Zyprexa and Hallucinations: What Users Say

• Sal...
• December 9, 2018

For Bipolar Disorder "I have been on olanzapine for 5 years. Keeps my mood stable, no irritability, no heavy sinking terrible depression. I went off it for only four months without a doctor's permission, and I went manic, talking too much, lots of energy, extremely painful headaches, and delusions of people trying to check me out, little nagging voices that scared me and annoyed me. Psychosis. All the other bipolar people I met at the psych hospital didn't have psychosis. I only shared the psychosis experience with one man with schizophrenia. Mind you, this medicine, for me at 10 mg, really works effectively for my severe case of mania, depression, and psychosis, all in one full swoop. Once I'm stable, I can function just like any other person, just carrying a heavy body around from when my body metabolism acts up on the medicine from age 16-19. Now, at age 21, weight is pretty stable. This medicine DOES work. But you should only use it if it's for a case like mine."

• Dat...
• April 4, 2012

For Schizophrenia "Before I took Zyprexa, I was hallucinating due to lack of sleep and exhaustion. While I was hospitalized, I denied my medication and wouldn't take it, but as soon as I took Zyprexa and Remeron, my sleep got better. I stopped hallucinating and hearing things. Thanks to my medication, I haven't been hospitalized for psychosis since I've been given Zyprexa."

• bip...
• June 1, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "I just started Zyprexa from a new doc, it is for my bipolar one. Been doing okay mostly for over 10 years. I take 1200 of lithium daily. Trazodone 300 mg for sleep. Last year, trazodone stopped working last fall, several occasions of auditory hallucinations, barely sleep 2 hrs nightly. Tried all kinds of meds from one doc, he gave up. Referred to a new doc by my PCP recently, just started Zyprexa up to 10 mg. Sleeping about 5 or so hours at night so far, no side effects, but it is early days. Lithium made me fat and killed my thyroid, which made me fat, so no worries, I just need sleep and calm my mind."

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

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."

• Jul...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 14, 2023

For Bipolar Disorder "I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder some time ago and was prescribed Latuda, which I absolutely loved and worked well for me. When I moved to a different state, it wasn't covered under my insurance there, and I had to talk to my doctor about a change. They then put me on 5mg of Zyprexa, and two weeks in, I had the most unbearable headaches (like a migraine every day) and began to hear distinctive male and female mumbling, never making out words, but tones. I called the doctor, and I was told to give it another two weeks. After two more weeks, the same issues were still happening, so I made an appointment and went back to explain that the symptoms were still occurring. The doctor decided that I needed to try the 10mg dose. However, after just two more weeks, I couldn't function, my head hurt so bad, so I stopped it right away and began a very long journey to recovery and getting back to my previous state. Thankfully, I finally found someone who truly listens, and I am doing really well now. My advice is that this drug may work for some but be detrimental to others!"

• Nik...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 26, 2020

For Depression "Zyprexa made me have hallucinations the first 4 nights I had taken it. (Crazy, scary) Then they stopped. I gained a good amount of weight (but that didn't matter because I was extremely overweight). So this med basically saved my life. I don't feel 100% better off of it, but I do recommend that it's a decent drug. I've tried so many meds and there are so many more worse ones than this."

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

For Schizophrenia "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."

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

For Schizophrenia "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."

• Ian...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 17, 2023

"Prescribed 2.5 mg at ER. Amazing 'rescue drug' needed desperately at the time to sleep. Had barely got sleep for a week, took the pill, and finally got some rest. Greatly reduced paranoia, delusions, and anxiety. Was on it for 11 days and quit cold turkey because I was getting better and noticed it slowing my thoughts and making my mind go blank. For example, needing to put a lot of effort into thinking. Minor withdrawal like headache, fatigue, anxiety, and sweat, but nothing too hard to handle. I'd recommend talking to your doctor and getting off of it ASAP if you no longer need it. Use it as a temporary solution because I could see how over time it can negatively impact someone. Oh, and while on it, your appetite will increase by ten times. Good luck all in finding relief!"

• Ian...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 17, 2023

"Prescribed 2.5 mg at ER. Amazing 'rescue drug' needed desperately at the time to sleep. Had barely got sleep for a week, took the pill, and finally got some rest. Greatly reduced paranoia, delusions, and anxiety. Was on it for 11 days and quit cold turkey because I was getting better and noticed it slowing my thoughts and making my mind go blank. For example, needing to put a lot of effort into thinking. Minor withdrawal like headache, fatigue, anxiety, and sweat, but nothing too hard to handle. I'd recommend talking to your doctor and getting off of it ASAP if you no longer need it. Use it as a temporary solution because I could see how over time it can negatively impact someone. Oh, and while on it, your appetite will increase by ten times. Good luck all in finding relief!"

• sj1...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 30, 2019

For Bipolar Disorder "I had a horrible, 6-day experience with this medication, Zyprexa. While it was prescribed to me primarily for sleep, which 5 mg was effective, it made my anxiety 10x worse with paranoia and tremors. It was the worst. It has been three nights without it now, and I still feel its effects of increased anxiety and a fog-like head. The physical symptoms ceased 48 hours post-Zyprexa. I took 20 mg of Paxil with this medication for anxiety and was noticing some improvement with Paxil alone. Zyprexa made me feel as if I was never taking Paxil AND took five steps backward. My official diagnosis is TBD, but this was the first medication I've taken where I absolutely refuse to take again at any dosage."

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

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!!!"

• Anonymous
• August 2, 2010

For Schizoaffective Disorder "This medicine made me gain about 15-20 lbs when I was staying at the hospital when I was 13. I'm now 22. I started taking Geodon a few weeks ago, and I'm feeling much better. No more paranoia in the night at all anymore. No thoughts that there's a serial killer watching me or a serial killer in a room in my house or on a chair in the room I'm in. I'm on Risperdal, I'm trying to get off of it completely because it also made me gain a lot of weight. I'm 166 right now and 5'8”. I used to always be slim and have no hunger. I'm also on Paxil, which hasn't helped me with my depression at all, just a terrible medicine, and I'm on Lamictal, which has helped keep me stable - I have the manic type."

• Jun...
• August 30, 2014

For Schizoaffective Disorder "It made my delusions disappear, but made me gain weight, and I still experience some paranoia, though I'm on 5 mg once a day, which is a low dosage (won't increase it since I don't want to gain more weight)."

• Anonymous
• July 13, 2012

For Paranoid Disorder "I was misdiagnosed, and wrongly put on this medicine. It causes psychosis in individuals inappropriately put on it. It took me ten years to find doctors who could say this was a possibility."

• Deb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 20, 2014

For Bipolar Disorder "Made me really psychotic."