Posted by ronaldo on October 29, 2006, at 9:32:32
In reply to Re: Long term Olanzapine for BP....any comments?, posted by SLS on October 29, 2006, at 8:56:04
> Therapeutically, olanzapine (Zyprexa) can work miracles with a relatively low risk of EPS and TD. However, it can wreak havoc with glucose dynamics and triglycerides, and cause weight gain. If you monitor these things carefully and don't run into problems, you might not need to search for another drug. I would just mention that aripiprazole (Abilify) offers much of the same therapeutic benefit as olanzapine against negative symptoms and is without these metabolic drawbacks. It sometimes produces anxiety and insomnia as startup side effects during the first few weeks, but these usually disappear. It can be a remarkably clean drug.
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> - ScottThanks for your answer, Scott. While I was on the 5 mg Olanzapine (long term) I had a recent blood test for sugar (hyperglycaemia?) which was negative. I also did not put on any weight while on the 5 mg. I have just weighed myself and I have not put on any weight on the 10 mg. I guess I should consider myself lucky. I will keep a careful watch on my weight and blood sugar. If they should become a problem I will remind my pdoc of Abilify. Thanks for that.
Seroquel was also unsuitable because at the higher dosage - 100 mg - it made me feel 'spaced out' without doing anything for my sleep.
While on the 5 mg Olanzapine I did complain of feeling over-sedated yet since I have been on the 10 mg I have encountered less of this. It seems strange that I should feel sedated at 5 mg and not at 10 mg. Is there a logical explanation for this? Maybe it is too soon to tell? Maybe the feeling of over-sedation was compounded by lack of sleep. I suffered from early awakening (5:00 am) and an inability to get back to sleep on the 5 mg Olanzapine.
Maybe I am feeling so 'bouncy' ('hypomanic') today because I had the best night's sleep for years last night.
...Alan
poster:ronaldo
thread:698653
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20061028/msgs/698667.html