Geodon info. plz

[real1992]

Hi my 14yr old was hospitalized last wk for hearing a voice, suicidal thoughts, depression, etc.  Diagnosed only as having a "Mood Disorder NOS(not otherwise specified) His dr put him on Geodon 40mg twice a day. He started this med on Tues. was discharged from hospital on Sat. He is still very depressed, anxious, having like panic attacks etc. Does anyone know if this is "normal" or what. I am trying to get his follow up with therapist moved up because it isn't until 3/31 and he doesn't see dr. until 4/6 I feel this is way too long to wait. He and I are both frustrated because the only way I can get him seen immediatley is to go through Er and that probably means another inpatient and he really doesn't want that. I also suffer from bipolar and I see so much of me in him,

[ILADVOCATE]

Geodon is an antipsychotic. Perhaps he needs a mood stabilizer as well. I have made a full recovery from schizoaffective disorder (with an experimental compound in Phase II FDA study) and even I right now need a mood stabilizer in addition to an antipsychotic. Standard mood stabilizers are Lithium, Depakoate and Lamictal. I found Lamictal to be the most tolerable. And Geodon is activating so it can occasionally cause anxiety. There are other antipsychotics as well. Speak to his psychiatrist about all this.

[jst4shanell]

I agree completely with ILADCOCATE.  I have (and currently) been off and on Geodon for a long time.  It is a life saver for me.  But I also take other medications as well, including several mood stablizers.  Lamictal is great,  Lithium.  Call the doc and try to demand a sooner appointment.  If it takes that long to see the doc, maybe there is someone else out there.  My pdoc allows me to call him anytime if something suddenly comes up.  I bet the pdoc probably has something like that for his patients.  Hang in there.  Sometimes it can take a year or two to get the meds under control.  I'm sure you know that being BP yourself.
:)

[real1992]

Thanks everyone. I did get a therapist appt for tomorrow morning and hopefully she can "motivate" someone to get him in with pdoc.