Olanzapine reduction

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1

I’ve just had my second episode of psychosis where I was delusional for six week’s. I’ve now been back to normal mentally for six weeks, but am feeling very sedated and lacking motivation on 10mg of Olanzapine.

My CPN has suggested I up my sertraline dose or Olanzapine dose. I feel like a reduction of Olanzapine to 7.5 may help me feel more normal. Considering I’ve only been stable for a while she feels this isn’t a good idea, but is willing to go with my decision.

I’m just desperate to get back to normal, and am considering the reduction as I have no positive symptoms or delusions at this point.

What choice would you make if you were in my position?

I know there’s a risk to the reduction and it’s against advice but feel I need to make a change as can’t cope with work and life at the moment.

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2

Any opinions please?

3

i’d stay on the 10mg of olanzapine… you just barely got out of an episode recently… i think it’s too soon to reduce already…

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4

Yeah you’re probably right, just looking for a quick solution to my problem.

Even though I’ve had two episodes I’m still hoping that it’s not schizophrenia and that I’ll be able to be medication free at some point.

5

There is no quick solution unfortunately. Olanzapine takes about a week to reach steady levels for any given dose. It’s a gamble, you might reduce and be fine, but maybe not, there is no definitive answer, only experimentation.

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6

It’s just that I feel blank and have no motivation. When I reduced on aripiprazole I felt better after each reduction.

Managed five months off of aps before relapse.

Willing to take the gamble I think.

7

i think you always feel better for a bit till you relapse… it’s not worth it i think tbh…

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8

You’re most likely right, it’s just that I need a way out of this nightmare

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9

On 10mg I sleep good, but I get fat. On 2.5mg I feel fine and my weight/physical health is good but I can’t sleep. I find with meds it’s a trade off, trading in one problem for another. If you find a med that works perfectly with no side effects you hit the jackpot. I’m a mess when I go off olanzapine completely.

10

Just looking for some benefit of a lower dose, need to get back to being me

11

Yeah, I get that, you might find the right med combo, but there is also the possibility you may not. You have to choose between being psychotic or living with the side effects. It sucks, but that is the way it is sometimes for some people.

I wish I didn’t have to take meds but I’ve come to accept that I do, and I just live with the side effects.

12

If you relapsed again after stopping meds you surely have sz and surely need meds for life. Relapsing wastes lots of time and damages your life much more than being on meds. Thats from my experience of stopping meds, longest time I stopped meds was 2yrs, then I relapsed.

13

I lost friends and almost my family everytime I relapsed.

14

I’m still hoping I don’t and that it was a reaction to stress both times.

If I do have to stay on medication then I want to be as functional as I can be on a lower dose.

Just can’t accept it’s schizophrenia yet!

15

True.

I lost my partner who I’ve been with for eleven years on the last relapse.

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16

Thinking of reducing to 7.5 mg Olanzapine myself

17

What was your dose before relapsing?

18

I was off of aripiprazole for 5 months.

Before that reduced to 5mg then stopped.

There was a year between episodes

19

I find Abilify less sedating and better for negative symptoms than other aps. Maybe you can go back to Abilify?

20

I was okay on aripiprazole from 7.5mg but anything above that I was bed bound.

CPN even suggested Clozapine… which is ridiculous as I have no positive symptoms!

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