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zyprexa withdrawal

I am currently suffering from zyprexa withdrawal. I have terrible insomnia. Does anyone have any advice? I am interested to hear from others who got off zyprexa successfully, to find out how they did it and how long it took to recover.

thanks!
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Avatar universal
Three and half yrs ago,I had a psycotic episode. I've been taking zyprexa since then, slowing getting off the medication. The higher the dosage i was on the sicker i felt more depressed couldn't concentrate, bad axienty gained about 40pnds and didn't have my period for almost a year. I felt totally sick with this medication. The highest dosage i was on was 10mg and gosh im glad to say im only taking 1.2mg every second day but i had to do it very slow. Just make sure when reducing this medication that u see a doctor and do it very slow don't cut it cold turkey.
Helpful - 3
Avatar universal
BTW, doctors are generally clueless about psychotropic drug withdrawals so you might want to educate the doctor so he won't pull people off cold turkey ever again-that's the worst way to go!
Helpful - 2
Avatar universal
Hello, I'm a 29 year old feamale. Last year my doctor prescribed me Zyprexa for depression and anxiety and I felt great, better than ever before, but after taking this medication for almost six months I had to stop it due to the fact that it made me gain 28 pounds, my doctor stopped it cold turkey. For the last seven months I believe I have suffered from severe withdrawal symtoms to include: Daily nausea, (vommiting everyday), headaches and increased heart rate.  My doctor has discovered that I now have an underactive thyroid and I'm now taking thyroid medication.  My doctor has put me through extensive test to find the cause of my daily nausea/upset stomach. After going through 7 test now and no answers to the cause I'm wondering if I'm suffering from serious Zyprexa withdrawls. After researching Zyprexa side effects and withdrawl systoms I'm not finding any as severe as mine.  If anyone has experienced anything like this before please let me know. I'm in desperate need for some answers.
Helpful - 2
Avatar universal
I went cold turkey off zyprexa twice (I know, not smart)--here is what I have been experiencing:

-a feeling of slight pressure on my brain, as if there is sandpaper there

-my sleep cycle has been disrupted

-emotional blunting--can't feel any emotions except anxiety
Helpful - 2
Avatar universal
Dear ryryry,

Tell your wife to stay far away from Risperdal. It is in the same family as zyprexa and carries the same problems. I think your wife is better off staying away from psychiatric drugs in general; everybody is. These doctors get nice perks from the drug companies for pushing these toxins.

I have a question for anybody out there--after my insomnia bout, I went back on the drug and have been tapering off more slowly, but what's happened is my sleep has gotten really weird. I fall asleep as if someone flicked a switch in my brain, and I have no dreams. Then when I wake up, it's as if another switch was flicked. I am instantly wide awake. And I never feel tired or that groggy feeling you get when you're first falling asleep or when you first wake up. It is very unpleasant. Can anyone else relate?

To anyone who reads this--STAY OFF ZYPREXA. IT IS BAD NEWS.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
It was first prescribed to me four years ago while experiencing a manic episode.  I tried stopping it three times and every time I would experience severe nausea and almost daily vomiting.  The last time I stopped, I asked my doctor to put me on again because I couldn
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
Oh my god! I was given Zyprexa 10mg and told that I could not take less. I was never told anything other than thought disorder. Unlike everyone else when I started to gain wieght I simply stopped eating. I was down to eating one bowl of rice daily and water. I took myself off. I was tired all the time and I hated getting out of bed. I was not able to function on the medication and the MD would not hear of me getting off. I was on paxil too. When I stopped the zyprexa and took the paxil alone I felt a lot better. Now I am off both and barely keeping it together. Where I live I can only go to one place to get treatment (no Insurance.) I don't want to go back to that DR. but i have no choice. I refuse to take the zyprexa. I was relieved when I stopped. I could have a bowl movement naturally, I started to jog again and enrolled in school and got a fulltime job. I started to eat again. I never realized how much I missed food until I was off it.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
I started Zyprexa 3 years ago, for psychotic symptoms of Bipolar disorder.  My psych doc initially put me on 5 mg's I was encouraged.  I thought it was going to be a good drug for me.  I immediately started to gain a little weight, I can stand this, I thought, I was pretty skinny.  My appetite started to increase.  It seemed to keep my head stable, for the most part, no episodes of mania.  But, slowly I was starting to notice some changes in my activity level, it was decreasing.  A once bubbly individual, I started spending more time sitting and staring. My family started to take notice.  I was eating more and more, and gaining more weight.  I had gained about 40 lbs in 3 months. My appetite was huge.. My racing thoughts were back, so my psych, decided to up my zyprexa to 10 mg's daily. I tried to lose the weight, with little success, at this point, I had gained 60 lbs , I tried to take myself off the zyprexa, with little success. I couldn't make it 2 days. I would experience psychological and physical w/d . So, I would always go back on it.  
I was pretty dependent on zyprexa to function... I went back to my psych, and manipulated him into giving me more zyprexa daily.. I felt I needed it, to sedate my day away.  At that point, that's all I wanted.  I was huge, and that much zyprexa had taken away all emotions, and feelings.  So, He upped it to 20 mg's daily.  To make a long story short, by the time I had had enough, I was taking 30-35 mg's daily, sleeping for 15 hours a day, and weighed 225lbs.  toghether, we deciede it was time to get off zyperxa.  I went through rapid detox, experiencing muscle aches, stomach cramps, headaches, severe anxiety, and rebound mania.  I have had protracted insomnia as well.  I still can't sleep as well 4 months later.  Those who say one can't go through zyprexa w/d, is mistaken, including my doc.  I'm losing the weight. I'm on new meds, and I'm encouraged...
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
hi, your symptoms do sound like zyprexa withdrawal, for sure. I have had similar symptoms
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
Zyprexa is a terrible drug, IMO. I was forced to take it, too. It can cause some scary side effects, most notably, tardive dyskenisia, where your muscles spasm uncontrollably. It can be permanent.
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
It a bad tablet somehow get off it
I use avanza now Takes about 4 weeks to adjust
so just relax. It can make you feel like your in a catatonic state for about 2 weeks or more
I have major depression tryed almost everything
even been to the black dog institute. Treatment of Tdcs on the temples. Helped a bit!
I'm writting a book so next year it will be out
be sure to remember my name Wendy.kaszubowski
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
AJC
Look up "Gwen Olsen" on youtube or google video.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I've been on zyprexa for eight years, I really want to stop it, but it seems like My body is addicted to it. When I first started taking it I gained fifty pounds in three months. Since then I have lost the weight, most of this was due to an unchosen low calorie diet, and exercise. Exercise is still a huge part of my lifestyle as is proper nutrition, in fact I currently am a fitness consultant for a gym. I am worried because of its effect on my liver, and the risk of diabetes, because my family tends to develop diabetes as they get older. Besides that I also take supplements that I am not sure how they are interacting in my body, especially my liver. Anyways, If you can just take small steps to exercise and avoid the binge eating, (which I did alot of when I began it) You can lose the weight. If anyone knows how to function and work while going through withdrawls, please say something. I find I get nauseated, can't sleep, of think in complete sentances when I try to go off of it. I realize these arent' symptoms, but damn, how do we get off of this stuff? By the way mine was originally prescribed for Schizo-affective disorder, which they have since changed to PTSD.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Ok, sorry for the double post, but I just wanted to add that the reason I'm planning on tapering off is because I have had weight problems myself since I got on this stuff, and the more I read about withdrawals the more I itentify with some of the other stuff too.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have been reading these forums, as I've decided that during the summer holidays I'm going to taper off Zyprexa myself, so I've been researching and taking notes etc. And I'm going to talk to my Psych about it first. But I have a question:

I've always, I believe and from research have had depression episodes or problems with depression. But I don't ever remember having had slightly manic episodes. Not the extreme kind, just feeling very euphoric and like everything is beautiful. So my question is.

Has anyone when they started taking Zyprexa had problems like these come up stronger then before? I know Zyprexa is supposed to treat stuff like this, I was just wondering if Zyprexa could be part of my problem as well?

I'm predisposed to have manic depression or a slight case of it as my mum's mother had it. But I don't remember it being this strong before. So yeah, I just wondered if Zyprexa was making me more bipolar rather then helping.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi--I just got back from the doctors office here. I had a great visit with him.  He really listened to me and understood what I had been going through.  He asked me how I felt while on the Zyprexa. Which I felt great.  I don't have any bad side effects while on it, only want to eat more-especially sweets, but I guess that's something I can deal with.  He asked me how I did on 1/2 of the 5 mg pill.  I did fine on 1/2.  (They make a 2.5mg pill also).  He said he had never heard of anyone on that low of a dose, (neither 5mg or 2.5mg), having any problems with diabetes or any muscular disorder.  That usually only happens on people taking a much higher dose.  He also said that it is not unheard of to be put on Zyprexa for the problems I was having 5 years ago, especially since nothing else was working.  He said if I want to get off of it, though, to go very, very slowly, but he did not have a problem with me staying on 2.5mg indefinitely.  He was very supportive and very encouraging.  He was elated that I had lost 25 pounds since the first of May.  He said if a person loses 25 pounds in a YEAR that was great, so I was encouraged about that as well.  Everything else checked out great.  My blood pressure was 118/75, but I've never had any problem with blood pressure.  It was a very good doctor visit.  I feel so much better about the Zyprexa now, so for now I will just stay on the 2.5mg a day.   I may eventually try the 10% reduction.  My doctor had no problem with that.  I guess I just went a little overboard on my reaction to hearing and reading about the dangers of Zyprexa.  I realize now there can be SOMEONE who has had a bad thing happen from just about any medicine.  I overreacted, I know.  I do that some times.  (I really like my new doctor.)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you for your encouragement.  I have an appointment with my family doctor in the morning.  But in the mean time I have talked on line to someone else and they suggested that I came off of Zyprexa too fast and that I should go back on it and do a 10% reduction every 2-3 weeks?  How fast did you taper off?  Will this help with the symptoms, especially the insomnia--I just don't do well with no or little sleep.  I took a pill yesterday and slept great last night.  The person I talked to also said not to expect my family doctor to be much help, but I felt like I needed to at least let him know what my plans are.
Thanks for letting me whine to you.  It helps to know there are those out there that have gone through or are going through this.

Jo
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I just stopped taking Zyprexa completely with no tapering because it caused bad side effects.  I think tapering is a better way to go, but I didn't have a choice.  I am so glad now that I am off it.  My nausea is almost gone but I still have some trouble sleeping.  I am fortunate I am able to take a small nap in the afternoon.  I have heard that many people who tried to stop had to go back on it and taper off.  Hopefully you can find a doctor to help you.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am now going into my third month of complete withdrawal from Zyprexa.  I won't kid you but it has been extremely difficult.  My nausea and palpitations are getting better but I still awake several times at night.  I have been walking for 40 minutes each day and feel that that helps in addition to lots of prayer.  I don't think doctors understand this withdrawal, as they say there is no such thing as Zyprexa withdrawal.  I hope and pray you will improve.

Some people have found relief by going back on it and then tapering the dosage down.  I just want to be through with it for good.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
This is the 3rd time I've tried to get off of Zyprexa 5mg in the last 5 years.  I was originally put on it by a neurologist because of Post Traumatic Stress, Anxiety & Depression, but mainly because I wasn't sleeping.  I felt great while I took it and slept great.(He also has me on Zoloft) The doctor who put me on it told me to try to get off of it after a year.  I gradually cut back the dosage, but after about a week of being completely off the Zyprexa, the anxiety and pounding of my heart and severe insomnia were so intense, each time I would go back on the drug because I thought my original problems were back, only worse.  But after reading about Zyprexa withdrawal from all of you, I know that's what I'm going through. Just knowing is an encouragement. The only discouraging part is how long it may take to get through this since I've been on the drug for about 5 years.  I just pray with God's help I can get through it. I have just changed doctors and have not been to my new doctor about this, but if this gets any worse, I may have to approach him about it. He's a very young doctor, but maybe he knows something about Zyprexa withdrawal.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you for your comments.  I just don't know if I can manage on 2-3 hours of sleep a night.  Does this get any better?  I can't go to sleep because of the heart palpatations and when/if I do, I wake up 2-3 hours later and can't go back to sleep.  My husband is sleeping in another bedroom just so he can get some rest.  The more I think about it the more it terrifies me to think this could go on for a long time.  I feel so helpless.  I really want to be rid of the Zyprexa because of all the bad things I've heard about it causing diabetes and other bad things.  I'm on Weight Watchers and have lost 20 pounds, but taking the Zyprexa, it's been very difficult....it makes me crave sweets and want to eat constantly.  So that's just one of the reasons I want to get off of it, even though when I'm on it, I feel great and sleep great.  As you can tell, it's quite a battle right now to not just go back on the drug.  Pray for me as I will for you.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I just returned from a visit to my family doctor who is trying to help me with Zyprexa withdrawal.  He said I could take Xanax, but I don't want to trade one problem for another.  He gave me a scrip for Phenergal for the nausea, and to possibly help with sleep.  I think you will see improvement but it is difficult.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I found a good book on psych drugs and their withdrawal.  It is "Your Drug May Be Your Problem" by Peter Breggin.  He talks about Zyprexa withdrawal, so those of us who know there is such a thing receive confirmation here.  You can probably get it from your local library.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks Ouida for your response.  At times during the last couple of weeks my wife and I have found ourselves to be quite alone in what has been going on.  Your comments are greatly appreciated.

She visited with her family physician yesterday and he changed her meds.  At times I'm wondering if he is just going through a medical book trying to figure out what might work.  He now prescribed Risperdal (.5mg) as well as cutting her Effexor ER in half and suggested that she get off of the Buspar because it "doesn't work".  Fortunately he has referred her to a psychiatrist.  She saw one about ten years ago over a number of sessions and apparently he gave her a lot of advice and was quite helpful.  Then she saw another one about four years ago who was simply into pushing Prozac.  Given her/my concerns about the family physician's changing of her meds when everything seemed to be going well for her and his responses to her questions and concerns of Zyprexa we see this as a good move.  Oh, and his response when she expressed her fears of the Zyprexa withdrawl that she was going through was to say that there are no withdrawl symptons associated with Zyprexa.  Great advice!

Thank you again for your comments.

And has anyone any thoughts on Risperdal?  Have found little information about it so far although it does appear to be in the same family as Zyprexa which does raise a red flag for us.
Helpful - 0
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