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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by FredPotter on June 23, 2005, at 22:31:16
Hi I suffer from (mostly) evening depression and anxiety. I take Xanax, Lithium and Celexa but now my pdoc has added 2.5 mg per day of Zyprexa to the mix. I feel drowsy and sometimes things seem unreal. Also slightly agitated like my stomach's trembling, but there are breakthrough feelings of peace. Has anyone else expreienced these things? Do the side effect wear off and if so how long does it take for this? I've only taken 2 doses. Can I expect a therapeutic effect straight away? Sorry for all the questions
Fred
Posted by Camille Dumont on June 23, 2005, at 22:53:22
In reply to Zyprexa for anxiety and depression, posted by FredPotter on June 23, 2005, at 22:31:16
Unfortunately, if you've only had two doses, I think the side effects might increase as days go by. I've taken it for depression (though my doctor thought it would be a good idea to start on 5mg) and it took a full week before the side effects were at their highest. Though my reaction included absence seizures so it was rather unusual. I don't know what would have happened if I had taken it longer because the twitching, the seizures, the weird speech and scary blood pressure changes were just too much for me to endure.
I remember reading that the drowsiness goes away after a few weeks though.
Posted by 4WD on June 23, 2005, at 23:24:57
In reply to Zyprexa for anxiety and depression, posted by FredPotter on June 23, 2005, at 22:31:16
> Hi I suffer from (mostly) evening depression and anxiety. I take Xanax, Lithium and Celexa but now my pdoc has added 2.5 mg per day of Zyprexa to the mix. I feel drowsy and sometimes things seem unreal. Also slightly agitated like my stomach's trembling, but there are breakthrough feelings of peace. Has anyone else expreienced these things? Do the side effect wear off and if so how long does it take for this? I've only taken 2 doses. Can I expect a therapeutic effect straight away? Sorry for all the questions
> Fred
Fred, do you take it at night? For me, the tiredness wore off after a few days. The restless legs thing didn't. I only took it a week or so because it made me ragingly hungry. It did seem to give me a little more motivation. I think it's better to take it at bedtime.Marsha
Posted by Phillipa on June 24, 2005, at 19:10:27
In reply to Re: Zyprexa for anxiety and depression » FredPotter, posted by 4WD on June 23, 2005, at 23:24:57
I guess no more benzos. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by FredPotter on June 25, 2005, at 2:42:00
In reply to Re: Zyprexa for anxiety and depression, posted by Phillipa on June 24, 2005, at 19:10:27
To all who replied, thank you. I slept for 12 hours last night. Complete oblivion. But today I feel more happy and motivated than I have for a long time. Phillipa I still do take benzos, mainly in the hope that it will stop my shaking hands. Also an internal trembling, possibly due to my taking lithium as well. How can a drug like Zyprexa make a person happy and motivated when it blocks dopamine and serotonin (or subtypes thereof)? Brain sure is complicated
Love
Fred
Posted by blueberry on June 25, 2005, at 6:17:28
In reply to Zyprexa for anxiety and depression, posted by FredPotter on June 23, 2005, at 22:31:16
I've taken zyprexa for several years and tried all different dosing times and sizes. I find my best all around dose is 5mg, and the best time to take it is about 2 to 3 hours before bedtime, not right at bedtime.
I started at 2.5mg, but cut the pills smaller at first until I was comfortable with it, then I increased to a steady 2.5mg and later 5mg.
I had the exact same side effects you described, as well as heavy legs and restless legs. All these effects disappeared in about two weeks.
I felt zyprexa start working on day 2. There were hints of feeling peace, calm, and yet motivation at the same time. These improved and became consistent over several weeks. Today, years later, I do still have residual motivational and life enjoyment problems, but not bad. Overall I am in better shape than at any other time in my life. I take zyprexa with prozac due to their nice synergy.
When we say that zyprexa blocks dopamine and wonder how it could improve motivation by doing that, I think it is more complicated than that. That's because even though it does block some dopamine receptors, it stimulates other areas of dopamine function. Zyprexa significantly increases serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, and this is even more pronounced in the presence of an ssri like prozac. I'm no scientist, but in my simple terms I would say that zyprexa blocks dopamine in some ways, but enhances it in other ways, at the same time.
> Hi I suffer from (mostly) evening depression and anxiety. I take Xanax, Lithium and Celexa but now my pdoc has added 2.5 mg per day of Zyprexa to the mix. I feel drowsy and sometimes things seem unreal. Also slightly agitated like my stomach's trembling, but there are breakthrough feelings of peace. Has anyone else expreienced these things? Do the side effect wear off and if so how long does it take for this? I've only taken 2 doses. Can I expect a therapeutic effect straight away? Sorry for all the questions
> Fred
Posted by Phillipa on June 25, 2005, at 18:26:11
In reply to Re: Zyprexa for anxiety and depression, posted by blueberry on June 25, 2005, at 6:17:28
Sorry Fred, I see you do still take xanax but a tiny amount. So glad you slept so well. I hope it continues. I also really and truly hope you don't have any wt problems with the zyprexa like so many say. Maybe you need the extra wt. I can't say, I've never seen you. Thanks for the Love, so here's a hug and a kiss from me OX Phillipa
Posted by Denise1966 on June 26, 2005, at 12:41:25
In reply to Zyprexa for anxiety and depression, posted by FredPotter on June 23, 2005, at 22:31:16
Hi Fred,
I find 10mg once now and again really helps me. Wouldn't take it every day though. I love it, almost scared to say that incase one day it doesn't help. I'ts been my life saver.
I really mean that.
Denise
Posted by FredPotter on June 26, 2005, at 16:31:44
In reply to Re: Zyprexa for anxiety and depression, posted by Phillipa on June 25, 2005, at 18:26:11
> Sorry Fred, I see you do still take xanax but a tiny amount. So glad you slept so well. I hope it continues. I also really and truly hope you don't have any wt problems with the zyprexa like so many say. Maybe you need the extra wt. I can't say, I've never seen you. Thanks for the Love, so here's a hug and a kiss from me OX Phillipa
Thanks Phillipa I felt even better yesterday. I played for 3 hours in my band, did loads of shopping, moved a great pile of logs and did some wallpapering that I've been putting off for years. I hope I'm not getting too carried away with Zyprexa's effects. I don't know if poop-out's a problem. Weight's not a problem, but if I do get fatter I'd happily put up with that in exchange for peace and happiness. Much love
Fred
Posted by ed_uk on June 26, 2005, at 16:41:23
In reply to Re: Zyprexa for anxiety and depression, posted by FredPotter on June 26, 2005, at 16:31:44
Hi Fred :-)
> I played for 3 hours in my band, did loads of shopping, moved a great pile of logs and did some wallpapering that I've been putting off for years.
You're making me want to try Zyprexa!
Kind regards
~ed
Posted by cache-monkey on June 26, 2005, at 17:21:02
In reply to Zyprexa for anxiety and depression, posted by FredPotter on June 23, 2005, at 22:31:16
Hey,
I started Zyprexa about two and a half weeks ago. My DX is unclear. Dysthymia and anxiety for much of my adult life. Both worsened over the last couple of years. The dysthymia to depression, and the anxiety to rumination and social phobia. I might BP II, due to a couple of "good" mood spells in the past and an episode of AD-induced hypomania.
Anyway, I've been looking for something to pick me up and settle me down for the last couple of years. I should knock wood when I say this, but it looks like the Zyprexa 2.5 mg is doing the trick.
I felt very out of it for the first couple of days. But I also felt what I think you mean by "breakthrough peace". 18 days later that seems to be more of a constant.
Good luck,
cache-monkey
Posted by FredPotter on June 26, 2005, at 19:08:26
In reply to Re: Zyprexa for anxiety and depression » FredPotter, posted by ed_uk on June 26, 2005, at 16:41:23
> Hi Fred :-)
>
> > I played for 3 hours in my band, did loads of shopping, moved a great pile of logs and did some wallpapering that I've been putting off for years.
>
> You're making me want to try Zyprexa!
>
> Kind regards
>
> ~ed
I sure didn't like it at first though Ed
Posted by ed_uk on June 26, 2005, at 19:17:59
In reply to Re: Zyprexa for anxiety and depression, posted by FredPotter on June 26, 2005, at 19:08:26
Hi Fred,
>I sure didn't like it at first though Ed
Well you do now :-)
Kind regards
~ed
This is the end of the thread.
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