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Coming off Olanzapine

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I have been on Olanzapine or over 6 years now from when I was diagnosed Borderline personality traits and all I can say is that I have endured 6 years of living hell. I have been taking 10mg every night for that time and piled on loads of weight, felt lethargic no confidence and started experiencing heart pains. I have had absolutely zero social life in that time and felt unable to think or communicate with other people. I decided just over a month ago to stop the treatment and now am starting to feel much better. I have lost a stone in 2 weeks and look much better ,I am now able to think clearly and have much more energy and motivation to do things. To help me stop the Olanzapine I have avoided alcohol completely (this always put me back to square one in the past). I am finding it difficult to get off to sleep without the aid of the drug but more excercise through the day is helping with this. I will never return to taking this drug again as I feel it has robbed me of 6 years of my life.

11 likes, 335 replies

335 Replies

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  • melvin11
    melvin11 Guest

    Posted

    Hi. I have twice before weaned myself off Olanzapine and share your loss of life notion, 5 years in my case. Unfortunately I had periods of hyperactivity and over confidence on both occasions. ( They diagnose me as Bi Polar but I dispute this having always been excitable and bullish). 

    Do you think it would be a dreadful risk to taper off completely? 

    I can't stand being a stone overweight and like a zombie.

    Did you finish with drugs?

    Regards, Mel

    • Ash1234
      Ash1234 melvin11

      Posted

      Hi.

      How did you taper off olanzapine ?

      I'm on 10mg and want to come off it .

  • Ash1234
    Ash1234 Guest

    Posted

    Please can you describe how you tapered off olanzapine ?
    • bruce47310
      bruce47310 Ash1234

      Posted

      Hi Ash, Perhaps I cab help.

      It need to be done slowly and gradually, as Olanzapine is a powerful and addictive drug.

      I got down to 2.5 mg daily and then tried to quit cold turkey - withdrawal symptoms were too bad so back on 2.5mg and weaning off more slowly and gradually this time.

      So let's do the math here. It's recommended that you cut down by 10% a month.

      If you're on 15mg daily, you would cut down by 10% which means a dose of 13.5 mg.daily.

      Next month, another 10% reduction.

      When you (eventually) get down to 2.5mg, you need to reduce slowly and carefully until your dose is zero.

      When you're doing stuff like this, please always consult with your GP.

      I am back on Olanzapine 2.5mg, am alternating days (one day off, then one day on) buit am also taking 1000mg of Epilim daily as a mood stabilizer as well.

      I was forced by the Mental Health Unit to take 10mg of Olanzapine once (or they woulld put me back in the psych unit again) and it absolutely munted me so I can imagine that 15 mg daily would absolutely turn you into a zombie.

      In New Zealand, if they see you not getting out of bed until noon/2pm and looking unkempt, they tell you that you are obviously in the "down "tage of the bipolar cycle and will increase your Olanzapine

      Hope this info helps a bit.

      I must stress agin that if you are on other meds, you must consult with your doctor or whoever prescribed those meds for you.

      Stay well and safe!

    • zuzana17
      zuzana17 bruce47310

      Posted

      Hi Bruce,

      Did you use to have to come off from Olanzapine?

      If yes, wondering how long does symptoms lasts?

  • zuzana17
    zuzana17 Guest

    Posted

    Hello,

    Does anyone knows how long does it take to feel better when coming from olanzapine? About week and half I finished about 1.5 Olanzapine and feeling still lots of anxiety and very strong anxious. 

    My psychiatrist gave me Alprazolam to use it while this symptoms lasts. 

    I also taking Epilim 1200mg and Lexapro 15mg.

    Many thanks. 

    • matlor
      matlor zuzana17

      Posted

      Hi I have been trying to come off olanzipine for years and even though I am only on a quarter of a 2.5mg tablet a day it still affects me if I stop. I get anxiety and a feeling of impending doom every time I wake as well as loss of appetite and nausea. So I start taking the tiny dose and within a few days I am fine. I am told it is a placebo dose but after several attempt with the same consequences I am convinced the drug still is having an affect.  It must be so difficult if you are starting from a high dose. I was never on higher than 5mg but was also on Reboxatine and Citalopram which I found easy to stop.
  • david35266
    david35266 Guest

    Posted

    I been taking 5 mg then 10 mg every since I been taking it, it's been giving me intense fagitue and pain in my chest started when I first took it and then went back on 5 mg and now I am off of it for the second dose withdraw. I need to get tapered off. It's a pain to say the least and wonder how I should handle the withdraw I what I should do I can't take the intense pains in my chest that it brings anymore. I was thinking if it does that maybe I shouldn't even put it in my body.

  • michelle30060
    michelle30060 Guest

    Posted

    My partner was put on olanzapine following a psychotic episode and finding a brain tumour. Since surgery he is still on it along with diazepam. He is very anxious talks non stop and when he has diazepam just falls asleep. I think the  olanzapine makes him works but professionals aren’t listening and just tOld me to increase the dose. I just don’t feel it is helping and am confused what to do. Any info would be appreciated. Normally he is a very quiet calm person but since surgery is fiddling fidgety and like I said talks non stop. 
    • lloyd_28589
      lloyd_28589 michelle30060

      Posted

      Hi Michelle, very sorry to hear bout your partners condition. I think a second medical opinion bout any increase in Zyprexa would be worth while explaining your concerns bout this addictive drug. If you could read as much as you can on this drug via this forum or other other means might also help. In the end you have to be guided by your medical advice. It must be a very strenuous time for you. I wish you an your partner all the very best for the future. Sorry couldn't be of more help. Take care Lloyd

  • simon95526
    simon95526 Guest

    Posted

    I took olanzapine 15 mg daily for 4 months and yesterday was my very last time and I'm waiting for the withdrawals to start 

    • Ash1234
      Ash1234 simon95526

      Posted

      Hi Simon. Are you not tapering off olanzapine ? You just stopped taking 15 mg in one go ?

      Thx.

      Ash.

  • millercake
    millercake Guest

    Posted

    i don't know if you are still coming off of this or anyone else. Im on my 4th week. I have moments in the evening when I feel anxious, confused, depressed, and general fatigue. I dont want to do anything when i feel like that. i stopped the olanzapine on the 23rd of December. its now my fourth week without and im starting to feel a little better. I have a good day and then a bad day. i just hope that i can recover fully after 6 weeks. i did spend a month weaning myself off from 1/2 a 5mg, then 1/4 of 5mg, until i was barely taking a small bit of it. the first two weeks were crying spells, hot and cold, nauseated all the time. i dont want to go back onto every again. i want to recover without it. my skin broke out in acne all over my face, my neck, my back. ive never had acne!! im hoping that this will resolve soon. i also finally started my period after not having the entire 5 months i took this medicine. i felt like a zombie and all i wanted to do was sleep. i hope to recover soon please give me some insight on how to get through the last part of withdrawel.

  • joshuapryce1987
    joshuapryce1987 Guest

    Posted

    All the best, i take olanzapine. I love the sleep it gives and one day i will completely stop taking the drug.

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