nouyoudo: Severe sleep problems after going off olanzapine / zyprexa

[nouyoudo]

Hello everyone

 

 

I have severe insomnia since I went off Olanzapine 2 years ago (February 2022). I sleep for 90 min only and then wake up. So my sleep is very poor due to this interruption. My psychiatrist ignored the problem and gave me promethazine (25 mg) to mitigate the effects. One year later (March 2023) I saw a specialist, she prescribed me a better sleep hygiene and 2 mg of melatonin, but this came to an halt when I got Long Covid in May 2023, due to its severe fatique. She said it’s curable later as well. But I am suffering and therefore tried to get back on olanzapine. The usual side effects reappeared but I still wake up every 90 minutes. I am currently on 7,5 mg. Its effects feel less potent than when I last took it. Shall I increase the dose maybe up to 15 mg?

What would you advise me to do? I would be thankful if you can make transparent where you got your knowledge from (own experiences, etc.).

Please keep in mind that my ability to read and concentrate is compromised so I am not able to do a lot of research on my own.

 

 

Thank you

 

 

Nouyoudo

Edited January 3 by FireflyFyte
Updated title

[FireflyFyte]

Hi nouyoudo,

 

Welcome to SA. Thank you for summarizing your drug history in your signature.

 

Did you taper the Escitalopram or did you cold turkey in January 2023? If you tapered, how long?

 

2 hours ago, nouyoudo said:

I am currently on 7,5 mg. Its effects feel less potent than when I last took it.

 

You have been on 7.5mg since December 25, correct? If so, I would hold at this dose longer to see if sleep improves and would also work on improving your sleep hygiene. We have some information on this topic at Tips to help sleep: so many of us have that awful withdrawal insomnia

 

Thanks,

 

Firefly

[nouyoudo]

thanks for your reply

I do everything in accordance with my doctors. so i tapered Escitalopram for 2 months or so - i dont recall the exact dates

 

regarding your advise: i feel like the 7,5 mg dose does nothing regarding my sleep problem, with the drug i take since Dec 7th it feels exactly as without it

please keep in mind that i cant read hundreds of texts in the forum or else where, my concentration is severely compromised. and sleep hygiene is a predicament, I do sleep very orderly and correct, but the measures my doctor prescribed are impossible due to Long Covid. once again the drug's effect regarding lenght of sleep are very much as expected, only the waking up every 90 min is unaffected by it

[FireflyFyte]

53 minutes ago, nouyoudo said:

I do everything in accordance with my doctors. so i tapered Escitalopram for 2 months or so - i dont recall the exact dates

 

This is a very short taper and goes against our harm reduction method of dropping no more than 10% of the previous dose per month. Did your issues with insomnia start during, or after, your taper off of Escitalopram?

[nouyoudo]

please read my initial post and look at my signature. thank you