Side effects of Ziprasidone (Geodon)

Medications
1

Hi all,
I am preparing to discuss with my doctor to change medications because I am taking Abilify right now and the Increased Sexual Desire is really bothering me.

For those out there taking Ziprasidone (also known as Geodon), do you experience increased sexual desire or was your experience similar to not being on medication at all?.

Hoping it is okay to ask this here and I’m only looking for answers like “it’s not bad”, or “no”.

I took Invega before and it had decreased sexual side effects, didn’t bother me at all, and thats what im hoping Geodon will be like.

Thanks in advance.

2

When I first started Geodon, I felt very tired,but didn’t have any other side effects. The tiredness wore off after about 2 months.

I did not notice an effect on my libido except at super high doses.

When taking Geodon, be aware:

  • you need to take it with at least 500 calories. Otherwise it wil all wash out of your system without being absorbed
  • it generally wears off after 13 hours, so most people need an AM and PM dose
  • the AM dose CAN be lower than the PM dose, but most doctors will try to push back against prescribing it like this because it’s extra work for them
3

Be very aware that when you first start on Geodon, it makes you extremely sleepy! Even in the daytime. I was driving on the interstate fast asleep at one point on this med. I could Not stay awake. This sleepy effect wears off after a few months.

Another effect that eventually wears off is uncontrollable, coarse tremors.

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Ok good to know about the sleepiness. If I do end up taking this drug it will be the injection once a month so maybe that one doesn’t have all the same side effects. I drink lots of coca cola so maybe that will prevent me from falling asleep, we’ll see. I don’t think my psych will even prescribe this one to me, but I will bring it up next appointment. Good to know it doesnt really affect your libido, though I will probably be at a medium to high dose, is that sexual dysfuntion?, or just problems with ejaculation?.

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Also: you should get an EKG before starting it, and about once a year afterwards to check your heart health. Cardiac side effects are rare, but possible.

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Geodon doesnt come as a monthly injection. The only injectable form is for emergencies and wears off after like 4 hours. It would have to be a pill.

7

Oh ok. Good to know. My only option is injections at the moment. Guess I’ll have to keep looking. What I am looking for is a medication that is available in a once per month injection that has decreased sexual side effects, no confusion side effects, etc.

Invega was great for this but dry orgasm led me to taking Abilify. Now it’s not a problem but the increased sexual desire is really annoying.

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