I'm new and have a question - Bipolar Disorder Message Board

Bunnylover · 04-25-2008, 11:32 PM

After several months of Ambien not working, my Pdoc persuaded me to try Geodone: it might help with the sleep (which PDOC thinks is a slight manic problem), should help with anxiety, and should eliminate the couple of hypo-manic days I've had since starting Lamictal (a Godsend) in the fall.

Well, Monday night I make the shift. I've been getting steadily worse since then--I can't sleep at all until 4am, I'm restless, agitated, anxious, hand tremours, talking at the speed of light, unfocused--I'm amazed that I managed to focus long enough to type this.

So, PDOC thinks it is a rare (and not advertised) affect of the Geodon--it's having the opposite effect--pushing me over into mania. I guess he had this happen once before, so he called and was sent 70 or 80 FDA incident reports relating to the issue. So I'm off Geodon immediately.

Anyway, if you read this far, thank you. Has anyone else experienced this? How long will it take to pass? I'm still paranoid that this is all Ambien withdraw, and that I'm just prolonging the agony, but I took the Ambien 2 hours ago, and I'm still feeling very agitated, so maybe the PDoc is right.

Sorry to make this such a chaotic first post, is there somewhere else I should go and introduce myself, once I'm in a clearer frame of mind?

katlin09 · 04-26-2008, 07:51 AM

Bunny,

I'm not sure about the Geodon, as I've never taken it. But I'm BPII w/Severe BP Depression and Severe Insomnia. For the insomnia my pdoc has me on Ambien CR 12.5 mg, I'm on Seroquel 450mg which I take at bedtime, these two get me sleep from 11:00 till about 3:00, then when I wake at 3:00 which I do every night I take Sonata 10mg., this gets me roughly another hour and a 1/2 sleep. So total I get 5 to 5 1/2 each night. I also take Lamictal, Topomax, and Zoloft, but I take those in the morning. Good luck and I hope your pdoc can get you on the right meds.

CarenR · 04-26-2008, 08:55 AM

Welcome to the board..... I dont take this med....

Bunnylover · 04-26-2008, 04:04 PM

Thank you for answering. Things deteriorated last night to the point of hallucinations, and then oddly enough began improving dramatically. Pdoc and I have talked and agreed no ambien or geodon tonight, and we'll talk again tomorrow.

Kind of a scary experience, this has never happened to me before.

seaturtle · 04-26-2008, 05:48 PM

Hi,

My pdoc once said to me "Any drug can have any side effect, depending on the person." I've had many abreactions to meds, what makes everyone else puts me to sleep , what makes everone drowsy throws me into a hypomanic state.

Go with your pdoc, and keep on telling him what is going on. If the agitation doesn't let up in a few days, call again. He may be able to put you on something to really calm you down. And I wouldn't be suprised if your state now is a combination of withdrawal, too.

Sigh, it's a long search to get the right meds. Just work with you pdoc. I think, at least for me, that the anxiety and agitation be under control, or that we have at least prn meds when it gets bad.

Don't get discouraged, you'll find the right combination.

I take Lamictal and Wellbutrin, both of which can cause agitation Most of the time, I can cope with it, but sometimes I have to take Xanax, makes me calm down a lot The benefit I get from the meds, though, make the agitation worth it.

I'll be watching for your further posts,

Seaturtle