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View Full Version : Has anyone successfully come off this drug?



Eek
16-01-13, 08:20
I'm currently down to 1.25mg of zyprexa (this is equivalent to 2.5mg as I'm taking luvox with it that increases the amount of Olanzapine in the bloodstream). In six weeks I have to stop it completely and I'm freaking out about withdrawal symptoms. I've read they can be very harsh including uncontrollable vomiting I've not had too much trouble cutting down until my last drop where I suffered anxiety, crawling feeling in my brain and insomnia but that has evened out. But I've read that the vomiting only happens when dropping to zero and just wanted to know if anyone had successfully stopped taking these tablets without too much trouble.

many thanks

BubblegumUK
11-02-13, 00:53
Hi,

I came off mine im August due to cumulative side effects. They wanted me to switch to another anti-p but decided to come off it. I had been on olanzapine for 4 years and other psych drugs since 2001 continuously.
I was om 5mg of olanzapine, my GP said to just stop taking it, i was a bit like "you sure its okay to just stop?" And she was like "yeah it'll be fine" so...trusting the doctor i just stopped them.
The first day i didn't notice any difference, the second day was like woahhhhhhh. I felt amazing, everything was so clear and so new. I sat in the garden and all the sounds of nature we're so clear, the colours so vivid and everything just seemed amazing. For the next week or so i was high as kite, i was buzzing constantly.
Sadly, with all this energy i had little sleep, it wasn't too bad at first but then when i wanted to sleep i couldn't. My body was exhausted but my mind was racing, i couldn't shut off. I was having about 2-3hrs sleep a night for about 10-14 days.
I had breathing diffiuclties and blood pressure issues, kinda like i was gonna faint. I also had flu like symptoms, esepcially when sleeping. I'd wake up sweating, in particular my legs and whenever i'd move i'd be freezing cold, but if i stayed still in bed i got too hot!
I had a couple of panic attacks whilst coming off them, and also stomach cramps.
Finally after about 6 weeks i was a lot more mormal.
The side effects from coming off them though increased my anxiety as i thought my symptoms were non-medication related.
Depression wise i have felt much better, but sadly the anxiety has increased a lot. I was put on them to stanilize my moods, not for anxiety, but as i said simce coming off them my anxiety has increased massivly and i get a lot of weird/delusional thoughts which i never had before i went on them.

But

I have sooooo much more energy, im more positive, i can think more clearly, i have more motivation to do things, i'm mor focused on things, i feel more like myself and lastly i have the realisation that every feeling i feel is real, its how i REALLY feel, its not a feeling caused by medication.

Despite the 6 weeks of crap i went through coming off them it was the best thing i ever did.
Also my hair grew back thicker, my dark eyes went away, i had more colour in my face, i looked brighter, fresher and more with it and everybody noted how much healthier i looked.

Hope this helps in someway, good luck with the withdrawal i really hope you get through it okay ^_^

AuntieMoosie
11-02-13, 04:41
Yes I have come off olanzapine successfully, but I was put on quetiapine at the same time.

I had to stop taking the olanzapine as my doctor was concerned that it makes diabetes worse and it also causes weight gain.

I'm sure you'll be fine as it sounds like your doctor is keeping an eye on you. I never had any vomiting when coming off of it whatsoever :)

Eek
02-04-13, 12:37
Well it took a bit longer than six weeks for me to get up the nerve to stop taking them. Tonight is my first night without a tablet, I'm not expecting any reaction for the first couple of days I've read it's typically the third day you get a bad reaction if you're going to get one. Fingers crossed it all goes well.

Eek
22-04-13, 12:45
Three weeks of no sleep has been hell. Is this ever going to end? It feels like my brain has stopped functioning normally and won't shut off properly to go to sleep. It's getting no better and I'm beginning to give up hope that I'll ever sleep normally again. Also my anxiety is through the roof and I've been sick quite a bit but at least it's not uncontrollable. I've read this can go on for months I don't know if I can cope :(

Maddis mum
30-04-13, 23:47
Eek, how are you doing? Im about to start to get off 1.25. Did you cut it smaller again or did you go from 1.25 to zero?

gypsybug
03-05-13, 03:56
Hello all, I was able to successfully come off of this med. I had to, as the weight gain from it was downright SCARY! I gained 100 pounds total, with a 30 pound weight gain in the 1st month alone! It was awful! Even though the medication worked great, the weight gain was absolutely depressing and anxiety causing in and of itself - besides being a huge (no pun intended) health concern. My doc transitioned me over to Prozac alone 80mg, and added Abilify 2.5 mg. I couldn't be more pleased with the results! I have lost the 100 pounds without even exercising! And the meds work just as well. By the way, I also use Klonopin 1mg tablets for panic attacks, as needed, immediately, as they occur. The Klonopin itself is a dream. It alone, changed my life, as far as the panic attacks go. It gets them under control within 2 minutes, as I take the tablet and let it dissolve under my tongue, right when the 1st symptoms of the panic attack occur. Good luck to you! You can and will get through this! :yesyes:

Eek
08-05-13, 09:18
Eek, how are you doing? Im about to start to get off 1.25. Did you cut it smaller again or did you go from 1.25 to zero?

I went off of 1.25mg I didn't cut it any smaller but I'm taking another med that increases the concentration of olanzapine in the blood so it was more like 2.5mg. It's five weeks now and I'm still not sleeping :( But not everyone gets this some only get a few days of insomnia and some have no trouble so just because I'm having so much trouble doesn't mean you will.

I was on 10mg for a few months (effectively 20mg with the other med) then 7.5 for a couple then on 5 for about a year then began to taper to 1.25. Good luck coming off the pills let us know how you get on.

I notice from your previous post that you only started it a few months ago and have only been taking 1.25mg so you should have no problem coming off it after that short amount of time.

Kim51
14-06-13, 12:34
Yes I have come off olanzapine successfully, but I was put on quetiapine at the same time.

I had to stop taking the olanzapine as my doctor was concerned that it makes diabetes worse and it also causes weight gain.

I'm sure you'll be fine as it sounds like your doctor is keeping an eye on you. I never had any vomiting when coming off of it whatsoever :)

Hi how did you get on with Quetiapine I have some but have been scared to start it
Kim:)

braindead
14-09-17, 17:24
I'm currently down to 1.25mg of zyprexa (this is equivalent to 2.5mg as I'm taking luvox with it that increases the amount of Olanzapine in the bloodstream). In six weeks I have to stop it completely and I'm freaking out about withdrawal symptoms. I've read they can be very harsh including uncontrollable vomiting I've not had too much trouble cutting down until my last drop where I suffered anxiety, crawling feeling in my brain and insomnia but that has evened out. But I've read that the vomiting only happens when dropping to zero and just wanted to know if anyone had successfully stopped taking these tablets without too much trouble.

many thanks

this is a strange old post , if you taking 1.25 mg whats that got to do with Luvox ?????? and how does luvox increase the amount of olanzapine in your blood is it MAGIC 1.25 is what it is 1.25mg end of :wacko::wacko::wacko:

daybydaygirl
30-01-18, 20:02
I quit taking Zyprexa (10 mg) cold turkey (after taking it for 2 months) after my psych switched to abilify (10 mg). The day I switched to abilify is when the insomnia started. My psych kept denying it was the zyprexa withdrawal and kept trying to claim it was a sympton of my bipolar. I knew she was wrong because I had never had insomnia like this before in my entire life. The zyprexa triggered something in my brain to prevent me from sleeping.

After doing some research I discovered zyprexa withdrawal. I decided to stop taking abilify cold turkey after 3 weeks in hopes to prevent any further damage to my Central Nervous System. The first few days were fine albeit the insomnia was still strong. All the withdrawal symptoms you are mentioning here I was experiencing minus the vomiting.

The good news is this.. I've been off Zyprexa for about 7 weeks now and the severe withdrawal symptoms are starting to get better. I haven't had any severe panic attacks for 2 days now and I've slept decently for the past 3 days. I am starting to see the silver lining.

I'm writing this post for those who are lacking hope and think this will never end. It does seem to get better. Take this from somebody who stopped cold turkey! It can be done. Good luck to you all and my love, hope, and prayers for you all.