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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 20 of 20. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Guy on July 13, 2011, at 20:04:04
I have been on Zyprexa for anxiety for several years and am now convinced that I will be on it for the rest of my life. I have tried discontinuing on several occasions, but when I do all hell breaks loose--I end up in a suicidal state that is beyond anything a "normal" person could possibly imagine. I think my brain has been physically altered and that there will be no proof of this damage unless someone does an autopsy after I am dead.
Posted by johnj1 on July 13, 2011, at 20:52:48
In reply to Hooked for Life, posted by Guy on July 13, 2011, at 20:04:04
I was on meds for over ten years and have been med free for 3 years. You have to cut it very slow. When I went down on benzos I cut a tablet in quarters and at the end even cut that in half. Cut down and after you stablize give it another week and then continue the cut. Eat healthy as you can and exercise. I do think it is not advisable to start an exercise program while cutting down though as it could be hard on the body. Good luck.
Posted by jono_in_adelaide on July 13, 2011, at 22:10:44
In reply to Re: Hooked for Life, posted by johnj1 on July 13, 2011, at 20:52:48
Perhaps those symptoms indicate that you still need the med, rather than anything more sinister. If my sister stops using her asthma inhalar, all hell breaks loose - that doesnt mean that Symbicort has altered her lungs, it just means that using it controls her symptoms, and stopping it allows the symptoms to return. Probably the same thing here.
As the previosu poster said, if you do try and stop, taper off slowly.
Posted by morgan miller on July 13, 2011, at 22:19:23
In reply to Hooked for Life, posted by Guy on July 13, 2011, at 20:04:04
Are you on any other medications? Have you tried anything else for anxiety?
As previously mentioned, you will need to cut down and ween off Zyprexa very very slowly if you want to have any chance of getting off it. You will also likely need something in place of it.
Exercise, diet, supplements, and other medications will go a long way to help you combat anxiety.How do you function on it? Do you have any intrusive side effects?
Posted by huxley on July 13, 2011, at 23:00:38
In reply to Hooked for Life, posted by Guy on July 13, 2011, at 20:04:04
> I have been on Zyprexa for anxiety for several years and am now convinced that I will be on it for the rest of my life. I have tried discontinuing on several occasions, but when I do all hell breaks loose--I end up in a suicidal state that is beyond anything a "normal" person could possibly imagine. I think my brain has been physically altered and that there will be no proof of this damage unless someone does an autopsy after I am dead.
Hello there guy and welcome to my world. I was in the same position as you approximatly 1.5 years ago and I have successfully come down from 5mg of Zyprexa to now taking about .80mg. I have no doubt I will be off it completly in 6 months.
I tried Cold turkey back at the start and I can totally relate to your situation. It is a very scary withdrawal process.
You have to do it very very VERY slowly. If you go to fast you will get panic attacks, crazy anxiety, terrible emotinal problems, freaky visual and audio hallucinations and a whole lot of other problems that will probably be unique to you.
If you want I can share my experience with you and let you know what helped etc. but I dont want to convince you either way to stay on it or get off it. That is up to you.
Posted by Phillipa on July 14, 2011, at 0:41:55
In reply to Re: Hooked for Life, posted by huxley on July 13, 2011, at 23:00:38
Seems like quite a few are getting off meds. To those who totally quit what made you decide to did you no longer need them? Thanks Phillipa
Posted by SLS on July 14, 2011, at 2:27:24
In reply to Re: Hooked for Life, posted by huxley on July 13, 2011, at 23:00:38
> > I have been on Zyprexa for anxiety for several years and am now convinced that I will be on it for the rest of my life. I have tried discontinuing on several occasions, but when I do all hell breaks loose--I end up in a suicidal state that is beyond anything a "normal" person could possibly imagine. I think my brain has been physically altered and that there will be no proof of this damage unless someone does an autopsy after I am dead.
> Hello there guy and welcome to my world. I was in the same position as you approximatly 1.5 years ago and I have successfully come down from 5mg of Zyprexa to now taking about .80mg. I have no doubt I will be off it completly in 6 months.
>
> I tried Cold turkey back at the start and I can totally relate to your situation. It is a very scary withdrawal process.
>
> You have to do it very very VERY slowly. If you go to fast you will get panic attacks, crazy anxiety, terrible emotinal problems, freaky visual and audio hallucinations and a whole lot of other problems that will probably be unique to you.
>
> If you want I can share my experience with you and let you know what helped etc. but I dont want to convince you either way to stay on it or get off it. That is up to you.
Nice post, Huxley. Very helpful. Have you been working with 49er to formalize a withdrawal protocol? He has a nice spreadsheet that calculates taper schedules.
- Scott
Posted by Zyprexa on July 14, 2011, at 6:46:21
In reply to Hooked for Life, posted by Guy on July 13, 2011, at 20:04:04
I've been taking zyprexa for 13 years and yes I think I will be on it for the rest of my life. I don't think it changes the function of brain. I remember before I took it and how awful I felt and thought. Everytime I go off it I go back to that state. Even if I slowly cut down on it. Its easyer to come off it and adjust but the same type of bad thinking slowly comes back.
Posted by morgan miller on July 14, 2011, at 11:54:46
In reply to Re: Hooked for Life - yes!, posted by Zyprexa on July 14, 2011, at 6:46:21
I'm genuinely glad Zyprexa has worked out to be such a great drug for you. For me though, it had an obvious negative impact on brain function and I always had a harder time keeping unnecessary fat off. As always, mileage varies.
Posted by huxley on July 15, 2011, at 2:11:56
In reply to Re: Hooked for Life - yes!, posted by Zyprexa on July 14, 2011, at 6:46:21
> I've been taking zyprexa for 13 years and yes I think I will be on it for the rest of my life. I don't think it changes the function of brain. I remember before I took it and how awful I felt and thought. Everytime I go off it I go back to that state. Even if I slowly cut down on it. Its easyer to come off it and adjust but the same type of bad thinking slowly comes back.
I found that I had very bad thinking at each dose reduction of Zyprexa that never existed before I took Zyprexa.
Posted by huxley on July 15, 2011, at 2:15:37
In reply to Re: Hooked for Life » huxley, posted by SLS on July 14, 2011, at 2:27:24
>
> Nice post, Huxley. Very helpful. Have you been working with 49er to formalize a withdrawal protocol? He has a nice spreadsheet that calculates taper schedules.
>
>
> - ScottThanks scott. Defintly an improvement on my last thread. Am working towards being a solid citizen of PB.
Posted by morgan miller on July 15, 2011, at 10:47:25
In reply to Re: Hooked for Life - yes!, posted by huxley on July 15, 2011, at 2:11:56
> > I've been taking zyprexa for 13 years and yes I think I will be on it for the rest of my life. I don't think it changes the function of brain. I remember before I took it and how awful I felt and thought. Everytime I go off it I go back to that state. Even if I slowly cut down on it. Its easyer to come off it and adjust but the same type of bad thinking slowly comes back.
>
> I found that I had very bad thinking at each dose reduction of Zyprexa that never existed before I took Zyprexa.
>That's likely your brain having a hard time readjusting to being off the medication, especially since it sounds like you noticed these effects after you got off it.
Posted by bleauberry on July 15, 2011, at 18:51:25
In reply to Hooked for Life, posted by Guy on July 13, 2011, at 20:04:04
Over 60 different genes are impacted by zyprexa. About half are turned up or on (if they were off), and 30 others get turned down or off. Some of the genes are the ones related to fat storage, and thus the common complaint of weight gain. Others are related to mood and hormones. When the genes are tweeked by zyprexa, I don't think they stay that way when zyprexa is removed. So the original symptoms would return. This whole topic is in addition to but completely separate from the dopamine/serotonin/histamine mechanisms of the drug.
Posted by SLS on July 16, 2011, at 4:47:50
In reply to Re: Hooked for Life, posted by bleauberry on July 15, 2011, at 18:51:25
> Over 60 different genes are impacted by zyprexa. About half are turned up or on (if they were off), and 30 others get turned down or off. Some of the genes are the ones related to fat storage, and thus the common complaint of weight gain. Others are related to mood and hormones. When the genes are tweeked by zyprexa, I don't think they stay that way when zyprexa is removed. So the original symptoms would return. This whole topic is in addition to but completely separate from the dopamine/serotonin/histamine mechanisms of the drug.
What is the mechanism by which Zyprexa changes gene expression if, as you claim, it has nothing to do with "dopamine/serotonin/histamine mechanisms of the drug."?
- Scott
Posted by Zyprexa on July 16, 2011, at 5:12:37
In reply to Re: Hooked for Life - yes! » Zyprexa, posted by morgan miller on July 14, 2011, at 11:54:46
Its funny that you say those things about zyprexa. I found that it makes me smarter when I take the right dose. Also belive it or not I'm taking it now and losing weight! Its almost as if I'm not taking it.
Posted by SLS on July 16, 2011, at 6:02:54
In reply to Re: Hooked for Life - yes! » morgan miller, posted by Zyprexa on July 16, 2011, at 5:12:37
> Its funny that you say those things about zyprexa. I found that it makes me smarter when I take the right dose.
Absolutely. It can increase clarity of thought as per my own experience with Zyprexa. Zyprexa increases the release of dopamine and norepinephrine in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), a center of executive function.
> Also belive it or not I'm taking it now and losing weight! Its almost as if I'm not taking it.
You lucky dog. Perhaps you have optimized your dosage of Zyprexa in such a way as to produce a better balance between D2 and 5-HT2a receptors. I don't really know. Zyprexa is normally potently antihistaminic. This should increase your appetite and rate of formation of adipose tissue. Your apparently paradoxical reaction to Zyprexa might be the result of a potent antidepressant response increasing your basal metabolic rate (BMR). Maybe you have established a perfect match for your psychobiology.
Do you gain weight at both higher and lower dosages than what you are taking now? How much Zyprexa are you taking.
- Scott
Posted by morgan miller on July 16, 2011, at 11:32:10
In reply to Re: Hooked for Life - yes! » morgan miller, posted by Zyprexa on July 16, 2011, at 5:12:37
That's awesome. It just goes to show that everyone is different. I do think you are the exception to the rule, at least judging from the people I spoke to personally.
Posted by Zyprexa on July 16, 2011, at 21:21:23
In reply to Re: Hooked for Life - yes! » Zyprexa, posted by SLS on July 16, 2011, at 6:02:54
I currently take 15mg zyprexa, 32mg perphenazine, 150 sertratine, 200 bupropion and 1mg cogentin(generic). The dose of zyprexa I gained the most weight on was 10mg. Lower doses were not weight gaining.
Posted by B2chica on July 18, 2011, at 11:37:42
In reply to Re: Hooked for Life - yes! » SLS, posted by Zyprexa on July 16, 2011, at 21:21:23
same for me. at 5 i actually lost a few lbs. at 10 i've gained up to 50. and at 20 i didnt' gain any.
Posted by sheilac on July 23, 2011, at 8:16:04
In reply to Re: Hooked for Life - yes!, posted by B2chica on July 18, 2011, at 11:37:42
During a VERY stressful period my old doc gave me Zyprexa samples. Only took 2.5 - 5mg and it was AWESOME! I felt relaxed, but not too relaxed, helped depression and I don't really remember any weight gain, but when I moved across country (this was the stressful event) my new doc didn't want me taking it. I only took it for about a month maybe.
I have lost about 30 lbs in last year through diet and exercise and new doc wants me to drop another 20 lbs (that could take me another year!)
But I loved Zyprexa it got me through a really bad time. Don't know if I would have stuck with it if I had started gaining weight.
This is the end of the thread.
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