Advise please

Has anyone tried Olanzapine as a mood stabilizer?
I went to my doctors today and even though i have been off meds for 7 months and doing well she wants to put me on olanzapine.
I dont really want to take meds again as i find they make my head cloudy and i have trouble multi tasking and doing day to day activites.
I always feel drugged up when im on meds.
Has anyone taken olanzapine before?
Is it any good?
x x x

[ILADVOCATE]

Yes and it worked well as a mood stabilizer/anti-psychotic but I had a severe problem with weight gain as did other people I know who have taken it and that's relatively common. However, it is an effective mood stabilizer though I know the most likely out of the anti-psychotics to cause this problem. It is definitely worth going back on medication though I might ask about something else. I know Seroquel has mood stabilization abilities and did not cause me or other people nearly so much difficulties. The least likely out of the antipsychotics to cause weight gain and sedation is Abilify though that's less somewhat less effective as a mood stabilizer. Out of the primary mood stabilizers Lamictal is least likely to cause cognitive confusion, sedation or weight gain. You could talk all this over with your psychiatrist.

[cheeklollipop]

thank you for your reply.
Weight gain is my biggest worry i put on 3stone in 4 years while on lithuim as i lost all motivation im now 16stone and this is one of the reason i can feel low i really dont want to put on any more weight as im not happy with the way i look now getting bigger would only make me feel worse.
Are there any mood stabilizer that dont make you put on weight?
I have tried seroquel before and i didnt agree with me i was like a zombie and i had terrible headache from it
Lamictal? can i get that in the uk?
Its never been offered to me x x

[ILADVOCATE]

As regarding Lamictal I'd have to find out as regards the U.K. However, its FDA approved as a first line mood stabilizer in the U.S. There certainly should be psychiatrists that would be willing to use it. Its been part of the standard treatment regimen here for a long time. I did well on it as did many people.

[joykitty]

I have been on Lamictal for about 4 years, it works very well for me. I have been on all kind of medication before, but lamictal is the one that get me back on my own feet. I am also on seroquel (a very low dose), but I am taking more for helping me to sleep. I have tried olanzapine before, and like ILADVOCATE, I also have a big problem with the side effect (weight gain). So if you are really very concern about your weight, my advice to you is that don't try olanzapine, I know the feeling of being over weight, it feels really terrible. You can discuss with your pdoc about Lamictal, the only side effect I have with Lamictal is that I can't take it at night, as I can't sleep so I take it in the morning, which helps alot. But I think all drugs has it's side effect and it depends on individual, it took me almost 5 years to find the correct medicine, so keep trying to find the correct one, as I feel that medicine helps me alot.

Take care,
(btw it's my first time here, hope that my experience can help you somehow)

[cheeklollipop]

thank you for your reply. Im defo going to ask my pdoc about lamictal whe i see her next.



Welcome to the site x x xx x