I just met with a psychiatrist (haven’t seen one in a while just therapy) but he mentioned maybe taking zyprexa which I’ve never heard of. Anyone have any experience with this med? Pros cons etc.? I’ve taken a number of antidepressants in the past along with latuda, clozaril, risperadone, and a few others. Latuda was the only one that helped that didn’t make me feel numb like clozaril but the akathisia with latuda was unbearable. So any insight on this zyprexa would be much appreciated thanks!
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They used Zyprexa (Olanzapine) on me to stabilize me when I was in the Hospital. It got rid of delusions pretty fast but word of mouth is that it causes extreme weight gain. If positive symptoms are a priority to get rid of for you and you will watch your diet and exercise it might be a good med for you. Me I prefer injections!
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Most anti-Ps are pretty similar in terms of their basic mechanisms of action in suppressing synaptic dopamine transmission. Each one is a molecular formulation that’s just enough different to 1) make it qualify for its own separate (and very profitable) patent, and 2) make it hit those receptors just a little differently (even including hitting different sub-types) (this is called “affinity”).
And each human being is the result of slightly different genetics and epigenetics (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epigenetics), as well as all the effects of life experience (or “nurture”) vs. genetic and epigentic “nature.” Thus, no med will work exactly the same way for any two people, save possibly a pair of identical twins, and even then diverse life experience is likely to have a say in the matter.
The statistical measures of “common side effects” are just that: statistics. They are worth looking into, but… Anyone who takes a particular med will have their specific reactions to it at the particular time in their lives that they take that med. I have seen pts who had an awful time on a particular med ten years earlier do fine with it ten years later.
on 20 mg melt tablets. the regular pill form wont do anything at all “for me’”.
And it numbs down a bit, zombie like even.
you certainly will gain weight.
I heard that too about the weight gain but Im 6’6" 160 lbs with a hardcore metabolism. So currently that side effect doesn’t bother me. Its when I took lithium which i forgot to mention that i took at one point that felt like my stomach was always really upset. And akathisia which is the worst physical feeling Ive experienced and Ive had my pants on fire that caused 3rd degree burns. But if it helps Im glad to hear it and am more comfortable in trying it.
Zyprexa(olanzepine) is an atypical (new generation) antipsycotic! Its good I tried it for about a month but it causes serious weight gain as a side effect! I had to switch drugs to risperidone then Abilify (aripiprazole) which I’m currently using! All the best though, I hope u find a drug that works for u!b
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I gained a lot of weight on it.
No akathasia with zyprexa right? Cause when I was taking latuda the akathisia was so bad and I was pounding the propronalol that my heart rate dropped 15 bpm. And i still had akathisia. I’m ok with weight gain a bit that side effect doesn’t bother me. Also anyone have any problems with tradise dyskanesia or whatever the twitching side effect is?
I’ve used Zyprexa since 1999 - have no twitching, shaking, tremor which is good - knocks you off to sleep if taken at night which is also good.
On the downside made me put on A LOT OF WEIGHT. Make sure to have blood tests with this once or twice a year - especially for diabetis.
NEVER DRINK ALCOHOL WITH THIS - your heart will beat out of your body and you’ll get drunk FAST - one drink now and I’m drunk - insane drunk.
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I didn’t experience any akathesia on Zyprexa but sometimes the extra-pyramidal side effects like that and tardive dyskinesia depends on the individual taking the drug! There are variations! The effects can be counteracted using anticholinergic like artane(benzhexol)
I weighed the most ever on zyprexa.
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Thanks for the info. Though I know I shouldn’t cause its not healthy physically or mentally, I do like drinking on weekends so I guess I’ll have to cut that back if i decide to take it.
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I was on Zyprexa for a few months in a mental hospital in Tennessee. I gained about sixty pounds when I was on it, but I was really skinny when I started taking it. I really craved sugar when I was on Zyprexa. One woman at the assisted living center where I live got a settlement of around $13,000 because it gave her diabetes. It’s known to do that. I slept a lot when I was on Zyprexa, and I was mildly depressed - disphoria, you know.
Ok the diabetes is a little freaky. I guess I’ll really have to watch my sugar intake. But I also live in a very “foodie aware” town. Everyones that smug gluten free eat healthy type.
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I’m one of the few people that haven’t gained much any weight on zyprexa. so YMMV. It works really good for psychosis.
Terrible drug. Out of all nine variations of drugs I have tried, none have stopped symptoms. I can manage my symptoms without drugs, though, so I should be fine. I went from Cyprexa to Haldol to Abilify. Haldol was hell, and so was/is Abilify. Cyprexa, however, was the mildest, but after 2-3 weeks I felt emotionally inept, pain & pressure in head flared up, and gained too much weight.
Zyprexa is like a holy grail when it comes to eliminating delusions. I was on it when I was at the psych ward, 20mg. Very fast acting, it takes about 2 weeks for it’s full effect, but you’ll start feeling many improvements in a few days. I gained 40 pounds on it in 2 months and even I consider myself to have good metabolism.
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i was on it for about 2 years i think…i gained about 2 stone (28 pounds) in that time…it didn’t make me crave sugar but savoury stuff…it didn’t do anything for the voices at all but then no med i’ve taken ever has…delusion wise it was ok…i still had left over delusional thinking from my first break but it wasn’t too strong i think. no way near as bad as seroquel for weight gain…i may even try it again…if i can get off of abilify…going to talk to my shrink next time i see her. good luck with it…it’s an ok drug.
Zyprexa is great. Causes weight gain but that is a beneficial side-effect for me since I’ve always been very underweight. I’m almost normal weight now because of Zyprexa.
It works better than any of the other antipsychotics I’ve tried.