Heavy metals, pesticides, pollutants in air and water, and other sources can be identified and gently removed through cleansing methods. These include nebulized glutathione treatments. When the client is stable, eating well, sleeping well, then we can begin the slow and gentle taper process. Adding targeted supplements to the diet also assists in rebalancing and normalizing neurochemistry. These include Qi Gong , acupuncture , counseling , orthomolecular medicine , Equine-assisted therapy , art therapy , and many others which can be viewed on our services overview page.
Dopamine is only one of many chemicals that are affected by Zyprexa. We can imagine that similar interruptions and chaotic responses are going on in other areas of the brain and the central nervous system, potentially causing significant unusual, unpredictable reactions and cross-reactions.
This can be very hard on a person who is also perhaps mentally fatigued or confused, and who may become resistant to taking direction. These circumstances can make the situation very difficult to manage. Where this is not possible, try to work closely with a doctor who has hospital admitting privileges and who is familiar with drug cessation, to retain control and safety for the patient.
Slow, guided tapering can help a person transition to drug-free living, or at least to the lowest point possible that still provides for a satisfying quality of life. A note about choosing health care professionals to work with: there have been cases reported on health forums and social media sites such as going to the hospital with severe withdrawals from antipsychotic medication, but finding out that prescription medication withdrawals are often not recognized by emergency or other doctors.
It is indeed unfortunate that medical school training does not include how to recognize withdrawal symptoms and how to help a person come off a potent drug such as Zyprexa. This appears to be a worldwide phenomenon, not just in the US. We do need to be aware of what we are putting into our bodies, and we also need to know who we can trust and rely on for medical and mental health support.
Zyprexa olanzapine is an SGA or second-generation atypical antipsychotic medication. Drug-makers glibly state that Zyprexa changes chemicals in the brain.
A more careful look finds that more needs to be known about how this medication works exactly. Zyprexa is prescribed to treat psychosis and schizophrenia symptoms. Antipsychotics have a nearly immediate dampening effect on emotions, hallucinations, mania, and other presentations associated with schizophrenia and psychosis. They have a useful role in bringing a crisis under control. However, long-term use is associated with many problems, including the fact that they stop working after some time.
The FDA issued Black Box warnings on virtually all antipsychotic medications in use today including Zyprexa oral as well as its extended-release injectable versions. These warnings also apply to any compounds that have olanzapine as an ingredient in them.
Be safe and find out about a medication before you begin a prescription, to make sure it is the best choice for you, and also learn as much as you can about safe Zyprexa withdrawal. WARNING: Please note that an elderly patient with signs of dementia-related psychosis should not be prescribed olanzapine because of the increased risk of death. Below are various topics that are frequently asked about Zyprexa, its effects, characteristics of withdrawal, and other information that may help contribute to making an informed decision regarding starting or stopping this medication.
Zyprexa is an antipsychotic medication that is FDA approved, with certain age restrictions, for the treatment of schizophrenia, mixed episodes of bipolar, and for psychoses. It should not be prescribed in the elderly population where dementia-related psychosis symptoms are present, and should not be prescribed under the age of 13 due to an increased risk of suicidality. Over the years, various off-label uses have emerged and have been documented by the National Institute of Mental Health, who warns that there is no strong body of evidence supporting the efficacy of such uses of the drug for symptoms like agitation, anxiety, obsessive behaviors, and similar.
However, despite these cautions expressed by NIMH and other researchers, the makers of Zyprexa engaged in promoting such practices. Consumers are cautioned to research a drug, including the FDA Black Box warnings, and investigate the way the drug works and side effects to expect, before deciding if a drug is the best choice.
Certain compound drugs may contain olanzapine, such as Zyprexa Zydis. Zyprexa and related compound drugs are sometimes prescribed off-label, for unapproved uses. A useful summary authored by Corell et al covers off-label uses of Zyprexa olanzapine and cautions that there is no strong evidence of efficacy for any off-label use. Zyprexa is one of the hundreds, perhaps thousands of brand names for olanzapine.
The drug has been a financial blockbuster for all the pharmaceutical companies around the world who make the drug. It is not sought after or known as a street drug except perhaps as a diverted drug, so Zyprexa has not developed slang or street names in the illicit drug trade. Side effects from taking Zyprexa have been a controversial subject since when some documents leaked from Eli Lily were revealed by the New York Times.
These documents described illegal marketing practices, promoting illegal off-label uses of the drug, and that the company downplayed the side effects of Zyprexa in order to prevent a drop in sales. Below are a number of topics that may be helpful in understanding more about Zyprexa withdrawal, including what Zyprexa does to the brain, interactions with other drugs, and more. Zyprexa has a known chemical structure which determines or models how the drug is manufactured in the lab. It has a molecular weight of But beyond the recipe as such, there is little known about how exactly the drug works within the brain and central nervous system.
We do know that Zyprexa is a member of a class of drugs called thienobenzodiazepines. This tells us that Zyprexa is an antipsychotic medication that is similar to benzodiazepines, both being gabaminergic in effect. However, Zyprexa additionally deflects or blocks many other types of brain chemicals besides GABA, including dopamine. Therefore, Zyprexa allows numerous types of neurotransmitters to accumulate at receptor sites. More research needs to be done to understand the mechanisms of action of drugs like Zyprexa more thoroughly.
When a person begins a prescription of Zyprexa, the central nervous system and the brain will undergo some changes and reactions influencing certain natural chemicals that the body creates called neurotransmitters. There is more to be known about exactly how Zyprexa impacts these factors.
The same can be generally said regarding every other drug that is on the market today. Taking more than one drug simultaneously could change the way the drugs act in the CNS, either increasing or decreasing their effects. For example, alcohol and other psychoactive or medicinal drugs can interact with olanzapine and may make a person so drowsy that they should not operate machinery or drive a car.
Smoking cigarettes can dilute the concentration of olanzapine in the blood, as another example. Always inform your prescriber of any drug use and ask for information about potential interactions that may occur because of other drugs your doctor prescribes. After ingesting Zyprexa, metabolites can test positive in the urine for approximately days. However, this time period may have little relation to the time it may take to fully adjust to being off Zyprexa.
There is a high probability that affected receptors upregulated themselves, in response to the drug. It would follow that a person could experience some degree of over-stimulation, including manic symptoms, as a result of the neuroadaptive characteristics induced by the drug. The time needed for these receptors to return to normal is indefinite, depending on such factors as genetics, length of use, dietary habits including caffeine or other stimulants, and could take months to years.
A person should never abruptly stop taking Zyprexa as the shock to the body can be severe and intolerable. Even with a slow taper, especially without proper support, withdrawals can tend to be long-lasting, and near to impossible to tolerate.
I thought it would never end. I was frequently suicidal and needed a lot of support to get through it. And I am so glad I pushed through. I did taper. I also had a lot of systems set up — a group chat where any contact from me whatsoever would trigger action, even if all I could do was text one letter. Be encouraged. But if you can remind yourself that it is temporary and teach your brain not to react, that may help. It is possible and you will succeed.
Hey there how long did you take olanzapin? And how long did the withdrawal took for you,and did lorazepam work for you? I am on 9 months of olanzapin and starting to get of it pice by pice but the insomnia is killing me did you had insomnia?
Thanks a lot, the first encouragement. I love the part where u want us to remind our brains it is just temporary. Nice one, i choose to believe this and hold unto it. I responded about a year ago to someone who was experiencing withdrawal symptoms from psychotropic drugs. This lady was suffering from a variety of negative symptoms similar to the ones mentioned above.
I mentioned to her that my oldest sister was diagnosed with schizophrenia and had been on psychotropic prescription drugs over a ten year period. She came to live with me when she was on the verge of her fourth nervous breakdown. Physically and mentally, she was a mess. Fortunately for us, I was in contact with a woman who had the knowledge to help her. Carl Pheiffer.
I strongly urge anyone who is having withdrawal problems to get this book. The solution is megavitamin therapy with high doses of niacin and vitamin C. It took one year to cure completely cure my sister.
She has been off all pharmaceutical drugs for over thirty years and today at the age of 75 she still works 28 hours a week. Time has proved there is a solution to this problem.
Larry can please help me about what you ve done to your sis to cure her schizophrenia?. My son is schizo patient too for more than 10 years now. Thanks for your reply. Hello John, I saw your post and just wanted you to know that I got well using a vitamin protocol developed by Dr.
Abram Hoffer. You can find his book on Orthomolecular Treatment of Schizophrenia on Amazon. Over a period of several months all of my symptoms disappeared.
Wishing you and your son the best of luck. After reading the comments above, I am really disgusted and saddened. I, myself was put on a number of psychotropic medications for various traumatic life events.
How strange it is to suddenly get well after years of being sick. Of course its the drugs. And of course the medical profession will not admit it as that is what they do…prescribe drugs. How sad. Long term use of medications like Olanzapine or whatnot should be followed with the doctor prescribing being on the same dose. Try it yourself doctors! Really… for a couple of weeks.. I have a friend who is Chemist.. You know what he told me? And you know why?
They have to much money.. I have seen things in mental health treatment in Norway that would make Guantanamo prisoners shit their pants! Here police can come pick you up at night and drive you off to mental hospitals.. Who are these people? They are just shadows of themselves.. Good food? Some good words? A vacation? Meaning and purpose in life. I have met people in my life with more life experience than any newly educated doctor when it comes to mental health..
Make people read up on what your feeding down their system doctors! Be human. I wish I could see a revolution in mental health care.. Subscribing a plane ticket to somewhere beautiful instead of poison!
Like… even in the Soviet Union people who lived in Siberia would get a summer holiday somewhere sunny! Grow up! To Sally I wanna say: Thank you for sharing your story! Have a great everybody and please wake up tomorrow smiling because life is to short to waste on negativity!
All psychiatrists should be shot and forced injections of antipsychotics, strapped to beds and forced into isolation. How can these idiot doctors sleep at night???? Long story short today is my one year being off zyprexa. After last night barely sleeping and having strange things happen to me this story has given me some more hope to continue my battle. I find myself today looking on the Internet because the doctors seem to be clueless. My story began about ten years ago I was put on zyprexa, for 9 years I was on and off it as I struggled to break free of its chains.
For the most part I was on 15 mg but tapered myself down to a fraction of a 2. Yet after a year iam still expirenceing wierd symptoms but struggle with coordination and sleeping the most.
I will break out in hive and itch like crazy until i take benadryl. This usually happens when my body decides to have what I describe as hot flashes. Between the headaches, hives, random itching, hot and cold, blurred vision, sleep disturbance and general fatigue I feel beat down. I really hope it continues to get better as some days I struggle to even perform my job.
Just wanted to send out a massive thanks to sally for telling her story. Seems the doctor wanted to punish me horribly for some reason. You are a hero. I was prescribed benzos and APs for over 12 years. Seven months ago, my doctor decided to cut me off valium cold turkey. What I have gone through since then is nothing but torment to the soul and body.
And guess what another doctor recently prescribed to help me get through the withdrawal? You got it. I just want to thank you for this site and all the posts. It has really helped me see I am not crazy and I need to taper off the Zyprexa quick. If all they can offer is poisons, I think I will just say No Thanks.
Susan, did you withdraw successfully? Can you share your story? I have had trouble quitting before. My third attempt has been recently, where I have cut from 5 to 2. I have been at 2.
I want this stuff out of my system so badly. I was thinking of splitting one dose each week, then start splitting again. I need reassurance…. I get horrible anxiety everytime I decrease. Good thing I quit this evil olanzapine in time. Terrible drug. I too am right in the middle NOW of olanzapine withdrawal. I have reduced myself from 5mg right down to half a 2.
I am suffering horrifically and this is the hardest challenge of my life. I am desperately seeking help for her. Too many to name. But, while tapering …maybe it was right after being completely off , she went into the hospital for what appeared to be a breakdown. She was there a week and they quickly prescribed her 90mgs of Cymbalta, 5mgs of Zyprexa, and mgs of trazodone and sent her on her way.
She has never been the same. Depressed, zoned out, major cognitive issues, obsessive thoughts, extreme anxiety, memory problems etc. After doing some research on Zyprexa and its side effects we decided to taper her from this medication first. She is now at 2. Her anxiety is through the roof, very depressed and her whole body just shakes. Any feedback would be so helpful!! It is odd that I have found this site. My son suffers from schitzo-affective disorder.
He has been placed on 10 mg of olazapine daily. He hates the drug I believe he is trying to come off it, he is moody, tired, looks terrible, thought he had a flu. He has gained about 5kgs in 12 months. Prior to this we have just let him be. He was self medicating with marijuana I believe he still uses the marijuana as well as the olazapine. He has suffered from delusional beliefs for years he can get very angry not dangerously so along with extreme anxiety and isolation issues.
He is 35 years old. I am very interested in the vitamin solution. Hi Jenny, maybe he could also try gluten free. Do some reading on the effects of gluten on the brain, mental health and nervous system. Some people need to be GF and Dairy Free for full benefit. His symptoms — isolation, anxiety, tired, moody, look bad, sounds like he could be gluten intolerant or celiac to me.
I was on a very large dose at times fluctuating around 15mg, 10mg, 5mg. I also took large amounts of olanzapine to escape my reality, even though it made me feel awful. I went through phases of overwhelming fear and anxiety so would I take extra olanzapine constantly to try and combat this. I weighed about 17 stone at one point. I dropped down to 5mg and then stopped. My withdrawal symptoms are terrible. My legs developed a terrible twitching but this has improved.
My skin on my face was prickly and itchy. I still have nausea and really bad insomnia. I have also recently developed severe hypercausis. Also since stopping I have experienced disassociation on occasions. I was first diagnosed at 17 with bipolar. Then it was changed to schizoaffective disorder. At one point my psychiatrist said I could choose my diagnosis between bipolar or schizoaffective or whatever I felt was accurate. My last psychiatric appointment I was then diagnosed as unstable mood disorder.
But I now cannot tolerate it because I experience silent migraines that cause me to feel intense pain and a really rapid heart rate. I was admitted to hospital for this once. The pain is like being skinned alive and has also felt like my head was being hit against a wall. I quit Cypralex 3 years ago while on Zyprexa and quit Zyprexa 11 months ago after a 3 months taper.
I manage my pain with ginger tea and a arnica based organic solution. I try to live a very healthy,clean live and exercise take gentle walks in the park. The diet change paid off and the symtomps are starting to dissapear and I am starting to have good and lasting windows.
My sleep has improved a little but not so much… my night sleep depends of how my day was… if I had a stress free day and everything was fine I am sleeping hrs… if my day was not a good one or I have something relatively important to do the next day I might sleep from am to 11 am or not sleep at all until am!
Overall I am doing fine if I stay away from cold,bad postures and stress and take care of what I eat. Suddenly I have the feeling that I never healed at all because the symptoms are exactly as bad and severe as when I quit Zyprexa.
I am very fragile and I wonder if I will ever heal completely and have 0 symptoms exactly like the normal person I was before drugs. COM Many many thanks and hang in there! Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. He was placed on olanzapine 8 months ago on release from the mental health Ward he was admitted for suicidal ideation.
It has been trial and error for months before the right medications were prescribed. He now takes 60mg tranylcypromine parnate which is highly effective and comes with no side effects, 30mg dexadrine for adhd, 3 doses of 0.
Now I understand how many may attribute his side effects to the list of medications he is on, however his side effects from olanzapine were in place before those medications were given. The effects he experienced worsened over several months : No longer aided in sleep at all SEVERE Irritability leading to verbal aggression he is genuinely the most polite and gentle person I had ever met Severe and sudden mood swings The weight gain continued to max 20kg and no success in weight loss He was able to improve his diet and intense desire to binge at night.
Initial withdrawal 10mg-5mg Severe Irritability — he became enraged and scarily focused on one topic that he argued about for 15 hours. He proceeded to smoke some marijuana to assist in how he felt.
The following day he experienced a psychotic episode. Withdrawal 5mg Withdrawal 2. Can anyone help?! This drug is evil. The psychiatrist tried to put him back on it to assist with some sudden insomnia due to the uti medication medication ceased, insomnia passing.
The irrational and irritative psychotic episodes he is experiencing are becoming more frequent. He describes it as a mean part of him taking over, and he cannot stop it nor prevent it once started. He is unaware of all the aggressive and cruel things he says in this state. It lasts from several hours to a full day. The adhd type symptoms were not as severe prior to olanzapine. These side effects are seriously concerning due to the severity.
Will they reduce with time? He refuses hospitalisation. I am afraid he will enter a psychotic state and stab himself again. Please feel free to contact me via the following email address if any assistance or advice is out there. So sad to hear about your boyfriends story. I am experiencing almost the similar thing And i was wondering how your boyfriends progress on coming of the olanzapine is and if he is still experiencing the withdrawal symptoms.
Currently I am on a dosage of 4. I have tried to come of the drug 6 times but unsuccessful maybe because I did it to fast. This time I will do it on a slower pace. Maybe we are talking months or years. This drug has completely ruined my life. It was given to me because of anxiety. It is very hard coming of this drug. I hope you can answer back because I desperately need to someone who has been there and because I need hope. Does anyone yell after taking this drug? I had insomnia and my doc gave me Mirtazapine and Olanzapine which completely ruined my life.
I have very bad mirningr agitation and yelled hysterically from morning till noon. Can someone share your experience? Zyprexa withdrawal was the worst thing I ever went through. I was tapered off tags every two weeks. Four days after the last zyprexa I took the above symptoms were so severe I had to go to the ER at 5am. I was checked in to the hospital for two weeks.
I had a whole another set of problems with the doctor there the way he tried to medicate me. After about two and half weeks after the last zyprexa I been able to sleep all night without my lungs stopping with the help of a sleeping pill.
I was on olanzapine from to on different doses. No psychiatrist ever thought of tapering the drug. After being sectioned in Hospital and feeling numb I was told I would need the drug to be increased, I was already on 20mg. I quit the drug in a few months after being on the drug and coming out of hospital. I felt so weak, I could not walk, I was shivering, felt sick, and memory a mess and really frightened.
I decided to go to a clinic abroad. After I told them that I had been given olanzapine, they were shocked. This apparently is one of the worst drugs so they told me. They diagnosed me with parkinsons and put me on abilify but I am now coming off it. It is proving the most difficult thing in the world but I will get through it. I think the drugs they gave me on section finished me off anyway so the abilify was a stupid decision- they just changed one drug for another really.
I am not sure if the damage I am suffering is damage from the olanzapine, old damage or the abilify. Take care of yourselves. That until I realized that I was dying and that the drug I was on may have been the reason.
I have spent much of my mother and grandparents inheritance trying to feel better and get on with life. I have seen and been seen by very well known psychiatrists, been to clinics, here in the US during my withdrawal who were in my opinion of little help to me, accept knowledge that I have instituted: a Paleo Diet to clean up my gut, consider holistic mediation, yoga and other healthy alternatives sound advice.
I have gained lbs since starting, feeling like a zombie all day. I just hope I can get through the withdrawal and come out of it like my old drug free self. For years I was on Lexapro and nothing else and slept fine only this last time when I had really bad insomnia did the dr. This drug worked well for a couple of months. Then things began to change. I started having terrible seizures. This went on for years as I did not know what was causing the seizures.
After a trip to the hospital in an ambulance because of a seizure. The emergency room doc told me that it was probably the Zyprexa causing my seizures and memory problems.
I then tapered off the meds over a six month period. I was making eight little piles of powder out of each pill when I quit completely. Then the withdrawal set in. Now it is has been a couple of months since stopping and I am experiencing the real hell that only Zyprexa can give.
I am still suffering and do not know how much longer I can take this. I will give it my best shot and hope this misery caused by my doctor and the poisons he pushes will soon come to an end. Best wishes. My name is Cengiz and I am writing from Denmark and I have read all of your stories And i was wondering how your progress on coming of the olanzapine is and if you are still experiencing the withdrawal symptoms.
I too am trying to get of the zyprexa I have been taking it for 11 months now Currently I am on a dosage of 5 mg. I started with 5 mg but upped my dose to 15 mg but that was only for 3 months. I freeze a lot, fever like symptoms, insomnia, stomach cramps etc etc. I am so afraid of this medication because I know it is a dangerous drug. I am afraid that It has caused brain damage. I know that you are not a doctors but it is nice to speak with someone who has tried the hell themselves.
Maybe we are talking months. I hope someone can answer back because I desperately need to someone who has been there themselves. Hello Cengiz, It takes time to recover from the devastating effects that Zyprexa causes. I took it for 6 years. I tapered off slowly after trying cold turkey unsuccessfully, twice.
It was a very difficult thing to do considering how bad I felt. However, it can be done! Know that your misery will end or greatly subside given time away from the drug. One more thing, they say that during a war there are no atheists in foxholes. I am hear to tell you that there are no atheists during Zyprexa withdrawal either. Its a battle you have to win. Do not give up in your quest to become drug free. Hi Ed…. I am trying to come off Zyprexa.
It is hard. I am down to 2. Can you please tell me your taper schedule and how you did it? Thank you! H Lisa, I hope by now you have successfully quit zyprexa.
I am sorry it took so long for me to respond. I know it is pure hell quitting a designed poison like zyprexa. It can be done and unfortunately sometimes it leaves permanent scars. It has been years for me Lisa and I am still feeling the ill effects from quitting zyprexa. I am not referring to rebound illness but specific damage caused to me for having taken that so called medicine.
The makers of zyprexa should be lined up and shot. In the head!. No joke. Last year when I wrote you, I was taking 2. As of today, I am on. I know I have done this very slowly but in , I quit it cold turkey and became very ill. I had to go back on it and stabilize but this next time, do a very slow taper. I stay at a dose months before dropping again. I cannot cut my pills any smaller. I seem to be doing very well. I am sleeping good and feeling good. My hardest part was going under 2.
I hope the worst is behind me. I hope you are doing well, too. Hopefully, we are in the home stretch and never have to take this powerful, potent medication ever again. Lisa, How have you done? I was prescribed 1. I quit it for 14 days and it almost killed me. I started back on the 1. Are you off completely now? Anyway the brutality has affected my life, the experience was pure punishment, that was their intention, I was not a criminal i was just a naive something year old.
I was also on 10mg of olanzapine, and threatened that I would be sectioned if I did not take it so I had no choice. If you decide to come off the olanzapine do you carefully. I have spoken with my doctor and he reassured me that there was no brain damage. I wonder how long this will continue and if the brain damage is permanent. I stopped taking olanzapine, I was also given escitalopram, then abilify. The abilify is something I have tried to come off but am experiencing tardive dyskinesia. I was worried, but my doctor told me these are just withdrawal symptoms.
I am hoping they are. I also experienced problems with my memory, I am hoping to recover. It is horrifying to read all these stories on this site. I am tapering really really slowly even though I am on 4. To help myself I am beginning to take all sorts of vitamins.
Hoping that it can help a bit. This for me was almost the worst aspect — not just because I had the most almighty shock, it was SO unexpected — but because no doctor would believe in a delayed reaction.
And so on. Or if sites like Surviving Antidepressants are doing it very well already? Although my story concerns an antipsychotic, there is a massive overlap in withdrawal symptoms between all the psychotropics. I would love to find a way of reducing the acute isolation I experienced. I am writing to you because I too are in the process of tapering off the Zyprexa. Just writing because I wanted to hear how it goes and if you are still experiencing the withdrawal symptoms.
I am down to 4. Will this get better in time or what. I just hope that I can go through it without severe symptoms. I was hospitalized last winter with severe major depressive disorder. I was on so many anti-depressants and benzos and stimulants.
I had something to wake me up, keep me going, calm me down and help me sleep. My body could not sustain this. I admitted myself voluntarily to the hospital due to the deep depression. They took me off all meds except one with no tapering. I went into extreme withdrawals. This induced a pyschotic episode for which they gave me — you guessed it — zyprexa.
This medicine did bring me out of the pyschotic state. I started at 10 mg and after two months of stabiliztion my doc said to drop to 5 mg. Then he said after a week or so of that to stop it completely.
That did not go well. I experienced extreme anxiety, uncontrollable crying and sadness. I went back on 2. Now I have been off of it for about a week and am still having horrifying dreams, extreme anxiety and sadness, and feel suicidal. My doc prescribed me klonopin to help with the anxiety but nothing for the sadness and depression. I wonder how long this will go on. I have also had itching. I am amazed at the fortitude of those on this forum who took higher doses than I have for longer periods of time who are sticking with staying off zyprexa.
I hope that things get better for everyone, including myself. I will admit this drug pulled me out of an extreme state of psychosis, but it caused my blood sugars to go sky high and I have diabetes. They were giving me shots of insulin which I have never had to have, and doubled my diabetes medications. My blood pressure was also really high on zyprexa and they started me on blood pressure medication. Zyprexa is some scary stuff. Last resort, definitely. I hoped to see more success stories of people withdrawing without lasting symptoms.
I am a little scared now. I am walking every day trying to get the natural endorphins working in my brain. But the anxiety is so terrible. I have pictured several suicide scenarios which scares me also. Read our guide.
How olanzapine works. Olanzapine and everyday life. Frequently asked questions. How long does it take to start working? If you have had no good effects after two to three weeks, your doctor may increase the dose or change the medicine Your doctor might start you on a low dose and then increase it slowly over two to four weeks to your full dose. What effects will it have on my body?
Talk to your doctor about this if it worries you. Should I tell my family and friends I am taking it? Can I drink alcohol, take street drugs and smoke cigarettes while taking it? Alcohol You can continue to drink some alcohol while taking olanzapine, but having the two together might make you very sleepy or make you fall over. If you drink a lot of alcohol, these effects will be much more serious. Alcohol can also make the symptoms of your condition worse.
Street drugs Antipsychotics block the effect of dopamine, so the 'high' you get from drugs that work by increasing levels of dopamine may not be as 'high' as before.
Cannabis can make drowsiness worse with olanzapine. It can also make your symptoms worse. All antipsychotics can reduce the stimulant effects of cocaine. Smoking If you start or stop smoking while you are taking olanzapine, you may have to change your dose. Cigarette smoke affects the amount of olanzapine in your body. If you smoke, you may need a higher dose of olanzapine than someone who does not smoke.
Tell your doctor if you smoke, so that you get the right dose for you. If you re start smoking, you may need to increase it again Go to your doctor for advice if you stop or start smoking. Can I take it with other medications? Olanzapine does not mix well with some other medicines and drugs.
Tell your doctor before you take olanzapine if you are taking any other medicines. I have allergies and food intolerances. Is there anything I need to know? Can I drive while taking it? Do not drive a car or ride a bike just after you start taking olanzapine. Olanzapine may make you feel tired or dizzy when you start taking it. Do not worry - most people drive as normal while taking olanzapine.
Can I take it if I am pregnant or breastfeeding? Pregnancy Olanzapine is not seen as high-risk during pregnancy and, if regular medicine is keeping you well, then changing your medication may be the greater risk. Post-natal Taking olanzapine close to delivery may lead to some discontinuation withdrawal effects in your baby.
Breastfeeding may help with any discontinuation withdrawal effects. Talk to your doctor or midwife about your feeding options. Will it affect my sex life or fertility? Sex Olanzapine can have side effects that might affect your sex life, but they should not last for long. These include: drop in libido how much you want to have sex difficulty getting an erection very occasionally breast growth and, in very rare instances, some milk flow, regardless of gender Some of these effects should pass after the first couple of weeks.
Fertility Olanzapine may increase the level of a hormone called prolactin in the body for a short time when you start taking it, but not to a very high level. Will it affect my ability to play sports? Olanzapine is not a banned substance in sport. Do not worry - most people play sports as normal while taking olanzapine. Will it affect my ability to take exams? Try not to take olanzapine for the first time just before your exams. Olanzapine can make you feel tired and dizzy, and can affect your memory.
You should talk to your doctor about any future exams if you are starting olanzapine. You might decide together to delay starting it until you have done them. Do not worry - most people take exams as normal while taking olanzapine. Uses, warnings, safety and side effects. Taking olanzapine Warnings and safety Side effects Taking olanzapine How long will I need to take olanzapine for? Many people take olanzapine for a few years. How long you need to take it will depend on what condition you are taking it for.
You should only take olanzapine as agreed with your doctor. You may start with a low dose that increases slowly to your regular dose over the next few days. You will usually take your dose once a day. You can take it before or after food. What if I miss a dose? If you remember later during the day, take it as soon as possible. It is very important to have the injection every two or four weeks. What will happen if I forget to take my olanzapine?
Stopping the use of olanzapine. People usually take olanzapine for a long time, to keep their symptoms away. You can also get withdrawal effects, including: difficulty sleeping feeling or being sick It is better to agree stopping with a doctor who will reduce your dose gradually. Warnings and safety Safety headlines. When to go to the hospital.
It may not stop even when you stop taking the medication. If you notice it early and act with your doctor, the problem should not get worse. When to see your doctor. It is very important to go for these checks when you are asked to do so. Side effects Side effects. Very common side effects of olanzapine affecting more than one in ten people include: weight gain increases in the levels of prolactin in the blood seen only in blood tests feeling dizzy or faint with a slow heart rate, especially when getting up from a lying or sitting position.
This usually happens at the start of your treatment and will normally pass on its own speak to your doctor if it doesn't Common side effects of olanzapine affecting up to one in ten people include: changes in the level of some blood cells, chemicals, circulating fats and, in early treatment, temporary increases in liver enzymes seen only in blood tests increased appetite tremor, muscle stiffness or unusual muscle movements dry mouth loss of strength or extreme tiredness water retention leading to swelling of the hands, ankles or feet joint pain sexual problems such as feeling less like having sex less and problems getting an erection Olanzapine use has been linked to an increased risk of developing diabetes among some young people.
Symptoms include: putting on weight needing to wee a lot needing to drink a lot feeling weak raised blood sugar levels If you already have diabetes, you may need to increase the amount of medication you take for this alongside taking olanzapine. Taking olanzapine Taking olanzapine How long will I need to take olanzapine for? Warnings and safety Warnings and safety Safety headlines. Side effects Side effects Side effects.
About this information. College of Mental Health Pharmacy. More information and advice. Getting support with your medication. Website by Element78 opens in new window. Close this dialog window Youngminds - fighting for young people's mental health.
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