Olanzapine for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews (Page 4)

• Anonymous
• October 26, 2011

Olanzapine "I'm bipolar, and this is the only medication (out of many, many) that really helps my bipolar, and it works almost instantaneously for me. I first went on it to gain weight because I was trying to recover from anorexia and struggling, but stayed on it for my bipolar. I did gain weight, and I eat tons, but I have a good metabolism, and Zyprexa just brings me up to my medically ideal weight."

• kan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 18, 2019

"If you have ever had a seizure, do not let the doctor give you Olanzapine/Zyprexa. I hadn't had a seizure for 15 years, but within four hours of taking Olanzapine, I was on the floor with a grand mal seizure. Seizure is listed in the fine print of the side effects. I told the doc, but she prescribed anyway. Be careful!"

• den...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 7, 2024

Olanzapine "If you have any kind of dysfunction in life, agitation, have failed relationships, or can't hold a job or are housing insecure-Zyprexa is the magic bullet. I took 25 mg for 10 years, and my life completely turned around. I was on Seroquel, and it wasn't working for me. I couldn't achieve a calm state of mind to function from. I severely hated my parents and sister. I was in a succession of relationships with sick, demented, and cruel men. Zyprexa gave me my life back and completely better than before. I developed relationships with my family and had excellent boundaries with them also-I could choose how I protected myself and how I interacted with people. I don't throw myself at men who simply offer me 'crumbs.' What a pleasure and adventure life has become. It was a lot of work, but finally, I had Medicaid, I was able to get help. I gained 40 pounds. But now I take Lybalvi, which has 20 mg of Zyprexa and 10 mg of samidorphan. I should have done this decades ago, but I could not get health insurance."

• lal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 6, 2016

Olanzapine "This medicine sucked! I was asleep all the time, all day long! Couldn't function in school, couldn't function at work. I was tired all the time and was eating every food that I saw in front of me. If I could give 0 stars to this medication, I would."

• Mic...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 12, 2015

Olanzapine "This medicine is very effective for bipolar. Before this, I cannot sleep at night because my mind races. Finally, after taking this, I feel wonderful and not depressed anymore. The effect is weight gain, before this, my weight was just around 74 kg, now it went to 99 kg."

• Bip...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 9, 2018

Olanzapine "After a luckily failed suicide attempt, I got prescribed olanzapine. Only 5 mg does a significant relief for me. Had been suffering from depression and hypomanic episodes, but after taking only 5 mg of olanzapine, I feel completely different - no more mood swings at all. I feel like a normal person. This medication saved and even improved the quality of the life I'm living at the moment. Beside olanzapine, I got prescribed the antidepressant escitalopram, which also works great in treating bipolar disorder."

• eli...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 12, 2016

Olanzapine "I love Zyprexa (Olanzapine), it has calmed and removed my insanity. I no longer have panic attacks and irritability. I work in retail, and I have been in trouble several times with my managers because I snap at customers. But with Zyprexa, it all went away, it was amazing... BUT!!! I have to stop taking it because it caused SO MUCH weight gain. I used to weigh 170 lbs, and within a year, I now weigh 226 lbs. I don't even eat that much, and I still don't lose weight. There's no point in going to the gym and doing cardio because the pill prevents me from losing it. So now I have to ask my doctor to give me a medication that doesn't cause weight gain so I can lose the weight. I am so depressed that I have to stop taking it. It has worked wonders for me."

• Tkv...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 27, 2015

Olanzapine "This drug caused me a lot of problems. At first, it made my mania go away, but after a month on it, I developed very stiff muscles. I was given Cogentin, but that didn't help, and after two months, I became very spaced out, and my family said I was saying some weird stuff, but I couldn't remember. My pdoc finally took me off Zyprexa after four months when I showed her how stiff my muscles had become (walking a block was a chore) and told her my leg would start twitching by itself. Overall, a horrible experience."

• Hon...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 13, 2018

Olanzapine "Been on 20 mg a day for a couple of years. Been off of everything for about eight months. When I was taking it, I had zero issues with weight gain. Another huge benefit was that it reliably put me to sleep. Take my 20 mg football in the evening, and it’s lights out within two hours. But getting up in the morning was tough. Plus, it did slow me down mentally. I didn’t think it did, but I had a few old friends point out that I’m way slower than I used to be. Like most psych meds, it can work wonders for one patient and do more harm than good for another. Due to life’s circumstances, I had to quit cold turkey. Bad idea. Sleepless nights and all that... Thankfully, my condition is on a very mild end of the spectrum. You absolutely have to work with your doctor to find out what works best for YOU! All the best!"

• Orf...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 1, 2020

"I'm bipolar type 1 and was recently admitted to the hospital for a manic episode. When I got there, I was on several medications for my symptoms. When I got to the hospital, they gave me olanzapine, kept me on Dexedrine, and took me off the others. I’m very pleased with the olanzapine: no paranoid thoughts, I feel very calm and content. While I did gain 20 lbs so far, I also feel somehow more positive about myself, regardless of weight gain. The only real problem so far is I feel a bit sedated and tired, and it is making it difficult to stay awake and do things all day without going to sleep. For a bit, the doctor told me to take it at night instead, and my body should get used to it after a while anyway, and the sedative effect will be less of an issue. Overall, a total game changer for my mental health and quality of life. Would recommend to anyone who has issues with mania, paranoia, anxiety, and/or negative thoughts, as it makes me feel generally calm and positive."

• Ed ...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 26, 2016

Olanzapine "I took 3 mgs of Zyprexa, contained in Symbyax, nightly for about 6 years. The medicine worked well for the first 2 to 3 years. Around year four, I started having severe side effects and did not realize it was from the Zyprexa as it had been working so well. I suffered with increasing seizures for about three more years. Bad ones. I wound up in the hospital emergency room, and it was the ER doctor that informed me that the Zyprexa was causing the problem. My regular doctor denied Zyprexa as a contributing factor to my seizures. I quit the Zyprexa cold turkey. To say the least, it was an absolutely horrible experience. Wean off this drug over a long period of time, and even then, get ready for horrendous withdrawal symptoms after your last dose."

• Jad...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 26, 2014

Olanzapine "This medicine works really well as a mood stabilizer for me. The only major drawback is weight gain. I just can't control myself when the carb cravings happen. I am usually very much in control of my dietary habits, but on Zyprexa that just isn't possible. I also suffer from schizoaffective disorder and hear voices. Although Zyprexa suppresses them, it does not completely get rid of them in my case; they are quiet enough to tolerate, though. I have gained 35 pounds in less than about a month and a half. I am going to wean off of these and ask the psych-doc for something else."

• Dim...
• May 5, 2018

Olanzapine "Out of the 4 antipsychotics I tried, this one worked wonders for me. I was diagnosed back in 2011 for a psychotic episode and developed bipolar psychosis. Took 5 mg for years, and I was feeling great. The only thing is that I would have some tactile hallucinations but wouldn’t hear any voices. I would just feel like a crazy maniac who wouldn’t sleep for days before going on Zyprexa. Anyway, I went off of it, and then a year later I am here taking it again because I just can’t stand my anxiety, delusions, and mood swings. I mix it with Seroquel sometimes. Anyway, this drug works wonders. I don’t get an increased appetite. The only problem is that when I wake up, I don’t feel like eating anything, so I end up eating at 2 pm. The side effects for me are decreased appetite and some fatigue, but other than that, I can finally enjoy life again. Remember that it takes a few weeks for it to take full effects, and side effects do become more tolerable over time."

• Ter...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 11, 2019

Olanzapine "Started Zyprexa 7 years ago. I had never been happier. I laughed, enjoyed life, lost the paranoia - then my yearly physicals started showing my A1C was elevated, so I started on Metformin. I gained between 6-12 lbs/year (132-179). Now on a BP med. Suffer from dry mouth & tongue edema. I take 25 mg Benadryl every 4-6 hrs to prevent it. I've weaned down to 1/2 of 1.25 mg every 3rd night. I'm okay as long as I don't go past that 3rd night. If I try for 4, I pay dearly. It's like I've been hit by a Mack truck - the worst case of flu ever. I take the missed dose & 24-36 hrs later, I feel human again. This drug saved my life because I was suicidal, but also now I don't want to die of complications from the co-morbidities that I'm developing now because I can't get off it. The real kicker: Zyprexa affects your metabolism, so it's even harder to lose weight, and it interferes with how Metformin works, making it less effective. Talk about a double-edged sword. I may be on this for the rest of my life."

• lob...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 22, 2021

"Believe me, I tried to be med-free for years. I tried tapering off meds to see if I would be okay. Every time, my mental illness would come back with full force. If you need this medication, you need it. Those with bad experiences may not have had the mental illness that requires you to take it. I have bipolar disorder, and it has saved my life and prevented hospitalization. Try it with your doctor at a low dose if you are bipolar or have psychotic features. If you are just depressed or have another issue like OCD, it is likely not the correct medication for you. Work with your doctor to find what works for you. The only side effect I experience is some weight gain, but I've accepted that the weight gain was also due to eating habits and lack of exercise."

• Yay...
• December 6, 2016

Olanzapine "I had been so unwell off meds for over a year and vomiting daily due to bipolar. I thought vomiting was from physical illness. As soon as I started this med, all BP symptoms left, and my stomach is settled. No sexual side effects. Old me is back. No sides! Miracle drug! Weight gain for me will be a plus, not negative."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 6, 2019

"I take 10 mg of Olanzapine, which is generic for Zyprexa. I think Olanzapine is a great antidepressant and antipsychotic. It works great for manic depression episodes and stops the voices. A lot of people who are Bipolar Type II can benefit tremendously from this medication, as it stops all the voices and intrusive thoughts and makes you happier. Olanzapine also gives you a better, more hopeful outlook on life. I think this medication would be great and helpful for people with personality disorders, eating disorders, and body dysmorphic disorders. Olanzapine helps raise your self-esteem and makes you feel secure in life. It can also help you fall asleep sometimes!"

• Anonymous
• September 30, 2011

Olanzapine "I have been taking Zyprexa for about three years. Although it seems to help me restrain from the hyper-manic episodes, it seems to also hinder my personality. I feel like my spirit is being suppressed, and life for me is not as enjoyable. I do, however, feel it makes it easier for my loved ones, as I don't send them through my 'energetic' episodes that they say are more tiring for them. I, too, have gained a lot of extra weight, especially around the middle. I feel starved an hour after eating."

• TJa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 7, 2018

Olanzapine "Works great every time! I have rapid cycling bipolar, and this is the most effective out of all antipsychotics. Sometimes they put me off it, but every time I’m on it, it feels like a world of change, like my brain starts to function again."

• MT2...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 7, 2017

Olanzapine "I was diagnosed with psychotic depression for 7 months, and my psychiatrist put me on Zyprexa 5 mg. After using antidepressants, I got into mania. This medicine is a miracle. I was relieved in one week. I am still taking it, but I became a bit hesitant to continue due to some horrible reviews. Tried Invega and had suicidal thoughts. This medicine is great for mood in combination with Lamictal."

• Bet...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 25, 2018

Olanzapine "My psychiatrist put me on 10 mg of Zyprexa and 20 mg of Prozac. He said those two meds are supposed to work well together. After two months, I was still feeling depressed, so he increased the Zyprexa to 15 mg. This has been a miracle drug for me. I fall asleep within 30 minutes of taking it and sleep very well, except it is difficult to wake up in the morning. I set three alarms around my bedroom. One I have to physically get out of bed to turn off, so it helps me get up. But that side effect is getting better after two months of taking Zyprexa. I no longer have ruminating thoughts or bouts of rage. My mood is very even. I have had some weight gain due to the med making me feel hungry all the time. Now I'm trying to drink water instead of eating, and that seems to help."

• Mar...
• June 25, 2015

Olanzapine "If I could give this a zero rating, I would... I was put on this medicine at 16, and it intensified all my issues..... It made me go into constant fits of rage, and I gained almost 50 pounds... By far the worst medicine I've taken."

• pre...
• March 7, 2010

Olanzapine "I have been diagnosed with bipolar for 15 years and for the first time experienced a manic state beyond anything I imagined or experienced before. I was suffering from severe paranoia and psychosomatic symptoms. Zyprexa is a Godsend, and I am happy with it. My major problem with it is the morning hangovers I feel. I have gained weight, but desperately needed to do so."

• Ron...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 21, 2022

Olanzapine "I've been battling depression and bipolar disorder for over 25 years. Tried everything under the sun, and nothing really made me feel like a normal person until olanzapine. I started a year ago and was on 2.5 milligrams for 6 months, and then bumped it up to 5 milligrams currently. The only drawback is weight gain (15 lbs), but I'm feeling well enough to start exercising and should get back to a healthy weight soon. This medication is a lifesaver."

• Anonymous
• December 9, 2009

Olanzapine "I've been taking Zyprexa for almost 3 years now. It has been wonderful for me and my family. I had tried so many different medicines that I had given up. I now hardly have any mood swings, and I can sleep at night. The downside is that I have gained a lot of weight, but to make me easy to live with for my family, it's worth it!"