About Olanzapine

[shonali2202]

Hi all I took Olanzapine 2.5 mg for 6 months and then stopped taking it after skipping one day in between for 2 days as my psychiatrist asked to do so but now after 3-4 months I am finding difficulty in sleeping like no matter how tired I am I do not feel sleepy but force myself to sleep and then I sleep. I tried magnesium as well and no screen time or using night filters for screen. I do not take any caffeine. I am 15 months pp and struggling with feeling low and depressed whatever I can call this. I also have intrusive thoughts which stopped for a while but now are back again. I just do not know what to do as Olanzapine now makes me feel a zombie. I tried taking it one time to make me feel better but i felt worst. I was on lithium as well and anti-depressant. I just do not know what to do as this does not get better. I have scheduled a whole body bloodwork to check my vitamins etc . This just keeps getting worst each day, after my periods it feels more worse. Please help me and suggest something please so that this hell can go away and I can be myself again.

[Ellie_at_APP Partner]

Hi Shonali2202

Welcome to the forum. I’m so glad you found us. I’m so sorry you are struggling with sleep, depression and intrusive thoughts. That sounds very hard.

It’s really good you’re getting everything checked out physically , such as blood tests etc and it sounds like you’re doing lots of good things to help sleep.

Do you still have a psychiatrist you can speak with? It could be good to seek some help? I also find meeting with a psychologist really helpful for CBT? I don’t know if you have that available where you are.

I have had some experiences with insomnia, I found going through everything I’m thankful for in my head before going to sleep really calming. A bedtime routine helped me too, having a bath and a calming herbal tea , and reading a book all helped.

Thinking of you, and hope others may be able to support. You will come through this and be yourself again

Ellie x

[shonali2202 in reply to Ellie_at_APP]

Hi Ellie_at_APP thank you for replying, I have an appointment due with my psychiatrist and I will ask about CBT as I am not sure if its available in India. It is getting really difficult these days mentally but I am pushing it through for my beautiful daughter and in a hope that it will end one day.

[JosephineFay in reply to Ellie_at_APP]

Hi Ellie, was your insomnia caused by your medication if you do take any that is.

[Ellie_at_APP Partner in reply to JosephineFay]

Hi JosephineFay, no, when I was struggling with insomnia I wasn't on any medication. I'm currently taking Olanzapaine, and this has really helped me to sleep. I sleep about 10 hours a night. X

[Maria_at_APP Moderator]

Hi shonali2202, I am sorry to read that you are feeling depressed and having intrusive thoughts. I am glad you are having an appointment with your psychiatrist soon, it's a good opportunity to explain how you are feeling and ask for what support will be available.

I had pp in 2018 and got a bipolar diagnosis in 2022, a technique that helps me to manage intrusive thoughts is to imagine them as clouds passing in front of me or trains leaving a station, I don't need to get on them I can just watch them come and go.

Take good care, I am so glad you found this forum, do let us know how you are getting on

Maria

[JosephineFay in reply to Maria_at_APP]

Hi Maria,

I also have a diagnosis of Bipolar. Are you on any medication for this and we're you diagnosed because of the nature of your psychotic episodes? If on meds are you having any side effects on these and so what are they? I'm struggling with very heavy sedation , sometimes I'm bed ridden my meds give mr chronic fatigue syndrome and I have really bad insomnia and get about 4 hours sleep at night.

[Maria_at_APP Moderator in reply to JosephineFay]

Hi JosephineFay, I am on medication for bipolar, is not the only alternative, of course, and it was a personal decision guided by my psychiatrist. I take olanzapine and Sertraline, in not very high doses. Olanzapine makes me very tired and fatigued. I take it very early in the evenings, between 6 and 6:30 pm, so that I am able to function for school drop off. That means I am asleep just after the kids go down.

My bipolar diagnosis came after pp, I fit more a bipolar type 2 which is leaning more towards depression, but because of the psychotic/manic episode postpartum I got a bipolar 1 diagnosis.

I would suggest if you can have an appointment with your GP as well and ask for a blood test to discard other physical symptoms that may be leaving you so whipped out. I have low iron levels and the tiredness is more because of it. We are coming off winter and have not received much vitamin D from the sun, all of these things contribute.

Take good care,

Maria

[JosephineFay in reply to Maria_at_APP]

Hi Maria, Yes like you I get incredibly fatigued on my medicines. I have had blood tests but they didn't come back with any adverse markers. I will make an appointment with the GP to see if I can get a full blood checks done again. I'm always exhausted. This morning I was supposed to go to college for 10am but I can't even get up at all. I suffer from joint pain and very stiff and numb arms and legs

[Maria_at_APP Moderator in reply to JosephineFay]

I am so sorry JosephineFay, it is very hard when it is impacting your life so much. Hope that the GP appointment goes well and they can help you. I am sorry you also suffer from joint pain, sounds tough.

Here if you want to chat, anytime, take care

Maria

[JosephineFay]

Hi Shonali, I wondered if your psychiatrist tapered and took you off your medication too quickly and you're now getting rebound insomnia. I am on a antipsychotic which gives me insomnia as a side effect. I am trying to taper off this but with every reduction my insomnia gets much worse. I am sure that your sleep issues will get better over time but do maybe check with your psychiatrist if the sleeplessness is because the medication has been stopped.

[Isabella5991]

Ah bless you. Sounds like you’re going through a lot. Sometimes it takes a handful of different meds before finding one that works for you. Risperidone and sertraline worked great for a few years, then had to change and tried 3 diff ones. Really bad reaction to quetiapine but then olanzapine working really well now. Although I feel really boring? Like it got rid of so many of my conditions that I don’t feel like me? I still have suicidal thoughts and low mood, but no high or really good feelings. It’s a bit weird. I think I’m gonna reduce my dose. I’m also sleeping 12 hours a night! Keep talking to your doctors and psychiatrists until you find the right remedy because there definitely is one out there for everybody xx

[Lilybeth Volunteer]

Hello shonali2202

I’m sorry to hear you’re struggling in your recovery from PP. I notice in your post that you are in India? I wonder if you have connected with Postpartum Support International at postpartum.net as they have support in India which might be helpful related to PP. Perhaps this is how you found the forum and all the lovely people here who truly understand.

I had PP twice years ago and I’m sorry the intrusive thoughts have returned. They were all very real and frightening to me at the time so I hope your psychiatrist will be able to reassure you with an ongoing treatment plan. I also had severe depression which seemed never ending, feeling helpless and hopeless. It did take me a while to find my place again.

Take very good care of yourself and keep reaching out for support. We are all here for you🌻

[SaffaFree]

Hi  shonali2202 I had PP last August 2023 and was on Olanzapine only. It worked for the initial episode, but then was making me too lethargic and sleeping in the day.

I was advised to taper more slowly, so 10mg, to 7.5mg, then 5mg, then 2.5mg for 2 weeks at a time, and monitor everything from thoughts, sleep, mood etc. I also didn’t want to be on any medication for longer than needed, so I off Olanzapine by December 2023. I managed any withdrawal symptoms with things like exercise, getting out in nature, Yoga and fitting some time in the day for you. These things are alap important for maintaining balance and sanity generally in life! It really helps to just take time away if you can from children and work to be by yourself, and switch off completely.

Exercise is invaluable for me as it helps release feel good hormones and you it really does help you sleep! I would find some type of exercise you enjoy, even if it’s just getting out for walks in daylight. If you are in India, can you join a community like yoga, meditation, group therapy? Professional talking therapies too.

When you have intrusive thoughts, someone said about just watching them float by on a cloud and that is really helpful. Also reconnecting back with your breathing and laying your hands on your chest and stomach while you breath. It will help you to get out of your head and into your body. It can become a good habit to get into when you just need to stop thoughts. Eventually, and hopefully these thoughts won’t be so impactful.

I hope you find something that works to help you sleep. Xx