Back to Olanzapine (Zyprexa)

By Donna-1 Wednesday, May 09, 2012

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At first, the idea of taking Zyprexa again just made me sick. I have become allergic to Latuda (which had seemed the perfect antipsychotic for me.) So I don't have any choice. Latuda was also making me highly anxious, giving me unbearable akasthisia, and disturbing my sleep nightly. Then the itching and coughing started. Doesn't seem ideal, does it? But compared to Zyprexa I thought I had it good. Zyprexa turns me into the prototypical zombie, requiring 12-14 hrs of sleep per day, plus giving me a ravenous 24x7 appetite for things like Twinkies, chips, and ice cream. I doubled my weight in just a few months when I started taking Zyprexa in 1997. It's like trying to decide whether to exchange one unlivable situation for another. But it had also gotten to the point where Latuda was allowing breakthrough schizophrenia symptoms, and I couldn't increase the dose because of the side effects. It felt like time for everything to come crashing down, so my pdoc ordered a 1 to 2 month trial back on Zyprexa to see how things go. At least he is flexible. And I must confess I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep.

Schizophrenia And Medication - Part One

Comments (9) | Add comment

Don Fraser

5/ 9/12 10:18am

Hi Donna,

Well, I've been taking Olanzipine for about 8 years straight now and I must say I can't grieve. The only reason I don't gain a lot of weight is because I take an anti-convulsant (Topomax) for an epileptic component to my illness. For some reason the Topomax stops the weight - gain of the anti-psychotic.

I guess I should consider myself lucky. I know quite a few people who have really ballooned while taking various atypical meds.

You said you tried another drug. What about Respiridol or Chlozaril ? Or maybe you'd be happier taking one of the older drugs like Loxapine or Haldol. Unless you get a large dose, the older drugs are good maintenance meds and studies have shown that they control symptoms as well as the new ones.

But I suppose you have been that route already.

Take care and God bless

Don Fraser

Donna-1

5/ 9/12 10:56am

Thank you, Don. Yes, I've tried all the atypicals except Invega, and a few of the older antipsychotics. I know I was fortunate to have taken Zyprexa in that it gave me my life back, literally. But it took a long time for me to adjust to the weight gain. I had always been very small up until then. And since going on antipsychotics in general, I have never gotten my old energy back. They all zap me for some reason; Latuda, though, less than the rest.

Are you doing okay? I don't come to the site nearly as often as I used to because I haven't been well and because I'm involved in my mother's care (and am her social director it seems). But I already feel better knowing that Zyprexa is on the way. I always have to wait several days for my psychiatrist's assistant to call in a new prescription. I'm determined my life is going to change for the better.

Don Fraser

5/10/12 12:28am

You're very welcome Donna, thanks for caring. I am well, holding my own these days after a move to a new suite my life has gotten more interesting with more to do, it seems.

My aged parents are not well and my sisters and brother and me are trying to ease them into a care home, but at 81 and 85 they are reluctant to go. My mother has told me she wants to die at home. It's depressing. I try to help them as best I can but they really need a nurse full-time.

I'm trying to find work but because of my back injury there are only a few things I can do. I've got a rehab worker looking for jobs for me and I'm hopeful that she'll find something in the next little while.

The speaking is still ongoing but that's only a few times a year and doesn't really fill the calender.

But , as my life is now, I'm not content. There is more that I must do and I will do it.

Take care and God bless

Don Fraser

Janet

5/ 9/12 4:52pm

Hi Donna. While I am no professional by any means but I have been on a wide array of different medications since I was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder in 1983 at the age of 23.Some meds zapped my energy while others caused me to gain weight. I am fortunate to have found the medication Seroquel which has allowed me to become as stable as I have ever been. My question to you is have you talked to your doctor about some other medication that would not casue weight gain? I mean no disrespect to you at all but if you are concerned about the weight gain i would talk to him about some other medication.

Donna-1

5/10/12 5:51pm

Thank you Janet. The problem is I have tried Trilafon, Hadol, Risperdal, Zyprexa, Clozapine, Seroquel, Abilify, Geodon, Saphris, and Latuda. Zyprexa is the only one that took care of the symptoms (basically positive and negative symptoms) consistently and for any length of time. Most of the others had side effects like continual vomiting, facial paralysis, general unwellness, or (what most often happened) unbearable akathisia and anxiety. Zyprexa left me feeling very groggy all the time and gave me a ravenous 24x7 appetite, but all in all that was something I could learn to live with. Seroquel worked for a couple of years but then I started having an asthmatic reaction to it that sent me to the hospital, so back on the Zyprexa I went. Latuda started out to be that miracle drug I was praying for. But gradually I have developed an allergy to it (constant all-over itching, coughing) and severe anxiety and restlessness. And I'm often awake for the entire night pacing the floor. For the time being, it looks Zyprexa is once again my best bet even though far from ideal.

I know there is always some drug company working on something new, so I will look forward to trying the next thing that comes along.

KathieKay

5/13/12 5:18am

I want to be in control of what I take to replace the Latuda if I become allergic. I plan on refusing to take risperdone when if I become allergic.ive also had a time when I became allergic to benedryl and Tylenol pm.

Christina Bruni, Health Guide

5/12/12 10:36am

Hi Donna,

I understand the dilemma you face.

Metfornin (sp?), a diabetes drug, taken at 2,000 mg if memory serves, can be used to promote weight loss for people taking atypical SZ medications. If you're not averse to taking another drug, ask your psychiatrist about the Metfornin. Professionals who know about this recommend this strategy for weight loss. Of course, I can't give medical advice. I'm just relaying this information.

It's a cruel illness yet the cure is worse because for a lot of people only the Zyprexa works effectively. I'm sorry you had such a frightful experience with the Latuda.

Regards,

Christina

KathieKay

5/13/12 12:27am

How does one know an allergy to Latuda? Is it intolerable itching? Trouble swollowing? Constant eating? Weight gain? Swollen tongue what is it?

Donna-1

5/13/12 7:22am

I suppose it differs with each person. Mine was first coughing constantly, then itching constantly. I went to my primary care doc and got prescription antihistamines and a cortisone shot. She said maybe the coughing was asthma. Her remedies didn't work. I tried all kinds of itch creams and fragrance-and-dye-free detergents, shampoos and soaps -- nothing helped. So I went to an allergist expecting it to be a food or chemical allergy. He said it was definitely a medication, doubtless the one I started taking last, the Latuda last August. The coughing started in November and the itching started in February. My psychiatrist does not believe that is the case; nevertheless, I was also having severe akathisia and anxiety from the Latuda and decided it would be better to be calm and be able to sleep even if I gained weight and slept too much. So I chose to go back on Zyprexa. He wanted me to instantly drop the Latuda and start with 15mg of Zyprexa, but I can't do that. I did stop the Latuda and got relief from the anxiety and akathisis (and to some extent the coughing and itching) but have started back on the Zyprexa at 1/4 of the 15mg, or 3.75mg.

Btw, don't go looking for side effects or you might find them! I had already taken Zyprexa for 13 yrs in the past, as I have said, and I knew it to be safe and effective. I'm hoping the extra sleep will make me feel better and that my appetite will not be too extreme. I am also now on the generic for Zyprexa, which I have not taken before. Generics are supposed to be the same, but who knows?

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