ZYPREXA Reviews (OLANZAPINE)Average Rating: 2.5 (585 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare ZYPREXA with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Gender males first. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 |
More on ZYPREXA: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ZYPREXA | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 4 | Bipolar Disorder/Manic Depression | WEIGHT GAIN due to an extreme appetite. | A week ago, I would've said that I HATED this drug for the weight gain it caused me(5'7 115 lbs to 140). I know I'm not as unlucky about that as others on that issue, but going from being a stick to a little more than average SUCKS. Anyway, the reason I "would've" said I hated it is because I went off of it a week ago and have gone NUTS. My doctor put me on Geodon (if you would like to know details of THAT little adventure, check out the post I added on Geodon's rating today, too... Geodon=Crap) and I went crazy, literally. I had been healthy for the first time since I was 5 years old on Zyprexa. (I had been on antidepressants since I was 17 and they weren't working due to the fact that my psych misdiagnosed me as depressed when I was bipolar). Anyway, when a new doc finally figured out what was wrong with me (6 years of HELL later), he put me on Lamictal and Zyprexa. I have had minor issues of mania and depression (+ the dreaded weight gain), but nothing like the crap I've had to deal with since coming off of it a week ago, which I did just to lose weight. (Mania, depression, plus all the Geodon side effects, as well). Anyway, I hope it hasn't gotten too far out of my system this week and I can get back to normal (whatever "normal" is for a bipolar person). I would rather be fat and happy on Zyprexa rather than without it, on Geodon, and insane. | F | 26 | 2.5 years 15 mg 1X day | 2/10/2010 | 4 | depression and anxiety | After DECADES of dawn insomnia (waking up too early), this drug finally makes me sleep (even a bit too much). Vivid dreams, often disturbing. Weight gain about 25 lbs. (always hungry). | This drug worked wonder on my crippling anxiety. I was unable to work for years due to anxiety. Zyprexa reduced it to a manageable level, and now I am working full-time after almost 5 years of not working. It's an amazing drug. I started at 5 mg. every night and now am down to 1.25 mg. The weight gain IS a problem, and I've lost my sex drive, but it's worth it just to not be so anxious all the time. | F | 50 | 6 months 5 mg 1X day | 10/20/2011 | 4 | Bipolar II, to reduce impulsivity | Weight gain! Tremors. Akathisia. Sleepiness. | I take Zyprexa once daily, in the evening, and can take an additional pill as needed. I keep a daily chart of my moods and meds for therapy. It's right there in black and white that Zyprexa consistently improves my mood within an hour of taking it. I also take Prozac 40 MG. The two precribed together is reported to be one of the most effective medication treatments for Bipolar Disorder. There's no question that it's been a very effective drug for me. That said, the few side effects I have are chronic. I now take Cogentin to help with the hand tremors, but even with that I still have some tremors. The weight gain is frustrating and the reason I didn't rate it a "5". But to me it's well worth it considering how helpful it's been for my symptoms. | F | 37 | 3 months 2.5 MG 2X day | 12/11/2010 | 4 | insomnia, severe depression | Reduction of gag reflex, sleep 8-10 hours per night, hungry all the time, lots of energy | I've tried Zoloft, Serzone and Seroquel. I've been on 150mg of Effexor per day for 4 years. I've experienced severe depression and suicidal thoughts, especially during the winter months. I was hospitalized two years ago. I was on Abilify for a month after the hospitaization but it is too expensive. I've been on the Zyprexa for two weeks and I've been very energetic. I've socialized more in two weeks than I have in two years. Maybe it's a manic episode but I'm hoping it is a result of the Zyprexa. | F | 49 | 2 weeks 5 1X day | 10/4/2010 | 4 | Psychotic Depression | Weight Gain | Zyprexa is amazing. It relieved me of my auditory and visual hallucinations, the only down side is weight gain. If I ate over 1400 calories a day I would gain weight, this was a battle for me because I have a very sweet tooth. Some days I would eat a little more than 1400 calories only to end up gaining a pound or two. In the end I lost the battle, the craving for sweet food became to much and the weight went on far to easy. I'm now on abilify which causes less weight gain than other atypical antipsychotics, on some sites it's even considered to be weight neutral. Overall I would say that Zyprexa is an amazing drug if you can mantain your weight on it but for me it was a constant battle. | F | 27 | 1 years 15MG 1X day | 8/31/2012 | 4 | Psychosis,Severe Depression | weight gain, increased appetite, insomnia (but has gotten better). | This drug is a godsend,this has killed most of my anxiety but its not completely gone,I havent felt this good in many,many months.Now I feel like i'm ready to face the world without any problems. | F | 18 | 3 weeks 10 1X day | 4/22/2013 | 4 | psychotic episode | Weight gain, not caring about anything, a bit zombified and sleeping alot. | stopped the psychosis and thaughts coming into my head. | F | 24 | 5 months | 5/9/2006 | 4 | Bipolar (depressive episode) | Within 24 hours, had stopped planning suicide, ripped up suicide letters to husband and two children. Had been scheduled to enter hospital for ECT, but delusional thinking stopped, depression decreased and I started feeling pretty good and connected with the world and my loved ones again. Side effects included lethargy, I didn't want to continue my usual exercise regime. I felt ravaged by hunger constantly. In two months, I went from 115lbs to 134lbs. I was eating in ways that were completely uncharacteristic for me. Getting pastries for breakfast, stopping at convenience stores to pick up bags of chips, eating a pint of Ben & Jerry's icecream every night (no kidding)! It was just crazy. Not only could I not stop eating, but even after eating constantly I was always still starving. This felt very strange and I did not like feeling so out of control. | I have never felt so fantastic in all my life as when I was on Zyprexa. I felt so happy and optimistic (but not manic). My husband said that he had never felt closer emotionally to me and that I was so joyful to be around that he didn't even care about the weight gain. However, I did care. Once I felt that I was out of the woods in terms of attempting suicide, I eased off the 7.5mg of Zyprexa and onto 350mg Lamictal. The Lamictal has stabalized my moods but I don't feel nearly as great as when I was on the Zyprexa. If they could somehow eliminate the bizarre weight gain, I would immediately go back on it and stay on it. I've also been on Wellbutrin 400SR for 9 years. I don't plan to go back on Zyprexa. My husband has labelled it "my back pocket emergency drug" if needed, just because it works so fast. | F | 35 | 2 months | 9/20/2005 | 4 | Depression, Anxiety, Mood Stabilize | Mixed Blessings. For one- go slow. It has affected me differently at different times (headache/stomachache). When I took full dose- severe shaking, so COMMON SENSE tells you to cut back dose. | I can't say this has cured all my ailments, and I know it's not the safest drug to take- but I don't believe there is one out there yet. I will say, that since 2004, I've taken it off and on- and it always worked. I don't fancy this, but I have no choice at times. When my emotional problems get too bad, and I relapse- and it affects me physically too, I'm dead anyways, and so are the people around me I live with, so why fear taking something that just may help? For those of you that don't need the weight gain- there are ALL KINDS of meds in this class that could be better suited for you. For some of us, like myself, stress causes weight lose- and that's just as dangerous. It's my sincere hope science greatley improves medications, but for now we are stuck with what's available- we can take it and try to get our lives back, or do nothing and exist instead of living- if that's what you want to call it. | F | 30 | 3 years | 8/19/2007 | 4 | depression | Sedation, difficulty getting up in the morning, drowsy all day | While Zyprexa greatly improves my depression and makes me more functional, it also makes me drowsy reduces my functionality. I’ve been off and on Zyprexa for over 7 years. I started taking 7mg. I was sleeping my life away then. And I could not lift my head off the pillow. My doctor reduced the dose and I changed the time I took my meds. Now, I split the 2.5 mg. pill. I take 1.25 mg. at 6:00 PM. I’m still drowsy but getting up is no longer a problem. | F | 43 | 7 years | 10/19/2006 | 4 | bipolar 1 | Weight gain like everybody does. I'm trying to FORCE myself away from the table since I've gained the weight because I EAT MORE. And I think it causes diabetes because I CRAVE sugar. Anyway, I love it and just wish it didn't cause weight gain and possibly diabetes. | I'm staying with it for another year to see if I can drop some weight and level off. Seems that developing diabetes usually occurs within a year of starting, so I've passed that mark.It just works so well! | F | 46 | 1 years | 9/11/2006 | 4 | bipolar 1 | Lots of weight gain! I ate a lot more, had a bigger appetite. Craved carbs and sugar.No other side effects. | It works so well on my mania, anxiety, insomnia etc that I'm willing to deal with the weight gain. I try to resist carbs and sugar binges as much as I can. I'm afraid of the diabetes scare. | F | 46 | 1 years | 9/11/2006 | 4 | depression | Sedation, difficulty getting up in the morning, drowsy all day | While Zyprexa greatly improves my depression and makes me more functional, it also makes me drowsy reduces my functionality. I’ve been off and on Zyprexa for over 7 years. I started taking 7mg. I was sleeping my life away then. And I could not lift my head off the pillow. My doctor reduced the dose and I changed the time I took my meds. Now, I split the 2.5 mg. pill. I take 1.25 mg. at 6:00 PM. I’m still drowsy but getting up is no longer a problem. | F | 43 | 7 years | 10/19/2006 | 4 | bipolar2 | So far, I've taken 1 week 5 mg and am still feeling like I walk in a continual fog. My intense suicidal feelings have abated and I feel like there is hope that I can stabalize, I just can't live in a semi-zombie state. I hope I will either adjust and the fog will lift, or perhaps take a smaller dose that will be effective without the sedative effect. It did knock me out somewhat, but my insomnia is very bad and after 2 nights, I was awake. I took half my normal sleep meds but found that wouldn't work because they added to my hangover, when before they were not a problem. I'll add another comment after I've given it a fair chance to work or not work. I want to reemphasize: it has helped with the suicidal feelings, and that is perhaps worth the side effects. | F | 51 | 7 days | 1/15/2007 | 4 | Bipolar II | Extreme thirst and dry mouth, healthy appetite. | I am currently on Prozac, Klonopin, and now Zyprexa. The Zyprexa has helped me get some sleep and has brought my appetite back. Before I felt tired, nauseous, and just plain old crappy. Didn't want to work or do anything except lay in bed. Now I feel like I can actually get something accomplished during the day and can sleep at night. I'm just concerned about the weight gain. I was scared to take this after seeing all the negative ratings, but I've pretty much tried everything else. | F | 30 | 3 days | 10/4/2007 | 4 | Bipolar depression, insomnia | At first I felt hungover, tired, sick and zombie like. This went on for about a week. I was hungry all of the time and gained weight. I would sleep all night, wake up and take my kids to school, and then come home and go back to bed until like noon. | It did however help me "shut down" and go to sleep. I wasn't nearly as irritable as I usually was. | F | 30 | 4 months | 1/29/2007 | 4 | Cyclothymia | weight gain, unable to lose any weight. Lack of interest in sex, except during ovulation. Lighter, shorter periods (which I consider a blessing). Lack of motivation, even though I also take Adderall. Difficulty in getting up in the morning. Extreme craving for sugar...CONSTANTLY...so I guess it's also responsible for my constant breakouts. Little or no self control. Hard to feel things emotionally, especially romantically. | Despite all its faults, I have to admit that Zyprexa has done a satisfactory job of repressing my Bipolar symptoms...I'd say it's been between 75 to 85 percent effective. I started out taking Symbyax. The Prozac part of it wasn't entirely successful at getting rid of my anxiety problems, however, so my doctor switched me to Zyprexa alone and put me on Paxil. The Paxil has done wonders, and I haven't had any side effects from it. I have been weaning myself off of Zyprexa gradually--without consulting my doctor-- as I can't fit into most of my clothes now, and feel like I must almost certainly be unhealthy due to my constant sugar consumption. Pretty much the only reason I eat "real" food is so I can get to dessert without anyone being on my case. And what's especially strange to me are the sudden urges to eat when I'm not hungry. When I first started taking Symbyax I went through 2 to 3 cartons of ice cream a week, by myself...and oddly enough it HAD to be Breyers cookies and | F | 39 | 1 years | 10/5/2008 | 4 | anxiety disorder | Zypreza definitely works in eradicating panic attacks. Gained 5 lbs and stabilized. My only concern is memory issues. My memory isn't as sharp as it is without the medication. For this reason I would like to go off of it.Great drug for emergencies. | F | 35 | 15 months | 3/28/2007 | 4 | bipolar | drowiness, weight gain | great it helped put me to sleep since i have trouble sleeping. should take it an hour or two before bedtime for best effect. | F | 2 years | 10/25/2002 | 4 | Bipolar | 40 lb weight gain; cholesterol went up, so had to take a statin; blood sugars went up to the point I had to take pills for my diabetes, which had previously been diet-controlled. Off Zyprexa, weight decreased, cholesterol went back down, and I'm down 1/2 on the dosage of meds for diabetes. | This was the best drug I'd used for a mood stabilizer since diagnoses 4 ys ago. Since I had to quit it, I've been trying nearly 2 yrs to find a substitute, to no avail. The P-doc had thought he could counter the weight loss by coupling it with an appetite-suppressing type of antidepressant. Wrong. Newest P-doc presently thought Geodon would be similar; but Geodon had other problems, just as limiting. Very frustrating. I'm still hoping to find something I like as well as Zyprexa. | F | 39 | 18 months | 4/30/2005 |