Zyprexa Report - One Month In

It’s been a full month since I started Zyprexa and started coming off 30 mg of Haldol. The Zyprexa is really a positive change that has improved my quality of life in several ways. I’m now totally off the Haldol and I don’t miss it.

Zyprexa normally causes sedation. It gives me insomnia. I take it in the morning no later than 8 a.m. and it keeps me awake all day until I take my 6 mg of melatonin at 8:30 p.m. I’m asleep by 9:30 and I stay asleep until I naturally wake up between 6:30 and 7:30 a.m. This is a huge improvement over sleeping for 12 hours and then taking a two hour nap like when I was a Haldol zombie. I get to spend more time with my husband, which is wonderful.

Zyprexa has eliminated my panic attacks, and keeps my anxiety level between an 3-5 out of 10. This is a definite improvement over having daily panic attacks and taking Klonopin up to three times a day. I didn’t even expect this, but I’m very happy about it. I haven’t taken Klonopin since my third day on Zyprexa.

Zyprexa has completely gotten rid of my voices and other hallucinations. It even has what I am calling “enhanced silence” when I am in a totally quiet room. The silence seems like I am experiencing it even more than usual, if that makes any sense. On Haldol I got breakthrough hallucinations once or twice a month, but I haven’t had anything on Zyprexa.

Zyprexa normally causes increased appetite and weight gain. It’s suppressing my appetite. I’ve been using the nutrition tracker on Sparkpeople.com to stay within 1200-1400 calories a day to try to combat the weight gain. I was disappointed to see that in spite of keeping faithful to that low number, I gained one pound. On Haldol, I would have lost 6-8 pounds. I’m trying not to get too discouraged. I just keep doing what I’m doing and hoping that the weight will start coming off.

The only part of my illness that isn’t touched by the Zyprexa is my paranoia. My pdoc says there is no drug that targets paranoia, so I didn’t expect the Zyprexa to work miracles. Still, I am very happy that I’ve made the change from such a big dose of Haldol to a reasonable 10 mg of Zyprexa.

On the negative side, I think I am experiencing some tardive dyskinesia. I feel compelled to move my tongue around inside my mouth and I am getting jerking motions in my hands and feet. I see Dr M tomorrow so we’ll see what she says. I may just need some Cogentin.

Just goes to show that drugs affect each person differently. Also that you should listen when the pdoc thinks it’s time for a new drug. If I had let the potential weight gain talk me out of trying the Zyprexa again, I’d be missing out on doing a lot better. In only four weeks, I’ve gone from being dangerously close to another inpatient experience to an enhanced quality of life.

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I was very happy on zyprexa for a few years.

I’m happy it’s working well for you.

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Sorry but that’s a deal breaker. You may have to come off it. Anyway talk to your doc about this and see what he says.

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Yeah call your doctor ASAP @anon39736208.
Involuntary tongue movements is related to TD.

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I think that you should continue with Zyprexa.It overall has better income for you,and you are at low dose.Change of meds for me is new but I should expect a better mental state and quality of life.Hugs…

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Oh, I hope I don’t have to come off it! I thought there was a med to combat TD. I’m not even sure that’s what this is, it’s not totally involuntary, just urges to move and then I do.

I see my pdoc tomorrow and am planning to talk to her about it.

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I was put on it a few months ago and have had better experiences by far than the other three I’ve been on. Zyprexa gave me memory issues that only lasted a month on the medicine. The only lingering effect is akathisia and I was put on propranalol for it.

I’m jealous that it eliminates your voices, it only makes mine less frequent.

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@agent101g That’s how I was on Haldol. I still got breakthrough voices, even though I was on such a high dose at 30 mg.

Zyprexa has been really good for me. I hope I don’t have TD because I don’t want to come off it.

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I personally am not a fan of typical antipsychotics, I’m glad I’m on an atypical, I think they have less movement disorder issues.

My psychiatrist actually took me off cogentin this month in favor of propranalol. She said she didn’t think the cogentin would help with the akathisia I’m dealing with.

I’m glad to know you are feeling better!

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Sounds like some great progress over the Haldol. I was reluctant at first too to try zyprexa because of all that negative editorials. I too am glad I did. Hope you sort out that tongue issue! Here’s to decent improvements for you!

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Well, I saw my pdoc today and she said I do have tardive dyskinesia. However, because it didn’t start until right when I discontinued my Haldol, it’s more likely to be caused by that than the Zyprexa. She’s reducing my Zyprexa from 10 mg to 7.5 mg to see if that continues to provide the same benefits, and if it eases the TD.

I see her again on June 5.

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Good luck, @anon39736208! I hope the Zyprexa works out for you.

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I was put back on Zyprexa recently and I like it. It helps calm me down. I get stressed really easily. Still have paranoia and delusions though but I can live with them.

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I have been doing on Zyprexa for almost a year now. It really helps with my agitation.

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June 5 is to late.Why not earlier.TD can be permanent.And I noticed TD signs only after I quit Haldol.It’s probably that.

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Thanks for the replies everyone!

@anon70049667 I can always move the appointment up if necessary, and I have both her cell and home numbers in addition to her office number in case of emergency. It’s interesting that we are both experiencing TD only after stopping Haldol.

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Good to hear that.I was a bit worried.

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Just to mention, my pdoc said that Benadryl may cut down on the movements of my TD, and she was right. I took Benadryl last night and my symptoms were notably improved today.

@anon39736208, I have an urge to constantly move my tongue around my mouth and into my teeth. And I do it. However, if I want to I can stop these movements. Do you think this is tardive dyskinesia? I had the impression that TD was supposed to be uncontrollable

What meds are you on?I think it’s beginning of TD.