Olanzapine for Insomnia User Reviews (Page 2)

• Wea...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 6, 2023

"I went through a mental health crisis, with suicidal ideation and hadn't slept more than about 30 minutes to about an hour a night. I was a total mess. I was hospitalized voluntarily. The psychiatrist started me on 10 mg of olanzapine and 10 mg of melatonin, and for the first time that night actually slept. It was also a very good mood stabilizer. I was started on a range of antidepressants that weren't very effective, so luckily olanzapine kept me hanging in there. I saw my psychiatrist regularly. Eventually, we found a regimen of antidepressants that worked - mirtazapine at night and venlafaxine in the morning. I was still continuing with the olanzapine and the melatonin. I eventually discussed I'd like to slowly come off the olanzapine now that the antidepressants were working. Over the course of about 3 months, I tapered down slowly. Overall, I was on it for 10 months. It did its job well, I had no tapering side effects. So I'd recommend it to others if needed. Get a good psychiatrist too."

• Cwi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 4, 2020

"I'm back to leave another review after being on olanzapine for a couple of months. I started taking 10 mg, now I take 15 mg. So the issue I was so scared of was weight gain. When I started taking it, I was 80 pounds, very sick and unhealthy. It helped me gain back my normal weight, back to 100-105 lbs. Other than when I first started taking it, it hasn't had an effect on my hunger or weight anymore. I think it can cause weight gain if you allow it to. If you exercise and eat normal, weight gain shouldn't be an issue for you. The reason I rate this a 9 is because it does make it hard for me to get up and going like I used to prior to taking this drug, but I'd pick that over a sleepless night any day."

• Jim...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 2, 2022

"I have been on olanzapine for 3 years, I now take 5 mg once a week for sleep. However, off it, the insomnia is horrific: 2-5 hours most nights and some nights total insomnia. If prescribed for sleep, say no. It has damaging effects on health, however, the worst effect is the complete destruction of your personality, ambition, sex drive, confidence, and thinking while on it. A very toxic drug, and I am sure it has destroyed many lives."

• Bro...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 23, 2019

"There have to be another way to get in sleep mode, meditation and a nice routine of exercise and diet. However, when I took this drug, I sleep. I really don't want it, but it's the only salvation. Now I'm fat, and just a month has passed. But I sleep!"

• sle...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 24, 2019

"For side effects, how about dreaming? Now I have long dreams, funny part of this drug. However, I wish I had another way to get sleep because the other side effect of olanzapine is getting fat, which is horrible."

• TCC...
• February 25, 2009

Olanzapine "This medication was prescribed to help with my insomnia. It was in combination with my antidepressant medication. It did help me sleep, but it was difficult for me to wake up and function normally the next day."

• mlf...
• August 28, 2015

Olanzapine "Ok, so while I have only begun this last night... I can say I did fall asleep, which doesn't happen until after midnight, and I only woke up once to pee. I slept for almost 10 hours compared to my restless 4, if that. My only complaint so far is this entire day I have wanted to do NOTHING. I am so tired, I don't want to do anything besides sleep, and I don't like this feeling. And I can say I've been hungrier today than usual, so I'm paying attention to what I'm eating so I don't overeat... After a while, I'll update my review."

• mit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 22, 2012

Olanzapine "I do have really bad insomnia (for the past 6 years), but this was prescribed to me for daytime use to help keep me calm. It in no way makes me sleepy but works great for my ADHD. I have also gained nearly 10 pounds in only 2 weeks. I'm not a normal eater, usually, I only eat dinner, but on this medicine, I seem to have doubled what I would normally eat. I'm addressing that issue now. Good calming down medicine, I must say."

• Pin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 19, 2020

"I have experienced significant cognitive problems as a side effect of olanzapine. The forgetfulness is pretty bad and can be alarming at times. When the dosage was decreased, I saw improvement, especially in my short-term memory. It is significant and noticeable. I’m coming off the medication solely to address the memory problem, otherwise, I would still take it for insomnia. Losing so much working memory makes it very hard to read much, etc."

• Ree...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 31, 2018

"I started Zyprexa about 5 years ago. The first time I took it, it definitely helped with sleep, but I was very groggy in the morning and had a hard time doing my chores and daily things. I took it for a while longer and learned you have to take it very early in the evening so you're not so groggy in the morning. It helped calm my mind and anxiety. I started gaining weight, so I went on a diet and exercise regime. It helped, but I still wasn't happy with my amount of weight loss. So I had my doctor put me on something else. I've been miserable for 5 years with anxiety, which I take a benzodiazepine for, and I had the racing thoughts and depression. I tried all sorts of drugs for my insomnia: doxepin, mirtazapine, and Seroquel. They all had horrible side effects. I felt like I was in outer space. So today, after a lengthy time of stress and no sleep, I asked my new doctor if I could go back on Zyprexa, so tonight I'm taking 20 mg of Zyprexa and 200 mg of trazodone. I'm a little nervous, so we will see what happens. Wish me luck!"

• dea...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 5, 2022

"I took olanzapine 5 mg for one year. It slowly took away my ability to sleep one day after taking it. I couldn't sleep at all, and it has stayed that way since Feb 11, 2019. I've been awake for 3 years. When I do get sleep, it's just a 5-minute dream, and I keep the sleep fatigue. Don't take this poison, it will ruin your life like it did mine."

• ACD...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 22, 2022

"I was on olanzapine for 10 months at 10 mg for insomnia. My new GP suggested that I taper off over a 15-day period. After 21 days from the beginning of the taper period, I have only slept a few hours on a few days. I wish I had never started this medication. I have to wait another 5 days to see my GP again to get back on this drug so that I can sleep again and begin a very slow tapering off. Stay away from this medication."

• hea...
• February 18, 2017

"Olanzapine puts me to a restful sleep. Works better than OTC sleeping drugs, hands down. Many prescription sleeping pills I had a bad reaction to, like being groggy in the morning, having restless leg, very nervous. It slows my thought process down for a great restful sleep."

• Rea...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 26, 2022

"I've tried everything for sleep, Trazodone, amitriptyline, benzos, etc. Never have I slept so well as with olanzapine 5 mg. I don't take it for anything else, but I've been told I'm even more calm than normal by people who I work with. (Nothing wrong with that, I guess!) I love olanzapine."

• don...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 26, 2021

"Olanzapine ruined my life. If you don't have bipolar or schizophrenia, do NOT take this horrible garbage. Doctors say it isn't addicting or part of the issue, so they will never take responsibility for the real permanent damage caused by this horrible drug. If your doctor tries prescribing you this stuff just for insomnia, run. The doctor does not care if anything were to happen to you."

• Lor...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 3, 2015

Olanzapine "If you take this medicine, don't expect to be able to stay awake during the day for a while. It takes time to get used to. As far as how good it is at helping you get to sleep? 10/10, I can't imagine propofol would be more effective."

• Bip...
• March 7, 2016

"Success, success, success! I have been on and off olanzapine since I was 18 years old, more off, like 99% off, and I can say my sleep has been horrible. But now I take olanzapine every second night, 10 MG, and I sleep approximately 8 hours a night. No hangover effects like taking 10 MG a night. Shit, doctors say to take 10 MG a night, are they crazy? Why don't they try and take olanzapine before they dose up and ruin lives? I have taken 10 MG a night in the past nightly, and it's virtually impossible to get out of bed, and during the day you can't think or talk like a human being. I become a social introvert. Doctors want to take this? The only side effect I can say with olanzapine is appetite up/weight gain-carbs, so watch diet. *Paleo* carbs kill/weight."

• Bip...
• July 10, 2016

"Success, success, success! Review Part 2. I now take Xyprexa every day. I take it early so I don't get a hangover effect the next day. Before, I got away with taking it every other day, but that doesn't work anymore. With 8 hours of sleep a night, I am thankful. I don't feel like a zombie. I am taking a higher dose for a while to better the longer-term effect."

• Bar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 29, 2019

"On 5 mg, helps me sleep 8 hours. The only downside is it increases your cholesterol and excessive eating. I take 20 mg of Crestor to help control the cholesterol or it will be off the charts. I take Gabapentin with it before bed, but when I wake up, I’m an eating machine. Went from 110 pounds to 125 pounds in a month."

• Cwi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2019

"This medication olanzapine is great for sleep and OCD (Obsessive Thoughts). I take 10 mg at night and sleep all night long. I didn't rate this a 10 because it does 100% have a side effect that is hard for me to become comfortable with, which is the increase in hunger. When I started taking this drug, I was underweight. Now I am back to my normal weight. It just increases your hunger, for sure. So if you struggle with weight issues, I would look into something else before this drug. But as far as sleep goes, it is perfect. I just am going to have to get used to the increased hunger and how to control it."

• ACD...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 26, 2022

"When I first took olanzapine, it helped me sleep but never induced a really good sleep. It constipated me and made me feel numbed out. I started off with 5 mg and increased to 10 mg a month or so later. After about 10 months, I tried to come off of it using a rapid taper, reducing from 7.5 mg for 5 days, then to 5 mg for 5 days, etc. As soon as the taper began, I started losing sleep. For 4 weeks, I could hardly sleep at all. After seeing my doctor, I have just been put back on 10 mg so that I can sleep again. I will give it a try tonight. I do not recommend this med. It appears that once you start it, you can never get off of it. I wish that I never started it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 27, 2023

"5 mg made me sleep for 15 hours straight, then I woke up for 30 mins and then slept another 5 hours. When I woke up, my heart was beating extremely slowly, and I couldn't articulate words from the drowsiness. Terrible."

• Rus...
• August 31, 2019

"I have been diagnosed with a mood disorder and possible bipolar. I was recently put on Zyprexa 10 mg 1× daily. Is this medicine addicting? Also, I experience severe anxiety and paranoia. What would you say is my problem? I need help!!"

• Sca...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 26, 2018

"I take 10 mg late evenings alongside my antidepressant called Depakote. Makes me tired and quickly settles me down 1 hr, then quality sleep normally. Have weird dreams and lots of dreaming, seemingly. Appetite-wise, I'm seemingly feeling constantly hungry and therefore doubling my usual daily food intake, so weight gained real quick. How can I lose it again whilst on olanzapine?"

• Dav...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 18, 2022

"This medication makes me feel foggy headed and like a zombie. I have no hope of a decent life while taking it. But every time I try coming off of it, I can't sleep. After 4 days of no sleep, I can't take it anymore. Please help. Anyone who knows how to get off of this stuff, please reach out to me. It has ruined my life."