Posted by 4WD on June 21, 2008, at 12:30:52
I was recently in the hospital because I fell (fainted) in the middle of the night (due to nardil and low blood pressure spell) and had a compression fracture to my spine. While in the hospital they did a routine EKG and discovered that my QT interval is prolonged. I know it is from the Geodon (80mg a day total)because I had the EKG before going on it and it was normal then. I don't know how prolonged it is - I will find out when I see my internist next week but I looked it up on Google and it sounds like a very scary problem.
My question is this. Do I discontinue a medication which is helping me greatly and risk sudden death from afibrillation or do I stop the Geodon (after suitable tapering) and go back to not sleeping well, waking up scared and feeling more depressed and anxious?
I will know more when I request a new EKG from my doctor next week but in the meantime I am quite scared. I don't know what to do. Is this as serious as what I read? How likely am I to develop an abnormal heart rhythm? My pdoc didn't seem too concerned about it when I told him but then his focus is not on my physical health; it is on keeping me out of depression and anxiety.
Is a prolonged QT interval something I can live with? Or should I stop the Geodon? Please, somebody give me some advice.
Marsha
poster:4WD
thread:835788
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080617/msgs/835788.html