Tips for tapering off Zyprexa (olanzapine)

[hayduke]

@Spideygsm that abrupt withdrawal must've been dreadful.  I remember occasionally when I missed a dose at 10mg I'd spend the next day basically staring into the void.  It would be debilitating having to deal with those large cuts and not catch up.

 

I chucked up some of my dose the other night (upset stomach) and from 1.1mg the next day really wasn't that bad by comparison.  A bit like land is in sight on this long voyage.  Those days where I miss a dose are quite infrequent but they have given a window into how far is left to go.  What would happen after a few weeks if I CT'd even here is still not worth thinking about!

 

You've done well to persist through that.  They should've cut the Ritalin as soon as you reported sleep problems.  I don't think stimulants have any place around children in any case. 

 

You're absolutely right about the need to address the underlying problems.  In my intro thread I went through how EMDR last year unearthed some horrible trauma from when I was 4.  A big upheaval but very liberating.  I'm happy I'll be ok from here, just a pity I didn't get that kind of help much sooner.

 

Agree on the exercise and diet, too.

 

Cheers

[Hakn]

Leaving pills in the open

I have read medicenes lose effectiveness after some time. So i have some olanzapine pebbles left in open for some time. They lost some colour. Assuming it interacts with air and oxidises, would that decrease the potency of it? Which would benefit when reinstating? Or some random effect happens then its a bad idea.

 

Edited September 8, 2020 by ChessieCat
added topic title

[Nicjk]

On 12/23/2013 at 12:52 PM, Meimeiquest said:

Hi Lauren,

 

I'm a Zyprexa survivor...it can be done! Why don't you write a full intro with signature in the intro and update forum, especially if you are on other meds. I've made a lot of mistakes along the way, but tapering Zyprexa first was, for me, the most serious of them. I'm assuming you read this thread on Zyprexa tapering?

Hi @Meimeiquest, I am just about to begin my tapering process off Zyprexa 5mg. What method did you use to taper off Zyprexa? Thanks so much 

[morgana]

Hi hayduke how you going?  just been reading people who have tapered off zyprexa, old posts but good to read...and one guy got me thinking...i know hard to do i zyprexa..lol..anyway.  I remember i tried dissolving for a duration of approx 3 weeks 2.5mg of zyprexa into water and drinking all of it, and i found i couldnt sleep...i do not know why as it is the same amount of a solid...however i was thinking...i pulled apart a capsule magnesium tablet and discarded its contents and i was thinking if i brought a micro scale, crush the tablet up on a piece of paper and pour it into the empty capsule casing, i could swallow it like it was a tablet...i know its fidely but i would aleast feel i am consuming the solid form....does that sound like a silly thing to do?  let me know cheers morgana

[hayduke]

Hey Morgana.

 

Less a matter of silly than it's not that practical, I found

 

First, listen to your body.  For all the science around this stuff, and it's marvellous when it's as objective and humanist and untainted as it can be, it doesn't account for consciousness, and how you feel at any given moment is probably more to the point than some graph in  a paper somewhere.

 

Getting into your body is really important, yoga, exercise, fresh air, scenery, good food & company...we're animals first and rational second.

 

If you can't sleep after changing to a liquid, theory doesn't matter.  Being attuned to what your body needs does.  So take your time!

 

The liquid form is superficially impractical but in practice I found it way easier than weighing or measuring out powder.  It's 10-100x more accurate as a rough estimate, no matter how good your scales are.  I use a pipette, inexpensive on flea bay, but if I'm staying somewhere else a 50-60ml syringe will be ok for 3 days or so.

 

Splitting pills is even more inaccurate, it got me down to 5mg but was useless after that.

 

When you're feeling steady you could try introducing liquids again. 

 

And hey it's your taper, you're in control.  If you want to try weighing out the solid form give it a go.  If it sucks after say 2 nights just revert to where you were and hold till it's all ok again

 

Cheers

[Spideygsm]

3 hours ago, morgana said:

I remember i tried dissolving for a duration of approx 3 weeks 2.5mg of zyprexa into water and drinking all of it, and i found i couldnt sleep...

Morgana, you said you couldn’t sleep dissolving the tablets. 
 

Unfortunately, that’s one of the biggest things any of us who’ve gotten of of Zyprexa have had to endure. For me, the two hardest things were not sleeping for months and anxiety. 
 

I think you’re doing really well. You’re at 2.5 mg. The toughest time for me was when I went below 2.5 mg. I quartered the pill with a pill cutter (not very accurate) but it ultimately worked. I’m not gonna sugar coat it. I felt horrible. It took about 4 months after my last does of Zyprexa until I started to feel better. Since stopping Zyprexa, my weight has come back to normal, my sleep has improved, I don’t feel like a zombie all day long, and the underlying health issues caused from Zyprexa side effects have gone away. 
 

Nobody wants to endure sleeplessness or psychological pain. Believe me when I say it’s temporary and it’s worth the torture of getting off Zyprexa. Exercise helps a lot. I swam and still swim today.

 

Hang in there. My recommendation to anybody stopping Zyprexa is don’t take it or stay on it just  because of lack of sleep. At some point we have have to stop, take the final dose. The body and mind will freak out. A few month of anxiety and no sleep are a small price to pay for how much better you’ll feel once the withdrawals stop. For me, one night I slept 4 hours and the anxiety was mostly gone. It continued to get better from that point on. Small ups and down but nothing like being on Zyprexa. 
 

Hang in there and good luck. You’re very close to being done

[morgana]

thanks spideygsm it isnt easy, my body feels like its been hit by a bus and has felt like this for nearly

1 1/2 years now, i have been on 2.5mg for 6 months now, i wake up every morning with back pain...i lay in my bed like a 'stiff board' all night, even though i am reducing my medication i have put on 10 kilos. i will hang in there for me their is no other option but to continue going further to hopefully eventually be off it completely...thanks for your support...cheers morgana

[morgana]

thanks hayduke, i will will just stick to 2.5mg solid for another six months, and think about what i will do when i feel i am ready.....i know i am not ready to change anything at the moment...just reading peoples posts got me thinking....cheers

[Bobblehead]

Thanks for sharing your experience @Spideygsm I'm in a situation similar to yours, a high dose of Olanzapine (40mg) for a long time (17 years). After a 4 year taper I'm currently in my 6th week without Olanzapine and like you the anxiety and especially the insomnia are my main problems. It's good to read recovery stories, I don't know if I will ever recover but I hope I start feeling better in a few months.

[Spideygsm]

Bobblehead,

 

Congratulations! Hang in there because the very worst part should be behind you. As I recall my horrific insomnia continued for about 12 weeks past my final dose. I used CBD at night but I don’t know if it’s what helped, the placebo effect, or my mind was finally starting to recover.

 

I started sleeping better (but not great) but during the days I started feeling, not living in the Zyprexa fog. I just slowly got better over time. I would feel better for a few days than like crap for a couple days but you’ll definitely know you beat the devil. Start doing any type of exercise you can. The added weight came off and it’ll restore your energy and help with your sleep. I took about a year after my last dose I didn’t feel any more I’ll effects from a drug that should be illegal to prescribe. 
 

I would guess at any day you’ll start to get periods of feeling better. Even a little bit feels great and you’ll be so thankful. 
 

Hang in there. The journey is at its end. Life will change for the best. Keep us informed. I’m exited to hear your reaction

[Bobblehead]

Hi and thanks for the congrats @Spideygsm I do have some good days. It's just this damn insomnia.

 

Do you remember what kind of CBD you used to help you sleep? Was it a pure extract? A full spectrum CBD? Did it have THC in it, if so a little or a lot? Do you remember the dosage you where taking? How long before bed you took it?

 

I have pure CBD oil I take sublingually in the morning, it helps relax me, it doesn't contain anything else in it like full spectrum CBD does and it doesn't contain any THC in it either.

 

Just wondering what you were using?

 

Thanks

[Spideygsm]

Hi Bobblehead,

 

As I recall, it was pure CBD with no THC. I think I took 10mg at bedtime. I didn’t start taking it until about 3 months or so after my last dose of Zyprexa. 
 

I wouldn’t swear either way if it was the CBD or just a placebo effect. If it helps you I say go for it. I have always been a poor sleeper. I keep a sleep log. Last week I averaged 3.1 hours of sleep per night. I slept a little better while I was on Zyprexa but I didn’t feel rested at all. 
 

Insomnia was the worst withdrawal symptoms I had. But as the anxiety and my head became clearer, I felt better and the severe zero sleep insomnia got better. Again, my sleep was very poor before Zyprexa. You’ll get better. I know how it is. When it’s you not sleeping and going through withdrawals, it seems like it’ll never end but it does. I’m so happy I got through it. You’re so close. Don’t give up hope. 
 

You got this!

[Mole25]

Hi,

 

I havent been around lately but yr  comments regarding CBD interest me.

Talking about CBD, well I have been taking it for a month. But recently I decided to do it differently in order to cope with the mornings and this terrible cortison anxiety spiral which has left me with a terrible noise sensitivity. Watching my hubby put down a cup gives me a zap in the brain. Unbearable. And terrible brain pain movements up top - I can also feel my vagus nerve vibrate in the brain  causing indigestion and severe stomach pains.

 

Well since 4 days I have gone back to:

a) Kundalini Yoga in the afternoons - it really destresses. I feel the sweat come through the body. Thought it would increase the headaches. No, it takes all the tension away from my body.

b) CBD capsules 15 mg x 2 in the mornings and of course Omega Oil; Vitamin D and Bs

c) CBD capsule 15 mg x 1 before sleeping

d) I try  to practice mindfulness and to repeat and describe the things I am doing at that moment so to stop horrible thoughts.

 

Well, the mornings have got better. Noise sensitivity also a little better. And guess what - the severe headaches which I had for the whole day are disappearing - a feeling of slight tension is new on the sides of the brain (very new) - but only for 2-3 hrs and not so bad.

 

Must go now for my Kundalini (the DVD is just wonderful)

 

Take care and get better, Mole

[Nicjk]

On 5/27/2018 at 8:35 AM, Spideygsm said:

wantmyhubbyback,

 

Sorry about the rough ride your Hubby is going through. My last dose of Zyprexa was about 12 weeks ago. I'm no expert by any means regarding medical advise. I've been dealing with mental health issues my entire life. I started with Ritalin when I was 8 so by the time I was nine I was a drug addict. I have experience with Zyprexa, Seroquel, Latuda, Geodon and Lithium. I was on lithium for a long time. I was only on Seroquel and Latuda for a few weeks to just over a month because I literally couldn't stay awake. I had the opposite reaction with Geodon. It made me go full blown manic. Zyprexa worked best for me. I was on it for about 15 years. My problem is my body kept building up a tolerance and I got up to 30mg. At that point I got serious side effects and had to stop ASAP. I tapered from 30mg to zero in about 3 months. Right now I'm sitting on a prescription for Abilify which I have yet to fill. After my Zyprexa withdrawal, I want to do everything I can to stay off antipsychotic drugs once and for all. 

 

Zyprexa was very difficult for me to get off of. Probably because I was on a very high dose and took the drug for a long time. I had a really hard time once I tapered below 2.5mg similar to what your Hubby has experienced.  The withdrawals increased even more after my last dose of Zyprexa, and then the worst symptoms occurred 4 weeks after my last dose. Don't know why, just happened. I'm unfamiliar with your hubby's medical conditions. Do he require an antipsychotic for a true mental health reason? As much as possible, I want to stay away from trading one addiction for another. Seroquel is known to be very difficult to withdrawal from. I've been through Benzo withdrawal before and it was very intense and lasted about 60 days. I only mention it because your husband taking Ativan (which I've also taken, Klonipin, Xanax, Ativan, Valium). I experienced a lot of withdrawal symptoms coming off Zyprexa. The worst were probably insomnia and anxiety. I still have insomnia and anxiety but the anxiety is tolerable. It resolved at about week 9.

 

If I had a choice of how to withdrawal from Zyprexa (which I didn't) I would strongly follow the advice from this website. I'd do even smaller tapers near the end and don't put a timeline on how long to hold at a specific dose. Let Hubby's body tell him when to make the next taper. On previous attempts your Hubby's had issues with the last few and final tapers. Probably too much of a drop and probably not holding the taper's long enough. For me, nothing improved my sleep or anxiety. I was desperate and was put on Ambien for sleep which did nothing and Valium for anxiety which also did nothing. I got off those when they weren't working so I didn't have to withdrawal from those also. At about week 9 my when my other symptoms were resolving themselves, my Doctor prescribed Trazodone for sleep. May have helped a little bit (instead of 0-1 hours sleep I'd get 1-2 hours sleep). My sleep has improved the past week after I started pure CBD oil 1-1/2 weeks ago. I said in a previous post, I don't know for sure whether the improvement is from the Trazodone, the CBD, or if my withdrawal condition is resolving itself. I think it's the CBD. Last night I started tapering off the Trazodone. Not enough benefit to justify taking it.

 

I wish your Hubby luck. I know this website is pretty anti-drug. I know I'll never be able to be drug free because of my mental health. However, I want to take as few medications as possible, the least dangerous, and at the lowest dose possible. If Hubby is only taking Seroquel for sleep, I'd look elsewhere. Antipsychotics are very dangerous and I think should only be used for people who are a harm to themselves or others such as me. I think using these type medications for sleep is way too much overkill. I would even say putting the patients life into danger. Instead of taking Benzo's for anxiety, I'm taking Gabapentin which helps with pain and anxiety. I used to take Propanolol for anxiety which also worked. However, I got really low blood pressure (which the drug is supposed to be used for) and had to stop. I've taken sleeping pills for insomnia as well as Trazodone (which doesn't help me) and CBD oil. Honestly, the CBD oil has worked better than prescription sleeping pills. All I'm trying to point out is that there are less dangerous medications and treatments than antipsychotics. Exercise is by far the best drug out there. It has helped me deal with my illnesses better than any drug. However, one must stick with it and don't stop.

 

Hope your Hubby gets well. Read some others experiences getting off Zyprexa. Everybody is different. What I experienced may be completely different than what others have experienced. The best results do seem to come from people tapering a little bit and over a long time. Don't put any timetable on when to make a taper or put a timetable on when Hubby will get better. I think putting a timeline can just add stress.

Hi @Spideygsm, just wondering what method you used to taper off Zyprexa? Did you use the dissolvable tablets? Thank you

[Nicjk]

On 5/27/2018 at 8:35 AM, Spideygsm said:

wantmyhubbyback,

 

Sorry about the rough ride your Hubby is going through. My last dose of Zyprexa was about 12 weeks ago. I'm no expert by any means regarding medical advise. I've been dealing with mental health issues my entire life. I started with Ritalin when I was 8 so by the time I was nine I was a drug addict. I have experience with Zyprexa, Seroquel, Latuda, Geodon and Lithium. I was on lithium for a long time. I was only on Seroquel and Latuda for a few weeks to just over a month because I literally couldn't stay awake. I had the opposite reaction with Geodon. It made me go full blown manic. Zyprexa worked best for me. I was on it for about 15 years. My problem is my body kept building up a tolerance and I got up to 30mg. At that point I got serious side effects and had to stop ASAP. I tapered from 30mg to zero in about 3 months. Right now I'm sitting on a prescription for Abilify which I have yet to fill. After my Zyprexa withdrawal, I want to do everything I can to stay off antipsychotic drugs once and for all. 

 

Zyprexa was very difficult for me to get off of. Probably because I was on a very high dose and took the drug for a long time. I had a really hard time once I tapered below 2.5mg similar to what your Hubby has experienced.  The withdrawals increased even more after my last dose of Zyprexa, and then the worst symptoms occurred 4 weeks after my last dose. Don't know why, just happened. I'm unfamiliar with your hubby's medical conditions. Do he require an antipsychotic for a true mental health reason? As much as possible, I want to stay away from trading one addiction for another. Seroquel is known to be very difficult to withdrawal from. I've been through Benzo withdrawal before and it was very intense and lasted about 60 days. I only mention it because your husband taking Ativan (which I've also taken, Klonipin, Xanax, Ativan, Valium). I experienced a lot of withdrawal symptoms coming off Zyprexa. The worst were probably insomnia and anxiety. I still have insomnia and anxiety but the anxiety is tolerable. It resolved at about week 9.

 

If I had a choice of how to withdrawal from Zyprexa (which I didn't) I would strongly follow the advice from this website. I'd do even smaller tapers near the end and don't put a timeline on how long to hold at a specific dose. Let Hubby's body tell him when to make the next taper. On previous attempts your Hubby's had issues with the last few and final tapers. Probably too much of a drop and probably not holding the taper's long enough. For me, nothing improved my sleep or anxiety. I was desperate and was put on Ambien for sleep which did nothing and Valium for anxiety which also did nothing. I got off those when they weren't working so I didn't have to withdrawal from those also. At about week 9 my when my other symptoms were resolving themselves, my Doctor prescribed Trazodone for sleep. May have helped a little bit (instead of 0-1 hours sleep I'd get 1-2 hours sleep). My sleep has improved the past week after I started pure CBD oil 1-1/2 weeks ago. I said in a previous post, I don't know for sure whether the improvement is from the Trazodone, the CBD, or if my withdrawal condition is resolving itself. I think it's the CBD. Last night I started tapering off the Trazodone. Not enough benefit to justify taking it.

 

I wish your Hubby luck. I know this website is pretty anti-drug. I know I'll never be able to be drug free because of my mental health. However, I want to take as few medications as possible, the least dangerous, and at the lowest dose possible. If Hubby is only taking Seroquel for sleep, I'd look elsewhere. Antipsychotics are very dangerous and I think should only be used for people who are a harm to themselves or others such as me. I think using these type medications for sleep is way too much overkill. I would even say putting the patients life into danger. Instead of taking Benzo's for anxiety, I'm taking Gabapentin which helps with pain and anxiety. I used to take Propanolol for anxiety which also worked. However, I got really low blood pressure (which the drug is supposed to be used for) and had to stop. I've taken sleeping pills for insomnia as well as Trazodone (which doesn't help me) and CBD oil. Honestly, the CBD oil has worked better than prescription sleeping pills. All I'm trying to point out is that there are less dangerous medications and treatments than antipsychotics. Exercise is by far the best drug out there. It has helped me deal with my illnesses better than any drug. However, one must stick with it and don't stop.

 

Hope your Hubby gets well. Read some others experiences getting off Zyprexa. Everybody is different. What I experienced may be completely different than what others have experienced. The best results do seem to come from people tapering a little bit and over a long time. Don't put any timetable on when to make a taper or put a timetable on when Hubby will get better. I think putting a timeline can just add stress.

Hi @Spideygsm, just wondering what method you used to taper off Zyprexa? Did you use the dissolvable tablets? Thank you

[Nicjk]

On 5/27/2018 at 8:35 AM, Spideygsm said:

wantmyhubbyback,

 

Sorry about the rough ride your Hubby is going through. My last dose of Zyprexa was about 12 weeks ago. I'm no expert by any means regarding medical advise. I've been dealing with mental health issues my entire life. I started with Ritalin when I was 8 so by the time I was nine I was a drug addict. I have experience with Zyprexa, Seroquel, Latuda, Geodon and Lithium. I was on lithium for a long time. I was only on Seroquel and Latuda for a few weeks to just over a month because I literally couldn't stay awake. I had the opposite reaction with Geodon. It made me go full blown manic. Zyprexa worked best for me. I was on it for about 15 years. My problem is my body kept building up a tolerance and I got up to 30mg. At that point I got serious side effects and had to stop ASAP. I tapered from 30mg to zero in about 3 months. Right now I'm sitting on a prescription for Abilify which I have yet to fill. After my Zyprexa withdrawal, I want to do everything I can to stay off antipsychotic drugs once and for all. 

 

Zyprexa was very difficult for me to get off of. Probably because I was on a very high dose and took the drug for a long time. I had a really hard time once I tapered below 2.5mg similar to what your Hubby has experienced.  The withdrawals increased even more after my last dose of Zyprexa, and then the worst symptoms occurred 4 weeks after my last dose. Don't know why, just happened. I'm unfamiliar with your hubby's medical conditions. Do he require an antipsychotic for a true mental health reason? As much as possible, I want to stay away from trading one addiction for another. Seroquel is known to be very difficult to withdrawal from. I've been through Benzo withdrawal before and it was very intense and lasted about 60 days. I only mention it because your husband taking Ativan (which I've also taken, Klonipin, Xanax, Ativan, Valium). I experienced a lot of withdrawal symptoms coming off Zyprexa. The worst were probably insomnia and anxiety. I still have insomnia and anxiety but the anxiety is tolerable. It resolved at about week 9.

 

If I had a choice of how to withdrawal from Zyprexa (which I didn't) I would strongly follow the advice from this website. I'd do even smaller tapers near the end and don't put a timeline on how long to hold at a specific dose. Let Hubby's body tell him when to make the next taper. On previous attempts your Hubby's had issues with the last few and final tapers. Probably too much of a drop and probably not holding the taper's long enough. For me, nothing improved my sleep or anxiety. I was desperate and was put on Ambien for sleep which did nothing and Valium for anxiety which also did nothing. I got off those when they weren't working so I didn't have to withdrawal from those also. At about week 9 my when my other symptoms were resolving themselves, my Doctor prescribed Trazodone for sleep. May have helped a little bit (instead of 0-1 hours sleep I'd get 1-2 hours sleep). My sleep has improved the past week after I started pure CBD oil 1-1/2 weeks ago. I said in a previous post, I don't know for sure whether the improvement is from the Trazodone, the CBD, or if my withdrawal condition is resolving itself. I think it's the CBD. Last night I started tapering off the Trazodone. Not enough benefit to justify taking it.

 

I wish your Hubby luck. I know this website is pretty anti-drug. I know I'll never be able to be drug free because of my mental health. However, I want to take as few medications as possible, the least dangerous, and at the lowest dose possible. If Hubby is only taking Seroquel for sleep, I'd look elsewhere. Antipsychotics are very dangerous and I think should only be used for people who are a harm to themselves or others such as me. I think using these type medications for sleep is way too much overkill. I would even say putting the patients life into danger. Instead of taking Benzo's for anxiety, I'm taking Gabapentin which helps with pain and anxiety. I used to take Propanolol for anxiety which also worked. However, I got really low blood pressure (which the drug is supposed to be used for) and had to stop. I've taken sleeping pills for insomnia as well as Trazodone (which doesn't help me) and CBD oil. Honestly, the CBD oil has worked better than prescription sleeping pills. All I'm trying to point out is that there are less dangerous medications and treatments than antipsychotics. Exercise is by far the best drug out there. It has helped me deal with my illnesses better than any drug. However, one must stick with it and don't stop.

 

Hope your Hubby gets well. Read some others experiences getting off Zyprexa. Everybody is different. What I experienced may be completely different than what others have experienced. The best results do seem to come from people tapering a little bit and over a long time. Don't put any timetable on when to make a taper or put a timetable on when Hubby will get better. I think putting a timeline can just add stress.

Hi @Spideygsm, just wondering what method you used to taper off Zyprexa? Did you use the dissolvable tablets? Sorry, I see that I accidentally posted this question a few times because I used my mobile. Thank you

[Spideygsm]

17 hours ago, Nicjk said:

Hi @Spideygsm, just wondering what method you used to taper off Zyprexa? Did you use the dissolvable tablets? Sorry, I see that I accidentally posted this question a few times because I used my mobile. Thank you

Hi Nicjk,

 

Sorry for the late response. I just got home.

 

My Doctor had me split the pills with a pill cutter. It’s not very accurate but was good enough to get off that garbage. This is just my opinion, but I think one will feel like crap whether the cut the tablets, dissolve wafers, get a compound mix. It’s going to take months (or even years) any way you do it. It takes courage and willpower. I didn’t want to spend years tapering and my Doctor wanted me off the medication quickly. 
 

My last dose of Zyprexa was approximately 3 years ago. It’s a relief! It was worth the agony, no sleep, anxiety, and the side effects of the withdrawal. Zyprexa is horrible and should be banned except in situations where everything else has been tried. 
 

what would have helped me is if I had a support group like this coaching me through the whole process. It’s the most difficult thing I’ve ever done but also the most rewarding. 
 

Good luck!

[Nicjk]

27 minutes ago, Spideygsm said:

Hi Nicjk,

 

Sorry for the late response. I just got home.

 

My Doctor had me split the pills with a pill cutter. It’s not very accurate but was good enough to get off that garbage. This is just my opinion, but I think one will feel like crap whether the cut the tablets, dissolve wafers, get a compound mix. It’s going to take months (or even years) any way you do it. It takes courage and willpower. I didn’t want to spend years tapering and my Doctor wanted me off the medication quickly. 
 

My last dose of Zyprexa was approximately 3 years ago. It’s a relief! It was worth the agony, no sleep, anxiety, and the side effects of the withdrawal. Zyprexa is horrible and should be banned except in situations where everything else has been tried. 
 

what would have helped me is if I had a support group like this coaching me through the whole process. It’s the most difficult thing I’ve ever done but also the most rewarding. 
 

Good luck!

No problem @Spideygsm. Thanks so much for sharing your experience. I see that you dropped your dosages quite fast when you got to 5mg and at 25% drops. I am only on 5mg and considering also dropping 25% because I also don't want to spend years tapering off. Did you find that those larger and faster drops worked for you? I am considering doing the same because I really want to come off this medication sooner rather than later. 

[Hopela]

Hi fellow withdrawers. If you are still on a high dose of olanzapine and worried about the brain volume loss associated with Olanzapine use my tips is to consider using supplement NAC to possibly reduce the effect and feel better about it.

 

Quote

Olanzapine is one of the most commonly prescribed second-generation antipsychotic drugs. Notoriously known for metabolic side-effects such as weight gain and diabetes, olanzapine has also been demonstrated to cause neurodegeneration. However, there is limited mechanistic knowledge surrounding this area. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate that olanzapine causes cell death in mHypoA-59 hypothalamic neurons via increased oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage. Furthermore, the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine is able to reverse these effects.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-75356-3

 

NAC has also shown positive effects on symptoms for schizofrenia, bipolar, obsessive compulsive and depression labeled persons all for which olanzapine is dished out. 

 

Some use it to protect the liver, kidney, lungs and nerves all which might be negatively impacted by olanzapine use.

 

It's also used to ameliorate covid and exercise recovery. It's also gotten use to reduce multiple addictions and acne. It might be for you but consider this:

Quote

Side effects. Some of the side effects that may be caused by NAC include:

• Upset stomach
• Diarrhea
• Fatigue
• Skin rash

 

Risks. If you have asthma or bleeding problems, your doctor may tell you to avoid NAC.  You will likely be told to stop NAC 2 weeks before any elective surgery.

If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, you must check with a doctor before using NAC supplements.

Interactions. If you take any medicines regularly, talk to your doctor before you start using NAC supplements. They could interact with nitroglycerin, including blood thinners and certain blood pressure medicines

https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/n-acetyl-cysteine-uses-and-risks

[ChessieCat]

6 hours ago, Hopela said:

my tips is to consider using supplement NAC to possibly reduce the effect and feel better about it.

 

Please see SA's topic:

 

n-acetylcysteine-nac

 

And if starting anything new only make one change at a time and start with a small dose to see how it affects you:

 

Keep it Simple, Slow and Stable

 

 

 

[Spideygsm]

3 minutes ago, ChessieCat said:

 

Please see SA's topic:

 

n-acetylcysteine-nac

 

And if starting anything new only make one change at a time and start with a small dose to see how it affects you:

 

Keep it Simple, Slow and Stable

 

 

 

CheesieCat:

 

Having experienced and succeeded at getting off most of my drugs, I think you hit on the most important part of all. 
 

“one change at a time”

 

That can’t be stressed enough

[Hopela]

@ChessieCat Good read in the NAC thread. Seems people have had mixed results with NAC in variuous withdrawals ranging from very bad to very good. I added the link to that thread.

[Nicjk]

On 2/26/2021 at 8:28 AM, Spideygsm said:

Hi Nicjk,

 

Sorry for the late response. I just got home.

 

My Doctor had me split the pills with a pill cutter. It’s not very accurate but was good enough to get off that garbage. This is just my opinion, but I think one will feel like crap whether the cut the tablets, dissolve wafers, get a compound mix. It’s going to take months (or even years) any way you do it. It takes courage and willpower. I didn’t want to spend years tapering and my Doctor wanted me off the medication quickly. 
 

My last dose of Zyprexa was approximately 3 years ago. It’s a relief! It was worth the agony, no sleep, anxiety, and the side effects of the withdrawal. Zyprexa is horrible and should be banned except in situations where everything else has been tried. 
 

what would have helped me is if I had a support group like this coaching me through the whole process. It’s the most difficult thing I’ve ever done but also the most rewarding. 
 

Good luck!

Hi @Spideygsmanother question. Did you cut the Zyprexa brand pills or another Olanzapine brand? 

[Spideygsm]

I was given Olanzapine (generic). They cut just like the real Zyprexa tabs. Change your cutter often.

[simack]

Anyone else use the sandoz 200mg zyprexa tablets? I was originally cutting them into quarters to make 50mg tabs, but now I have found they have changed the tablet type so it no longer has the two score marks for even cutting. I'm having withdrawal symptoms as a result, is it because the distribution of Olanzapine is no longer consistent?, What do you think I should do?

[ChessieCat]

1 hour ago, simack said:

is it because the distribution of Olanzapine is no longer consistent?

 

See:

 

myths-about-your-drugs

 

1 hour ago, simack said:

but now I have found they have changed the tablet type so it no longer has the two score marks for even cutting.

 

I think you should check with the pharmacist about this.  Mistakes do happen.  Is the type of tablet the same as you had been getting?  It may be that this one is an extended release so should not be cut, whereas the other was immediate release?

 

If they have changed the tablet shape of the drug then if may be that they have changed some of the non-drug ingredients too.  Some members have reported having issues after changing manufacturer.

 

Or it might be that you are not getting as accurate a dose as you had been.

[Spideygsm]

ChessieCat,

 

When an individual tapers Olanzapine by cutting pills into halves and quarters, is it your experience helping people that it makes enough difference in the small variability between each dose to affect the person enough to do a more exact taper?

 

My experience in 2017-2018 is that I was pretty uncomfortable tapering down to 2.5mg. Once I got below 2.5mg is when I was the worst. The absolute worst started a few days after my final dose. 
 

My observation and experience is people have the most difficult time below approximately 2.5mg. And then after the final dose as that poison works it’s way out of the brain. 
 

To everybody tapering. The misery does end. It just takes awhile. 

[ChessieCat]

Your post states 200mg and 50mg.  Did you mean 20mg and 5mg?  Because I cannot find tablets of that dose for this drug.

 

(Simack has advised that post was made in wrong drug topic).

 

Edited April 1, 2021 by ChessieCat

[simack]

9 minutes ago, ChessieCat said:

Your post states 200mg and 50mg.  Did you mean 20mg and 5mg?  Because I cannot find tablets of that dose for this drug.

 

Please update your drug signature.  It is currently stating that you were off Zyprexa in March 2018.

 

I do not have very much knowledge about Olanzapine.

 

However, from the information in Post #1 of this topic there is a list of tablet doses that are available.

 

Instead of trying to cut your tablets I suggest that you get a prescription for smaller tablet doses.  That would be the easiest solution.

Yes sorry that's my bad, I confused Quetiapine for Olanzapine sorry, I've posted in the wrong thread

[ChessieCat]

@simack @Spideygsm

 

Sorry guys, just realised that I was getting the two of you muddled up, I will edit my post requesting the drug signature to be updated.

 

Sorry Spidey I do not have very much knowledge about Olanzapine.

 

One thing that I have observed with various drugs is that there do seem to be certain doses that members seem to have more difficulty getting past.  But there is no particular dose of a particular drug to give others a guideline for which doses to be careful with for a drug.

 

One thing to realise is that the smaller tablet that you are using the greater the difference is if you do not cut the tablet accurately.  If you cut a 100mg tablet into 4 then if the pieces are not quite exact quarters the percentage of error is minimal.

[hayduke]

Granted I’ve been exposed to this drug for longer than could be healthy, but I’m sensitive to sub 1% changes week by week.

 

Cutting the tabs will be way less accurate.

 

Save yourselves the pain and use a a suitable titration method.

 

You don’t need me to tell you what’s at stake if you don’t treat yourself gently.

 

Every one of us who gets off this safely is someone I will toast.  And everyone who didn’t make it either.  But still

 

Cheers

[Spideygsm]

hayduke,

 

Everybody’s different. I was put on Zyprexa in 2003 and was on a 30 mg dose for many years. I was taken off Zyprexa by my Doctor do to dangerous side effects. I wish I could have done a slow taper as recommended by the folks here because it was about 1 year of miser after my last dose. Things weren’t Rosy after my last dose. That was actually the worst. 

 

I can tell everybody my body healed itself from the dangerous side effects including the Tardive Dyskinesia, liver, and blood sugar. It took awhile. Every once in awhile my head still shakes but not very often. 
 

I recommend everybody get off this poison where rapidly like I did or by slowly tapering. The approximate 16 months of misery was worth it

[Emily02]

Hi @Spideygsm

I’ m so glad you recovered from the side effects. How do you feel now?

How did you manage to recover from tardive dyskinesia?

Did you have balance issues/ dizziness as well ? Did it resolve?

Did you experience muscle stiffness? Did it go away?

[Spideygsm]

Hi Emily02,

 

How do I feel now? I have my good and bad times like everybody else. However, I don’t have the dull emotions, the heavy headed feeling I felt when I was on Olanzapine. I was on Olanzapine so long I didn’t realize how bad I really felt. About 16 weeks after my last dose one morning they ugliness just kind of went away. There were still little episodes of feeling poorly but I knew I did it. I got the poison out of my system.

 

The tardive dyskinesia was causing my head to uncontrollably shake. It never completely went away. My head will still occasionally shake but nothing like before. 
 

I still have balance issues and have taken some falls when standing. Even just sitting up in bed. Those issues reduces as well. I didn’t get any muscle stiffness.

 

My worst symptoms I could feel were anxiety and insomnia. The anxiety is gone. I had insomnia my entire life. Zyprexa did not make me sleep. It made things worst during withdrawals. I went through a sleep class which taught me good sleep hygiene. That helped.

 

Stay the course. Altostrata has put together great advice. I kept halving my dose until I got to 0.625mg then stopped because it was very inaccurate, and I felt so bad I just wanted it over with. My Doctor said to stop my last dose at 1.25mg. I did a very rapid taper under my Doctors recommendation. 
 

Good luck
 

 

 

[Emily02]

@Spideygsm many thanks for your reply. I highly appreciate it.

It’s really good to know that there’s recovery.

just one more question if you don’t mind

How did the tardive dyskinesia got better? 
Did you take any medication for it or it got better by itself?

 

many thanks again 

[Spideygsm]

Emily02,

 

It wasn’t sever when the Doctor noted I had the shaking. It mostly started after I started my withdrawal. I didn’t take anything for it. I’m not sure it’s even curable. 
 

The shaking just decreased over time thank goodness. I never thought anything about it. I figured it was just part of the anxiety and total nervousness.