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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Joeypanic on August 3, 2001, at 0:46:45
I am thinking of using Zyprexa would you recommend 2.5 or 5 mgs? I am using it for anxiety I am on Zoloft 100mgs and 2mgs of Klonopin.
Posted by JohnL on August 3, 2001, at 4:17:56
In reply to Attn:JohnL, posted by Joeypanic on August 3, 2001, at 0:46:45
> I am thinking of using Zyprexa would you recommend 2.5 or 5 mgs? I am using it for anxiety I am on Zoloft 100mgs and 2mgs of Klonopin.
Joey,
That's a tough question. I am much better versed on dysthymia, treatment resistant depression, and anhedonia, but not very well versed on anxiety. I would think the best bet would be to ask your doc about increasing the Klonopin dosage.Do you find Klonopin useful? If so, maybe one of its cousins like Xanax or Valium could be tried. One may work a lot better than another, but only a personal trial will tell. The cool thing with these is that you can find out in days, not weeks. All you would need are short sample trials for comparisons.
Whether Zyprexa would be helpful or not, I have no idea. I started at 2.5mg for a couple weeks and then moved up to my current dose of 5mg. The primary reason I started it was to replace Remeron as a sleep med. It was an accidental but pleasant discovery that it had the additional benefit of clearing up my head and wiping out any residual symptoms of anhedonic dysthymia. I don't have any anxiety, but then, I didn't before I took Zyprexa either. So I don't know.
Hopefully someone else can jump in here with some ideas. See what your doc has to say. It could be a simple small dose increase of Klonopin might be all that's needed. Or maybe a substitution with one of its cousins.
John
Posted by Cam W. on August 3, 2001, at 9:14:36
In reply to Attn:JohnL, posted by Joeypanic on August 3, 2001, at 0:46:45
Joey - I don't think that Zyprexa (olanzapine) would be the first choice to augment the Zoloft (sertraline) and Klonopin (clonazepam), unless you are having mood incongruent (eg. laughing at a tearful event, etc.) thoughts or actions. Perhaps ask your doctor if an increase in the Zoloft dose (perhaps to 200mg) would be a better choice for you. Quite often, those with anxiety disorders need higher doses of SSRIs than is seen used for depression.
It really depends on how long you have been taking the Zoloft. Sometimes it can take 4 months (or so) for the Zoloft (or any SSRI) to fully kick in for anxiety. Also remember that SSRIs usually make the anxiety worse in the beginning; this includes dosage increases (though usually less anxiety than with the initial titration of the SSRI). This increased anxiety will dissipate as your body adjusts to the higher level of Zoloft.
Also ask your doctor about relaxations techniques or other cognitive/behavioral techniques that you can use to help decrease you anxiety levels, without using drugs. Cutting out caffeinated beverages will help.
I hope that this is of some help. - Cam
This is the end of the thread.
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