Olanzapine for Schizophrenia User Reviews (Page 2)

• Mom...
• November 4, 2020

"My son suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and has been on olanzapine for 3 months. After a month, the medicine took effect, and he seemed calmer and less delusional. But it lost its effectiveness by the third month, and he started talking aggressively, delusional, irritable, uncontrollable movement in his mouth, lack of sleep, and then he had a seizure recently! Olanzapine is only a temporary short-term fix, and it can possibly cause brain damage. I wouldn't recommend it at all."

• Bil...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 9, 2021

Olanzapine "I have schizophrenia. I was on 40 mg of Zyprexa for 14 years, lots of side effects such as 70 lbs weight gain, high cholesterol and triglycerides, diabetes, and it made me sleep like you wouldn't believe, 10-12 hours a night. But it did work well for my anxiety and psychosis. However, after 14 years, it lost effectiveness. I started having hallucinations again. It took me 3 years of a slow taper to get off it, and the withdrawals have still been a nightmare, all kinds of weird symptoms (which have all disappeared now) but the main problems remaining are anxiety and insomnia. I never had insomnia problems before or during the use of this medication. I've been off it for almost 2 months now and am still experiencing anxiety and insomnia. I was switched to Latuda, which is a phenomenal medication, no side effects and total effectiveness for my schizophrenia."

• Wil...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 30, 2016

"This drug calmed me down within an hour. Thoughts became more moderate in most respects over a longer period of time. Having been taking it for four years, my cognitive skills have improved due to improved social functioning. My advice is to give it a chance. Be prepared to tolerate some physical drawbacks for the sake of improved mental functioning and cognitive gains based on stability of mind. It is true that some forcefulness will be lost from your thoughts, but you may want this. Depending on your state of mind, this drug could be a lifesaver."

• Nut...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 13, 2016

Olanzapine "An amazing medication considering the earlier antipsychotics available. I think it's more expensive, which could affect availability. I do suffer from shaky hands, but it's the only side effect noticed. I take 20 mg at night, it doesn't make me sleepy, no weight gain, or hangover effect. Don't increase the dose, it doesn't help, it just gives restless legs, and I was informed it's dangerous to increase."

• Dru...
• February 15, 2020

Olanzapine "I was on Zyprexa for 1 month and 1 week, and in that time, I gained 20+ pounds and did not help with any of the symptoms I was having. Didn't help with voices, delusions, paranoia. Nothing. Was really a complete waste of time, and to top it off, ruined how I look. (I used to be a very thin 160-pound male and am now 220...) That's from all the antipsychotics I've tried combined, Zyprexa being the worst one for weight. I give Zyprexa a 2 only because it did sedate me a bit, relieving anxiety. I'm now on Loxapine, which is supposed to be weight neutral, but I'm still putting weight on from that a bit."

• fir...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 29, 2017

"I have had a long history of depression, despair, and anguish. For a long period of time, I felt like I had failed. I was dying, not physically, but we are more than physical creatures. I used to be extremely intense. This culminated in a psychotic episode, and I was institutionalized in a psychiatric ward. I was told by a doctor to take Zyprexa on the first night. Following this, the next couple of days were a blur, waking to eat and take medication is all I remember. Long story short, I have had the happiest, most productive, and most stable years of my life, although I don't feel as intellectually sharp as once. It is a small price to pay, I feel. But I am considering lowering my dose. Currently on 10 mg at night."

• Jay...
• April 16, 2023

"Olanzapine saved my life. I have been on haloperidol, but the side effects were unbearable. I have also been on depot, also, side effects were unbearable. Been taking olanzapine for 4 years with no side effects."

• Ste...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 1, 2012

Olanzapine "I have tried many meds: Seroquel, Risperidone, Abilify. Seroquel had me peeing all night long, burning sensation like a urinary tract infection. Abilify sex was good but gave me anxiety, fast heart rate, lightheaded feeling, fainting, and insomnia. So far, Zyprexa is the best for me. Sex is okay, having a problem with sensual sensation, dizzy sometimes. Now I am on 2.5 mg, I still feel dizzy. Even without it, you feel better if you take the pill. Weight gain: 30 lb. Triglycerides high."

• elu...
• September 28, 2018

Olanzapine "I took this medication for 9 months before the voices in my head went away. I continued taking this medication for two years. I'm still not convinced that this medication had anything to do with the voices going away. I think if it were effective, the voices would have stopped sooner. I also always felt sedated and never had any motivation to do anything. I used to be the person who always read all of the recent news and was well-informed, but this medication turned me into a lazy and ill-informed person. I also used to run and do yoga often, but this medication made me have no motivation to do those things anymore. I gained 40 lbs on Zyprexa. I just started taking Latuda two weeks ago, and I have already lost 10 lbs and I feel like I have much more energy and motivation. The only issue is that now I have insomnia from Zyprexa withdrawal. I wish my doctors would have originally prescribed Latuda instead of Zyprexa so I wouldn't have had to deal with the withdrawal."

• Bel...
• April 27, 2021

Olanzapine "I am very grateful for Zyprexa. I had a very scary problem of not being able to sleep for a long time, resulting in psychosis. This happened twice in my life within a couple of years of each other. The first time they put me on Haldol and Depakote. I was in so much pain I could not move, and at the same time, the Depakote gave me horrible shakes and no filter when talking. Worst of all, I still had a lot of trouble sleeping. I was lucky enough to taper off them completely eventually, and my sleep returned to normal. However, two years later, I lost my job and could not sleep, the same thing happens. I was put on 5 mg Zyprexa and 10 mg Lexapro. In less than a week, I was stable and sleeping (very) well. Yes, I gained weight, but I have learned to control it. I am now doing well and down to 2.5 mg. I think the key is a smaller dosage. I read some people have 15 mg, I think I would have a lot of trouble with side effects too if it was that much. Maybe ask your doctor if you can do 5 mg or less."

• Cat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 5, 2018

Olanzapine "While I am schizoaffective, I was put on 2.5 mg (now 5 mg) of Zyprexa for intractable insomnia after averaging 2 or 3 nights a week without sleeping. I now go without sleep only once a week. I also sleep much deeper. Unfortunately, I have gained 2.5 lbs a month on it and have gone from normal blood sugar to circling pre-diabetic. My doctor put me on 7.5 mg briefly, but my appetite was unreal. I wish I could take more, but I've already put on 30 lbs. I can't say if it has impacted my psychosis, as the other antipsychotic was working when I started on this. I think it helps with my anxiety. I sometimes take an extra pill when I have an anxiety attack. It helps, but maybe it is the placebo effect."

• bww...
• March 4, 2012

Olanzapine "The medicine brought my wife's symptoms under control, finally. Was very sedating to the tune of her sleeping 14 hours per day. We are trying Invega instead, but Zyprexa is always the fallback plan because it works."

• IG...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 16, 2018

"The drug is not entirely good. Like most other drugs, it has its own good and its bad. For me, I've been on it for 11 months now, and I can assure you, it wasn't easy at first. But now I'm used to it. It relieved all my symptoms, and I'm doing fine. I had to change my mindset and accept the diagnosis of schizophrenia before it actually started to show its effectiveness. Nothing good comes easy. No matter how hard, if you face your fears with courage, there is certainly light at the end of the tunnel. Just be true to yourself."

• Blu...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 29, 2020

"Olanzapine is a sick joke and should never be given to humans. Full stop. It causes catastrophic weight gain. So if you want your six-pack to disappear and you walking around like a no-life with extra weight, take this."

• Lor...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 16, 2019

"Don’t know what would have happened if I hadn’t been put on olanzapine. I was in a terrible state, seeing things, hearing things, suicidal and a complete mess. Olanzapine has saved my life. Yes, I’ve gained weight, but hey ho, I’m better."

• Lia...
• August 23, 2015

"I have been on this medicine for about 2-3 weeks now, and although I missed a dose a couple of times, it has helped me greatly. Before going onto this medicine, I was awake for 3 days straight with racing thoughts, extreme anxiety, and agitation. I still have anxiety, but I feel more calm and collected. In terms of treating psychosis, I have given this medicine a 7/10 (so far) because although I am getting some paranoid thoughts still, it has enabled me to think more clearly and rationalize them better. They are nowhere near as intense as they were before starting this medicine. I was talking to objects and saying strange things to myself in the mirror, this no longer happens, and I feel more 'normal.' This medicine is great in a number of ways."

• Dar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 17, 2017

"My quality of life has improved significantly on this medication. It has calmed my voices a lot and helps me to sleep at night. The weight gain is a problem, but I guess I don't mind it because I am feeling so much better. The hallucinations and delusions are less frequent, and I can think clearly and get on with other things. I also don't wake up with that hangover-like effect in the morning. I think I have found my miracle drug."

• Han...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 19, 2020

Olanzapine "Zyprexa worked for me to some extent. My paranoid thoughts and anxiety almost completely went away, however, I had some negative side effects. One major negative side effect was weight gain. This caused me to feel very insecure about myself. I had very poor eating habits, and I would crave foods that I wouldn't normally crave, especially at nighttime. I'm not sure if this is common or uncommon, but while I was taking Zyprexa, I felt emotionally numb. I couldn't feel emotions like I did prior to taking the medication. My sleep was also regulated while taking this medication, but I would sleep for long hours and would have difficulty waking up in the morning. I don't take Zyprexa anymore. It did help with some of my side effects relating to my mental illness, which I am glad about, but I feel that it caused negative effects in other aspects. I think we need to weigh the pros and cons because most medications won't be 'perfect' without any side effects."

• Czr...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 17, 2019

Olanzapine "I was on 15 mg of Zyprexa, and it completely got rid of all my symptoms. The only complaints I have are weight gain and sedation. I gained 70 lbs in a 6-month period and slept for 14 hours every night. My cholesterol went over the maximum limit, and my blood sugar rose to a level that made me a prediabetic. Other than that, I would try this drug again."

• vos...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 14, 2017

Olanzapine "Although it started off good, this med slowly made me develop akathisia to the point of it being unbearable. I started off on 10 mg, and it was increased to 15 mg. By the end of it, I wanted to amputate my legs just to make the feeling go away. I was 24/7 agitated, restless, constantly pacing around and fidgeting, getting into arguments, and screaming at people. My doctor prescribed clonazepam, but it did nothing to take it away. Eventually, I had enough and stopped taking Zyprexa altogether, and within only 3 days, all of these symptoms disappeared, and I was back to normal. By the end of it, even though I was only on it for 3 weeks, I had gained 30 pounds. Awful experience."

• bha...
• July 18, 2017

"I used to hear conversations that were not real. I used to think people were actually following me and everybody knew what I was doing. In other words, I felt very uncertain about my privacy. I have taken olanzapine for almost a year. I have completely recovered from hallucinations. I am still taking medications, though. I am from Nepal."

• Cat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 30, 2020

Olanzapine "I take 10 mg of Zyprexa in the morning and at night. I use 1 mg of Cogentin morning and night to stop side effects. Then I use 50 mg of Vistaril for my anxiety. But Zyprexa makes me feel worse. The voices are still there. I'm more paranoid. I've gained 20 lbs in 1 month. My appetite has increased. I have tremors throughout the day. Plus, the Vistaril doesn't help much with my anxiety. I can't wait to see my doctor and get something else! I wouldn't recommend this medicine to nobody from my experience. But each person is different."

• Ger...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 9, 2025

Olanzapine "Greetings everyone, this medicine has brought me back to life. I used to give strangers the evil eye when walking down the street, now I don't. This medicine has allowed me to not go back to jail. Without it, I would be on drugs and homeless. It's not perfect, so my doctor has prescribed me Prozac to fight the depression. Thank you for reading."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 29, 2022

Olanzapine "I lost my soul on this… I was prescribed it for being underweight and having a first psychotic episode. This managed to get rid of the catatonia and delusions which I held for a pretty long time. I gained like my entire body weight on it (60 lbs), so I was twice as heavy. Olanzapine made the negative symptoms (anhedonia) much worse and absolutely shattered my confidence. I lost my intellect on this and became a shell of my former self. I completely stopped taking it and since will not touch any medicine besides Geodon and Prozac."

• Str...
• January 15, 2021

"This drug olanzapine has not helped me at all. My OB-GYN put me back on this medicine when I had my baby so I won’t get sick again, but I didn’t have any symptoms and I wasn’t taking anything for 2 years before I was pregnant or while I was pregnant. This is the worst medicine I have ever taken. It takes all of your energy away, I was paranoid taking the medicine, and I was so lazy. I don’t know who made this drug, but it made me feel slow. I wouldn’t recommend this drug to anyone."