160 mg at night. I've been able to sleep up to 6 hours now. I feel good, I'm not tired, and now I can actually eat in restaurants. I've been taking it for 3 years."

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

Ziprasidone 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."

• soo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 30, 2020

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I've been on Geodon for almost a year now. Started it because Zyprexa made me unbearably tired and confused, and Abilify made me insanely anxious. For the first three weeks, I felt tired within two hours of taking it at dinner, so I was going to bed at like 8 every night and waking up at 3 or 4 in the morning. I was also incredibly nauseous to the point where I didn't eat hardly anything for about a month and lost about 15 pounds. After that, the side effects basically went away (about once a month I'll get the sleepiness again), and it's been great at controlling my symptoms!"

• Rac...
• November 19, 2014

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I've been taking Geodon for about four weeks. Before that, I was on Quetiapine, which works well but gave me horrible weight gain (their paper says 10 pounds a year on average, and I gained 23 in 6 weeks! Still eating well too!) I have had minor side effects. When I first take it, it affects my concentration. I have a hard time driving, and specifically moving things, like looking at the road makes me sleepy. If I'm not driving (or looking at the road specifically), my tiredness seems to be much better. I have had some short-term memory problems, especially if I'm stressed at the same time. Other than that, this med has worked well for me and is keeping my weight down. Now I just have to exercise off the 23-pound belly and thighs the Quetiapine gave me."

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

Ziprasidone 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."

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

Ziprasidone 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

Ziprasidone 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."

• Me ...
• September 20, 2013

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I have a 10-year-old daughter (bipolar, anxiety, and ADHD) who has been taking Geodon for about two months, and it's been working great! I think the most important thing to remember is to go slow: 20 mg for a couple of weeks, then 40 mg for a couple of weeks, and so on and so forth. It does make you tired at first, but it wears off after a while. My daughter was first on Risperdal for a couple of years starting at age 6, but it stopped working well, and she was gaining a lot of weight. Then we eased her into Abilify, and she was on it for 2 years and still was gaining too much weight. I don't think the Abilify ever worked that effectively, and she was just getting out of control."

• Kod...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 3, 2020

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I've been on Geodon for several months now, and I have to say the side effects that bother me the most are being tired/exhausted and extreme weakness! Sometimes it makes me so tired I literally just can't get through the day. It is like my whole body feels like I'm surrounded by sand, but so far, this is the only drug that has helped stabilize my mood and helps me have a more positive outlook without putting so much effort into it. It has helped my paranoia and suicidal ideation a little bit. I can definitely notice a difference when it starts to wear off. I could use a higher dose, but I absolutely cannot go up because of how tired and weak it makes me. I have gained weight, but that's only because I'm so tired that just going to work takes all I have :("

• Kod...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 3, 2020

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I've been on Geodon for several months now, and I have to say the side effects that bother me the most are being tired/exhausted and extreme weakness! Sometimes it makes me so tired I literally just can't get through the day. It is like my whole body feels like I'm surrounded by sand, but so far, this is the only drug that has helped stabilize my mood and helps me have a more positive outlook without putting so much effort into it. It has helped my paranoia and suicidal ideation a little bit. I can definitely notice a difference when it starts to wear off. I could use a higher dose, but I absolutely cannot go up because of how tired and weak it makes me. I have gained weight, but that's only because I'm so tired that just going to work takes all I have :("

• Ell...
• May 4, 2018

Ziprasidone for Schizophrenia "Honestly, this medication does a really good job of nipping hallucinations in the bud. It took over a week for the medicine to really work for me, though. The only complaint I have is the fact that this medication makes you so, so tired. It also changes your mood so that I don’t feel like me when I take Geodon. But, it does what it’s supposed to do, so I can’t complain too much."

• Jil...
• November 15, 2016

Ziprasidone 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."

• Anonymous
• February 15, 2014

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I started taking Geodon back in May or June of 2013. It worked well enough but made me indifferent. Yes, it did help me get out of an incredibly long and terrible state of depression, but I lost the ability to feel anything at all. My legs would become restless (most often at night), and I was always exhausted. I would even doze off or completely fall asleep at work. I stayed on it for a few months, then stopped taking it when I started a hypomanic phase."

• Max...
• August 25, 2023

Ziprasidone for Schizophrenia "I have schizophrenia for most of my life. I have severe illness symptoms. I have tried many antipsychotics. Most made me gain weight. I have been on Geodon for 4 months or so. I did not gain weight on it at all. When I started, I felt very tired, but that went away the longer I was on the med. I still have slight hallucinations on it, but without it, it is very disabling. I take 80 mg once a day in the afternoon with food. I am happy with this medication. God bless."

• bip...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 17, 2021

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I had a bad experience with this, it didn't really help, it just made me tired. Annoying to take with food. Made me groggy in the morning. I'm so frustrated, I feel like no meds work, and the ones that do give me side effects."

• Anonymous
• September 28, 2009

Ziprasidone for Schizophrenia "When I first started taking Geodon, I was very, very tired all the time and pretty much felt like a zombie. Noticed a rapid increase in appetite and started getting constipated. Within five days, I started getting twitches around my mouth and jaw. On the seventh day, my tongue swelled up, my jaw was locked, and I had a grape stuck in my mouth (which I was trying to eat). Ended up switching medications. Can't say my experience with it was positive - still have some mouth twitching even now and tightness in the jaw from it. If you start having twitches, tell your doctor IMMEDIATELY! Don't wait, it should be something they (the doctors) warn you about."

• hun...
• February 17, 2010

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I have been taking this medication for 2 months. I am so unbearably tired. It has affected my quality of life. I called my doctor today and am waiting on a call back. She has to change my meds. I can't tolerate the point of exhaustion. I can't even make it through a grocery store without feeling the uncontrollable need to sleep. My husband is fed up with me right now due to this, but it is not something I can help as long as I take it. If it wasn't for that, it would be a miracle drug. I have felt better besides that."

• 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."

• Col...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 20, 2015

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I have been on the drug for about a month. I'm getting off my Depakote this month because of weight gain and tiredness. It's hard to see the whole effect of this drug. I can tell you that the drug makes you tired. I take 40 mg at lunch and 40 mg at dinner. It seems to be better than Abilify. That drug made me gain 30 pounds, and I couldn't stay still. It has just been hard because of all the weight I have gained from mood stabilizers. I just hope that when I stop my Depakote and only take Geodon, it will help me with my weight loss."

• 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."

• Not...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 14, 2019

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "Ziprasidone made me feel like a zombie. It made me really tired all day. I had a hard time waking up and carrying out my daily activities. I am not sure whether it helped me with controlling mania. Also, it made my vision really blurry and dry. I had a hard time seeing things literally."

• hay...
• June 21, 2015

Ziprasidone for Bipolar Disorder "I was on Geodon for 7 years. I was extremely tired in the morning - couldn't drive. About 2 years before I stopped, I began to have pseudo-dementia. I had pseudo-Parkinsonism for 4-5 years. 6 months before I stopped, I began to fall - about 40 times. Three times, stitches in my head and now a knee problem rated 10/10 severity. Then I became comatose. My husband called an ambulance. I don't remember anything. When I got off Geodon, dementia and pseudo-Parkinsonism went away, as did the falls."

• Sub...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 29, 2024

For Bipolar Disorder "I take 20 mg in the AM and 40 in the PM. Works well at keeping my agitation and depression down and at controlling anxiety and paranoid thoughts. The downside is it makes me extremely tired and unmotivated. I've stopped cleaning. Just the thought of doing anything like laundry is difficult. It kills sex drive."