I think the Geodon has some heady side effects. My husband was on it once and described it as almost a drunk feeling. But the initial side effects wear off in time. I would try to get him to stay on it for 2 weeks or so before giving up on it.
My husband never stuck with any med, but I still remember the hope I had when, for one day at least, he wasn’t paranoid.
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The first time my son tried meds it was Geodon. We could see a difference in him pretty quickly. The first time his arm started jerking around (I did not see it happen, he called me in a panic) Jeb wouldn’t take it anymore.
I get that AP drugs can and do cause negative side effects for some people, but I think it’s important to remember that the people being prescribed these meds are very often irrationally paranoid, and incapable of being reliable reporters. In my opinion, my son has used the “I’m not taking those meds because they cause side effects X, Y, Z” refusal based on non-reality, due to his paranoid psychotic state.
Hope: I know this is not a helpful question in the long run, but I wonder if your son really did experience the side effects he reported. It’s so hard to navigate when we really can’t trust the reporters.
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Hi,
I’m so sorry this illness has struck your son. My son has schizoaffective disorder and got hooked on meth. That combination made him an extremely dangerous person. Even though we begged to be warned when he was released from a locked treatment center we weren’t warned. He broke into our home intending to kill us. Thankfully he was too sick to organize himself enough to use a weapon. My husband wasn’t badly hurt but I was thrown down a long flight of wooden stairs and the stairs won. As a result he was committed mentally ill and dangerous and hospitalized. We had to face the fact that even with a duty to warn it doesn’t mean you’ll hear in time to get to safety. We put the house on the market and moved out of state. It was a horrible time. This happened 22 months ago. We are settled in our new home and I truly appreciate feeling safe. I miss my friends and family we left behind. But I know this is the only way we can be safe and sane. Already the doctors at the hospital are talking about transitioning him out of the locked hospital. My older sons talk to him on the phone and say he sounds better than he’s sounded since becoming ill at 14. I’m so happy he’s stable and doing well. I miss him terribly. But I’m very frightened for our safety if he’s not behind a locked door.
One thing I’d like to pass along is to talk to you local police or sheriff’s office in advance of needing their help. It helped a great deal in making sure my son was treated appropriately and not stuck in the criminal justice system. There have been some legal consequences but on the whole he’s been recognized as a very ill person and not a criminal. Ask the police to keep an eye on your home. We asked to be put on their ‘Bad Boy’ list so they could keep an eye out for trouble. Every time we reached out to them they were very kind and understanding. And that night when my son came to kill us I think the whole department responded to our call for help.
The thing is that no matter how much you love your child you have to recognize when his delusions and twisted thinking make him behave in ways that may be violent and you have to face the reality of doing what needs to be done so you can be safe. You can’t live a normal life behind locked doors forever. Our lives will be never be normal but we need to make them safe. I love my son. But schizoaffective disorder and meth stole him from us. I am so very hopeful that he can lead a healthier life. I hope that we’ll be able to talk together one day. (Right now there is a restraining order in place.) It scares me they are going to release him but, at the same time, I’m thrilled he’s recovering well enough for the doctors to consider a release.
So be smart, talk to your local law enforcement and be safe. After we moved we went to our police department and gave them a copy of the restraining order.
You can’t help your son if he kills you. The ramifications for him, siblings and other family and friends are just too devastating to let happen. Your son will always need you. Even if you have to live a long way away you can be available by phone. It’s very hard to think with your head when you love your son so much. It’s emotions on steroids. BUT safety first.
I wish you well. This journey is so arduous and painful. Your son is lucky to have you. Be smart, be safe and never give up hope for a better tomorrow. It can get better.
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I have wondered the same thing you are asking, which is why I noted that I did not see it happen:) He was quite panicky when he called, which, in my experience with him, makes it more likely that it wasn’t real.
Wow, that’s interesting. It makes me seriously wonder if many of the patient complaints we hear about in the media regarding all the “terrible side effects” of AP meds are simply inflated and due to poor reporting, due to illness-related paranoia and psychosis. It’s an endless battle. How the hell are we supposed to win. 
A friend of mine lost her son recently, related and unrelated to his scz - in our worlds that makes perfect sense. I think she would say we might not get to win, but we do want the opportunity to keep playing.
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