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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Solstice on May 30, 2010, at 10:41:44
Hi.. I haven't posted before, although I've read on various boards for years.
My daughter has bipolar and takes 40mg Geodon in the morning. I take a few medications every day - nexium, crestor, synthroid. I had not taken my medications yet, and this morning I got my daughter's medicaitons out for her, had them in my hand, getting a cup of water, distracted by a conversation with my son, and I just (like on auto-pilot) put them in my mouth, drank the water, and after swallowing, I instantly realized what I did! It's Sunday, and I just don't know what it means. I know that when she started taking it, it was a very low dose that was gradually raised to 40mg. So I'm a little worried - and just don't know what to expect. Does anyone know? Do I need to do something, or just let it pass? I really hated it, because today my son is graduating from high school..
Posted by Phillipa on May 30, 2010, at 10:51:08
In reply to Accidentally took daughter's Geodon 40mg!, posted by Solstice on May 30, 2010, at 10:41:44
I'd think you would be very tired. Can you call a pharmacist and ask? Sometimes my best advise is from them? Let us know how thing go. Phillipa and welcome to babble
Posted by Solstice on May 30, 2010, at 11:13:15
In reply to Re: Accidentally took daughter's Geodon 40mg! » Solstice, posted by Phillipa on May 30, 2010, at 10:51:08
Thanks for the response, Phillipa! My experience with pharmacists on something like this is that they will usually tell you to call a dr or go to an ER b/c it's the 'safest' thing for them to tell you. I'd call my daughter's psychiatrit (she knows me so well that she'd just tell me straight up what to expect, and whether it's genuinely a big deal or not), but it's Sunday, so I'd just get an on-call psychiatrist who doesn't know me at all and might just tell me what is safest for them to say liability-wise. I don't want to worry unnecessarily, and I sure don't want to handle it like a medical emergency if it isn't - especially on my son's graduation day! I forgot about the tiredness. I remember it took weeks for my daughter to be able to get through the day without falling asleep when she started on Geodon. And every time the dose was raised, she'd go through about a week of being chronically sleepy before she adjusted.
My daughter was initially prescribed Abilify. She took it for almost two weeks, and she developed every side effect possible, and they didn't subside. It was such a difficult trial. She had no reactions to Geodon. And interestingly, her little 100 lb self gained 15 lbs on the Abilify, which isn't supposed to have a problem with weight gain.. but when she was switched ot Geodon, her voracious appetite evaporated and her weight went back to normal.
So I guess I might just be afraid of the potential for awful side effects, especially since my first dose was fairly large (I think) compared to a usual initial dose.
Posted by linkadge on May 30, 2010, at 11:49:34
In reply to Accidentally took daughter's Geodon 40mg!, posted by Solstice on May 30, 2010, at 10:41:44
40mg is a medium dose. It can go higher.
There is very likely no long term risk associated with this drug ingestion. IT has a relatively short half life, so the effects probably won't linger much more than a day or so.
You will probably notice some of the side effects, drowsiness, possible mild dysphoria, increased appetite etc.
Call a doctor or pharamacist if anything really strange happens, but you'll most likely be fine.
Linkadge
Posted by Phillipa on May 30, 2010, at 19:43:35
In reply to Accidentally took daughter's Geodon 40mg!, posted by Solstice on May 30, 2010, at 10:41:44
So what did you end up doing and were you able to attend graduation? Thinking of you. Phillipa
Posted by herpills on May 30, 2010, at 20:54:26
In reply to Accidentally took daughter's Geodon 40mg!, posted by Solstice on May 30, 2010, at 10:41:44
I hope you didn't sleep through your sons graduation!
You will be fine if just one accidental dose unless you were allergic to it.
herpills
Posted by Deneb on June 2, 2010, at 6:09:16
In reply to Re: Accidentally took daughter's Geodon 40mg!, posted by Solstice on May 30, 2010, at 11:13:15
Hello Solstice!
Welcome to Psycho-Babble! How did things go with you?
Deneb
Posted by lpslpslpslpslpslps on June 5, 2010, at 22:51:07
In reply to Re: Accidentally took daughter's Geodon 40mg!, posted by Solstice on May 30, 2010, at 11:13:15
> My experience with pharmacists on something like this is that they will usually tell you to call a dr or go to an ER b/c it's the 'safest' thing for them to tell you.
Sounds about right. Pharmacists are useless. The only expertise they need (and the only expertise they are generally capable of demonstrating) is the ability to read, and an understanding of how to process insurance payments. And operate a cash register. Lots of education to be a glorified clerk....
Posted by Phillipa on June 5, 2010, at 23:08:48
In reply to Re: Accidentally took daughter's Geodon 40mg!, posted by lpslpslpslpslpslps on June 5, 2010, at 22:51:07
I find pharmacists to be very knowledgeable. More than say a doc or pdoc at times. Of course that is my personal experience. Phillipa
Posted by lpslpslpslpslpslps on June 6, 2010, at 1:04:12
In reply to Re: Accidentally took daughter's Geodon 40mg! » lpslpslpslpslpslps, posted by Phillipa on June 5, 2010, at 23:08:48
> I find pharmacists to be very knowledgeable. More than say a doc or pdoc at times. Of course that is my personal experience. Phillipa
I'm sure this is sometimes the case... but, really, what does a pharmacist know that the PDR doesn't know?
Posted by herpills on June 6, 2010, at 1:15:39
In reply to Re: Accidentally took daughter's Geodon 40mg!, posted by lpslpslpslpslpslps on June 5, 2010, at 22:51:07
I think you are talking about a pharmacy technician. Very different job duties than the Pharmacist. I have found them (pharmacist) useful, they know a lot about drug interactions, especially between our meds and OTC stuff. They know about the different dosages/preparations of drugs. They go through 7-8 years of education where a tech can be certified without having attended an education program, although those do exist.
herpills
> Sounds about right. Pharmacists are useless. The only expertise they need (and the only expertise they are generally capable of demonstrating) is the ability to read, and an understanding of how to process insurance payments. And operate a cash register. Lots of education to be a glorified clerk....
>
Posted by lpslpslpslpslpslps on June 6, 2010, at 1:22:45
In reply to Re: Accidentally took daughter's Geodon 40mg! » lpslpslpslpslpslps, posted by herpills on June 6, 2010, at 1:15:39
> I think you are talking about a pharmacy technician. Very different job duties than the Pharmacist. I have found them (pharmacist) useful, they know a lot about drug interactions, especially between our meds and OTC stuff.
Fair. Pharmacy technicians don't irritate me as much as pharmacists, because the former have an excuse. I do agree that pharmacists are helpful re OTC medicines and their interactions with prescribed meds. But, again, what does a pharmacist know that your doctor and the PDR doesn't know? Seriously, I cannot think of something that a pharmacist would know that isn't easily learned via the internet re drug interactions.If you have a question for your pharmacist, why didn't you ask it of your doctor?
Pharmacists that do their own compounding are in a different boat -- at least in their case they are doing something more complicated than reading and regurgitating read facts.
Posted by emmanuel98 on June 6, 2010, at 1:34:04
In reply to Re: Accidentally took daughter's Geodon 40mg!, posted by lpslpslpslpslpslps on June 6, 2010, at 1:22:45
Most pharmacists work in hospitals, where they prepare chemotherapy drugs and other complicated preparations. When I first started taking parnate, I was also taking triloforn and had akathesia. A doctor at a day program I was attending told me to take benadryl, but I called the pharmacist and she said not to take it with parnate. Retail pharmacists can be helpful, thoug most pharmacists don't work in retail outlets.
Posted by lpslpslpslpslpslps on June 6, 2010, at 1:36:54
In reply to Re: Accidentally took daughter's Geodon 40mg!, posted by emmanuel98 on June 6, 2010, at 1:34:04
> ... most pharmacists don't work in retail outlets.
very fair point.
This is the end of the thread.
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