Comments on: Bipolar Disorder Medication Spotlight: Zyprexa (Olanzapine)

By: K.

K. — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 16:11:53 +0000

Weight gain is surely a problem with Zyprexa. I talk by experience.

The other problem was sleepiness. I slept everyday for hours and hours. You would say it was debilitating to a point I just couldn’t do almost anything but sleep. In my case, perhaps, I could say that I’m more sensitive than “normal” to this side effect.

By: pau

pau — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:54:10 +0000

i’ve been diagnosed with BPD type 2 since august 2006 and have tried several combinations of medications (Mirtazapine, Alprazolam, Duloxetine, Clonazepam, Fluoxetine, Quetiapine…) to treat my depressive symptoms. around november that same year i was shifted to Mirtazapine (Remeron)30mg @HS, Lithium 450mg OD and Olanzapine (Zyprexa) 10mg @HS. These drugs helped me sleep better, so much better that sometimes I slept for almost 16 hours when I’m off from work. However, lithium gave me hand tremors which bothered me a lot since I have to do lots of written reports and Zyprexa made me always want to sleep. It was as if my mood was flattened and I did not feel like going out much anymore. My menstrual cycle was also affected as it came only every 4-5 months and since I was on these drugs, I already gained 30 pounds! It made me function at work better though, since the mood swings are minimized but it really bothered me because my mind was clouded at times and I tend to be more forgetful. I tried being off the meds 2 times and unfortunately relapsed for 2 consecutive years. But I did not want to be on these medications forever as it was causing a lot of unwanted effects and also they are very expensive. December last year, I started tapering off the medicines until finally around February this year, I am totally off everything! It was a difficult adjustment at first but I have to be brave and told myself that psychotherapy and self-motivation can help me as well. I have an A-type Personality and mildly OC and have realized that I am more productive without the medicines though the mood swings come every now and then but I have learned how to recognize and control them. Maybe I am just lucky enough to have survived the withdrawal period and I am hoping that my symptoms would not recurr anymore.

By: Taylorr

Taylorr — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:45:40 +0000

Additional information: I’m unusually sensitive to medications and have to take very small doses. What I take would probably not work for most people.

By: Taylorr

Taylorr — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:34:50 +0000

I use Lamictal as a mood stabilizer, 10 mg Ambien for sleep. In spite of the medications, I couldn’t sleep through the night, still had breakthrough hypomania, depressions, and constant anxiety. Then I added 7 mg Zyprexa. Now I can sleep through the night, my anxiety has decreased markedly, and the breakthroughs have stopped.
In the past I had to carry 15 mg Zyprexa with me at all times for breakthroughs. My daily small dose of Zyprexa works much better, and no emergency doses are needed (yet). I’ve heard that large doses of Zyprexa can cause somnolence. However they may be necessary for persons who have Bipolar-I disorder. The combination of Lamictal and Zyprexa has changed my life for the better. Hypervigilance and extreme anxiety had been exhausting me on a daily basis before I started Zyprexa. I also couldn’t concentrate and my OCD was terrible. So far I’ve had no side effects from Zyprexa.

By: icemaiden

icemaiden — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 21:25:33 +0000

I have requested my son to be taken off Zyprexa (in hospital at the moment) I was disgusted that none of the medical staff picked up on the serious side effects he was having. i.e. he could barely move, could not talk, swallow + increased saliva causing him to dribble, before he got to this state he also had suicidal thoughts. There were also other numerous side effects which we thought was due to his ‘anxiety’ pains in the head chest and back , nausea. If you recognise any of this signs take actio right away

By: Jennie

Jennie — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 13:28:22 +0000

My 8 year old daughter has been on Zyprexa for about a year now. She had to be switched to it after having a serious allergic reaction to Lithium. Zyprexa worked wonderful for her at first but we have noticed in the last couple of months that it isn’t working as well anymore. We are also having some concerns about it causing some of her bone problems. I have done some reading and noticed that it causes muscle weakness, she doesn’t have those issues yet but she is breaking alot of bones. My thinking is this…if Zyprexa weakens the muscles, which are there to protect the bones from breaking, it is inadvertingly causing bones issues as well. She is always complaining of her legs, hips, and feet hurting. Last summer she broke her tibia and her wrist in fall that would have just bruised anyone else. She has an appointment with her psych doctor next week and I’m gonna request that she be put on a different medicine.

By: Brenda

Brenda — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 04:08:51 +0000

Gina, I would be very interested in hearing more about your experience with you Mom, we are going thru what appears to be the same thing with my Mother-In Law. Already on Celexia, Ativan or Valium 5 days a month and started taking Zyprexa in June 5mg a day. After complaining of being more depressed, suddenly starting to be suicidal, instead of stopping Zyprexa they upped it to 5 mg 3x/day and added Divalproex Sodium at 250 mg to her daily drug menu. She was in ER within 4 days of this and all they did was up the Divalproex up to 250 mg 3x/day. Well within 3 days of this she had completely changed…like a switch was turned off….her eyes glazed over, no interest in anything, no emotion, very robot or zombie like. Back in ER they switched her from Zyprexa to Seraguel but all that has done is within 48 hrs she developed pain in her calves which is now in her thighs and will not stop. We are at the moment trying to figure out how to get her off these meds and stop the neverending leg pain. Please post more on the steps involved in your Mom’s recovery. Thanks in advance

By: Esther

Esther — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 03:04:12 +0000

I am on Zyprexa 10mg,Lexapro 20mg,Klonopin 2mg,Prosom 2mg,Benadryl 50mg and Risperdal 1mg. My Psyquiatrist says that I have Schizoaffective Disorder with Schizophernia and Bipolar Disorder,he says that I need to be put on Zyprexa 10mg with Prosom 2 mg at nightime.The reason that he says is that Zyprexa would put on time I do not know what he means with that. If somebody knows something please be free to email me .I need help please.

By: joanna

joanna — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 02:36:06 +0000

I have been on zyprexa for seven years, and I have definately noticed a difference in my weight gain and have problems with my overall health. I gained 120 pounds. I have dangerouslly high cholesterol and my doctor is thinking about giving me a prescription for cholesterol at the age of 33!. Being at risk for diabetes is another reality I need to face aswell and it scares me. None of the other antipsychotics worked for me so I am stuck. If your doctor is considering zyprexa for you, please keep in mind the side effects, and ask yourself if it is worth it.

By: Gina

Gina — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 05:40:31 +0000

My mom was on zyprexa with other anti depressents and anxiety medication. She ended up in the emergency room with low sodium and the internal medicine doctor said her symptoms of parkinson’s and low sodium was due to the medications she was on. He took her off all medications. Zyprexa is a bad drug that psychiatrist prescribe to their patients. We trusted this doctor who did not tell us anything about the drug and for a year kept upping the dosage. I would like to sue either the drug company or doctor for what happened to my mother. she almost died. Her shakiness has not gone away yet and the doctor says we have to wait and see if it will. He blames the zyprexa.