Anyone alone willing to come off Olanzapine to help each other daily?

Posted , 7 users are following.

Are you on Olanzapine or Diazepam? Are you sick of the side effects? Are you alone?

Then please share advice on coming off drugs and think of alternatives like counselling, CBDs, mindfulness and other natural methods. I have been on olanzapine for nearly 20 years and they are killing me off, with diabetes, seizures, weight gain, low blood platelets, depersonalization, hernia and gallstone. I am currently reducing my diazepam from 15mg to 14gm a day. I have given up smoking and still drinking alcohol. fr dot sturt at live dot co dot uk. Together we're stronger. Thanks!  

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  • Posted

    You are tapering diazepam too fast.Research on Google about olanzapine and diazepam taper.Otherwise you will caught up with horrible withdrawal symptoms.Try to reduce alcohol in same way.

    Moderator comment: I have removed the email address as we do not publish these in the forums. If users wish to exchange contact details please use the Private Message service.

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    • Posted

      Hi, I am cutting down only 1 mg per month out of an original 15 mg per day with my GPs approval. I don't find your comments helpful. My GP and I know best. Please do not use my email address again. Thanks.

    • Posted

      Hi, yes 1 mg per day would be potentially dangerous. Agreed. I reduce by 1 mg per month. Thank you for your help.
  • Posted

    hello Francis  how are you?  hope you are feeling a little bit better  I am now taking 2.5mg  and have the most strangest feelings  I feel euphoria  My balance has much improved and I feel that I have over dozed  Have got an appointment with my doctor this coming monday  I have looked into this drug and it can make a person feel euphoria  I also hypopituitarism ( pituitary gland  disease)   I am on a lot on medication which I feel is contributing to my health  When you say depersonalisation  what do you mean?    kind regards from Margaret x 
    • Posted

      Hello Margaret, Thank you for the good wishes and your concern. How would you describe your euphoria? Is it like feeling very high in mood and feeling life is great or does it feel abnormal or out of control? Strange that today I have been feeling high, unusually so, not manic. Maybe it is the CBDs causing a natural state of happiness that is not a common feature of psychosis. Feeling at one with nature and people, then losing it with alcohol - time to cut down? The 50 mg of CBD was too much per day and caused horrid thoughts. The dose is now down to 25 mg of CBD and I feel tons better. As for Olanzapine causing euphoria, not in me, however, I don't doubt it as Amisulpride gave me lots of energy, no weight gain and sleepless nights. Not heard of Hypopituitarism. Ask your GP about your feelings about your euphoria, maybe you're getting better or having side effects from Olanzapine. Good luck on Monday. By depersonalization, I mean feelings of unreality or feeling non-existent. That's common for withdrawals, ask your GP. Are you taking CBDs?

      Best Wishes, Francis. Hugs

  • Posted

    Hello Francis  many thanks for your reply  can you tell me what CBD are?  At present I take 2mg diazapan at night but the doctor has told me to  take it every other night I donot want to do this as I think it is  the diazapan that makes me sleep  At present during the last week I feel that I have over dozed I feel abnormably high in fact I feel great!  I have noticed that when I go to bed I have acute tingling in my body going down my spine and traveling down to my toes as though it is like an electric current going down my body.  I also am diabetic I am in two minds whether to take olanzapine tonight   Looked at your response and meant to reply to your latest comments!  I donot take alcohol or smoke but for you it is a long time that you have been on this medication and what made you decide to come off it?  I am coming off it because of a stroke,  septic shock  diabetes  amd absences 
    • Posted

      Hi Margaret, Thank you for the kind words. I too live in the UK. Sorry to read about your stroke, diabetes and other side effects of Olanzapine. No wonder you want to get rid of the polluting pill. It must be terrifying having a stroke and then being disabled. This pill is viscious. Not reducing Olanzapine yet due to psychotic symptoms. It has given me diabetes, bleeding, osaphageous damage, a hernia, depersonalization and tremors. Not happy and I was told by a doctor that it could kill me if I come off Olanzapine! Your doses of meds are very small and wouldn't help me. Diabetes can cause tingling in the feet and possibly in the body too. Are you type 2? It's a real daily bind. CBD is a newly legal extract from Cannabis and it's good for anxiety, depression and possibly psychosis. 25 mg per day is enough for me. Sativex cannabis-based med is available on the NHS and it does have the THC psycho-active chemical. I stick to pure CBD without the THC.It is expensive to buy and worth it. Google it for reviews. CBD is good for pain too. Olanzapine is good for sleep. Not sure about 2 mg of diazepam. Glad you're feeling high. Long may it last too. I'm feeling happier too. Stopped smoking a month ago. Best Wishes, Francis. Hugs

    • Posted

      Hello Francis  good to hear from you  I have now stopped taking olanzapine completely . Over the last three days or so I have been feeling great!  Today I feel as though I have taken an overdoze  very drowsy   and feel like an electric current is going through out my body and tingling sensation  which is very queer I feel my body is in motion My doctor is very pleased for me and I have got to see him in 4 weeks time but I know that the withdrawal is very upsetting I felt in despair. I am glad you have stopped smoking but this must have been very difficult for you What part of the UK do you live in Francis?  I live in Worcestershire The septic shock I had was life threatening and I was lucky to be alive only 25% survival rate.   Do you have friends that can give you support?  I found this site very good and I believe this site  helped me as I can speak to friends like you to give each other support.  Twice I have nearly lost my life as last year I fell into the river seven and had secondary drowning  I cannot believe what happened to me  I had septic shock in Benidorm my medical bill was over £100 thousand pounds!  luckily I had the right insurance.I am lucky to be alive!  Hope   you are feeling a little bit better sending love from Margaret  xx

  • Posted

    Hello  Francis sorry I sent message to you before finishing!  every night I have bad tingling in my body  it only happens at night  when I go to bed  have you had these feelings?  it feels really strange  I have not experienced depersonalization that must be horrible for you     Do you live in the UK? this is where I live,  I am seeing my doctor every week since reducing medication I must say that since I have reduced olanzapine my balance has much improved as I have had to use a mobility scooter to get around as I have had to give up driving since my stroke will email you again later  love from Margaret x
  • Posted

    Hello Francis,

    Good to hear that you have given up smoking - that is going to help things heaps.

    Just found out that I should not be taking Olanzapine AND Epilim every day;Olanzapine damages the liver, and Epilim damages the liver AND the kidneys

    Of course, Olanzapine damages a lot of other things as well; as we all know.

    Best wishes and stay safe!

  • Posted

    Hello Francis  sorry I have not been in touch  Have been and still are in a terrible state went to bed 4 days ago and woke up screaming and screaming I could not control my body and head   was withering  and withering all over the bed uncontrollably went to hospital  after calling out the paramedics and they could find nothing wrong at present I have numbness in my arms and they feel light  This was terrible  This is the side affect of olanzapine I feel frightened and in a lot of pain  the doctor said he could do nothing for me apart from giving me diazapan  if the  symptons re accur  I feel terribly ill and calling out the paramedics is not the answer I am now back to 5mg very reluctantly I cannot stand the side effects  Will send another message to you later   with warm wishes and love from Margaret
    • Posted

      Hi, Sorry for the late reply. You have suffered badly with screaming, writhing and pains. Olanzapine is vicious and has probably given me Bals Palsy. One side of my face is virtually frozen with stiff muscles. It is like a mini-stroke. I am on diazepam too and trying to cut down at least 1 mg per month. So far no problems. Will be cutting back on Olanzapine soon. GP will offer me 2.5 mg tabs. How did you manage to nearly drown yourself? Hope your life improves for the better soon and you feel "normal" again.

    • Posted

      Hello Francis  sorry to have not to have replied to your email regarding olanazpine  I have suffered a terrible nervous breakdown I am now under the mental health team I am having three to four panic attacks a day and feel terrible  I am on 2.5 milligrams a day of olanzapine at present the anxiety I am having is unbearable I have seen 3 doctors and 2 lots of paramedic have been out to me  the doctors of the mental health team are accessing my medication  We have a park home on the river severn  where there is a mooring  I went to take a cup of coffee to my husband and tripped over and went to the bottom of the river which was twelve foot deep my husband jumped in after me  neither of us could swim It was horrific Under the decking there  was a steel bar  and by some miracle my husband found me at the bottom and pushed me towards the bar where we grabbed the bar my feet was going under the decking the current of the water was pushing us under the decking  most fortunately there were some fishermen that called the paramices out to us and as we were still holding onto  the  bar with the help of fisherman they managed to pull us out  I callapsed and we were taken to hospital where we had secondary drowning  the whole episode was horrific  we were in hospital for 3 days   I am now trying to recover from my breakdown due to olanazapine withdrawal and finding it extremely hard the panic attacks are horriffic  I have had a complete breakdown  Sorry If I donot reply to you shortly  but feel I cannot concentrate and want to stay in bed hope you also feeling a little better  much love from Margaret x
    • Posted

      Hi Margaret, Thanks for getting in touch. You have had a horrific time with the secondary drowning and now a severe breakdown. You must feel terrified by the panic attacks. I am glad that the mental health team are helping you through these dark days. Maybe you need higher medication for a while, as 2.5 mg doesn't seem a lot to me. You are different to me and your needs are different. I am on a much higher dose and successfully reducing the diazepam with the co-operation of my GP.  Panic attacks are evil and perhaps it feels like you are going to die? I hope not. Please take good care with reducing Olanzapine, as some of the withdrawal symptoms are horrid. I am happy that you're husband is supporting you. The way I have reduced my Diazepam is by the smallest reduction possible each month or so or until my mind feels okay. Thanks again for your note and the very best of luck with your recovery. Happy Xmas I hope! Take good care. Hugs. Francis. 

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