Posted by Zo on September 1, 2001, at 17:08:27
In reply to Zyprexa, a Great Drug (except for the weight gain), posted by JohnL on September 1, 2001, at 9:30:48
John, great to see this post. Zyprexa is an amazing med. I had an usual total meltdown in my pdoc's office one day, and (in addition to supporting me, of course)he handed me a little sample bottle and said, "Here, take two of these at bed and your ego will reassemble in the morning." (Have I already told this story?) The amazing thing was, it did. Powerfully so. I felt powerfully together.
The way this was explained to me, Zyprexa blocks the dopamine cascade on the limbic system that is brought on by hypervigilance, hyperarousal, hyperstress. Allowing one to *think* again.
The weight problem is a serious health issue. Zyprexa has been implicated in *causing* Type II Diabetes. It puts on insulin fat, the most unhealthy kind. I spent a few hours roving the web one night, looking for a solution, and the posts I found were unanimous: woman after woman with a 50 to 80 lb weight gain, who also felt *wonderful* on this drug.
In fact, Geodon was developed precisely to compete with Zyprexa. With great fanfair, it was announced: No weight gain! Unfortunately, it isn't Zyprexa, either. I don't know what you've seen, but it's my impression Geodon is not a resounding success.. . .and certainly doesn't replicate Zyprexa's effects.
The latest scoop is that pretreating and treating with 300mg Axid, an OTC antacid, twice a day can block the weight gain. Have you run across any successes with this?
At any rate, the weight gain is more than a cosmetic nuisance. Zyprexa's selling like gangbusters. . .Maybe a fix will be developed.
I'm kind of gathering that men are affected less, so it must be hormonally-related.
Zo
poster:Zo
thread:77267
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010828/msgs/77316.html