Could A Medication Trigger Pots?

[Guest danielvasel]

have you ever heard of a medication that can trigger POTS?

I?m asking that because i was on a medication, it?s called GEODON(an antipsychotic)... i was only taking it for 6 months.... i?ve been off Geodon for more than a month now....

please, if you know ANYTHING about that, let me know....

and of course, the main thing i want to know is :

what would the prognosis look like then?

take care you all

daniel

[jdqm]

have you ever heard of a medication that can trigger POTS?

I?m asking that because i was on a medication, it?s called GEODON(an antipsychotic)... i was only taking it for 6 months.... i?ve been off Geodon for more than a month now....

please, if you know ANYTHING about that, let me know....

and of course, the main thing i want to know is :

what would the prognosis look like then?

take care you all

daniel

i do not know anything about this drug. a quick google search brought this up

http://www.healthsquare.com/newrx/GEO1590.HTM

because this med works with dopamine levels theoretically it could be related. it also gives a cautoin in this site about slow heart beats.

it could be interesting to find out if they are related.

under the caution suggestions it suggests that if you become dizzy, or faint to call your healthcare provider. so they know this drug causes thes problems.

As with other atypical antipsychotic medications, Geodon may reduce symptoms of schizophrenia by blocking the action of serotonin and dopamine, two neurotransmitter chemicals, at specific receptors in the brain. Geodon may also inhibit the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine into brain cells, which may improve depressive symptoms in people with schizophrenia.

Is Geodon safe?

Several years ago, the FDA became concerned about the possibility that Geodon and a number of other drugs might increase the very small possibility of a specific, potentially fatal heart?rhythm irregularity called torsade de pointes. The FDA did not approve Geodon in 1998 because there was some evidence that it could cause a lengthening of the so?called QT interval of the heart beat, a change associated with torsade. The FDA asked for specific safety data, which were submitted in 1999. Although "QT prolongation" is still a concern, thousands of consumers have been treated without evidence of the heart?rhythm irregularity. And the overall mortality rate during the trials was similar to that of placebo and with other antipsychotic drugs. Since its introduction to US consumers in 2001, there have been no reported fatalities due to Geodon induced torsade.

sorry i cant be more help.

Joy

[Guest danielvasel]

have you ever heard of a medication that can trigger POTS?

I?m asking that because i was on a medication, it?s called GEODON(an antipsychotic)... i was only taking it for 6 months.... i?ve been off Geodon for more than a month now....

please, if you know ANYTHING about that, let me know....

and of course, the main thing i want to know is :

what would the prognosis look like then?

take care you all

daniel

i do not know anything about this drug. a quick google search brought this up

http://www.healthsquare.com/newrx/GEO1590.HTM

because this med works with dopamine levels theoretically it could be related. it also gives a cautoin in this site about slow heart beats.

it could be interesting to find out if they are related.

under the caution suggestions it suggests that if you become dizzy, or faint to call your healthcare provider. so they know this drug causes thes problems.

As with other atypical antipsychotic medications, Geodon may reduce symptoms of schizophrenia by blocking the action of serotonin and dopamine, two neurotransmitter chemicals, at specific receptors in the brain. Geodon may also inhibit the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine into brain cells, which may improve depressive symptoms in people with schizophrenia.

Is Geodon safe?

Several years ago, the FDA became concerned about the possibility that Geodon and a number of other drugs might increase the very small possibility of a specific, potentially fatal heart?rhythm irregularity called torsade de pointes. The FDA did not approve Geodon in 1998 because there was some evidence that it could cause a lengthening of the so?called QT interval of the heart beat, a change associated with torsade. The FDA asked for specific safety data, which were submitted in 1999. Although "QT prolongation" is still a concern, thousands of consumers have been treated without evidence of the heart?rhythm irregularity. And the overall mortality rate during the trials was similar to that of placebo and with other antipsychotic drugs. Since its introduction to US consumers in 2001, there have been no reported fatalities due to Geodon induced torsade.

sorry i cant be more help.

Joy

ok, thanks jdqm

yeah, i?ve actually spent days searching for a relation between geodon and POTS, but unfortunally i have?t seen anyone who have pots which was triggered by a medication

i found it could cause REFLEX TACHYCARDIA... but symptoms should go away if you stop to take it... i stopped taking geodon on the 20th of June.... and things are not getting better at all....

i?m hoping that someone will be able to answer me that question... i need to know why I have this disease, it certainly would help on the treatment....

[Lulu]

hi daniel,

welcome to the forum! i'm sorry to hear of your troubles. at one point in my life, i was prescribed lithium (i was misdiagnosed as bipolar) and it is a vasodilator, so it made my POTS worse. but i've not heard of a medication setting off POTS, specifically, but there are lots that make it really bad for some people.

as for the geodon, i don't know much about that med specifically, but i know when i have a had a med that i don't do well on, it takes me a longer time to recover than "normal" people. so maybe over a month off of geodon is not long enough? did you have any symptoms before you were taking it? are you on other medications that could be affecting you or stopped taking some med that could be affecting you?

also the loss of sleep can really make you feel bad, i know that feeling. yuck! i am sorry i don't have any other good advice for your situation than what people have already posted. i hope that you are able to find some answers and feel better.

good luck!

[futurehope]

I have no proof of anything but I have a theory that in my case an anti-depressant triggered my POTS.

I suspect that I had a predisposition, and that it was triggered by a prescription med. Remeron

No proof. Just my theory.

[dano2718]

{ I just read your earlier post and now edited this post since you give more information there.]

First of all, as I can attest, quitting psychiatric drugs does create some really rough withdrawals, but it will get better in time. I understand how difficult it can feel.

It's tough to go through this and feel like you are loosing it, but the body is a very adaptive thing. You are young and that works in your favor for recovery. You sound very distraught, and so my advice is to not try to solve everything at once. Think about the one symptom that is causing you the most trouble, maybe insomnia in your case, and work on that. Maybe you can get some sleep medication that will let you get some rest.

Think of it as building blocks - you get the sleep under control and you have more strength and less stress so you can work on the next symptom.

If you try to solve this all at once trying to get the right medicine that cures everything you WILL stress yourself out and make yourself worse. I can't emphasize that enough!

Make yourself do things to relax and strengthen your body, maybe to meditate, do some exercise as you are able, and slowly work on the most troubling symptoms.

[Guest dionna]

i agree with dano. baby steps. one at a time. it won't be as overwhelming. think of everything as one day at a time to a better recovery.

just stay positive!

dionna

[Guest danielvasel]

hi daniel,

welcome to the forum! i'm sorry to hear of your troubles. at one point in my life, i was prescribed lithium (i was misdiagnosed as bipolar) and it is a vasodilator, so it made my POTS worse. but i've not heard of a medication setting off POTS, specifically, but there are lots that make it really bad for some people.

yeah, i remember when i stopped taking GEODON, things got much worse... they call it "withdrawal symptoms/syndrome".... in fact, if you type "geodon withdrawal" on google, you?ll find hundreds of hits...

eventually things got back to "normal"... so i?m sure it?s related, but what im trying to find out is if it could have set off my disease(POTS)

as for the geodon, i don't know much about that med specifically, but i know when i have a had a med that i don't do well on, it takes me a longer time to recover than "normal" people. so maybe over a month off of geodon is not long enough? did you have any symptoms before you were taking it?

nope, i was perfectly ok before i took geodon, as healthy as ever... so it would be a heck of a coincidence if i geodon is not "responsible" for what i have now

are you on other medications that could be affecting you or stopped taking some med that could be affecting you?

nope, I`m med free...

also the loss of sleep can really make you feel bad

yeah, tell me about it!!

, i know that feeling. yuck! i am sorry i don't have any other good advice for your situation than what people have already posted. i hope that you are able to find some answers and feel better.

well, thanks you very much for the reply lulu...

talk to ya later

daniel

[Jacquie802]

I was sick with a sore throat and my doc gave me Augmentin...I got hives, then I was never the same. It could have just been the viral infection or whatever it was that made me sick, or maybe the med?! Who knows..

Jacquie

[nadine]

I was sick with a sore throat and my doc gave me Augmentin...I got hives, then I was never the same. It could have just been the viral infection or whatever it was that made me sick, or maybe the med?! Who knows..

Jacquie

Interesting-

I still think mine is related somehow to the Medrol and heavy doses of Augmentin I was given for ear trauma last year. They keep telling me no- but it all happened after that- as far as becoming completely disabled. Had NCS about two years before, but nothing to extent of symptoms I now have.

[ramakentesh]

There are studies - unpublished - that are suggestive that some medications can trigger POTS and methylation of genes.

[iheartcats]

There are studies - unpublished - that are suggestive that some medications can trigger POTS and methylation of genes.

I understand they are unpublished, but do you recall any of the medications that were discussed?

[ramakentesh]

Cat Lady - check your PMs.

[iheartcats]

Done!

I always worry about taking new meds. LOL

[MelissaCrystal]

There are TONS of medications that can cause temporary POTS but as others have already said, there is still a lot we don't know about what makes it non-temporary. I can imagine that something that can cause temp-POTS can also cause a long-term nervous system dysfunction, especially if your body got used to running abnormally on the drug. But I don't know, hopefully they'll study more about it.

[Katja]

There are TONS of medications that can cause temporary POTS

Melissa - do you know where I can find this information? my ANS doctor, whom I otherwise like, seemed reluctant to discuss this, though he admitted that one of my meds (Strattera) could be a problem (I think I may have given him the impression that I was looking for any excuse to drop my other meds - or he simply didn't want to step on someone else's turf). I wanted some information to bring to my psychiatrist, so that I could discuss this with her, but I'm having trouble finding anything. I had severe symptoms before meds, but I'm trying to rule out the possibility that I'm getting rapidly worse due to anything I'm taking right now - also given that Strattera caused severe postural hypotension when I was at a higher dose.

[Ernie]

Hi,

Now that I look back at it, everytime I took a permanent downfall it was after I had a vasodilator. It is also that class of medication that made me a disabled, bedridden person.

Even if it's genetic I was able to have a normal life previously.

[MelissaCrystal]

# Orthostatic Intolerance (OI) is a side effect of certain medications (1, 4)

* Drugs used to treat hypertension/high blood pressure (4)

o diuretics (4)

o beta-blockers (4)

o calcium channel blockers (4)

o angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibiting drugs (4)

* Drugs that have hypotension/low blood pressure as a side effect (4)

o nitrates (4)

o drugs used against Parkinson\'s disease (4)

o antipsychotics (4)

o neuroleptics (4)

o anti-anxiety agents (4)

o sedative-hypnotics (4)

o tricyclic antidepressants (4)

http://www.oiresource.com/oiinfo.htm

Wikipedia:

Orthostatic hypotension can be a side effect of certain anti-depressants, such as tricyclics[6] or MAOIs.[7] It is also a side effect of the short-term use of marijuana.[8] Orthostatic hypotension can also be a side effect of alpha1 adrenergic blocking agents. Alpha1 blockers inhibit vasoconstriction normally initiated by the baroreceptor reflex upon postural change and the subsequent drop in pressure.[9]

[MelissaCrystal]

Wikipedia of Geodon

Ziprasidone (marketed as Geodon, Zeldox)

Adverse effects

Antagonism at histaminic and alpha adrenergic receptors likely explains some of the side effects of ziprasidone, such as sedation and orthostasis.

Ziprasidone received a black box warning due to increased mortality in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis.[4] It also slightly increases the QTc interval in some patients and increases the risk of a potentially lethal type of heart arrythmia known as torsades de pointes. Ziprasidone should be used cautiously in patients taking other medications likely to interact with ziprasidone or increase the QTc interval.[5]

This medication can cause birth defects, according to animal studies, although this side effect has not been confirmed in humans.[4]

Adverse events reported for ziprasidone include severe chest pains, sedation, insomnia, orthostasis, life-threatening neuroleptic malignant syndrome, akathisia, and the development of permanent neurological disorder tardive dyskinesia. Rarely, temporary speech disorders may result.

Recently, the FDA required the manufacturers of some atypical antipsychotics include a warning about the risk of hyperglycemia and Type II diabetes with atypical antipsychotics (note: can cause POTS). Some evidence suggests that ziprasidone may not be as bad as some of the other atypical antipsychotics (namely, olanzapine (Zyprexa)) at causing insulin resistance and weight gain. In fact, in a trial of long term therapy with ziprasidone, overweight patients (BMI > 27) actually had a mean weight loss overall. Ziprasidone, though, is not a weight loss drug. The weight loss reflected in this study on ziprasidone was really reflective of patients who had gained weight on other antipsychotics who were now trending back toward their baseline. According to the manufacturer insert, ziprasidone caused an average weight gain of 2.2 kg (4.8 lbs) (which is significantly lower than other atypicals–clozapine and olanzapine).

Note: Tardive means 'continues or appears even after the drugs are no longer taken'. It says that there is one neurological disorder that can be tardive for some people who have taken Geodon, and since there isn't much research on POTS yet, maybe even POTS can be tardive, since POTS is a side-effect of Geodon. Hope that helps.

[ramakentesh]

The medications I was talking about were implicated in bring on POTS permanently.

[MelissaCrystal]

The medications I was talking about were implicated in bring on POTS permanently.

Lots of things can trigger POTS permanently---just giving her more information to look into for her research. The things I posted above I put in a specific order to show that perhaps permanent autonomic disorders can stem from taking geodon, because other perma-neurological symptoms have already been proven to be permanent for some geodon users. There really needs to be a lot more research done on how POTS is triggered because there are so many causes. Maybe even the neurological disorder in the wikipedia article is triggered the same way the one you were talking about is. I guess we don't officially know. But there may be more research to look into somewhere out there.