Q:  Dysphagia & Geodon : Is Dysphagia Reversible?

Dear Dr. Phelps,

I'm writing to you because right now I'm scared to death that I have dysphagia brought on by Geodon.

I have been taking Geodon for the past year and 7 months.  I began to experience difficulty swallowing over time.  I notice pills just didn't seem to "go down".  In the past month I began to have nausea and trouble with my appetite.  I was given nexium 40mg.  This helped w/the nausea, but then I  contracted "walking pneumonia".  The dose of antibiotics was harsh and triggered serious heartburn/sour stomach etc.  Once off the antibiotics, my body recovered, but the swallowing problem reared its head again.

My doctor still has me on nexium.  I'm don't really feel like I need it, I have no heart burn etc.

I just fear that Geodon has done some permanent damage to my upper GI tract in relation to swallowing.

Any advice?  I'm lucky to be able to see whomever I need to in regard to physicians.  I just don't know what steps to take.  Any advice?  And, is dysphagia reversible?

Thanks,
Joyce


Dear Joyce,
I don't use much ziprazidone so I have not come across the side effect amongst my patience. I had to look it up. As you know, it is indeed on the list of potential side effects. I'm not aware of anything in the literature to suggest that if someone gets this side effect, that it would not simply go away if they stopped taking the medication. In other words, there is no reason, to my knowledge, to fear "permanent damage".

Dr. Phelps
 

Published March, 2007