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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 sheilac on July 25, 2012, at 13:33:19
Currently, we all know that I am taking low dose Lithium.
About 2 years ago before I moved, my doc at the time gave me some samples of Zyprexa and told me I could break them up into smaller doses.
I absolutely LOVED zyprexa. It got me through a terrible time in my life, but as soon as I moved I found a new doc and stopped taking it.
The reason I stopped taking Zyprexa was because I was terrified of weight gain. I think I ended up splitting the tablet into 2.5mg It made me a nice person. I probably could have taken 5mg.
My question is do people really gain a ton of weight on Zyprexa? Does it have calming, antidepressant factors to it? Is the weight gain with Zyprexa about the same or more than the weight gain with Lithium?
I think Zyprexa is an antipsychotic and I don't really like those drugs. I've heard a lot of bad things about relying on antipsychotics.
Any opinions?
Posted by Zyprexa on July 25, 2012, at 19:43:09
In reply to Question about Zyprexa..., posted by sheilac on July 25, 2012, at 13:33:19
I've been taking zyprexa for 14 years and no movement disorders from it. I did get TD from abilify in a short time. Yes it has weight gain. I went from 150 lbs to 230 in the first 3 years. But then went on a diet went to the gym frequently and got the weight back down to 170 lbs. I did bulk up a bit on zyprexa, mucile. And when I was 150 I was very under weight. So the weight gain was good, sort of. Right now my weight is 200 lbs. and losing . but I have found that wieght gain is less on the generic. I've lost 20 lbs this year with out any effort. So my weight has been going up and down over the years. zyprexa weight gain is dose dependant and at 2.5 mg you probably won't have any weight gain.
Yes its realy calming. Not sure it is ADing. Probably not. I take zoloft also.
What did you hear was bad about relying on an AP?
I've never taken litium.
Posted by Sheilac on July 26, 2012, at 6:12:46
In reply to Re: Question about Zyprexa..., posted by Zyprexa on July 25, 2012, at 19:43:09
I've heard a lot of people on this forum say its better to be on an anti-seizure med or traditional mood stabilizer than to be on an AP long term.
One of the things I hate about Lithium is how shaky it makes me.
Posted by novelagent on July 26, 2012, at 20:25:30
In reply to Question about Zyprexa..., posted by sheilac on July 25, 2012, at 13:33:19
I gained 20 lbs on Zyprexa, but then lost it when I switched to Risperdal. Try Risperdal-- you won't gain weight from it. I have no idea why a doctor, given the research, would prescribe a med that gained weight when we know Risperdal doesn't cause weight gain. I think it's ignorance.
> Currently, we all know that I am taking low dose Lithium.
>
> About 2 years ago before I moved, my doc at the time gave me some samples of Zyprexa and told me I could break them up into smaller doses.
>
> I absolutely LOVED zyprexa. It got me through a terrible time in my life, but as soon as I moved I found a new doc and stopped taking it.
>
> The reason I stopped taking Zyprexa was because I was terrified of weight gain. I think I ended up splitting the tablet into 2.5mg It made me a nice person. I probably could have taken 5mg.
>
> My question is do people really gain a ton of weight on Zyprexa? Does it have calming, antidepressant factors to it? Is the weight gain with Zyprexa about the same or more than the weight gain with Lithium?
>
> I think Zyprexa is an antipsychotic and I don't really like those drugs. I've heard a lot of bad things about relying on antipsychotics.
>
> Any opinions?
>
Posted by novelagent on July 26, 2012, at 20:26:59
In reply to Re: Question about Zyprexa..., posted by Zyprexa on July 25, 2012, at 19:43:09
If you switch to Risperdal, the weight gain will go away. Your doctor is an idiot.
> I've been taking zyprexa for 14 years and no movement disorders from it. I did get TD from abilify in a short time. Yes it has weight gain. I went from 150 lbs to 230 in the first 3 years. But then went on a diet went to the gym frequently and got the weight back down to 170 lbs. I did bulk up a bit on zyprexa, mucile. And when I was 150 I was very under weight. So the weight gain was good, sort of. Right now my weight is 200 lbs. and losing . but I have found that wieght gain is less on the generic. I've lost 20 lbs this year with out any effort. So my weight has been going up and down over the years. zyprexa weight gain is dose dependant and at 2.5 mg you probably won't have any weight gain.
>
> Yes its realy calming. Not sure it is ADing. Probably not. I take zoloft also.
>
> What did you hear was bad about relying on an AP?
>
> I've never taken litium.
Posted by phidippus on July 26, 2012, at 22:43:03
In reply to Question about Zyprexa..., posted by sheilac on July 25, 2012, at 13:33:19
Zyprexa is an antipsychotic, but you needn't worry about long term effects. Yes, Zyprexa can cause weight gain, but you take ssucch a low dose its not going to have an impact.
Zyprexa is very calming and is used to augment treatment of depression.
Eric
Posted by bleauberry on July 27, 2012, at 5:10:17
In reply to Question about Zyprexa..., posted by sheilac on July 25, 2012, at 13:33:19
Yeah I loved zyprexa too, for about 8 years. I did not get much weight on it, but I have skinny genes to begin with. My normal baseline weight is around 130-135. On Zyprexa the heaviest I ever got was 145. So not everybody has a problem with that.
People do not change their grocery buying habits on zyprexa, so that is also a problem. Food choices make a big difference. Every meal should be mostly colored veggies and fruits, and some protein, and a little bit of carbs. The problem is, people keep eating the same as they always have, or they eat more than before. Zyprexa can cause the munchies. People will go for donuts and pizza before they go for celery sticks and carrots, and then they wonder why all the weight gain.
Taking zyprexa, or any drug, is a risk/benefit decision. Does it improve quality of life enough to justify the difficulties? If yes, then take it. If no, don't.
Posted by novelagent on July 27, 2012, at 9:44:24
In reply to Re: Question about Zyprexa..., posted by bleauberry on July 27, 2012, at 5:10:17
Actually, now that you mention it, I think I gained 10 lbs, not 20 lbs... yeh, it was 10 lbs. But that's a lot, still, even though I'm skinny. Zyprexa makes people crave sugary foods.
It's no better than Risperdal or Invega, so I'm not sure why someone would risk even 5 lbs. of weight gain when it's possible to avoid it by taking Risperdal. I take Invega Sustenna now.
> Yeah I loved zyprexa too, for about 8 years. I did not get much weight on it, but I have skinny genes to begin with. My normal baseline weight is around 130-135. On Zyprexa the heaviest I ever got was 145. So not everybody has a problem with that.
>
> People do not change their grocery buying habits on zyprexa, so that is also a problem. Food choices make a big difference. Every meal should be mostly colored veggies and fruits, and some protein, and a little bit of carbs. The problem is, people keep eating the same as they always have, or they eat more than before. Zyprexa can cause the munchies. People will go for donuts and pizza before they go for celery sticks and carrots, and then they wonder why all the weight gain.
>
> Taking zyprexa, or any drug, is a risk/benefit decision. Does it improve quality of life enough to justify the difficulties? If yes, then take it. If no, don't.
Posted by rjlockhart04-08 on July 27, 2012, at 21:42:44
In reply to Re: Question about Zyprexa... » bleauberry, posted by novelagent on July 27, 2012, at 9:44:24
when you take zyprexa for the first time....like I commited myself one time in 2009 and they gave me directly 20mg because I was withdrawing from my xanax dose and omgod it like knocked me out, all my thinking changed and slowed down alot, less worried about things...like its calming vary much....its actually called a thienobenzodiazepine nueroleptic...it actaully does effect the benzodiapine receptor but vary vary weak effects. Here's some evidence:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olanzapine
Line 3...yes weight gain and sugar craving are with zyprexa on a daily use...my whole face has changed its appearance to more round and chunck. Its not flattering.....but its vary good for a PRN needed use for rapid thoughts at night. there's a medication called symbax that's mixed with prozac....i stopped it and just got the 60mg prozac and 20mg zyprexa cocktail...it does work...its just when you on zyrexa you don't get excited, its sedating. but thats only in my case...
Another one that doesnt really have sedation to my knowedge is Latuda but its terribly expensive. Zyprexa is now generic, that means cheap.
rj
Posted by Mrose on July 28, 2012, at 14:10:05
In reply to Re: S, posted by rjlockhart04-08 on July 27, 2012, at 21:42:44
> when you take zyprexa for the first time....like I commited myself one time in 2009 and they gave me directly 20mg because I was withdrawing from my xanax dose and omgod it like knocked me out, all my thinking changed and slowed down alot, less worried about things...like its calming vary much....its actually called a thienobenzodiazepine nueroleptic...it actaully does effect the benzodiapine receptor but vary vary weak effects. Here's some evidence:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olanzapine
> Line 3...
>
> yes weight gain and sugar craving are with zyprexa on a daily use...my whole face has changed its appearance to more round and chunck. Its not flattering.....but its vary good for a PRN needed use for rapid thoughts at night. there's a medication called symbax that's mixed with prozac....i stopped it and just got the 60mg prozac and 20mg zyprexa cocktail...it does work...its just when you on zyrexa you don't get excited, its sedating. but thats only in my case...
>
> Another one that doesnt really have sedation to my knowedge is Latuda but its terribly expensive. Zyprexa is now generic, that means cheap.
>
> rj
Zyprexa was awesome even tho I wasn't psychotic. It was only sedated at night. BUT I gained 85 lbs on it. Am going off for that reason. I couln'nt fight off the sugar cravings.
Posted by Raisinb on July 30, 2012, at 21:07:05
In reply to Question about Zyprexa..., posted by sheilac on July 25, 2012, at 13:33:19
I currently take Symbyax which is a combination of Prozac and zyprexa. It's 6 mg of zyprexa. It does make you hungrier, but you can get through the cravings. It is nowhere near as bad S Remeron was for me.
Posted by Zyprexa on August 1, 2012, at 9:50:00
In reply to Re: Question about Zyprexa... » Zyprexa, posted by novelagent on July 26, 2012, at 20:26:59
The only problem is that risperdal does not help me. Also it made me eat.
Posted by b2chica on August 2, 2012, at 12:28:54
In reply to Question about Zyprexa..., posted by sheilac on July 25, 2012, at 13:33:19
zyprexa was great for me.
when i am on 5 it is great for maintenance for me but not that helpful. do not gain weight (or very little) on that amount. i normally have to go to 10 fairly rapidly when i need it. i have been off and on it for many years. many times i gained as little as 5 and as much as 50 (though think that was more the zoloft) however i noted that if when i first got on it i drank LOTS of water with it then it didn't effect my weight as much.no TD Ever from zyprexa any of the times ive been on on. and i was lucky that i can titrate up and down fairly quickly with it.
though i have (im pretty sure) noted a difference between the name brand and generic for me.
best wishes.
b2c.
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