Getting off Geodon

[MwilC1]

Has anyone had success getting off Geodon?  How long does the mental withdrawl last?  I've tried unsuccessfully two times.  The first time I tapered off it within a week with my Psychiatrist and went through horrible physical withdrawl symptoms--painful stomach cramping, hot / cold switches and insomnia, but after two weeks, the physical symptoms subsided, but then detrimental mental lows of suicidal thinking.  I was prescribed the medication to adjunct Prozac, but I wasn't suicidal before taking it.  I was not functional for two days and then went back on it based on my doctor's advice.  I tried again by tapering off of it over a month and while the physical symptoms were present, they were not as severe, but as soon as I was down to the lowest dose, the suicidal thoughts came back and started to seem reasonable--went back up to 80mg and feel trapped on this drug.  Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[CTVTCountry]

***I had a positive experience! No withdrawal symptoms whatsoever.***
After reading all of the 100% negative messages before my taper I was scared out of my mind. But then I started (from 60mg), and had no problems. Not one.
So for those reading this --- there is hope!
FYI, the other psych meds I'm still on are lamictal, gabapentin, wellbutrin and ativan as needed, which I didn't take much of during taper. Just throwing that out there.
I've lost a good amount of weight already too. My primary reason for going off geodon. So, yay!
Good luck! Again - there is hope!! :)

[questioning10]

My son has taken antipsychotics for 8 months. Seems as if hallucinations have become a problem since starting Geodon. Would like more information about  this has happening to others.

[MwilC1]

Thanks for the suggestion--I guess I thought a month was long, but will try a slower tapering off.  I'm taking 20mg in the morning and 60mg at night and before I was on 120mg at night.  I will probably wait to try again and make sure I have more support too.

[cornyguy]

It is not easy to get off these class of meds.They have to be tapered really slowly.My Psychiatrist tapered me Off Risperdal over 8 weeks.So try a slower taper next time.

[paranoid_cataclysm]

Oh yeah I thought I should also add I got really out of control during cold turkey withdrawal behaviorally from Geodon and my voices in my head from before started telling me I should be dead which they never told me things like that before ever among other psychotic things but this of course is really hard on the brain and it didn't happen again when I tapered off proper.  I wasn't supposed to be stopping it anyway and it was more really bad planning by a general practitioner who obviously didn't understand the consequences of her actions if they messed up.

[paranoid_cataclysm]

I withdrew from it successfully and only had the psychiatric symptoms return eventually that I had before until I got on another antipsychotic.  Some people have psychiatric symptoms get worse or appear after taking an antipsychotic like a guy I just talked to today took a low dose of risperdal for anxiety and he started having hallucinations after taking it.  Everyone is different really and their brains adjust to things differently.