1 month off Olanzapine

Medications
82

I feel the same way, I’m a guy, but my life was way better before I developed schizophrenia. I was really social, had friends and girlfriends, partied, had a full time job when I wasn’t at school. Things were good. I don’t know what would help with acceptance, just one day I realized this is my life, I have schizophrenia, deal with it. It stopped bothering me as much as it used too.

I use to have anxiety and panic attacks. CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) really really helped with that. On rare occasions I would take 1mg of lorazepam to help with anxiety. I use to have some paranoia when I was psychotic, I thought I was being mind controlled. I don’t have racing thoughts, mood switngs, OCD and I was never dangerous.

Stability helps, I am able to work a part time job and I am happier than I have ever been since developing this disease. Finding the right medication helped the most. But I still wish I didn’t have schizophrenia.

When I decreased too much I became psychotic. I had to switch to Lurasidone (Latuda) and that made me feel a lot better, I also became much healthier, I lost weight and my blood tests came back perfect.

No, I don’t have any friends or a girlfriend, I haven’t in a long time (years). I can be social and appear totally “normal” but once I tell people I have schizophrenia, I think when they hear the word “schizophrenia” it freaks them out and they would just rather avoid me once they find out. There is a lot of stigma and misinformation about this disease out there and usually when they mention it on the news it is because someone with schizophrenia did something awful. I haven’t told anyone at work and everyone (girls, guys, managers) don’t suspect a thing and I get along fine with all of them, but I know if I told them they would probably treat me differently.

I get along good with my immediate family but they are all I have. My parents are on their 70s so I don’t know how much time I have left with them… When they die I’ll be alone. I have a brother but he doesn’t understand schizophrenia at all, and we don’t share a lot of the same interests or beliefs, but we get a long fine.

I take 300mg l-theanine a day (100mg in the morning and 200mg before bed) and on days that I work I take 160mg of CalmAid (Silexan) before I leave for work. That is it.

83

Hello,

Thanks for fast reply. Its horrible to hear people judge schizophrenia so much. I can be your friend. Please do not think you will not have friends. I think people do not know what exactly schizophrenia is, because of many scary movies. Iam also not sure whether what I have is schizophrenia, but I definitely have psychosis when Iam off medicine. I feel strange in reality and I get scary intrusive thoughts. I got a lot of diagnosis psychosis, psychotic decompensation, bipolar. Psychiatrist I went longest to first said psychosis maybe schizophrenia, then she said my diagnosis is not clear. I was hospitalized once psychiatrist assured me its not schizophrenia. I came across just one woman on schizoforum who had same symptoms only she did not have mood swings. She said her diagnosis is psychosis. When you are off medicine what you feel, or see?
Before my illlness I had big carrier I did a lots of interesting jobs and lived in UK, Prague, Wien and Australia. I travelled World. I loved life. I had many friends, loved sports, partied. My longest relationship was 12years. Iam glad I managed all this I had no clue I will become ill. My Father suffered with Depression anxiety since he was 30years old. Doctors could not help him, but he worked. Now he is in retirement he is happy he takes good antidepressant. He enjoys life with my Mum. Propably I got some genes from him.
Does somebody from your family have mental illness?
I have brother too. He is 2 years younger and he has wife and 2 kids. I have sister too she is 24years old and works for Emirates in Dubai as stewardess. I helped her first to go to US to learn English and then I helped her with Emirates too. I spent 2 years helping her, but when my illness started she did not give me support. It was heart breaking. She even said Iam selfish just concentrating on my illness. I lost everything I could not stand on my feet and she could not offer any support. I got support from friends, but it was hard on my friends because of my mood swings. I just cry when I get mood swing, my mind is racing and I do not want to live. So far just lithium orotate helps a bit. Olanzapine was stabilizing, but I still had mood swings. I had 4 jobs full time since illness started. First I could not do. Second I did for 3 months they released us because of corona. I managed it, but I could not handle stress. Last 2 jobs I could not handle stress and I had mood swings. Now I should start new job full time in Hungary working with invoices, but I worry I will not be able to do it. I could imagine maybe to do some less stressy job like selling clothes in shop. I have very good CV, but I can forget it now.
Did you also have this feeling you can not handle stress since having schizophrenia?I can feel my nerves being on thin string. Olanzapine helped a bit, but Iam not sure why is this condition. Iam really scared how I will live. I signed out of health care in Slovakia moving to Hungary now in Hungary I do not know how rulles are. I could imagine to be in Austria. There is good social system. How could you funktion on high dosis of olanzapine? I could handle only 2.5mg and I could still not wake up and felt wasted. When I took abilify I could not stand on my feet only 5mg. We have to believe they will come with new medicines. Iam so scared about these mood swings. I was reading about bipolar woman who tried 34meds. Now visiting my family in Slovakia I did not have mood swing over 1week. I love it. Do you also think of your diagnosis all the time?When my diagnosis came my life fell apart as I wanted to have kids. Now not sure what Mother I would be. As well my BF drinks a lot with friends then behaves not nice and he is introverted, but having short temper. Otherwise he cooks, fix things, but I get anxious when he drinks is angry, or he does not talk. When Iam not well he takes care of me and he did not leave me.
What makes you happy?Is propably good you did not tell at work your problems. I still think you can find partner.
Alena

1 Like
84

No problem. Yeah, it is horrible but it’s just the way it is. Most people only hear bad things about it.

Thanks Alena! I’ve met some people on this website, but none of them are “my friends” in real life, just online people that I can relate to and that have had some of the same experiences as me, it’s nice to know I am not alone. It seems like no one in real life can understand what I’ve experienced.

I feel some anxiety, I’ve had tactile hallucinations where parts of my body or my whole body feels like it is burning up, it’s not painful, but I didn’t like it. I had visual hallucinations where I saw ghost like images of human heads floating around and shooting out of peoples faces. I also heard voices in my head.

I did under my old medication (Olanzpaine), but I am doing better on my new medication (Lurasidone). I work part time since switching meds. I have to go to work in 20 minutes from now.

I didn’t function much. I slept 12 hours a day and had no energy when I was awake. I didn’t work or do much of anything. Plus my physical health took a huge turn for the worse. I weighed 240lbs and was fat and very unhealthy. I’ve lost over 75lbs and am healthy now.

I think about it sometimes but I don’t obsess over it.

I am pretty happy right now. A girlfriend would be nice but I am kinda use to being single at this point. I’ve met girls but very few accept that I have schizophrenia and those that didn’t care, the relationship went nowhere, we had nothing in common. Maybe one day I will meet someone, but I don’t want to be in a relationship just for the sake of it, I would rather be single than be in a relationship I am not happy with. I’ve been in relationships in the past that I wasn’t really into and I don’t want to do that again.

85

It must be hard with all symptoms you wrote, but its so cool your meds is working. I can be still your friend even when is online. I am not sure if to try latuda. I was reading people had anxiety, or through up. I think you meet somebody nice now when you are stable. I felt similar about olanzapine as you wrote.

Alena

86

Everyone is different. The experiences of others are just that, other people. I’ve tried meds that didn’t work or had bad side effects that other people say work great for them. Latuda works for some people, but some people have side effects, and for some people it doesn’t work at all. You don’t know until you try.

ok, cool! :smiley:

There is this one woman that shows an interest in me, and she knows I am on Latuda, and she knows Latuda is an antipsychotic, but she doesn’t know I take it for schizophrenia, but she still shows interest every time I talk to her. She knows I am about 15 years older than her. She ticks all the boxes. She is accomplished, intelligent, kind, incredibly beautiful and things are great between us. I’m thinking about asking her out for coffee but I feel like I have nothing to offer her and she is out of my league, she could have any guy she wanted. I’m kinda used to women rejecting me after I tell them I have schizophrenia so that is where my insecurity lies and is making me hesitate.

87

Do you have any side effects from Latuda?How long do you take it?Does Latuda cause insomnia, or sexual dysfunction?Does it cause anxiety?Does it make you tited, or restless?
Iam not sure what I will do. Its 11 days since I take quarter of Olanzapine. I sleep good maybe 6-7hours. L-theanine helps me. Iam bit more emotional. In the Morning I have anxiety, but Iam much better to wake up as before. Not sure about mood swings yet. Iam taking lithium orotate for it. I did not yet become psychotic.
How did you meet that woman?How it happend you told her about latuda?Ask her out if not girlfriend she could be friend.
My neighbour one who is on wheelchair asked me out, he was even interested I was not, but we became friends. Now he has this other girlfriend-fiance. You should not give up. Now when you are stable just put it in your head you will find partner, believe it and look for it. I believe in power of mind. It happend for me before. Still try online dating. Do not give up. I want to be stable like you, but not sure how to achieve it. Iam just scared all antipsychotics will not be good for me. What antidepresant did you try before?All antidepressants I tried made my psychotic and racing thoughts worse.
Alena

88

Currently all antipsychotic work on D2 receptors, so side effect is as strong as it’s potency

89

Newest medicine that are in clinical trials have shown to have more tolerable side effects with no weight gain and motor related side effects like karxt, sep 363856 etc

90

It doesn’t cause any side effects FOR ME. But everyone is different, it does cause side effects for other people. I think I started taking it 2018. No insomnia from it, no sexual dysfunction, no anxiety, I am not tired or restless.

I am on 60mg and it has to be taken with 350 calories of food. If I take all 60mg at once I experience akathisia so what I do is take 30mg with breakfast and 30mg with dinner. My pdoc was fine with that. My body can’t handle all 60mg at once, but it can easily handle 30mg twice a day. When I split up my dose like that I have absolutely no side effects at all. In fact since quitting olanzapine and starting Latuda I have lost over 75lbs, my blood tests are all perfect, and my diabetes is much better. I am now pre-diabetic.

She works at the pharmacy I visit and I talk to her every time I am there. She also knows I am on disability so I really don’t know what she sees in me. But when we talk, we talk for a while even though she is busy and I can tell she would like to talk more, but she is busy working, and there are other customers. But we talk and laugh and flirt a little. I’m debating about asking her out but there is never a good time because there are other customers there and her co-workers and I don’t want to put her on the spot in front of them, and if she rejects me I’d rather it be in private, lol :upside_down_face:

Well it took be 15 years to find a medication that worked and that I am happy with so don’t give up. Lurasidone is considered a much weaker antipsychotic than olanzapine, so theoretically it shouldn’t work as well, but for me it works way better. Also it didn’t even exist when I was first diagnosed, so you never know what the future may hold, don’t give up.

I’ve tried other meds that were no good. Haldol gave me bad side effects and Abilify didn’t work. So you have to just keep trying different meds. There are a lot to choose from.

As for antidepressants I tried Paxil and Effexor. They didn’t really work all that well and the withdrawal symptoms were awful. When I quit I effexor I had very intense “brain zaps” for 3 months, it felt like electricity shooting through my brain. I also had 'body zaps" and felt like crap. Antidepressants helped very little for me.

91

Hello,

glad meds are working without side effects. You are lucky. I continue on quarter of pill of olanzapine. I sleep good. I only feel bit more emotional. I visit my family in Slovakia and so far I did not have mood swing that is over week. I like it I can chat to friends and family. In Hungary Iam lonely. My partner is introverted does not talk much. Regarding that woman in pharmacy she for sure knows your diagnosis based on meds you take and how much you take of it. I think you should ask her out. If it will not be GF she could be your friend. You should also not give up on online dating. Now when you are feeling stable you could find partner.
I should start new job in 1 week, but Iam scared I will not be able to do it. Its full time. As well now I do not know what I will do with meds when Iam decreasing. I feel lost. When Iam in Hungary I pay 60eur for 50min online cbt therapy. I had only3 sessions and we did not start therapy properly, because I felt suicidal. Now when I was with friends and family I did not need therapy as I talked enough to everybody. Today I go back to Hungary. We are going to cycle arround lake Balaton. Do you do sports?Being on olanzapine I could not do sports much I felt tired. I did only walking, cycling and swimming. When I was off meds I did some sport every day.
Alena

92

You are lucky, I have really bad insomnia. Good to hear you don’t have mood switngs. Stability is good.

Maybe I will, there is never a good time because there are always people around.

No, I use to be on the track and field team in primary and high school but that was like 30 years ago. I’m in pretty good shape physically. I don’t really like playing sports, I’m not that good, and I find watching them boring.

I found CBT very helpful, but there is a lot to learn, I hope you feel better. Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. If you find the right meds your life can improve dramatically.

1 Like
93

Do you still have insomnia from olanzapine? May Latuda cause it? I sleep less as before, but I still sleep maybe 6 hours. In the Morning I have anxiety. Then I take my supplements and anxiety is gone. Not sure what happends when I completely stop it. Iam scared about mood swings. Iam bit emotional already.
Ask that woman out, but maybe when she is working she wants to be professional. If you met her out of chemist you could ask her out.
Alena

94

Yeah, I’ve been off olanzapine for almost 4 months and I can’t sleep at all. I have to take 1.5mg of clonazepam for sleep.

No, I had insomnia when I tried to quit olanzapine before I started Latuda.

That’s good you found something to help with your anxiety, what do you take?

Maybe I will ask her out. I don’t know where I would meet her outside of her work though.

95

Dont tell her you have schizophrenia at the start, it’s not a conversation starter. Since she know you are taking antipsychotic it means she know you have a lifelong mental illness most likely so having schizophrenia ,bipolar,BPD isn’t that much difference in stigma

1 Like
96

Been on 10 mgs of Olanzapine since 1997.

In 1997 at age 20 I was hospitalized for the first time and diagnosed with paranoid schizoeffective disorder.

I was hearing voices and having hallucinations. They gave me a massive injection of haldol. It drugged me out of my mind but stopped the hallucinations.

When I got out of the hospital I stopped taking all the meds they were giving me. I could feel my schizophrenia coming back.

I told my mom and she found me a doctor. He gave me Olanzapine. I took it for a year and one day decided I didn’t need it anymore.

30 days later I had another psychotic break and ended up in the hospital again.

After getting out of the hospital I stayed on Olanzapine. It took a years to get my symptoms back under control. I managed the best I could.

In the 25+ years I’ve been taking Olanzapine I’ve skipped a few doses here and there. The longest I’ve gone without it was a week when I was in the hospital for medical problem.

I could feel psychosis coming on.

I haven’t really had many problems from taking Olanzapine. I only take 10 mgs. I’m totally dedicated to taking it. I don’t want to risk psychosis.

I do believe it works well for me.

I’ve tried a lot of different drugs over the years and the two worst were Haldol and saphris.

2 Likes
97

I take for anxiety innositol, omega3, lithium orotate and ltheanine in the Evening
Iam cycling arround Balaton lake in Hungary
Alena

1 Like
98

For anxiety I take innositol 3xday, omega3 2xday, ltheanine 2 pills before sleep. Lithium orotate 5mg that I take for mood swings, but can help anxiety too. I take vitamin b, c and d too, folic acid and safran. Safran has antidepressant properties, but it helps sexual disfuction caused by antipsychotics, or antidepressants
I wish you meet that woman outside of work that you can ask her out, or maybe when she is alone in chemist
We are cycling as I wrote. I find antipsychotics take energy for sport, but I take only quarter pill still olanzapine still it has tiring effect. Last night I slept not much. We were in room with guy who is snoring and ear plugs did not help
Alena

1 Like
99

Jesus I put on weight from olanzapine. A lot of clothes are small to me. It never happend before. I was always skinny. How are you?I take just quarter pill so far Iam good. Not sure what happends next as I do not have another AP. I propably go on quarter of olanzapine long time
Alena

100

Change your ap?you need a minimum therapeutic dose or you risk a relapse

101

Hi,
At the moment Iam much better taking quarter of olanzapin comparing to when I took half pill. On half pill I was worse big mood swings I planned suicide a lot. When I reduced olanzapine I improved.
Alena