Does anyone have experience with the use of Geodon for mood disorder? My son is 19 years old. He was diagnosed with ADHD in the 2nd grade. I believe this may have been a misdiagnosis. His neuropsychiatrist has just prescribed Geodon for him to try to stabilize his mood. He is plagued with a need for high stimulant activities that include fighting, etc. He has been on Lexapro. Thanks for any help!
new diagnosis of mood disorder
- Thread starter cindyd
- Start date
DDD
Well-Known Member
No experience with Geodon. Far too much experience with teenage
boys with the need for high stimulant activities! Instead of fighting
mine slugs vodka or puffs a blunt.
Welcome, cindyd. Just wanted you to know that I've read your post and wish I could help. All I can do is extend a hand in cyber friendship and hope the Geodon helps your difficult child. DDD
boys with the need for high stimulant activities! Instead of fighting
mine slugs vodka or puffs a blunt.
Welcome, cindyd. Just wanted you to know that I've read your post and wish I could help. All I can do is extend a hand in cyber friendship and hope the Geodon helps your difficult child. DDD
standswithcourage
New Member
I would like to know how your son does on Geodon. I have never heard of it. My son was diagnosed with ADHD in first grade. However, he slugs alcohol, pills and blunts also. He is in jail at the present. I would like to know how that helps your son. thanks susan (son in jail)
smallworld
Moderator
Cindy, welcome!
My kids are younger than yours, but have trialed a lot of medications over the last couple of years to stabilize their moods. They have not taken Geodon, but I know it is an atypical antipsychotic that is used to control mania, aggression and anger, generally over the short term. What stabilizes the mood over the long haul is a class of medications called, not suprisingly, mood stabilizers. First-line mood stabilizers are Lithium, Lamictal, Depakote, Tegretol and Trileptal.
According to the book The Bipolar Child by Demitri and Janice Papolos, Geodon can induce an odd kind of overarousal (seen more at lower doses than higher doses). Some parents have reported anxiety and maniclike reactions to the medication. Geodon's major risk is that it can prolong the heart's QTc interval (potentially increasing the risk of arrythmia) so it's wise to have EKGs throughout the time spent on Geodon. The Papoloses also recommend a baseline measurement of serum potassium and magnesium.
Good luck. I hope this medication helps your son.
My kids are younger than yours, but have trialed a lot of medications over the last couple of years to stabilize their moods. They have not taken Geodon, but I know it is an atypical antipsychotic that is used to control mania, aggression and anger, generally over the short term. What stabilizes the mood over the long haul is a class of medications called, not suprisingly, mood stabilizers. First-line mood stabilizers are Lithium, Lamictal, Depakote, Tegretol and Trileptal.
According to the book The Bipolar Child by Demitri and Janice Papolos, Geodon can induce an odd kind of overarousal (seen more at lower doses than higher doses). Some parents have reported anxiety and maniclike reactions to the medication. Geodon's major risk is that it can prolong the heart's QTc interval (potentially increasing the risk of arrythmia) so it's wise to have EKGs throughout the time spent on Geodon. The Papoloses also recommend a baseline measurement of serum potassium and magnesium.
Good luck. I hope this medication helps your son.
standswithcourage
New Member
My son was taking LIthium at one time. He did not take it correctly so it did not work right for him. He was presently taking Tegretol. He is in jail now and they are giving him Paxil. He was taking Xanax and Tegretol and Restorial for sleep. It seems to be a lot of medication for someone who abuses it. Maybe your son will do well on his medications. I hope so.
SunnyFlorida
Active Member
Hi and welcome.
Is your difficult child being managed by a primary doctor or a psychiatrist? Hopefully it's a psychiatrist who has experience in teenage BiPolar (BP).
There is a school of thought that starting with an atypical antipsychotic as a first line medication or monotherapy is one way of tx BiPolar (BP). Most are usually treated with a cocktail of medications. IE: once you get the mood stabilized (mood stabilizer) the anxiety shows up, so you treat that, then they need a medication to sleep because the mind is still racing.
There's alot of information on this site and in the archives. Read and post as much as you can.
Is your difficult child being managed by a primary doctor or a psychiatrist? Hopefully it's a psychiatrist who has experience in teenage BiPolar (BP).
There is a school of thought that starting with an atypical antipsychotic as a first line medication or monotherapy is one way of tx BiPolar (BP). Most are usually treated with a cocktail of medications. IE: once you get the mood stabilized (mood stabilizer) the anxiety shows up, so you treat that, then they need a medication to sleep because the mind is still racing.
There's alot of information on this site and in the archives. Read and post as much as you can.
Thanks for the input. My son has been seeing psychiatrists since he was in the 2nd grade. He never did well on ADHD medications. It caused more aggression and he hated the way he felt (even when antidepressents were added). We took him off medications altogether when he was in middle school. That is when the aggression, opposition, need for high stimulant activities, fighting started. He was expelled from school for a fight he started with another student that put the boy in the hospital. He has been in numerous fights ever since. He says he blacks out and doesn't remember much about them. Recently, he says a man pulled a knife on him. He (my son) took a golf club and beat him with it. The man was in the hospital with a broken jaw. He has pressed charges and my son is facing felony assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury. He also jumped into a fight and began kicking a boy that was already down. He is facing misdemeanor assault for that. He also hit a young man over the head with a glass mug, causing the boy to need 14 staples in the head. The boy was fighting one of my son's friends. My son seems to crave this excitement. He has also stolen our credit cards, used them at bars, for gas, and withdrawn money from the teller machine. Then denied that he had done it. He stays up all night and sleeps all day. He abuses alcohol and weed. He is on probation for violation of probation, just got off house arrest. He seems to think he is perfectly normal. His doctor is adding the Geodon to the Lexapro he is already taking. The Lexapro helps with anxiety and panic attacks my son has. I hope the Geodon doesn't make him worse. It is so hard to watch him self-destruct.
Suz
(the future) MRS. GERE
Hi Cindy- Welcome!
I'd like to encourage you to put in a profile signature. The directions can be found by clicking on the link provided. Your signature will help the rest of us remember you and your family/situation as you continue to post.
You certainly have your hands full. My heart goes out to you. My son got dramatically worse when he started using drugs while still on medication. Have you tossed his room lately to see if he is abusing his current medications or is mixing them with alcohol or drugs?
Suz
I'd like to encourage you to put in a profile signature. The directions can be found by clicking on the link provided. Your signature will help the rest of us remember you and your family/situation as you continue to post.
You certainly have your hands full. My heart goes out to you. My son got dramatically worse when he started using drugs while still on medication. Have you tossed his room lately to see if he is abusing his current medications or is mixing them with alcohol or drugs?
Suz
BusynMember
Well-Known Member
Geodon is one of the atypical antipsychotics usually used for mood disorders, however it's not a mood stabilizer and doesn't work as well as one. I don't know anything about it other than what it is. Hopefully it will help your son. Just for your info: The first line mood stabilizers are: Lithium, Depakote, Lamictal, Tegretal and Trileptal.
Newer antipsychotics: Risperdal, Zyprexa, Seroquel, Geodon, Abilify
I have bipolar II: depression mixed with hypomania. I crave excitement too and get bored when life is too normal...lol. Fortunately, with medications I've learned not to give into that excitement buzz. Hypomanic is a real trigger for the "I need excitement" bug! If your son keeps drinking and using pot, the medications won't be able to help him. I'd try, the best you can, to get him to stop. If you feel he has a drinking problem, encourage him to go to AA or maybe even rehab. You probably already have though. The sad thing about grown kids is that we can only do so much.
Newer antipsychotics: Risperdal, Zyprexa, Seroquel, Geodon, Abilify
I have bipolar II: depression mixed with hypomania. I crave excitement too and get bored when life is too normal...lol. Fortunately, with medications I've learned not to give into that excitement buzz. Hypomanic is a real trigger for the "I need excitement" bug! If your son keeps drinking and using pot, the medications won't be able to help him. I'd try, the best you can, to get him to stop. If you feel he has a drinking problem, encourage him to go to AA or maybe even rehab. You probably already have though. The sad thing about grown kids is that we can only do so much.
