acupuncture

[NicJK]

Hi ladies, I am currently tapering off olanzapine and I had acupuncture twice. Unfortunately the acupuncture has made me process olanzapine differently and the medication now makes me really emotionally flat when I wasn’t before. Has anyone else had acupuncture while on antipsychotics?

[x_Amy Volunteer]

Hi NicJK,

I’m sorry to hear that you’re experiencing this side effect which is new to you. I haven’t used acupuncture, however I took olanzapine during my recovery from PP and I did experience the emotional flatness that you are describing. My understanding is it’s a common one, although I know how unpleasant it is to experience. Please bear in mind this is temporary 💐 it is fantastic to hear that you are tapering off the medication and I wish you all the best with this.

Take good care,

Amy xx

[Survivedwithcolor]

I haven't had acupunture, but like Amy I did have some drugs that made me very, very flat. The Mayo Clinic listing for olanzapine has many, many possible side effects including a surprisingly long list of things it can interact with, among them ordinary substances like tobacco and alcohol. I wonder if bodily changes during acupuncture could have created some kind of reaction? It's certainly possible. When I was taking antipsychotics I was very sensitive to all kinds of things. It may resolve as you get off the olanzapine.

[Rachel_at_APP Partner APP]

Morning NicJK,

It's Rachel here, part of Action on Postpartum Psychosis's peer support team. I haven't ever had acupuncture I'm afraid so I don't have any insight that might help on that.

I do know that changes in medication can have different side effects however, including feeling emotionally flat. You can read more about this on the Mind website (a UK mental health charity). Here: mind.org.uk/information-sup....

They also have a very short section on alternative therapies including acupuncture, here: mind.org.uk/information-sup...

If you're concerned don't hesitate to seek advice from your health professionals, they have supported many people and will therefore perhaps have useful insight or experiences from others to share with you.

Take care, Rachel x