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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 18 of 18. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by emme on April 24, 2005, at 11:54:25
Either that or my above request didn't get noticed. :)
Anyway, I just wanted some anecdotal input on how long it took for the awful sedation and apathy to subside when starting zyprexa.
thanks,
emme
Posted by linkadge on April 24, 2005, at 12:10:26
In reply to Zyprexa. Nobody loves me, posted by emme on April 24, 2005, at 11:54:25
If found that things normalized in 2 1/2 weeks
Linkadge
Posted by emme on April 24, 2005, at 14:58:06
In reply to Re: Zyprexa. Nobody loves me, posted by linkadge on April 24, 2005, at 12:10:26
> If found that things normalized in 2 1/2 weeks
>
>
> LinkadgeThanks for your response. Now I feel loved.
How well did Zyprexa end up working for you? I see above that you took it w/ Paxil and it sounds like it was a bad combo for you.
Good luck getting/trying selegiline.
em
Posted by linkadge on April 24, 2005, at 15:36:16
In reply to Re: Zyprexa. Nobody loves me » linkadge, posted by emme on April 24, 2005, at 14:58:06
Zyprexa itself was not a terrable medication. It was certainly the best of all the AP's I've tried. Seroquel, Risperdal, Thioridazine.
It got me out of a few bad situations, but I could not tollerate it for too long.
Linkadge
Posted by emme on April 24, 2005, at 15:44:59
In reply to Re: Zyprexa. Nobody loves me, posted by linkadge on April 24, 2005, at 15:36:16
> Zyprexa itself was not a terrable medication. It was certainly the best of all the AP's I've tried. Seroquel, Risperdal, Thioridazine.
>
> It got me out of a few bad situations, but I could not tollerate it for too long.What made it intolerable?
The sedation was initially so severe that I had to drastically lower the dose and now I'm either still kind of drugged at this lower dose, or it's doing nothing and a sluggish, apathetic depression is marching in. My mood is worsening, probably out of sheer frustration.
em
Posted by linkadge on April 24, 2005, at 15:49:15
In reply to Re: Zyprexa. Nobody loves me » linkadge, posted by emme on April 24, 2005, at 15:44:59
The main thing that made it intollerable was its affect on my cognition. I am *trying* to get through univerity, and I need as many marbles as I can scrounge up. This was a good med, but like other AP's it made me a bit dumb.
Other than this, I didn't have too much problem
Linkadge
Posted by Phillipa on April 24, 2005, at 18:33:06
In reply to Re: Zyprexa. Nobody loves me, posted by linkadge on April 24, 2005, at 15:49:15
You got my attention. Sorry I can't help with any info. But good luck. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by emme on April 24, 2005, at 19:20:29
In reply to Re: Zyprexa. Nobody loves me, posted by Phillipa on April 24, 2005, at 18:33:06
> You got my attention. Sorry I can't help with any info. But good luck. Fondly, Phillipa
Thanks for the good wishes! :)
em
Posted by sdjeff on April 24, 2005, at 19:38:22
In reply to Re: Zyprexa. Nobody loves me » Phillipa, posted by emme on April 24, 2005, at 19:20:29
It took about a month for the sedation to go away for me. I already had problems with apathy, the zyprexa made it worse and it's still that way.
Posted by emme on April 25, 2005, at 12:10:07
In reply to Re: Zyprexa. Nobody loves me, posted by sdjeff on April 24, 2005, at 19:38:22
I'm getting upset. This stuff is supposed to improve depression. It says so all over the place. Mine is getting worse.
Posted by DanielJ on April 25, 2005, at 12:45:40
In reply to Getting *worse*??, posted by emme on April 25, 2005, at 12:10:07
It should be taken about an hour before bedtime. You may feel sluggish in the morning. Apathy is a big part of depression and psychosis In my opinion. Zyprexa alone is not effective in treating depression. In combination with ssris like Zoloft it is an excellent medication for Schizophrenia. Zoloft is a more effective anti depressant but it also can bring with it a few weeks of tiredness etc. when first starting out with it.
Posted by B2chica on April 25, 2005, at 13:16:14
In reply to Zyprexa. Nobody loves me, posted by emme on April 24, 2005, at 11:54:25
Of Course you're LOVED!!!!
and i've been on it for a while and i still feel sluggish in the morning (very hard to wake up). However, i take Ritalin which helps get me going and i have been sleeping well (which was almost impossible to fix before).
i try to take it by 7or 7:30 then i can get to sleep around 11:00.
The weight s#cks and the groggyness s#cks, but it's the only thing that seems to help me, so go figure...
hth
b2c.
> Either that or my above request didn't get noticed. :)
>
> Anyway, I just wanted some anecdotal input on how long it took for the awful sedation and apathy to subside when starting zyprexa.
>
> thanks,
> emme
Posted by emme on April 25, 2005, at 13:24:07
In reply to Re: Getting *worse*??, posted by DanielJ on April 25, 2005, at 12:45:40
Hello Daniel,
Thank you for your response.
> It should be taken about an hour before bedtime.
I do. I've been through about a thousand psychiatric drugs and I'm good at timing them.
> You may feel sluggish in the morning. Apathy
If only sluggish (and morning) summed it up. More like being completely sledgehammered until about 4 pm, with worsening apathy and now sinking mood. At well under 1 mg to boot. But I'm trying to be patient a little longer.
> Zyprexa alone is not effective in treating depression.
I am already taking Lamictal and memantine and we were hoping zyprexa would add additional AD effect.
> Zoloft is a more effective anti depressant but it also can bring with it a few weeks of tiredness etc. when first starting out with it.
Unfortunately, not only did Zoloft *not* make me tired, it made me very anxious and jittery and did nothing positive. SSRIs and I do not get along that well. Prozac is left, and my pdoc and I will need to decide when to add it in.
When do we all get our honorary degrees in psychopharmacology? :~}
Posted by Phillipa on April 25, 2005, at 17:09:49
In reply to Re: Getting *worse*?? » DanielJ, posted by emme on April 25, 2005, at 13:24:07
Why is it so difficult to find a med that works. Yes I feel after reading and reading this Board, that at least I should get paid for all the time I spend here, trying to find something that works. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by emme on April 25, 2005, at 17:29:58
In reply to Re: Zyprexa. Nobody loves me » emme, posted by B2chica on April 25, 2005, at 13:16:14
> Of Course you're LOVED!!!!
Aww, thanks. :)
> and i've been on it for a while and i still feel sluggish in the morning (very hard to wake up). However, i take Ritalin which helps get me going
Maybe I should think about trying some sort of stimulant in the morning. I suppose a huge dose of caffeine might be worth a shot.
emme
Posted by JKL on April 26, 2005, at 4:47:22
In reply to Zyprexa. Nobody loves me, posted by emme on April 24, 2005, at 11:54:25
I've seen a couple case reports at pubmed.com where patients got depressed while on zyprexa. The truth is, I believe, that any med can worsen depression, regardless of what the med is supposed to do. It all depends on your genetics and chemistry. We all respond differently due to individual variations at the molecular level.
In my experience, zyprexa works best, and works differently than on its own, when combined with prozac. Just 5mg or 10mg prozac can make a big difference.
Daytime sedation for me completely disappeared in about 2 weeks. Apathy however endured for months, most especially early morning. All the clues were telling me that there was some kind of dopamine deficiency going on (the early morning dread and apathy would go away with coffee and cigarettes).
In an attempt to boost dopamine, I gradually added in st johns wort. I am very happy with the results. That early morning dread or apathy is gone, replaced with energy, motivation and vigilance.
10mg prozac + Kira 900mg sjw + 5mg zyprexa works nicely for me, way better than dozens of other meds and med combinations I've tried. Tried every drug out there except the MAOIs.
In any case, you might want to mix in a tad of prozac and see what happens. I think only 1 to 2 weeks is all you would need to test it. If it is no help or you get worse, then I think you could come to the conclusion that zyprexa is not the molecule your chemistry needs. I strongly support Kira brand sjw as well, not by itself, but as an add-on.
Posted by DanielJ on April 27, 2005, at 9:09:59
In reply to Re: Getting *worse*?? » DanielJ, posted by emme on April 25, 2005, at 13:24:07
My son takes Zyprexa and Zoloft. I take Caffiene (coffee). I tried giving it up but my quality of life went down the tubes. Two days after quitting all Caffiene I was depressed, angry and that afternoon suffered depersonalization. I swear for a while I just wasn't there. The next day I started on 2 cups of coffee again and my life came back within 24 hrs. It is a drug and, it can help, just don't overdo it and drink coffee all day long.
Posted by bark2323 on April 29, 2005, at 13:46:33
In reply to Re: Zyprexa. Nobody loves me, posted by JKL on April 26, 2005, at 4:47:22
if the sleepiness and apathy dont go away on their own, you might want to try provigil. I find it really helps those things, and goes well with zyprexa.
matt
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