Zyprexa for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews (Page 3)

• Pho...
• June 23, 2021

"I was put on this drug because the doctor thought I was bipolar. Three years later, two psychiatrists have told me I need to get off of the Zyprexa ASAP. I was first put on 15 mg, which made me tired when I woke up. All day, I felt drugged out, and I gained 40 pounds. I am now only taking 10 mg and am lowering my dosage to 5 mg to finally get off of this drug for good. The withdrawal symptoms I have noticed from getting off Zyprexa are increased anxiety and difficulty sleeping. The best way to get off of Zyprexa with minimal problems is to taper slowly. I would rather deal with the withdrawal symptoms than being drugged out to the point I can’t function. I also take this with another antidepressant and am convinced I had symptoms similar to serotonin syndrome. Please use caution and only use this drug as a last resort option. It has a black box label for a reason. The long-term risks of staying on this drug include psychosis and medication-induced Parkinson’s disease."

• GRa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 26, 2018

"This is the best side effect-free, strong antipsychotic I have taken so far. I have bipolar disorder, and just 2.5 mg is enough to combat mania and minor depression. I also have anxiety, and it makes me calm. I don’t take it every day. I take it sometimes when my doctor says. No side effects, no dizziness, no anxiety, no akathisia, just drowsiness, which I like for anxiety."

• Glu...
• June 10, 2010

"I have been taking Zyprexa for about 5 years. Started at 5 mg and am now at 2.5 or 1.25, depending on the day. This is for bipolar. I've tried to go off it (because I felt dulled and had a preoccupation with food) a few different times and had severe depression/anxiety symptoms recur. I also take Prozac (20 mg) and Lamictal (100 mg). I don't think the Lamictal does anything, but the Zyprexa seems to be the 'glue' that keeps me together. Weight gain was an issue, but I have recently lost 20 lbs through diet and exercise (and reducing dose). I would rather not have to take it, but it so greatly improves my quality of life that I feel I should stay on it."

• bip...
• June 1, 2020

"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."

• Dir...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 28, 2013

"Got hospitalized. Upped to 10 mg morning and evening. This dose has helped my symptoms. I've had blackouts, panic attacks, and sex problems with every other atypical out there. Zyprexa is great. Only negative is gaining weight fast, while being slightly sedating, which makes it harder to exercise."

• Anonymous
• July 14, 2009

"At first, I was reluctant to take this medication, but eventually, I realized that I needed it. This medication helps me sleep longer, fall asleep faster, and wake up less. Also, this drug has given me very few side effects, which are insignificant."

• Cat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 8, 2022

"Makes me feel normal. I take 15 mg at night for a restful night's sleep with no nightmares like I used to have. I use in combination with 20 mg Paxil and 1000 mg Depakote, which seems to be a great combination for my bipolar disorder. I no longer freak out if things don't go my way. I HIGHLY recommend Zyprexa!"

• Anonymous
• August 24, 2010

"Been on Zyprexa 7.5 due to bipolar for about 8 months or so. It takes the edge off my anxiety and makes me calmer. I get very sleepy about 3 hours after taking it, so now I take it at about 7 pm. Without it, I had trouble sleeping as my mind would race and not shut up at night. Don't really know if it has affected my appetite or weight, if so, just a little. A couple of times, I thought that I felt so good that I didn't need to take it anymore, so I stopped taking it. And within a week or so, the bad feelings would come back. Looks like I might be on it for the long term."

• Anonymous
• December 4, 2012

"When I was diagnosed as bipolar, I was put on Zyprexa. I took it 3 times a day, and it was great at eliminating my mania, depression, and anxiety symptoms. However, I had two side effects: I would get tired, and I gained over 100 pounds over 12 years. So, my doctor suggested lithium, and I am on that now and doing fine, and I have lost 30 pounds in 4 months."

• sub...
• December 3, 2011

"I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in the early '90s. Tried all kinds of anti-psychotic medicines, Zyprexa is the one that has helped me the best. I feel tired and emotionless, but I am pretty sure that it is better than what my family goes through when I am not on it."

• pre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 17, 2012

"I have been taking Zyprexa for over a month, and it just recently started making me sleep over 14 hours a night. I am tired and unmotivated. The anxiety has slowed way down but is not completely gone. I take 5 mg per night, and I also take Ativan 3 times a day."

• Anonymous
• October 15, 2012

"I found Zyprexa to be quite effective, however, it made me very tired and unmotivated, though. I was incredibly hungry all day. Only stayed on it for about a month and put on 7 lbs. I am in the process of exploring different antipsychotics that are more weight-friendly. Putting on weight was making me depressed and making me become more hostile because of it."

• Anonymous
• January 12, 2010

"I was on 2.5 mg, and it made me into a hungry zombie. All my emotions were flat, it made life completely unpleasant. Every day was a struggle to get through, and sex was completely numb. However, it was a very effective medication for bipolar one disorder. If it wasn't for the side effects, I'd still be on it."

• Anonymous
• October 26, 2011

"I'm bipolar, and this is the only medication (out of many, many) that really helps my bipolar, and it works almost instantaneously for me. I first went on it to gain weight because I was trying to recover from anorexia and struggling, but stayed on it for my bipolar. I did gain weight, and I eat tons, but I have a good metabolism, and Zyprexa just brings me up to my medically ideal weight."

• Tkv...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 27, 2015

"This drug caused me a lot of problems. At first, it made my mania go away, but after a month on it, I developed very stiff muscles. I was given Cogentin, but that didn't help, and after two months, I became very spaced out, and my family said I was saying some weird stuff, but I couldn't remember. My pdoc finally took me off Zyprexa after four months when I showed her how stiff my muscles had become (walking a block was a chore) and told her my leg would start twitching by itself. Overall, a horrible experience."

• Riz...
• September 29, 2019

"Zyprexa is the best mood stabilizer I’ve been on. It is so calming. It decreases agitation, the racing thoughts, helps you sleep. Does not make me groggy - I take 7.5 mg at night. The only reason it’s not a 10 is I’ve gained some weight, so I’m taking some Topamax for it. Love Zyprexa."

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

"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."

• Tyl...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 21, 2023

"I've been on Zyprexa for about three years now. It honestly saved my life. I'm no longer having delusional thoughts or manic episodes. Of course, you have to do your part by taking it when scheduled or else you won't get the full benefits. I gained some weight (healthy weight). I was unbelievably skinny and didn't realize it until this medicine put healthy weight on me. People take medication for all different reasons, so I don't see why taking a medication for your mental health is negative. You don't tell a diabetic to stop taking his insulin, do you? Treat your mental health now and you won't regret it."

• eli...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 12, 2016

"I love Zyprexa (Olanzapine), it has calmed and removed my insanity. I no longer have panic attacks and irritability. I work in retail, and I have been in trouble several times with my managers because I snap at customers. But with Zyprexa, it all went away, it was amazing... BUT!!! I have to stop taking it because it caused SO MUCH weight gain. I used to weigh 170 lbs, and within a year, I now weigh 226 lbs. I don't even eat that much, and I still don't lose weight. There's no point in going to the gym and doing cardio because the pill prevents me from losing it. So now I have to ask my doctor to give me a medication that doesn't cause weight gain so I can lose the weight. I am so depressed that I have to stop taking it. It has worked wonders for me."

• Mic...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 12, 2015

"This medicine is very effective for bipolar. Before this, I cannot sleep at night because my mind races. Finally, after taking this, I feel wonderful and not depressed anymore. The effect is weight gain, before this, my weight was just around 74 kg, now it went to 99 kg."

• Joa...
• November 16, 2018

"Zyprexa was my only miracle med, but health-wise it ruined me. I was on it for 10 years. All my long-term health risks that occurred were from this medication. In 10 years, I went from 112 to 296 pounds. I have low thyroid issues now and am on medication for life for that. I developed high cholesterol and vertigo. These are the long-term effects of Zyprexa, and I got them. Yes, it helps wonders, but why risk your health? Binge eating can occur, I developed that really badly also at the 7-year mark. I took it at night, and an hour later, I needed to eat nonstop. When they talk about higher side effects, it can happen and does. I started with the less severe and got the severe, and now it's a journey in itself for my health. I would stay cautious of this medication. For sure, it does cause extreme weight gain, which causes all other high-risk health issues."

• Bip...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 9, 2018

"After a luckily failed suicide attempt, I got prescribed olanzapine. Only 5 mg does a significant relief for me. Had been suffering from depression and hypomanic episodes, but after taking only 5 mg of olanzapine, I feel completely different - no more mood swings at all. I feel like a normal person. This medication saved and even improved the quality of the life I'm living at the moment. Beside olanzapine, I got prescribed the antidepressant escitalopram, which also works great in treating bipolar disorder."

• CTa...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 11, 2019

"I am currently taking Zyprexa 2.5 mg for approximately 10 months in conjunction with Lexapro 30 mg and bupropion XL 300 mg for OCD, bipolar, anxiety, and depression. The meds helped to a point, and now I feel like I am not progressing in my therapy. I have just been increased to 5 mg of Zyprexa, so we shall see. My big concern is the weight gain. I've gained 30 pounds in a year and a half. I hope the weight gain isn't dose-related. To be continued...."

• Kan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 8, 2024

"I would say this medication has given me my life back, but the reality is it has given me a life I have never had. Prior to starting this drug, all my relationships were failing, I was suicidal, and I was at the end of my rope. After only one 2.5 mg dose, I was a different person. I've only been on it a couple of weeks, but now I am happy, I'm not suicidal, and every relationship in my life has changed for the better. I hope I can take this drug forever."

• Yay...
• December 6, 2016

"I had been so unwell off meds for over a year and vomiting daily due to bipolar. I thought vomiting was from physical illness. As soon as I started this med, all BP symptoms left, and my stomach is settled. No sexual side effects. Old me is back. No sides! Miracle drug! Weight gain for me will be a plus, not negative."