Stopping Zyprexa Cold Turkey! Sleeping 0 to 2 hours for 4 months!
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi there! I was prescribed zyprexa for insomnia for one year and a half. I was having trouble sleeping one night per week and had been prescribed 0.5mg of klonopin which was no longer effective. My psychiatrist assured me this would help! I was very reluctant to take this pill (2.5 mg), but my Harvard trained psychiatrist said it was my anxiety talking.
I started taking this pill and it worked great for about a month or two. I was told to increase my dose to 5mg without any risk of dependence. Within several months I had gained 35lbs (I am actually very slender and have difficulty gaining weight) and my blood sugar had risen significantly, plus the insomnia was back one night per week. I was then told to increase my dose to 7.5mg. I did as instructed for a short while and went to a sleep specialist. He told me this drug was very dangerous to prescribe to someone with just insomnia and GAD. He recommended I find an alternative after my sleep study proved that I had insomnia that was not attributable to sleep apnea.
I went back to my psychiatrist and told him I wanted to wean off the zyprexa and try something new. He told me I had no need to wean/taper as there were no side effects associated with this drug and to switch to 25mg of Seroquel. I again foolishly did as instructed and have been experiencing withdrawals from hell for the past 4 months (tremors, anxiety through the roof, restlessness, dizziness, severe headaches, horrible stomach issues and spasms in my stomach that a gastro is currently treating), but the worst by far is the severe, chronic insomnia. I thought not sleeping once per week was bad. I now get 0 to 2 hours of sleep per night since stopping the zyprexa. I never sleep any more than that even w klonopin, seroquel, and I am now trying 30mg of restoril with no success (after stopping seroquel and lowering my klonopin dosage). Going through all this while still having to work at a stressful job, paying a mortgage on my own, driving myself to and from places (as I have no alternate means of transportation) etc. I feel so hopeless at this point.
I am desperate for help. Has anyone had any success in treating such severe insomnia after stopping zyprexa? I'm trying to stay positive, so success stories only! I have tried everything from CBT-I, therapy, supplements, meditation, etc. with no help or relief. Going back on zyprexa is NOT an option.
Eli Lilly and my psychiatrist are both criminals! I wouldn't wish this torture on my worst enemy.
Thank you in advance!
0 likes, 8 replies
MtViewCatherine Ash03
Posted
Hello, sounds like you've been through hell. Many illnesses and even malnutrition can cause insomnia, as can stress, PTSD, and other factors.
My mother experienced severe insomnia for decades. When I started caring for her, I changed her diet to all natural, gluten free, high protein, no junk, no soy, no wheat, limited dairy. I worked with supplements. Now she sleeps better than she ever has.
I suspect the change in diet and supplements improved her nutrition and gut health. One supplement rarely mentioned that I feel helps everything, is essential amino acids. They seem to help a myriad of gut and body chemistry with virtually no side effects. Like anything you need to get the right dose.
Ash03 MtViewCatherine
Posted
Thank you so much for your reply. I am actually looking into Julia Ross's virtual cure clinic which treats people with insomnia, so we are on the same page. Glad to hear your mom is well! I fear though that zyprexa did irrepairable damage to my brain at this point and I will never feel tired or sleep through the night at this point. It's so scary and I hope that's not the case. Praying the change to my diet, supplements and amino acids will help ease the withdrawal symptoms and give me at least a few hours of sleep.
nancy58361 Ash03
Posted
Hi , just let me tell you that thank God you got off Zyprexa! Commonly known as the pill from Hell! I was miss diagnosed from a head injury 20 years ago! They keep me on 20mil for almost 20 years! Since this was a vary expensive med
They actually handed me samples! Until it cam out in genaric! In Dec.of 2017 my vary greedy Drug pusher Doc. Decided to change me to a new more expensive med.
Telling me that it would help my weight and I would feel much better? So I said ok!
nancy58361 Ash03
Posted
Hi , just let me tell you that thank God you got off Zyprexa! Commonly known as the pill from Hell! I was miss diagnosed from a head injury 20 years ago! They keep me on 20mil for almost 20 years! Since this was a vary expensive med
They actually handed me samples! Until it cam out in genaric! In Dec.of 2017 my vary greedy Drug pusher Doc. Decided to change me to a new more expensive med.
Telling me that it would help my weight and I would feel much better? So I said ok!
nancy58361
Posted
But she only gave me 3 weeks to detox off Zyprexa! Within a few weeks I started becoming vary ILL! The med she switched me too Vrylar! Anyway I became extremely ILL! By the way it takes at least 18 months to come off Zyprexa!!! Long story short I ended up in near death condition for 65min. And 3 days in ICU. The only thing I knew was where have I been for the last 20 years? This is now Nov. And still can't sleep without taking Xanax!
nancy58361
Posted
I have been Vary ILL all year long! I refuse to ever take and Zyprexa or any other kind of those meds. I literally take it one day at a time! I have taken up to 6 mil of xanax just to get a good night sleep! I personally think that unless you have scitophani or something like that no one should be given these meds! But I can tell you that I have heard alot worse story's! Stay away from that Doctor. And find someone who can treat you for what's wrong! Not what they feel you need! Google what does it feel like to detox from Zyprexa! That will give you a clue of what you are up against! So sorry for you! Doctors as well as elly lily should all be in Jail! Good luck! I will be praying! Oh and after 20 years and in ICU. The doctors told me the Zyprexa was killing me!!
Ash03 nancy58361
Posted
Nancy, I have no words as my heart truly breaks for you! I pray that you will have a full recovery and your sleep and body will be restored. It makes me sick to think that you have endured so much suffering. Thank you for sharing your story. I feel like no one even tries to understand what I'm going through. My family and boyfriend will just say I hope you slept better last night and detox and rehab are too expensive, plus you need to work to pay your bills. I'm 37 and hoping to still have a child someday. I'm praying I can start getting some sleep soon. My body has had 4 months without any type of relaxation or relief (not even at night when it should). It will make the withdrawals and working much more tolerable. My next step will be to come off the benzos once I've stabilized. Have you heard of anything that can help with sleep while you are withdrawing besides benzos? Doctors only seem to be able to help people with opioid and benzo withdrawal. Is there nowhere or nothing to turn to for antipsychotic withdrawal? Sending prayers and hugs your way!
MazziMaz Ash03
Posted
Hi Ash
Have you recovered from the terrible insomnia?