Olanzapine and Anxiety: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Bre...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 31, 2021

Olanzapine for Depression "Do not take this medication unless you have a very specific need for it, namely, schizophrenia. I've struggled with severe depression, anxiety, and sleep issues for more than 8 years and was prescribed this because my psychiatrist had nothing left to try. While it did help my sleep and anxiety for about 4 months, it had diminishing returns to the point that it ended up making my sleep and anxiety worse, along with the depression. I'm 4 months off this drug and life is an utter nightmare. I can't completely blame this drug for my current state as I've been constantly going downhill for years, but this drug definitely overall made me feel worse. Beware if you have sleep issues, because this might help for a little while but will likely stop at some point and your brain will no longer be able to get into deep sleep on its own. I guess if you're suicidal, maybe then it's worth a go because what do you have to lose?"

• Inf...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 24, 2018

Olanzapine "Zyprexa is a miracle drug for DR/DP (derealization/depersonalization) episode episodes. I take the dissolving tablets, 5 mg. Has never seemed to fail me. Always puts me back in my body and back into my head and on planet Earth. Takes away the anxiety too and seems to manage PTSD-related thoughts when they are associated/at the same time, and I feel human again. Not something clonazepam or anything else can do. I only take it as a PRN though... maybe 2-3x/month max, to 4x/year on average depending on stress and other triggering factors. Would probably not take daily, as weight gain is a side effect (Abilify is a great alternative if needed daily). Besides that, this is a miracle drug for me."

• Kip...
• December 16, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "Diagnosed bipolar. I took 10 mg nightly for mania/psychosis. Was great for the first month, but then depression started to sink in, followed by insomnia and debilitating anxiety that brought me back to the hospital several times. It took 5 mg Ativan to stop the anxiety; I was so drugged up I drove off the road. I was put on 2 mg Klonopin but developed a tolerance. What a mess. I finally went back to the source of my depression and anxiety attacks, and they first occurred when I was just on Olanzapine. Tried to wean off, got rebound anxiety. Currently, I’m weaning off Olanzapine AND Benzos onto gabapentin. What a mess. This drug turned me into an anhedonic, amotivated ball of depression and anxiety. If this happens to you, get off it as soon as you notice you are going downhill. Don’t wait 5 months like I did."

• Kip...
• December 16, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "Diagnosed bipolar. I took 10 mg nightly for mania/psychosis. Was great for the first month, but then depression started to sink in, followed by insomnia and debilitating anxiety that brought me back to the hospital several times. It took 5 mg Ativan to stop the anxiety; I was so drugged up I drove off the road. I was put on 2 mg Klonopin but developed a tolerance. What a mess. I finally went back to the source of my depression and anxiety attacks, and they first occurred when I was just on Olanzapine. Tried to wean off, got rebound anxiety. Currently, I’m weaning off Olanzapine AND Benzos onto gabapentin. What a mess. This drug turned me into an anhedonic, amotivated ball of depression and anxiety. If this happens to you, get off it as soon as you notice you are going downhill. Don’t wait 5 months like I did."

• Gin...
• August 31, 2021

For Depression "This drug ruined my life, impossible to come out of it. I had severe insomnia, hardly any sleep for 4 weeks, the anxiety was out of this world. I’ve never felt so poorly in my life. Please read a lot before you take this poison, it should be only given to people who really need it, not for sleeping problems. I’m now seeing a psychiatrist to help me out of this mess. I used it for 7 years on 2.5 mg. Once you're on it, it's impossible to get off, even if you tapered it slowly. The insomnia is horrific, it’s like the body forgot how to sleep by itself, awful. Please do not take."

• Anx...
• June 12, 2022

Olanzapine for Bipolar Disorder "I was put on Zyprexa for intrusive thoughts and depression. I have been on it for 14 months. Started weaning myself off of it a week ago. It caused me to develop akathisia, worsened depression and anxiety. My insomnia also became worse. I can already tell a difference in my weight gain (have lost 2 lbs since weaning). This and Zoloft are the worst medications I have ever taken. I need to be put back on Xanax, but I do not want rebound anxiety or withdrawals when I stop taking it, as it's only supposed to be taken short-term. Pharma needs to make a med with no side effects that will ease depression and take away anxiety. I think they are capable, they just don't want to lose the money they are making from us taking these awful drugs hoping they will help us."

• Anonymous
• April 7, 2021

For Anorexia "Had a horrible experience with this medication. Caused me horrible pain and suffering. Increased constipation and worse mood. This medication causes tardive dyskinesia, horrible anxiety, and memory loss. This medication will decrease your quality of life and lifespan. We need to stop Big Pharma from manufacturing this stuff."

• Len...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 10, 2022

Olanzapine for Bipolar Disorder "I had this a few days ago in the hospital for extreme mood swings and anger due to bipolar. I took half a pill that dissolves under your tongue, and it made me feel MUCH WORSE! Within 20 minutes of taking this garbage, I became insanely sleepy, dazed, I was slobbering and slurring when I was talking. It made me even more angrier and anxious. I had intense restless legs and arms and facial tics. My legs would randomly kick and jerk up in the air. I had awful dreams and couldn’t stay asleep at night. I couldn’t stop stuffing my face, and I gained 4 lbs since the day I took it, which was on Monday. I took a Xanax yesterday because I had another episode where I was irate, all because I dropped something. I took this particular medication once in 2018 and for the first time in 2013, and it always made me irrationally angry, hungry, anxious, and unreasonable. Never again."

• ARa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 28, 2020

For Schizophrenia "I got put on olanzapine. Lasted only 5 days on it, then I stopped, had to, couldn't handle not being able to sit still at all. Plus, it made my anxiety worse and had the worst nightmares ever that I wasn't having before, and they stopped when I stopped the olanzapine."

• Mal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 24, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "This medication got rid of my sex life and made me very anxious, depressed, and after a few months it no longer made me sleepy, and I had difficulty staying asleep. To me, the side effects outweighed the little benefits I got."

• Can...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 26, 2021

Olanzapine for Schizophrenia "I was on Zyprexa for minor auditory hallucinations and sleep. I was on it for more than 5 months and gained 40 lbs! I was only on 5 mg, and for a few months, I was even advised to half my dose! This medication made me feel irritated, flat, and moving around was heavier than usual. I became paranoid and had delusions, but didn’t believe them. I just wanted to stay in bed or not leave the house. The voices told me unbelievable thoughts, and I worried a lot too. It did help me sleep. The voices did become more non-existent or lowered; however, at times I could still hear them lowered to an extent. The weight gain is not worth it! I used to be so active and weighed 125 before I started Zyprexa. Now I am 170 lbs! I need a new medication to help the auditory hallucinations that will not repeat my thoughts aloud or lower them. I tried Vraylar at 1.5 mg. The auditory hallucinations completely went away; however, the side effects sent me to the hospital. Please help!!!"

• Ski...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 6, 2021

For Depression "I'm on a small dose, 10 mg cut in half. Today I woke up and felt something missing. It was that anxious feeling. I actually felt like getting up. I've had a good day, and I'm looking forward to many more."

• CRI...
• September 27, 2015

"I have been struggling with depression and terrible anxiety/panic attacks since June 2015. It got so bad I couldn't leave the house in fear of having a panic attack, which is what happens when this horrid condition takes place. Anyway, I was lying in bed, had no appetite, racing thoughts, scared to take care of my children, afraid to be alone, etc. The list goes on and on. I lost 20 lbs between June and September 2015. With all this being said, I have 6-year-old b/g twins, and I couldn't continue to keep going like this. I have to be a mother to my children. I've been on 40 mgs of escitalopram since June and went to the ER with a bad panic attack, my husband took me. The ER doctor put me on 5 mg of Zyprexa, and my life has changed dramatically, I'm me again!!"

• hol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 7, 2023

For Paranoid Disorder "I started Zyprexa at 2.5 mg for something to take the edge off anxiety since I have done well on atypical antipsychotics before. I had been through the wringer in terms of stressful life events and was willing to try anything. It did help with disordered thinking, some intrusive thoughts, and visual disturbances, but after a few days, it increased my anxiety every time I took it (within half an hour). I was having a hard time distinguishing whether that was from me or the med until I realized the pattern. The brain fog you read about is REAL, and I became even more dissociated on this than before I started. This is a heavy antipsychotic, so it will work that fast on symptoms, but remember it is an antipsychotic first! You can research for yourself just how many receptors this works on -- like, all of them -- it is a chemical lobotomy, to put it nicely. I would have liked it if not for the extra anxiety and dissociating, too much."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 23, 2017

Olanzapine for Schizophrenia "Zyprexa doesn't work well with any antidepressants - be careful - but it can work used together with lithium, Depakote, or lamotrigine. The serotonin-guided antidepressants activate mania and rapid thinking and fuel anxiety. Drugs such as Lexapro - taken with antipsychotics - can be a nightmare. In mixed diagnostics such as schizoaffective, there are many bypasses and alternate routes - i.e., I take a minimum of Risperdal, which helps with an additional foundation for more centeredness and 'structure,' and keeps my head clearer on 1.5 mgs; and I also take 300 mgs Seroquel XR to act not only as a bipolar safe keeper but also as an antidepressant. If you're looking for Olanzapine with an antidepressant edge, try bipolar meds."

• Don...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 22, 2021

For Schizophrenia "This medicine gave me nightmares, palpitations, extreme anxiety, and chest pains. Gave me racing thoughts worse than before. I am not even schizophrenic, just traumatized from life events. I put on loads of weight as you want to eat like a pig and end up being a slob with poor concentration. This is an awful drug, it causes high blood pressure and diabetes. Do not take this if you value your life."

• Har...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 28, 2021

"My doctor wanted me to cut down on alprazolam, which I have been taking for 30-plus years. My alprazolam was cut in half, and I was given olanzapine 2.5 mg to take at night. My life went into a nightmare, I turned into a zombie and didn’t want to do anything anymore. After 14 months on this drug, I told my doctor I wanted off. I was told to taper down for two weeks, so I did. After I stopped completely, the withdrawal started. Anxiety like I had never had before, couldn’t sleep, and wanted to die, or rather didn’t care if I did. Now I have been off of olanzapine for two months and still suffer every day. Please don’t take this drug, it has ruined my once controlled anxiety and made my life a nightmare. I can only hope I get back to where I was before I was given this drug."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 17, 2015

For Borderline Personality Disorder "Had a few paranoid, weird thoughts while weaning off slowly from 5 mg to 2.5 mg Zyprexa. So my doc has given me some time off work and bumped up my dose to 10 mg. It hasn't been long enough for me to notice a change in my thoughts, just a bit less anxious."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 17, 2015

For Borderline Personality Disorder "Had a few paranoid, weird thoughts while weaning off slowly from 5 mg to 2.5 mg Zyprexa. So my doc has given me some time off work and bumped up my dose to 10 mg. It hasn't been long enough for me to notice a change in my thoughts, just a bit less anxious."

• amy...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 21, 2022

For Agitation "I was out on this while having an anxiety attack. I was misdiagnosed as psychotic and put on this horrific med. It screwed up my life for a year. Confusion, worse anxiety, drugged feeling, non-rational thoughts. My doc took me off, and I crashed, had to go to the hospital, and I was only on 10 mg a day. The hospital tried to put me back on it, and I refused. It’s been a month, and I still feel like it changed me permanently. Maybe it works for people who need it, but it will mess you up if you don’t."

• Iha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 6, 2022

For Bipolar Disorder "I was sectioned in the hospital about 3 months ago and was forced to take this drug at 15 mg each night. It causes depression, anxiety, massive weight gain of 50 lbs within 1.5 months, it makes you diabetic, eradicates your sleep quality so you never feel rested, and feels like you’re on MDMA. The side effects of withdrawal have been feeling low (suicidal), complete insomnia, and I can’t sleep at all and sleep all day and never feel rested, and brain damage that God knows how long will take to heal. I really don't like this drug with my whole soul and being, it just shrinks your cortex so you can’t think about anything, let alone depression or mania - you’re just dumb!"

• Kim...
• July 24, 2024

For Bipolar Disorder "I have just been prescribed this drug. I'm starting it tonight. You all have scared me to death, but with my bipolar disorder, with mania and depression along with anxiety, I am up three to four days at a time, and I'm going crazy, literally. I need sleep, and I need to calm my nerves. I've also been prescribed an anxiety medication. I am also diabetic and on Olympic. I am hoping this helps. They've also prescribed me Vistaril, so with this combination, I am hoping I get help. I'm probably going to be on this long term, so I guess I don't have to worry about withdrawals. I am under the supervision of a psychiatrist. I'm in a small country town with not many options, so I have to rely on the resources that are available to me. I've been without medication, or I should say the medication has stopped working that I was on for like a decade, so I've been going out of my mind and have been hiding out for a couple of months, dealing with things on my own, not very well. So I welcome the help!"

• Ali...
• November 14, 2014

For Depression "I'm on 20 milligrams of Zyprexa at night. I wake up recharged every day. I used to wake up 15 times every night, now I wake up twice a night. It also helps with anxiety."

• Tim...
• September 11, 2019

For Depression "I just wish to cry and let out my emotions, but I cannot. I sit there trying, but can't. Want to get off olanzapine. Been feeling overwhelmed and anxious. Feel really terrible."

• Tim...
• September 11, 2019

For Depression "I just wish to cry and let out my emotions, but I cannot. I sit there trying, but can't. Want to get off olanzapine. Been feeling overwhelmed and anxious. Feel really terrible."