Olanzapine after PP

[Lavender456]

Hello, I am seeking other people's experience on Olanzapine following post-partum psychosis. I am currently on 12.5mg and I am currently 9 weeks discharged from hospital as it stands. I am feeling very lethargic and low on the medication and wanted to know if this is the case for others and what other options are out there / have people experienced? Thank you

[Lilybeth Volunteer]

Hello millietraynor

Good to hear that you have now been discharged from hospital. Nine weeks is not long though so I hope you are taking things easy. I didn’t take Olanzapine during my recovery so I’m sorry I don’t have experience to share. I remember though that the medications I was taking did make me very slow to react but I realise now that it was keeping me stable.

If you can see the forum page, there are Related Posts from mums about Olanzapine on the right hand side. These might be helpful until other mums share their experiences and options with you.

Take good care of yourself .... we are all here for each other 🌻

[RachelK_at_APP Moderator]

hello

Millietraynor

I took olanzapine with my episode of pp back in 2016 and as a preventative in 2020 when having my second child. (Didn’t get ill second time)

I did find the medication made me very drowsy after I’d took it and I’d have to go to bed and you’re on a higher dose I was on. I would struggle to wake for night feeds for the first few hours so my husband did them until the middle of the night then it’d be my turn. I also remember feeling very groggy/almost hungover in the morning so I soon asked for the dosage to be reduced.

I would share with your medical professionals as when I said how I felt they offered a lower dosage or to try a different medication.

Good luck and take care

Rk

[yougotthis1 Volunteer]

Hi Lavender456 ,

I was on olanzapine after my PP episode in March 2022. I also felt extremely lethargic and struggled to do anything. I had absolutely no energy and little interest in anything. Just wanted to sleep a lot. I found the lethargy was worse as I was getting better, because we all recover at different rates.

It got much better for me when my Psychiatrist reduced the dose. Looking back on that time now I am so grateful that the medication worked in keeping me stable. Definitely mention how you’re feeling to your healthcare team and they can consider what’s best for you personally.

Be kind to yourself, it’s very early stages in your recovery and it will get better. Try to get as much help and support as possible during this time, as it can be the toughest time. I found doing even the basics felt like trying to move through treacle.

Look after yourself, hopefully things start to feel a little easier for you soon xx

[Kazzle]

I hated being on Olanzopine for that reason, especially in the early stages, but it really did help with my psychosis/recovery and eventually got me back to my usual self. You definitely have to play the long game which isn’t easy I know. It was the only thing that kept me stable after PP. In my case I took it for around 8 months, so now looking back that’s quite a short time for the benefits of getting better and staying well as that was a few years ago. That’s also quite a high dose you are taking so no wonder you feel like that, I’d imagine they will start reducing it gradually as you recover. So I didn’t feel as you describe for the whole 8 months. But you could ask about it having it reduced slightly. Take it in the evening too. I found that once the dose was a bit lower I was less tired/brain fog but I’ve never liked taking it just knew it was a necessary evil if you like. I’m afraid I don’t have experience of taking any other alternatives but I’d recommend asking your doctors etc. Best wishes, I hope it all goes well for you.

[Lion88]

Hello Millietraynor! Nice to meet you here. I have been taking Olanzapine for 8 months following my PP. I can definitely relate to the feeling of lethargy... I remember being very apathic and not wanting to do anything, just sleep.... It was very striking that to all the questions my husband was asking me, I had just one answer: I don't know.... At first, I was very afraid that the whole recovery period would be like that, but with time the dosage has been reduced and I was feeling better and better. I knew the treatement was a necessary evil as Kazzle said, and only this understanding kept me taking it every day. Wish you that this difficult period passes as quickly as possible. Stay strong!

[Isabella5991]

Hello dear,

So sorry to hear you’ve been so unwell.

I’m glad you are on your road to recovery now 💖

I’ve been on risperidone and sertraline for 3 years since my episode and will stay on it for life (not everyone will) It’s quite a low dose, but I do find it hard to wake up. Quite lazy and hard to get up once sitting! Antipsychotics do make you very sleepy! But I take this as a positive mostly since I has such terrible mania I didn’t sleep for a whole month. The meds finally let me sleep. Pros and cons like anything I guess. Every night in bed I can relax that I will eventually get to sleep with the help of the meds, so it is quite a blessing, even though there are of course negatives to them.

You can feel low after an episode of pscyhosis so if you feel you need another type of medication chat to your doctor. Sertraline worked amazingly for me in that regard. But if it is your meds then perhaps also speak to your team about that and they can help xx

Have you got lots of support from the mental health teams and family now you’re home? Brighter days are coming and you will get back to your self xx

[Jo-jo2005]

Hi Millie,

I took olanzapine during my second pregnancy and postpartum. Personally (and please do remember we all respond to medication differently) I used to notice changes in my mood particularly when I needed to alter the dosage.

I would definitely recommend contacting your PMH team and seeking advice from them, they will be best placed to help you manage your symptoms and help you find a better balance.

It's very early days for you still, remember to take good care of yourself and be kind to yourself too. You're doing amazing, this is not an easy process but it absolutely does get much better.

Take care x

[Redtap Volunteer]

Hi Millietraynor,

I haven't been on Olanzapine myself but was originally put on Sulphiride and found myself very sleepy and struggling to get up in the morning. I would feel like I'd not slept but would have slept for 9- 10 hours (excluding getting up for the little one). When I mentioned this to my psychiatrist they put me on a newer version of the medication (Ami-sulphiride) which was slightly better.

So I would definitely let your mental health team know how the medication is affecting you and that you're feeling low. I was prescribed Prozac for the depression I experienced following the initial manic phase and this did help.

We are all different and it can take a while for you to find the medication that works best for you.

Keep in touch with us. We are all here to help each other through this.

[Arabella-]

hey Millie

I’m on 7.5mg. I had the same problem. Ask your psychiatrist if you can go down to 10mg then 7.5 it really helps x

[Littleloulou]

Hi millietraynor,

I was treated with Olanzapine following post-partum psychosis. I found at one stage it made me really tired, lethargic and I was aware that it affected my speech (I felt my words were a bit slurred). I mentioned these things to my Dr who agreed that the extreme tiredness was a good sign that I was recovering and that was why the medication was affecting me in that way. They then reduced my dose which reduced the tiredness and my speech was no longer slurred. I'm sorry to hear you feel the olanzapine is making you feel low. Having had post partum psychosis is such a difficult experience and you've come through so much. I hope everything improves for you.

[NicJK]

Hi millietraynor, I have been on Olanzapine for almost 3 years. The most I have been on is 5mg and I don’t feel lethargic or anything like that - I think you need to lower your dose with your doctors help. Also, once you have been on Olanzapine for a while your brain starts to create more dopamine to make up for the dopamine dampened out by the drug - so you will inevitably start to feel better the longer you’re on it. Good luck and let me know if you have any questions x

[Sarah_APP_Volunteer Volunteer]

Hi Millie,

Congratulations for being back home, that is already a huge step.

I was on onlanzapine after my postpartum psychosis in august 2021. They put me on it while I was still sectioned, after using the depot (injection) which gave me horrible side effects.

I found olanzapine definitely had negative side effects for me - the drowsiness wouldn’t go away, I was sleeping 12+ hours and struggled so bad to get up in the morning…. I couldn’t do any night feeds at all, my husband and mother were true heroes, and stepped in. There was true lack of motivation in my mind and body, and I felt olanzapine had a significant impact in making me feel so lethargic and depressed. After a few months on it and no improvement, I decided it wasn’t right for me anymore, and with the help of my psychiatrist we defined another treatment. I got put on quetiapine & venlafaxine. (Please always discuss medication change with your consultant, don’t ever stop suddenly- I made that mistake and won’t ever make it a second time!)

Are you on any other medication as well? Such as anti depressants? It’s always about the balance between all the meds you might be on.

Sometimes it’s about testing a few treatment options and see what works best. It can be frustrating, for me I felt like I was given a cocktail of meds before we found the right ones. But I swear once we did, I started to see huge improvement. It’s also about trusting the medical professionals, the process and the medication, which is not always easy to do.

You’ve got this!

Hugs,

Sarah

[Lilybeth Volunteer]

Hello millietraynor

A few months on now since your post when you were 9 weeks discharged from hospital. I hope you have been well and that you found the shared experiences helpful here.

Take care and rest when you can. 🌻