HAS anyone EXPERIENCED bad WITHDRAWAL from OLANZAPINE??

Question

or any stories or experience of the drug...

Answer 1

Olanzapine has some stong similarities to other drugs in the benzodiazapine class. There have been some reports of problems with withdrawal from those medications. It is considered best to taper off Olanzapine to decrease the risk/effect of these withdrawal symptoms.

Sorry I have never seen anyone with withdrawal symptoms, nor can I find any problems noted in a search of the available literature.

EDIT: For the information of the second responder, the Zyprexa website prescribing information, clearly notes that the medication is of the thiobenzodiazapine class. It is also classed as an anti-psychotic. Antipsychotic has to do with it's therapeutic use as opposed to it's chemical compositon.

Answer 2

I used to take 10mg Olanzapine daily (a moderate to high dose), as a mood stabiliser for bipolar disorder. I was prescribed it on admission to hospital (20mg at first), to help control a bad bout of mania. I was put on a Section 3, meaning I could be kept in hospital for 6 months. It controlled my mania & the dangerously impulsive behaviour I had. It did it so well, that I was discharged 2 months early.

After about 2 months from discharge, I stopped taking it because of weight gain and it took away my motivation to look after myself and socialise.

I told my psychiatrist I'd stopped it and that I was suffering from insomnia. After a week it didn't seem to be improving.

He prescribed me Quetiapine (another atypical-anti-psychotic ,with anti-depressant properties) instead. I'm on a low dose of 300mg at night. It got rid of the insomnia, my mood is more stable and I'm more sociable.

Looking back, I wished I'd have spoken to the shrink before stopping it abruptly. He said I would have probably been OK if the dose had been tapered off slowly, while gradually increasing the dose of the new drug.

The website that Alex62 gave the link to looks quite useful. It gives a balance of the pros and cons, which is lot better than some websites that seem to say ALL psychiatric medicines are bad.

I'd suggest if you find anything that concerns you, print it off so you can talk it through with your psychiatrist. If they are any good they will listen and try to help.

Wishing you a strong and steady recovery to health. ;)

Answer 3

You're more apt to find answers at this website. Scroll down the left for info on Zyprexa. It includes a link to the manufacturer's PI sheet. The link to the talk board is in the upper left corner or the main page. There are a few people there who have taken the med to much benefit. I don't recall withdrawal being difficult.

http://www.crazymeds.org

PS - Zyprexa is not a benzo. It is an antipsychotic, which is a very different class of meds.

Answer 4

It sounds to me such as you could have somebody there with you this night, in case you have no longer already. A and E is there for emergencies and if it fairly is an emergency, you will do properly to bypass there. i does no longer recommend taking opportunities yet regardless of you do, get somebody to be with you purely in case. remember, whether you call an ambulance it could nonetheless take in to 0.5 an hour to get to you and a lot can ensue, or bypass incorrect, in half-hour. to respond to the main question, sure, it does each so often ensue that long term use of specific POMs (Prescription purely drugs) could have purely such withdrawal effects. There are even some drugs that is addictive, 'napping' pills are one occasion. some helpful drugs are used for cardiac administration, which if withdrawn too promptly can bypass away the physique over compensating for his or her absence and could reason the somewhat some indications you describe. whether, there is not any replace for good scientific care and suggestion in case you're sick or experiencing magnificent indications.

Answer 5

Don't ever take the sleeping pills route!!

1. They will damage your liver big time and you can get into serious health problems.

2. You will get hooked up on them and you won't be able to have a normal life any more if you don't take your pills everyday.

The sleeping pills industry is damaging our health by capitalizing on our ignorance, and by distracting people from effective and natural ways to deal with this problem. I had been taking prescription sleep medications [Ambien] for over 5 years. It stopped working and I simply took more. Still did not work. Nights were very difficult - medication put me to sleep but I would wake up after 2–3 hours with a strong sympathetic response (fast pulse, pounding heartbeat, wide awake alert). It was a very difficult cycle to break. I was really in bad shape due to lack of sleep.

After years of struggling I was able to cure my insomnia naturally and pretty fast. I followed the Sleep Tracks sleep optimization program, here is their official web -site if you want to take a look: http://www.insomniacure.net

Ohhh..and Good Luck!

Answer 6

My partner is on Olanzepiene and is always forgetting to take it some days and not taking it other days, and has never had withdrawal from it. Its not an "at risk" of withdrawal drug, but everyone is different so if you feel you may be addicted, talk to your doctor about it.

Answer 7

See the general advice on withdrawing from similar medications, at http://www.ezy-build.net.nz/~shaneris on page 2, and www.drugs.com

Answer 8

It makes me sleep. If I don't take it for a few days I am up all night.