Olazapine

[Zebrawhite]

Hi everyone

What is anyone's experience of taking olazapine? Do you take it at night and is it sedating? I'm having trouble sleeping so wondering if switching to this would help?

Also has anyone experienced any movement problems whilst on olanzapine? I'm taking ablify and it makes me very slow and weak.

Thank you

[Maria_at_APP Moderator]

Hi Zebrawhite, hope all goes well with the medication review. I was on olanzapine as I mentioned when I had pp. It was very very effective for the psychosis and I also took it for a while as a mood stabiliser for my bipolar. Sleep was not a problem, in fact I slept more hours than usual on it.

I did not experience slow movements, just an increase in appetite, but that is not exclusive to that antipsychotic, I still get cravings on my current Aripiprazole.

I very much hope they find the right medication for you, it affects us all differently, but there are ways to get around the side effects and they should not be as bad as impacting your life as they currently do. Wishing you all the best

Maria

[Zebrawhite in reply to Maria_at_APP]

Did you experience weight gain on olanzapine?

[Maria_at_APP Moderator in reply to Zebrawhite]

Yes, I gained weight on olanzapine. The food cravings where more when I was on a high dose, I weaned off from 20 mg at some point. I had regular blood checks to see if my sugar levels were OK, but I also need those checks with Aripiprazole, so same difference for me.

Take good care,

Maria

[Zebrawhite in reply to Maria_at_APP]

Was weight gain put down to eating more due to the cravings?

[Maria_at_APP Moderator in reply to Zebrawhite]

I think it was mainly due to eating more, yes

[MotherOfBears]

just a brief reply to say yes, I did find it sedating and I slept very well on it. And no, I didn’t have any movement issues, felt totally normal

Good luck with navigating which is the right medication for you, I know it can be trying

[Zebrawhite]

I'm switching to olanzapine and hoping it is the right choice

[Maria_at_APP Moderator in reply to Zebrawhite]

I hope it goes well for you, thinking of you

[WonderWomanUK]

I took olanzapine at night (10pm) and literally slept from 10pm-10am (when someone woke me up!) I found that even when my dosed was reduced. My mum and husband did the night feeds so I’m very lucky. But I do know people that have taken it and are single mothers and still woke up throughout the night.

It didn’t affect my movements but I did still feel sedated during the day when on higher dose.

Hope it goes well for you with olanzipine.

[Zebrawhite in reply to WonderWomanUK]

Can I ask what dose you were on please?

[WonderWomanUK in reply to Zebrawhite]

Started on 20mg then reduced gradually

15mg, 12.5mg, 10mg, 7.5mg, 5mg, 2.5mg, nothing

What dose will you be on?

[Zebrawhite in reply to WonderWomanUK]

5 mg