Olanzapine and Drowsiness: What Users Say (Page 2)

• cho...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 17, 2015

Olanzapine for Schizoaffective Disorder "I've been on Zyprexa since 2006. Although it causes weight gain, I've decided to weight train or do cardio for an hour every day, which is helping. The weight can continue, but from my experience, it was only when I was inactive. I also feel a little sedated, but that doesn't keep me from doing things. The hallucinations are about 90% gone. Overall, Zyprexa works for me, as it's one of the two drugs that worked because most of the other drugs I tried were not effective, reacted with my skin, or did nothing."

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

Olanzapine for Bipolar Disorder "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."

• elu...
• September 28, 2018

Olanzapine for Schizophrenia "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."

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

For Bipolar Disorder "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."

• bww...
• March 4, 2012

Olanzapine for Schizophrenia "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."

• gt1...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 25, 2022

For Borderline Personality Disorder "I've struggled for years to get a proper diagnosis and the correct medication. I was diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) 3 weeks ago and started on Zyprexa 5 mg, recently upped to 10 mg, and it has changed my life. While I'm slightly groggy and lightheaded some days, the benefits of this medication are well worth it. Zyprexa gave me my life back and took away my anxiety. I highly recommend."

• Ean...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 1, 2021

For Insomnia "This medication is an absolute lifesaver. I was so scared to try it, and I’ve been on a laundry list of other meds for insomnia, and nothing worked. I went from having disrupted shallow sleep for a couple of hours every night to sleeping through the entire evening, waking up after 8-9 hours feeling rested without any side effects aside from some very mild daytime sleepiness, which is a trade-off I'm more than willing to accept right now. Give this a try if you’re on the fence about it. I’m taking 5mg at night, and that dose works like a charm for me."

• min...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 12, 2012

For Depression "My mother has had major depressive disorder for over 45 years. She was taking Orap and fluoxetine for most of that time, but the Orap was causing Parkinson's-like symptoms. Discontinuing Orap can produce other symptoms, of which my mother had chomping of her jaw and excess salivation. Abilify controlled these other symptoms but did nothing for her depression, resulting in auditory hallucinations. My mother was switched to olanzapine, which is controlling the depression symptoms. She is currently taking 2.5 mg upon waking, 2.5 mg in mid-afternoon, and 7.5 mg at bedtime. Olanzapine causes sleepiness, so normally would be taken only at night, but the daytime dosages were in hopes of controlling the post-Orap symptoms."

• Aus...
• March 31, 2021

For Insomnia "I was given 2.5 mg of generic Zyprexa for insomnia and anxiety. After the first night, I noticed quickly that I only needed half a pill, 1.75 mg. 2.5 mg knocked me out cold, and I had a hard time getting up to pee midway through the night. The next day was sleepiness and fatigue that is only comparable to high doses of Lunesta or Ambien. I also had a hard time with thoughts and speech. When I tried half a pill the next day, it was much more tolerable. Good luck with this med if you are given it."

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

Olanzapine for Schizophrenia "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."

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 8, 2017

For Bipolar Disorder "I initially started on 5 mg, and after 2 weeks, my doctor put me on 10 mg. I feel fantastic. My mind doesn't race anymore, and I'm finally sleeping all night long. Short-lived groggy feeling in the morning, I make myself get up and move, that seems to work the best. The suicidal thoughts are gone, and I just feel really good. No weight gain yet, but I do exercise 3-4 times a week. Only noticeable side effect is I seem to be thirstier and have a dry mouth. For my Zyprexa, it has been amazing!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 12, 2020

For Depression "Olanzapine at first made me so sedated I couldn't function well, but it was better than my racing thoughts, anxiety, and depression from it all. Olanzapine calmed my mind eventually. I've messed with the dose a couple of times, but I've been on it now for almost a month. No weight gain, I think my hair is thinning a bit, but that could also be due to stress from being anxious 24/7. I also take 20 mg of Prozac as well, which I'm in the beginning three weeks of taking, and my anxiety has soared, hoping all of my anxiety goes away or at least is manageable so I can function normally and irrational thoughts and fears go away. I will be posting again after I've been on both medications for a month or so. Hopefully, this helps other people! Also, PS, when my Olanzapine dose went down, I had terrible shaking, did anyone else on here have that?"

• Sle...
• March 24, 2016

Olanzapine for Insomnia "I have been prescribed Zyprexa 10 mg just two days ago. It was prescribed for insomnia and an extra medication for my depression. I have not slept as well as I was told I would. I have had major restlessness in my legs and arms to where I haven't slept well at all. I have felt very drowsy during the day. I have also tried Ambien, which also gave me restlessness in my legs. Not sure if this is the right one for me either. Maybe I just need more time? I have noticed I am eating more throughout the day. Not worried about that so much since I need to put on some weight."

• Sjf...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 7, 2018

For Depression "I was on olanzapine and fluoxetine for depression, and it helped with my depression, but the olanzapine was far too sedating and made me feel emotionally numb and indifferent. I was also on Vyvanse for ADD at the time, and it essentially eliminated the effect of the Vyvanse. It also increased my appetite significantly, and I ended up putting on 10 lbs in a month and a half, so I stopped taking it and had no issues with any withdrawal symptoms. Overall, it helped with my depression somewhat, but it didn’t give me any benefit apart from being not depressed and emotionally numb."

• Ola...
• February 10, 2018

For Depression "Olanzapine isn't as bad as it is depicted by many people here, which I guess is mostly because I've been on it only for 3 weeks and on a fairly low dose of 5 mg. The positive effects I've found are that it suppresses unnecessary and stressful circling thoughts and makes you focus on reality. On the other hand, it has subtle side effects such as sleepiness and fatigue (when first taking it), weight gain (which is I guess sorta good in my case since I'm underweight), and some slight extrapyramidal symptoms and spasms. It can also make you feel emotionless, like your head is empty and you keep zoning out in the middle of things. All in all, I suppose this drug would be useful for some other conditions, but this one isn't for me; I think I've been misdiagnosed."

• Bip...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 1, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "I'm bipolar 1 and have been through a bunch of different meds. Zyprexa was the first med I tried to get me down from a manic episode, which worked, but I went off of it because it was way too sedating. I was on 10 mg, then 5 mg. When I went off of it, I had a lot of anxiety from withdrawal. I then tried Rexulti, which messed up my sleep and gave me anxiety, and even when I went off of it, I was still waking up every day at 4 am and had awful anxiety. Then I tried Seroquel and Vraylar (bad restlessness). Finally, I decided to try Zyprexa again, but this time at 2.5 mg (subtherapeutic dose), and although I'm groggy in the morning, I overall am really happy with my choice. I fall asleep at 12 and sleep like a baby till 9 and don't have the awful anxiety in my chest anymore. I would say Zyprexa can be a great drug at a very low dose. I'm definitely more chilled out, but I prefer that to being anxious and unable to sleep."

• Bip...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 1, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "I'm bipolar 1 and have been through a bunch of different meds. Zyprexa was the first med I tried to get me down from a manic episode, which worked, but I went off of it because it was way too sedating. I was on 10 mg, then 5 mg. When I went off of it, I had a lot of anxiety from withdrawal. I then tried Rexulti, which messed up my sleep and gave me anxiety, and even when I went off of it, I was still waking up every day at 4 am and had awful anxiety. Then I tried Seroquel and Vraylar (bad restlessness). Finally, I decided to try Zyprexa again, but this time at 2.5 mg (subtherapeutic dose), and although I'm groggy in the morning, I overall am really happy with my choice. I fall asleep at 12 and sleep like a baby till 9 and don't have the awful anxiety in my chest anymore. I would say Zyprexa can be a great drug at a very low dose. I'm definitely more chilled out, but I prefer that to being anxious and unable to sleep."

• TyA...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 28, 2018

For Schizoaffective Disorder "So far, all I have read about this medication are negative comments, but for me, Olanzapine has been a lifesaver! I have tried so many medications for my schizoaffective disorder (bipolar type), and some of them have worked somewhat, or I have had too many side effects to the point I could not tolerate it. The only side effect I have got from the Olanzapine is drowsiness, which isn’t a problem for me because I take it a few hours before bedtime. Before this medication, I would hallucinate a few times a week and would sometimes go into full-blown psychosis and have to be hospitalized. Now that I have been taking this medicine for a few months, I have only hallucinated once, but my psychiatrist increased the dosage, and most of my symptoms have gone away. I would definitely recommend this medication, but just make sure you exercise a few days a week. My psychiatrist told me about the possibility of weight gain, but so far that hasn’t happened."

• Sha...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 6, 2019

Olanzapine for Bipolar Disorder "This medication, Zyprexa, has helped me out a lot for my bipolar. The biggest downside is being tired a lot, but sleep is very important. Once I take it, I can’t do anything at all and force myself to stay in bed. I can sleep for a long time and feel very groggy in the morning. I did not gain any weight whatsoever on Zyprexa. I suggest that people listen to their doctor and give it a try. I’ve been on it for a little over 2 years and staying on 2.5 MG for 'maintenance.' I am in remission now. Unfortunately, it doesn’t do much for anxiety, so you will absolutely have to continue seeking treatment for that if you have any anxiety issues."

• Don...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 24, 2014

For Bipolar Disorder "Took 40 mg per day for about a year before I really 'came back to life.' It helped me sleep but was too sedating overall. It helped me reverse anorexia, but I doubled my weight (gained 93 lbs in a few months). It did stop the psychosis. Was able to feel emotions again after years of numbness. Took varying doses for 17 years and had a very hard time getting off it when the time was right. Have been off 5 months now and am considering starting again because of severe insomnia and mood swings. Hate the weight gain and lethargy."

• Nic...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 4, 2021

Olanzapine for Schizophrenia "I took this yesterday, and that will probably be my first and LAST time taking it EVER!!! I got this garbage back in March of this year for schizophrenia and anxiety. I took it once on March 28, and I had a horrible experience! I was super sleepy, more annoyed, and hungry like a bottomless pit! I went from a small cute 123 lbs, where I was in shape and everything, where I looked my BEST so far in my adult life, and my weight went all the way up to 178!! I feel so gross now. I weighed 178 by May 1 of this year due to eating MEALS every 5 minutes. I didn’t take this ever since until yesterday. For the past 2 weeks, I’ve been experiencing Ativan withdrawal, where I was more paranoid than usual, dreamlike, and lashing out at everyone. I took this yesterday, and I felt WORSE!!! MORE paranoid, enraged, very sleepy, I kept scrunching my face and wanted to go to sleep, even in public, 4 night terrors in one night, insanely hungry. I got my Ativan today, and these effects wore off. Never again. 0/10"

• Nic...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 4, 2021

Olanzapine for Schizophrenia "I took this yesterday, and that will probably be my first and LAST time taking it EVER!!! I got this garbage back in March of this year for schizophrenia and anxiety. I took it once on March 28, and I had a horrible experience! I was super sleepy, more annoyed, and hungry like a bottomless pit! I went from a small cute 123 lbs, where I was in shape and everything, where I looked my BEST so far in my adult life, and my weight went all the way up to 178!! I feel so gross now. I weighed 178 by May 1 of this year due to eating MEALS every 5 minutes. I didn’t take this ever since until yesterday. For the past 2 weeks, I’ve been experiencing Ativan withdrawal, where I was more paranoid than usual, dreamlike, and lashing out at everyone. I took this yesterday, and I felt WORSE!!! MORE paranoid, enraged, very sleepy, I kept scrunching my face and wanted to go to sleep, even in public, 4 night terrors in one night, insanely hungry. I got my Ativan today, and these effects wore off. Never again. 0/10"

• Kie...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 29, 2021

Olanzapine for Bipolar Disorder "I got my prescription for this drug a few days ago along with my Ativan, Zoloft, and Trileptal. Ativan doesn’t have the same effects as this, and neither does Trileptal. I took this yesterday around 11 in the morning for paranoia and anxiety, and within 30 minutes, I started feeling like a zombie. I felt super restless and more anxious than I was before, so I slept from noon yesterday until 5 this morning, on and off. Even though I drank 2 big cups of coffee, I still feel sleepy and dazed. This also caused me to have odd and extremely vivid dreams last night, and I feel angrier than usual! I woke up this morning screaming at everyone in the house for not taking out the trash, I punched the air conditioner because it was turned up too high, I cussed my boyfriend out for taking too long to say something when he called me on the phone, etc. I thought Zyprexa would be a good medication for me at FIRST, but it made everything worse! I’m not taking this ever again."

• spy...
• October 5, 2018

For Depressive Psychosis "I had a psychotic episode about 10 years ago, brought about, I think, by a history of depression and some traumatic life events. I had every symptom imaginable, including mind control, paranoia, persecution complex, God talking to me through material objects like the fridge turning on and off! Rapid thoughts, anxiety, confusion, intrusive thoughts, etc. Olanzapine with an antidepressant really helped me get a hold of myself. Works straight away. It kind of puts your emotions in a box and stops your thoughts from running away with themselves. Side effects are increased appetite, which leads to increased weight gain if you can't control it. Slight sedation. You will sleep well on them. Unpleasant frozen face syndrome. I couldn't really communicate emotions facially. It felt like I was wearing a mask. Depends on how much your charisma means to you. I hated this particular side effect. I think they need to be taken with a good quality antidepressant to counter the drowsiness and sedation (sertraline)."

• cli...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 12, 2013

For Bipolar Disorder "This medication is a miracle for me. Not only did it take me out of my mania, but it left me in a place that was workable. I take 15 mg before sleep, along with my 100 mg Trazodone, and I sleep like a rock. When I wake up, there is hardly any grogginess like there was with the Seroquel. I would recommend this medicine to anyone suffering from bipolar 1 severe, or any type of mania."