Geodon, Capsules

Chemical Name: ZIPRASIDONE

Learn more about usage, cautions, and possible side effects.

Common uses

This medicine is an antipsychotic used to treat mental and emotional disorders such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. It may also be used to treat conditions as determined by your doctor.

Before using

WARNING: THIS MEDICINE IS AN ATYPICAL ANTIPSYCHOTIC. ELDERLY PATIENTS WHO TAKE THIS MEDICINE to treat a medical condition called Dementia-Related Psychosis have an increased risk of death, usually due to heart problems (such as heart failure) or infection (such as pneumonia). This medicine is not approved by the FDA to treat Dementia-Related Psychosis. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist for more information. Some medicines or medical conditions may interact with this medicine. INFORM YOUR DOCTOR OR PHARMACIST of all prescription and over-the-counter medicine that you are taking. DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICINE if you are also taking medicine for an irregular heartbeat (such as dofetilide or quinidine), certain quinolones antibiotics (such as sparfloxacin or moxifloxacin), certain ketolides antibiotics (such as telithromycin), quinupristin, dalfopristin, certain antihistamines (such as astemizole or terfenadine), certain macrolides antibiotics (such as azithromycin or clarithromycin), halofantrine, mefloquine, pentamidine, arsenic trioxide, levomethadyl acetate, dolasetron, methadone, cisapride, probucol, medicine for immune suppression (such as tacrolimus), or certain medicines for mood or mental disorders (such as chlorpromazine, mesoridazine, or thioridazine). QTc prolongation can infrequently result in serious, rarely fatal, irregular heartbeats. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for details. Ask for instructions about whether you need to stop any other QTc-prolonging medicines you may be using in order to minimize the risk of this effect. ADDITIONAL MONITORING OF YOUR DOSE OR CONDITION may be needed if you are taking certain antifungal medicines (such as ketoconazole or itraconazole), medicines for Parkinson disease (such as pramipexole or levodopa), certain medicines for high blood pressure, medicines for sleep, medicine for anxiety, narcotic pain relievers (such as codeine), certian medicines for depression (such as amitriptyline), certain medicines for seizure (such as carbamazepine), muscle relaxants, or antihistamines that can cause drowsiness (such as diphenhydramine). Inform your doctor of any other medical conditions including a history of kidney problems, liver problems, electrolyte imbalance (such as low potassium or magnesium ), stroke, low blood pressure, heart problems (such as heart failure), infection (such as pneumonia), seizures, swallowing difficulty, Alzheimer's disease, dementia, breast cancer, personal or family history of diabetes, allergies, pregnancy, or breast-feeding. USE OF THIS MEDICINE IS NOT RECOMMENDED if you have a history of QT prolongation, irregular heartbeat, recent heart attack, or severe heart failure. Contact your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns about using this medicine.

Directions

Follow the directions for using this medicine provided by your doctor. This medicine comes with a patient information leaflet. Ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist any questions that you may have about this medicine. TAKE THIS MEDICINE with food. STORE THIS MEDICINE at room temperature in a tightly-closed container, away from heat and light. CONTINUE TO TAKE THIS MEDICINE even if you feel well. Do not miss any doses. IF YOU MISS A DOSE OF THIS MEDICINE, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Cautions

DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICINE if you have had an allergic reaction to it or are allergic to any ingredient in this product. IT MAY TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS for this medicine to work. Do not stop using this medicine without checking with your doctor. KEEP ALL DOCTOR AND LABORATORY APPOINTMENTS while you are using this medicine. Laboratory and/or medical tests, such as fasting blood sugar levels, may be done to monitor your progress or to check for side effects. THIS MEDICINE MAY CAUSE drowsiness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how you react to this medicine. If dizziness occurs, sit up or stand up slowly. DO NOT BECOME OVERHEATED in hot weather or during exercise or other activities since risk of heatstroke may be increased. THIS MEDICINE MAY INCREASE YOUR RISK OF DEVELOPING DIABETES or increase blood sugar levels. High blood sugar levels can cause serious problems if left untreated. Contact your doctor for more information. BEFORE YOU BEGIN TAKING ANY NEW MEDICINE, either prescription or over-the-counter, check with your doctor or pharmacist. THIS MEDICINE WILL ADD TO THE EFFECTS of alcohol and other depressants. Ask your pharmacist if you have questions about which medicines are depressants. CAUTION IS ADVISED when using this medicine in the elderly, especially those with dementia related problems, because they may be more sensitive to the effects of this medicine. FOR WOMEN: IF YOU PLAN ON BECOMING PREGNANT, discuss with your doctor the benefits and risks of using this medicine during pregnancy. IT IS UNKNOWN IF THIS MEDICINE IS EXCRETED in breast milk. DO NOT BREAST-FEED while taking this medicine. DIABETICS: THIS MEDICINE MAY AFFECT YOUR BLOOD SUGAR. Check blood sugar levels closely and ask your doctor before adjusting the dose of your diabetes medicine.

Possible side effects

SIDE EFFECTS that may occur while taking this medicine include drowsiness, rash, loss of appetite, cough, runny nose, cold symptoms, or dry mouth. If they continue or are bothersome, check with your doctor. CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE if you experience a change in amount of your urine. CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY if you experience difficulty speaking or swallowing; twitching of the face or tongue; loss of sense of balance; uncontrolled movements of the arms or legs; symptoms of high blood sugar (such as increased thirst, increased urination, or vision changes); unexplained fever; extreme muscle stiffness; fast or irregular heartbeat; unusual increased sweating; or unusual changes in your mental alertness. FOR MEN: If you experience a painful, prolonged erection while taking this medicine, seek immediate medical attention. AN ALLERGIC REACTION to this medicine is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include rash, itching, swelling, dizziness, or trouble breathing. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.

Drug interactions

Drug interactions can result in unwanted side effects or prevent a medicine from doing its job. Use our drug interaction checker to find out if your medicines interact with each other. Check drug interactions.

If you take too much

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. Symptoms of overdose may include slurring of speech, uncontrolled movement of the head and neck, seizure, irregular heartbeat, or fainting.