Posted by kotsunega on December 31, 2006, at 23:51:33
In reply to Re: Zyprexa addictive? Opions., posted by Heidi Manway on December 27, 2006, at 9:06:01
Until reading all the posts on this topic, I thought my situation was unique - but I see now that it is not.
The only side effect I have ever had from 6 years of a 20 mg dose nightly of zyprexa was the fact that it slowed my mental functions. In the beginning, this was a very good thing because I was wide open manic in the extreme and it calmed me practically overnight.
I loved the way I could sleep and sleep deeply on zyprexa, it was such a relief after years of not-so-good or no sleep due to the mania I lived with.
After awhile, however, I simply became frustrated when it occurred to me that my slowed mind was making information retention and recall at work difficult. And, while formerly relieved at my more slowly operating mind on zyprexa rather than experiencing racing thoughts all the time, I began to miss having a desire for...well anything. I was too content, and I missed getting excited about things.
So, I tried TWICE to get off of zyprexa with dismal results. I've tried going cold turkey off of zyprexa while implementing another atypical antipsychotic, and I've tried slowly reducing the amount of zyprexa I take, while titrating up on another atypical. In either case, I dearly missed sleeping well and eventually gave up and went back to zyprexa - defeated.
Well, I'm trying once again to get over this zyprexa monkey on my back, and got a suggestion from someone else on this board to try replacing the zyprexa, a little at a time, with Benadryl, which has the same sedative effect due to similar actions on the same 5HT neurotransmitters that zyprexa acts on.
In researching this whole issue, I did learn that zyprexa is a thienbenzodiazepine - a cousin to the benzodiazepine known as valium. As we all know, valium is very addictive to some.
Now, as someone else on these boards also pointed out, zyprexa, although a benzodiazepine, affects different neurotransmitters than does valium. But, I have to wonder, if the one is addictive, could not both valium AND zyprexa have benzodiazepine-based addictive properties -- while they do so at different receptor sites?
It concerns me that others here are also complaining of difficulties ending their relationship with zyprexa, so I thought I would add my 5 cents.
If Eli Lilly could take action to discount or minimalize to doctors and the public the known health risks of diabetes, high lipids, weight gain, and Parkinsonian problems in zyprexa, I have to wonder what else they accidentally or purposefully forgot to tell us about what happens upon drug withdrawal after moderately long term use.
poster:kotsunega
thread:714265
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20061224/msgs/718088.html