Does anyone take olanzapine/ zyprexa?

Just wondering if anyone takes olanzapine/zyprexa

and how it works for them. Or if they have taken it in the past and weaned off of it, how that went. I take it now and then for problems with insomnia and it really helps that as well as this terrible panicky fear that I have. Taking 2.5 mgs. It's also helped my appetite. But I'm very hesitant to take it everyday I've only been taking it a few times a week. Thank you.

LiveLife

Hi Live life,

  What can i say about using other drugs ? Im one that got in a  state so unbeliveable hard withdrawing , and (im again)..that i ended up using another drug

  Thats my experience and it doesnt mean it will happen to you, my first withdrawal of meds was from olanzapine and haldol given against my will, and it was unbelievably hard, by not taking a pill of zyprexa i would have distonyc painfull moovements, I squirmed involuntarily, curling my tongue and rolling my eyes up, it was torture, so i had to cut it, 10 to 5 to 2,5 to be able to stop,

  So this is a very dangerous drug, as Haldol is, i got severly impaired and i had an awfull post withdrawal syndrome, (seems like all psych meds causes me similar withdrawals symptoms) I never had took a benzo prior to This AP withdrawal, but it felt similar, Resulted in fear, anxiety, crazyness, anguish, agony, confusion, insomnia, mental confusion, unable to move properly, unable to speak and think, unable to understand TV, severe cognitive impairment and all list of symptoms i never had before in my life whike in post withdrawal,  feels like torture and its criminal ( Haldol played a role on this aswell)  i fully recovered this time.but i dont wish this to anyone,

Something i want to point is that something is happening to your brain in the healing course, because now its being able to a drug to hold back your symptoms and I Think this wasnt happening priorly am i right

Live, I took zyrprexa for a five-year period ending in 2008. I wish I had never touched the drug. It did seem to help with panic, and also it helped me sleep. BUT . . . it produced metabolic syndrome in me. Indeed it did help my appetite -- I developed an insatiable urge for carbohydrates, gained 25 pounds and got diabetes eventually. (Google zyprexa and diabetes and read the whole sad story).

Not only psychiatrists, but also the drug manufacturer, Eli Lily were quite aware of what zyprexa does. In fact Lily was sued back in 08 for the terrible things it does to patients. Yet psychs still prescribe the drug.

So , if you're asking for advice about zyprexa, surely there are other drugs you can take for panicky fear. Really, an antipsychotic for panic? But I bought that, too. For that matter, what about therapy instead of a drug? That sure helped my panic better than any drug. What I learned from my drug misadventure is that we are too quick to reach for pills .  .  . which often have horrible s/x. As for improving your appetite, I found that a little indica marijuana gives me the munchies without the risk of eating every cookie in the house and getting diabetes.

I sure wouldn't take this drug every day, Live . . . or at all for that matter. Can you talk to your doc about something else?

Best to you,

Katz

Thank you both so very much for your replies. This really helps me figure out what I want to do. I really don't like the idea of using any type of medication. What's weird about this is that I can take it. I have tried a number of different medications to help and I can't tolerate any of them. I'm not really great with meds to begin with. Can't believe I got hooked on a benzo.

Katz,

I have done therapy and also neuro emotional technique. This fear and panic that I get wakes me up in the middle of the night it's a chemical type panicky fear. It's not something that therapy would help its chemical in nature, from the recovery process. It's been pretty grueling recently.

Good healing to you!

LiveLife

This fear and panic that I get wakes me up in the middle of the night

I know exactly what you mean, Live! I have it also. Even now. But for me it's associated with life events, and I can talk myself down from/out of it using techniques I learned in therapy. But it sure is terrifying when it happens.

Best to you,

Katz

Katz,

Thank you so much. I appreciate the encouragement leaning toward not taking a drug. I know what you mean about techniques I'm able to use those very well during the day and I do try to use them in the middle of the night as well. But sometimes it works and other times it just won't. I'm just wondering how many milligrams of olanzapine were you taking?

LiveLife

Also live, look up tardive dyskinesia one of its other lovely side effects.

But I have a friend who was on it in pysch ward for melancholic depression snd she said it saved her life (that and ect) so ? She’s now a psychologist and only on a tiny dose or effexor and weening off.

You have to weigh up the pros and cons but in my experience their weren’t any pros. X 

Shay,

Thank you! Hugs!

LiveLife

Live, I was taking, like you 2.5 mgs daily. Doesn't seem like a lot, does it? But it was enough to have a terrible cumulative effect on me.

Regarding those middle-of-the night terror attacks, I recently started using an app called Headspace that has a Sleepcast narrative that I play when I wake up. It's been very effective. I also have some go-to-sleep stories/narratives on CDs that I have cued up to play also. So . . . I've found things that help. Maye some of these will be helpful to you, also. 

My best to you, Live,

Katz

Live, you might check this out. It's the go-back-to-sleep part of Headspace.

https://www.headspace.com/sleep/fall-back-asleep

Headspace is free for a 7 day trial. That ought to give you time enough to asses its potential usefulness. Maybe see you in dreamland!

Best,

Katz

Katz,

Thank you! Hugs!

LiveLife