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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Babak on December 5, 2007, at 10:10:34
I have been taking Olanzapine for the last three years. It worked wonders initially but most of its beneficial effects stopped within three months. Now it only helps me sleep better with fewer dreams.
However I am concerned about certain changes in my personality over the last three years.
I would be interested in any relevant information with regards to use of Olanzapine and other drugs of the same class. If any one knows of any article or web site discussing the issue I would be grateful for directions.I heard some comments in a documentary on TV which has made me very concerned.
I suppose being antipsychotic they are supposed to cause personality changes. But are these changes reversible?
I feel emotionally removed and I don't seem to be able to reason with myself any longer. I have grown extremely lethargic and have lost all spontaneity and am somewhat less communicative.
Are there others out there who can relate to my comments?
Posted by Phillipa on December 5, 2007, at 12:22:54
In reply to Olanzapine 'side effects', posted by Babak on December 5, 2007, at 10:10:34
Are you pschotic? If not maybe they are not the meds for you. Phillipa
Posted by Racer on December 5, 2007, at 14:51:36
In reply to Olanzapine 'side effects', posted by Babak on December 5, 2007, at 10:10:34
They're not really supposed to cause personality changes -- although relieving mania or psychosis will cause some changes, of course. What it sounds like, though, is that it's too sedating for you.
There are other atypical anti-psychotics which may cause less sedation, such as Abilify, Seroquel, or Risperdal. Seroquel does cause some sedation, and can be used to help with sleep, but your mileage will vary. Abilify is the least sedating, most activating, of the three.
What symptoms are you taking Zyprexa for?
Hope that helps.
Posted by Zyprexa on December 5, 2007, at 20:03:38
In reply to Olanzapine 'side effects', posted by Babak on December 5, 2007, at 10:10:34
What I do is a med holiday.
Posted by yxibow on December 6, 2007, at 0:09:44
In reply to Olanzapine 'side effects', posted by Babak on December 5, 2007, at 10:10:34
> I have been taking Olanzapine for the last three years. It worked wonders initially but most of its beneficial effects stopped within three months. Now it only helps me sleep better with fewer dreams.
>
> However I am concerned about certain changes in my personality over the last three years.
>
>
> I would be interested in any relevant information with regards to use of Olanzapine and other drugs of the same class. If any one knows of any article or web site discussing the issue I would be grateful for directions.
>
> I heard some comments in a documentary on TV which has made me very concerned.
>
> I suppose being antipsychotic they are supposed to cause personality changes. But are these changes reversible?
>
> I feel emotionally removed and I don't seem to be able to reason with myself any longer. I have grown extremely lethargic and have lost all spontaneity and am somewhat less communicative.
> Are there others out there who can relate to my comments?
>Its called blunting, a common effect of antipsychotics. Unfortunately, it usually does not resolve by itself, its the choice of better being psychotic or extremely anxious or whatever reason you took it, or putting up with the effects knowing that there are stronger atypicals out there you might not want to be on. But then again, you could always try something like Geodon if you really wanted to.
It basically fits blunting to a tee -- SSRIs also do so but much less, the emotionally removed can happen as a result so -- delayed reactions to emotional events.
I'm not sure what you saw on TV, but this is a normal phenomenon, believe me.
Posted by Babak on December 6, 2007, at 4:48:12
In reply to Re: Olanzapine 'side effects' » Babak, posted by yxibow on December 6, 2007, at 0:09:44
I am trying to come off the damn thing which is supposed to be easy. But without it I can't sleep and if I do I am woken up almost immediately while dreaming.
Last night I must have been woken up at least a dozen times and the rest of the time I was awake.Are there any alternatives to help me sleep and I mean except benzos and hypnotic drugs?
I have tried both of them; with benzos I get used to them very quickly and I have too keep increasing the dose and with the hypnotic medications I fall asleep initially but I remain aware that I am asleep which is a bizarre feeling and after a while I just wake up and can’t go back to asleep.The program I saw was about the use of antipsychotic medication on people with dementia and it purported to make them worse and having irreversible effects of the brain which is scary to say the least.
Posted by Babak on December 6, 2007, at 4:51:03
In reply to Re: Olanzapine 'side effects' » Babak, posted by Phillipa on December 5, 2007, at 12:22:54
No I am not psychotic but nothing else seems to help me sleep and have fewer dreams.
Posted by Babak on December 6, 2007, at 4:56:19
In reply to Re: Olanzapine 'side effects', posted by Racer on December 5, 2007, at 14:51:36
Well I don't feel sedated and I certainly don't sleep too much and in fact I am having more and more dreams which awaken me in the middle of the night repeatedly.
I have tried Seroquel but it was the same if not worse.
After almost 17 years I am just fed up with medication which only work partially anyway and they must have long term side effects on the liver and other organs because of prolonged usage.
Posted by Babak on December 6, 2007, at 4:58:57
In reply to Re: Olanzapine 'side effects', posted by Zyprexa on December 5, 2007, at 20:03:38
If you mean by that to stop taking it for a while then that is exactly what I am doing.
But sleeping without it is imposible, well I fall asleep eventualy but then I wake up and I dream too much which leaves me really tired in the mornings.
Posted by Zyprexa on December 6, 2007, at 10:04:55
In reply to Re: Olanzapine 'side effects' » Zyprexa, posted by Babak on December 6, 2007, at 4:58:57
Half a dose?
Posted by Racer on December 6, 2007, at 10:10:59
In reply to Re: Olanzapine 'side effects' » yxibow, posted by Babak on December 6, 2007, at 4:48:12
>
> The program I saw was about the use of antipsychotic medication on people with dementia and it purported to make them worse and having irreversible effects of the brain which is scary to say the least.
>And there is a huge difference between using anti-psychotics in those with dementia versus using anti-psychotics on those with other sorts of problems. Correlation versus causation: the dementia patients will, sadly, get worse, and that worsening will be irreversible in all likelihood. Are the anti-psychotic medications influencing that at all? If so, are they causing it (very unlikely); contributing to it (possibly); or influencing it in any other way (as like as not, since even aspirin would influence it)? Especially with what's shown on TV, it's important to be very, very skeptical. And none of the information about anti-psychotic use in dementia necessarily applies to anti-psychotic use in any other patient.
As far as sleep goes, I'm assuming you've tried Trazodone, and it hasn't worked. In which case, if you can't take anti-psychotics, you can't take hypnotics, and you haven't found help from Trazodone, I think it's time to look into behavioral interventions to improve sleep hygiene. They won't work as immediately, but if medication isn't working for you, that's what's left, and they can be very effective for sleep.
Good luck.
Posted by Phillipa on December 6, 2007, at 18:52:44
In reply to Re: Olanzapine 'side effects' » Phillipa, posted by Babak on December 6, 2007, at 4:51:03
Babak have you had sleep studies done could be sleep aphnea more and more people are getting dianosed with this today. Do you snore? Phillipa
Posted by yxibow on December 7, 2007, at 4:22:27
In reply to Re: Olanzapine 'side effects' » Babak, posted by Racer on December 6, 2007, at 10:10:59
> >
> > The program I saw was about the use of antipsychotic medication on people with dementia and it purported to make them worse and having irreversible effects of the brain which is scary to say the least.
> >
>
> And there is a huge difference between using anti-psychotics in those with dementia versus using anti-psychotics on those with other sorts of problems. Correlation versus causation: the dementia patients will, sadly, get worse, and that worsening will be irreversible in all likelihood. Are the anti-psychotic medications influencing that at all? If so, are they causing it (very unlikely); contributing to it (possibly); or influencing it in any other way (as like as not, since even aspirin would influence it)? Especially with what's shown on TV, it's important to be very, very skeptical. And none of the information about anti-psychotic use in dementia necessarily applies to anti-psychotic use in any other patient.
>
> As far as sleep goes, I'm assuming you've tried Trazodone, and it hasn't worked. In which case, if you can't take anti-psychotics, you can't take hypnotics, and you haven't found help from Trazodone, I think it's time to look into behavioral interventions to improve sleep hygiene. They won't work as immediately, but if medication isn't working for you, that's what's left, and they can be very effective for sleep.
>
> Good luck.I would highly agree with this assesment. Causation is not correlation. Now I have various things that have happened to me over time where causation is basically almost correlation but when , no offense to our octogenarians+ on here, but when you are dealing with frailer and sadly memory lost patients, anything could set off them and this is why there is a whole practice of gerontology and I dare say gerontologic psychiatry to deal with the consequences of dosing, reduced dosing schedule for clearance of metabolites on older organs, etc.
I am assuming that you are quite not an nonogenarian with dementia.
Trazodone is a good hammerblow of a drug that will definately knock you out for a while until its sell date is gone and then you have to go back a bit and go up again on the dose if you acclimate to its tiredness since its just an old antidepressant related to Serzone. Do be warned that priapisms can happen although they're usually not life threatening, however if you cannot stop it on your own (no kidding, I stood on my head), you would have to go to the ER. But this is a rare event, I am medication sensitive.
Another good non-habit forming agent is doxepin, unfortunately you acclimate much quicker to it than Trazodone. The good thing is that if you do wake up, you're more likely to go back to sleep again.
And if you're purely using it for sleep, you may have already acclimated to that small of a dose of Olanzapine after time.
This is the end of the thread.
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