So for those of you that do not know I have been on zyprexa for 14 years. Currently doing 5mg. After 7 years of zyprexa I developed drug-induced insomnia and other rather serious side-effects like constant restlessness and brain discomforts, including sometimes pain.
Somehow I discovered that certain herbs seemed to help me with a state of phyisical discomfort in my brain and a never ending restlessness.
After a while I came to realise after some research that all of these herbs seemed to have one thing in common. They somehow stimulated or worked as a agonist on the gaba-system in the brain.
So why not just take a gaba supplement?
Well…apparently most(or all) atypical antipsychotics have a antagonist effect on the gaba system. I haven’t researched this extensively, but I think the reason is to reduce the possibilty of developing tardive dyskinea. There is a much greater risk of developing dyskinea when taking first generation antipsychotics, because they don’t have any antagonist action on the gaba system. Normal levels of GABA while taking a antipsychotic seems to promote tardive dyskinea.
So I took a 750mg dose of pure GABA supplement. And sure enough, on day two or three I think it was I developed uncontrollable movement in my left hand. So naturally I had to stop. I have later re introduced GABA, but now taking only 250mg a day. I have done that for about a week and so far I have not had any trouble with involuntary movements.
When it comes to the herbs that modulate the GABA system their effect on me is that they seem to calm down my overactive mind. It is easier to stay calm and focused in the daytime, it takes away discomfort in my brain and I am able to relax in the daytime. For example before I started taking these herbs it was impossible to lie down on a sofa and relax. My mind simply could not rest. Now however this is possible. I can take naps and my quality of life is better. My general health seems to be improved and more normal, combating side-effects from medication.
So herbs that can be helpful are: licorice root, magnolia bark, chamomille, valerian root and lemon balm to mention a few.
Here is a study discussing herbs that works on the gaba-systems anti-insomnia properties which is related to what I’m talking about regarding relaxation. A lot of the herbs they discuss are not common remedies. I never heard of most of them, but there are also a few common ones like licorice root and valerian root in the study. I guess what I’m talking about can be useful to look into if any of you guys struggle with the same things I do.
Yeah, I would rather have that problem. Actually I did for the first seven years of medication. Then I could sleep for 11-12 hours straight. Now I consider myself lucky if I get 6 hours.
I would agree if a person has a brain that functions normally. That is not the case for me after the drugs messed up my ability to sleep and relax. Gabaergic supplements keeps my brain from being hyper during the day. I don’t feel tired after taking them, it’s more like feeling the way I am supposed to. Being able to sit and relax a minute, yawning…things that most people take for granted. Imagine not being able to lie on a sofa and relax for even a minute every day for many years. That has been the case with me until recent. I just thought I would share this post in case others have similar difficulties from taking drugs, although I guess it’s not a problem for most.
I have drug induced insomnia from zyprexa. All the herbal remedies I have tried are useless. Valerian, GABA, melatonin, chamomile, etc… I’ve even tried them all at once but they don’t work for me. I need drugs like benzos, antihistamines or z-drugs, nothing else works for me. Even drugs like trazadone and gabapentin were useless for me.
Yeah, we are in the same boat then. Except herbal remedies seem to work for me. But it’s taking it’s toll. I don’t know for how much longer I can keep taking this drug. I am seriously starting to feel that I have very little to lose trying to change to another AP, but also I am scared of switching. Zyprexa is good except for the insomnia and restlessness issues. I tried going to abilify earlier this year, but that was a nightmare. I had to quit after the first day. But hopefully there is something else that will work for me. I’m thinking I might try to switch again in the near future.
We are in the same boat, lol, I tried abilify too and it didn’t work at all.
Right now I am on 2.5mg of Olanzapine and 60mg of Latuda. Latuda is my main AP now, been on it for a couple of years now, I remain on that small dose of olanzapine because it really helps with anxiety and I feel like crap when I go off it completely.
I would like to get off olanzapine completely but I have a hell of a time when I do. The only way Olanzapine makes me sleep is if I use a large dose like 15mg, then I can sleep, but then I get fat and my physical health and blood sugar take a hit.
I picked up a new prescription today called promethazine, it’s an antihistamine, so I am going to try it tonight for sleep.
Yeah. I too sleep poor on 2.5mg. I am currently on 5mg which makes it a bit easier to sleep, but if I didn’t take my supplements, mainly magnesium, fish oil and melatonin before bed I think I would sleep poor unless I went up to 7.5mg or higher. Actually I am taking L-serine right now which seems to help a lot. I think it is the second best amino acid for rest only next to L-tryptophan. But Tryphtophan raises serotonin so then the zyprexa doesen’t work, so I can’t take that. But L-serine seems to work good with no interaction.
Take tulsi ginger tea. Its more potent than most of the herbs mentioned here. I drink it daily as an evening tea and it help me to fall asleep at night quicker. I tested it like this. When i drink coffee i not able to fall sleep at night even if stay in bed for more than 2 hrs. Sleep usually comes after 4 am on coffee (drank at evening around 5 pm). Then the very next day took tulsi ginger tea at same time and able to fall asleep at 12 am (not went to bed before so can’t tell if able to sleep earlier than this). Also able to sleep more than 9 hrs at a stretch. All this happened within 1 day itself so it even able to break the old habit. Give it a try.