Hi, folks,
Since this thread is old and the original participants are no longer taking part, we'll close it now. If you'd like to ask a question or start a new thread, please click the "Post a Question" button near the top of this page. Thanks!
Claire
______________________________________________________
******** CLOSED DISCUSSION ********
No more comments, please.
______________________________________________________
Did you what're tired during the day??? My son on zyprexa he have similar. Problem with sleep try rozarem melatonin
are you still tapering? how are you doing overall?
You say the sleep cycle will return--how do you know this?? Do you have first-hand experience or do you know of others who got off this medication and returned to baseline(whatever that was for each individual). Would like o know who has withdrawn from the drug and gone back to their normal state prior to using this drug.
Any success stories are welcomed.
To keyvin:
I tappered zyprexa very slowly (using 10% reductions from the initial 2,5mg dose - 0,2mg reductions) until 0.7 mg, then I do a cold turkey (not a smart move, I know). After 2 weeks without it, my sleep sensation become to return, but I was put on zyprexa again (because a anxiety attack - and my sleep problem returned). So, my advice is: don't despair - the sleep cycle will return - every person is different; when tappering, do a long tapper (and reduce the dose properly), manage the anxiety (reduce your tapper speed and amount, to follow a new 10% reduction); never do a cold turkey, even is small dose - your brain is still sensitive to small amounts of the drug.
If you want a sucess history, read this:
http://www.sleepnet.com/insomnia25/messages/835.html
I too want to jump on the bandwagon of people that have developed chronic insomnia on zyprexa. I just don't get tired and only sleep 3 hours a night. It is killing me. I don't fall asleep I black out - like an earlier poster said a light switch is flipped. I can't find too many other references to this on the internet but here is one:
http://www.sleepnet.com/insomnia35/messages/676.html
It is worth noting that after being off meds completely for three years and taking fish oil this same poster showed an improvement to six hours of sleep a night:
http://www.sleepnet.com/insomnia38/messages/918.html
Three years off meds to show an improvement! I am still taking zyprexa, so I guess I have to go through complete insomnia for a month to get off, then hope and pray my brain heals itself eventually.
When a medication is changed under a psychiatrist's supervision insomnia can occur as a potential withdrawal symptom. This should pass in time. Some medications may cause sleep disruption but each person responds differently to each medication. If you have sleep disruption that has continued without an apparent cause discuss this with your psychiatrist and your doctor as well and they can see if further follow up is needed. When I had this concern for an extended period of time I was referred to a sleep specialist and the tests conducted were of help to my doctors. Depending on the cause of the insomnia and sleep disruption this is treatable. Also sleep disruption can be part of bipolar itself. It would be worthwhile to discuss all this with your psychiatrist.
I also was on zyprexa from about June to November 2011. During this period I gained 10kg and no matter how healthy or how much exercise I do my weight does not shift.Also as other people before me have said, My body and eyes are tired but I do not fall asleep, I seem to get to sleep ok and sleep for about 4 hrs but I cant remember the last time I've slept a full 8hrs, I 'm rarely asleep in early hours of the morning so I just lie there and rest. I have tried many natural remedies, herbal teas to help sleep, tablets called "complete sleep" sometimes these work and sometimes they dont. I have even been having remedial massage to see if it works, again sometimes i does and sometimes it doesnt. What the f@#k has this medication done to my brain, why is it that there are so many people asking these questions and there are no answers
I have the same symptons of Sketch2000 . I was put in risperdal in August 2010, because of a benzo withdrawal, and then on zyprexa, and since then I never feel tired, even if I exercise; I never have the sleepy sensation
before the sleep. When I sleep, is like a switch in my brain: something turns off, and I sleep; and when I awake, something is turned on, and I am widely awake.
I have no emotions - nothing can excite or depress me.
Now I'm tappering the zyprexa very slowly, witth the aprovation of my doctor. Even in this taper, I don't have any emotions or improvement in my sleep.
So I want to know if someone, have an improvement in this situation. If someone has any advice, I will be grateful.
i do know what you say. May god help us all
i came of Zyprexa last year because of high cholesterol and trigliceride levels. i had to fight to come off in a way. i was told there are no withdrawal symptoms. i slowly tappered off the medication over months and still had terribly sleep problems, night sweats , constant nausea, and appetite loss. on an emotional level every trauma that happened in my life came up. i cried more in three months than in my whole life together. i found it very distressing psychologically because those clear cut , often reported withdrawal symptoms where attributed to my underlying conditions. nothing was offered but to put me on a similar drug. i think withdrawal from zyprexa is much more pronounced and longterm then fighting nicotin, heroin, alcohol addiction together. it needs probably residential withdrawal support if problems like in my case develop over many months.it's a shame that medical professionals simply deny to accept that zyprexa withdrawal can become very intense and dramatic.
i slept last night for about 8 hours. i did have some wine earlier in the dayat a dinner party do not know if i should be drinking a few drinks or not. but i slept like a baby last night. i also wore myself walking all day. i do not think i will make drinking a habit. i as a rule do not like to drink .so you are taking the zyprexa at all anymore? i am no longer depressed. i take 5mg a day. this is the best i have felt in years,. i have not really gained any weight on it yet. i eat a high fiber diet and work out almost everyday. i am over weight to begin with.
I have a similar story where I have been suffering from sleep problems while being tapered off from Risperdal by my Pdoc.I am off Risperdal but the problems continue.
i came upon this post. i have been taking zyprexa for 3 weeks now. i love it .i am never tired. the last two nights i slept only 4 hours as you were doing. i am only on 5 mg.of it. i know you posted way back in june. i was wondering if you are still having trouble. i took 3 xanax last night and still did not fall alsleep until 4 this morrning. i take my zprexa in the morning. hoping i can get to sleep at night . if you are still around, i would love to know how are making out with your 4 hours of sleep,
Yes I would agree and one option as regarding sleep aides not mentioned is Rozerem which is an FDA approved medication that works like melatonin to adjust the sleep cycle. You could ask your psychiatrist about that if you still have insomnia. If you still have the problem seeing a sleep specialist does make sense if you haven't already.
I know it has been a considerable amount of time since you made your post, but for all I know you may still be suffering from insomnia. I wondered if you have taken into account that hypomania (high state of arousal and manic-like w/o going to the extremes) could be the cause of your insomnia. You could be in an early phase of mania where you would need little sleep and not feel affected by lack of sleep. I went for 3 years in a hypomanic state once and only slept about 3 hrs a night. But during the day I felt well and managed to make almost straight A's in my college courses. At the end of that 3 yrs, I crashed into deep depression. I hope that doesn't happen to you. Also, switching to a different antipsychotic might make you feel appropriately tired. Seroquel makes some people sleepy. But Abilify and Geodon gave me terrible insomnia. Right now I am taking 5mg of Zyprexa and doing okay, but would do better with 10 or 20mg.
Carolyn