mustlovedogs Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 Simply a community of people that I can confide in about this. I do plan to stay on it. I speculate there are fewer users of that specific drug here than perhaps on forums more dedicated to that. You do have freedom of speech, but you may have more luck elsewhere. Link to comment
boltnrun Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 Vesper, I am sure there are forums dedicated to people who are on the same medications and have the same medical conditions you have. Friends are great for many things, but medical advice isn't one of them. I, for example, have several medical conditions that require medication. One of them is high blood pressure. I wouldn't consider asking for advice on this forum regarding taking this medication. Yes, others who frequent this forum may be on the same medication you are on, but, again, I bet there are forums specifically for your medication and your condition. Unfortunately, unless any of us have the same condition you have or are on the same medication we can't really be of much help even if we truly wanted to be. Link to comment
Seraphim Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 Vesper, I am on a Facebook community for my own medical condition . You can find a lot of support and discussion of medications on support communities . However with reference to medications whether to stop or start I would reference that with a medical professional . Link to comment
nutbrownhare Posted July 5, 2017 Share Posted July 5, 2017 To the OP - I have no direct experience of olanzapine, but I know many people who have. As you are aware, it is a very effective mood stabiliser and you need to stick with it. Weight gain is a recognised side effect - or can be - but all this means is that you need to eat healthily, don't overindulge and get plenty of exercise. You will find exercises which strengthen your core muscles to be particularly helpful. People who have been prescribed olanzapine can maintain a very fine physique! All this applies to everyone, actually, whether they have mental health problems or not. Good luck! Link to comment
Jeetsun Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 To the OP - I have no direct experience of olanzapine, but I know many people who have. As you are aware, it is a very effective mood stabiliser and you need to stick with it. Weight gain is a recognised side effect - or can be - but all this means is that you need to eat healthily, don't overindulge and get plenty of exercise. You will find exercises which strengthen your core muscles to be particularly helpful. People who have been prescribed olanzapine can maintain a very fine physique! All this applies to everyone, actually, whether they have mental health problems or not. Good luck! Definitely right with trying to effectively manage your weight with diet and exercise. Unfortunately some of these mood stabilizing drugs have anti-nutrient partitioning effects that cause metabolic issues geared towards fat storage and not much can deter this from happening even when exercising and dieting right. I've seen it happen with a few friends. My guess is that it has a dramatic effect on fat storage via skewing hormonal output or something along those lines. If this is a concern for you, you have to weigh the pros and cons of the medication, if it's working can you overlook the weight gain if not then talk with your doctor about switching to another medication. Link to comment
RainyCoast Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 vesper, while everyone is different and i can't speak for how a specific person will react to a specific drug, i do notice the clients at my place of work have been happy with it so far. so i'm merely putting this out here, not as medical advice, but as information on what some people have found helpful, and i hope it encourages you. you obviously understand any complex concerns and actual medical questions are to be addressed by a doctor, so i see no harm in asking and sharing personal and vicarious experience. the latest case is a young female (she takes it for a different disorder though, not bipolar) and her only complaint also has been weight gain. In the past year she has shed ALL of the weight gained on the drug off without starving herself, gradually, at a safe pace (monitored by a nurse). she watches her portion sizes and has been very responsible with what foods she included in her diet (so she kept her food varied and quite nutrient dense, in order to not slow down her metabolism), she also does daily light exercises plus judo once a week. she looks good, feels good, and her labwork is good. all of our patients who are mindful of their eating and exercise have a healthy weight, despite being heavily medicated. the only overweight ones are those who can't follow a regime because of their age and physical ailments AND are not watching what they eat. that said, some are determined, and beat the odds. one of them has multiple diagnoses (double bypass and several fully obstructed blood vessels, diabetes, HIV and grave skeletal malformations due to seven suicide attempts which included throwing himself off a high cliff, major depression with psychosis) and he maintains a healthy weight and has started lifting light recently and it's showing. a younger one is a gym shark, obviously quite buff. so- a lot can be done, don't be discouraged. psychiatric drugs can lead to weight gain, but it's important to remember you still have a lot of control over your metabolism, eating habits and appetite control so don't fret. i personally have great results with fitness blender workouts and recommend them to everyone (i'm not on meds. i was just flabby because i had let myself go). very obvious, very quick results without exhaustion. good luck, i'm glad olanzapine has been working for you! Link to comment
nutbrownhare Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 One of them has multiple diagnoses (double bypass and several fully obstructed blood vessels, diabetes, HIV and grave skeletal malformations due to seven suicide attempts which included throwing himself off a high cliff, major depression with psychosis) and he maintains a healthy weight and has started lifting light recently and it's showing Y'know, not for the first time, I've wondered how some patients are still here at all! Link to comment
RainyCoast Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 Y'know, not for the first time, I've wondered how some patients are still here at all! this one has stories i shamelessly label as miraculous. especially the suicide attempts... he was very serious about every one of those. it's truly incredible he survived- not one, but seven brutal attacks at his own life. i keep telling him, he has a mission, and a very important place in the world. and he does, he is a wonderful human. i wish with a passion the people who don't recognize their value would see it through the eyes of those to whom they are priceless. Link to comment
vesper Posted July 6, 2017 Author Share Posted July 6, 2017 Rainy Coast, I have actually lost 20 pounds in the last two years. It is a great drug, it has worked wonders for me. Link to comment
RainyCoast Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 wow, that's amazing, keep at it!! i'm so glad you feel good on it Link to comment
vesper Posted July 6, 2017 Author Share Posted July 6, 2017 Can someone just explain this. Does olanzepine deplete dopamine in the brain? Link to comment
mustlovedogs Posted July 6, 2017 Share Posted July 6, 2017 Can someone just explain this. Does olanzepine deplete dopamine in the brain? Yes and no. It stabilizes. It reduces the highs and the lows. Link to comment
Capricorn3 Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 Can someone just explain this. Does olanzepine deplete dopamine in the brain? I would imagine that after being on it for 9 years surely any doctor would have discussed all of this in great depth with his patients and any/all other symptoms and side effects. Link to comment
boltnrun Posted July 7, 2017 Share Posted July 7, 2017 Rainy Coast, I have actually lost 20 pounds in the last two years. It is a great drug, it has worked wonders for me. "For instance, I gained 40 pounds taking it." Did you gain 40 and lose 20 of them? Link to comment
vesper Posted July 7, 2017 Author Share Posted July 7, 2017 "For instance, I gained 40 pounds taking it." Did you gain 40 and lose 20 of them? yes I have gained 40 and lost 20. I am doing weight watchers, its a great program. Link to comment
vesper Posted July 7, 2017 Author Share Posted July 7, 2017 I would imagine that after being on it for 9 years surely any doctor would have discussed all of this in great depth with his patients and any/all other symptoms and side effects. Yes, I have been on olanzepine for 9 years but my doctor just recently added an anti-depressant so I am not sure about the interactions between the two. I don't ask a lot of questions of my doctor I just do what she says because she is the expert. I know that I am on olanzepine because my brain produces too much dopamine. Link to comment
Capricorn3 Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 Yes, I have been on olanzepine for 9 years but my doctor just recently added an anti-depressant so I am not sure about the interactions between the two. Um ... that's exactly the reason why you should ASK your doctor to explain it to you, rather than guessing and wondering. After all, the doctor is the professional with the most knowledge, not a bunch of strangers on the internet. I don't get it. Link to comment
boltnrun Posted July 8, 2017 Share Posted July 8, 2017 Yes, I have been on olanzepine for 9 years but my doctor just recently added an anti-depressant so I am not sure about the interactions between the two. I don't ask a lot of questions of my doctor I just do what she says because she is the expert. I know that I am on olanzepine because my brain produces too much dopamine. Did you receive literature along with the prescription? The literature should explain drug interaction possibilities. Link to comment
vesper Posted July 18, 2017 Author Share Posted July 18, 2017 The worst problem I have is that I am constantly grabbing stuff like food and stuffing it in my mouth. I am sick and tired of being hungry all of the time and I want to shed this extra weight. I really appreciate everyone who has responded to my post, many thanks. Link to comment
vesper Posted August 4, 2017 Author Share Posted August 4, 2017 Basically, I tried to quit. I decided to not take it every other day starting last Wednesday. Then I got into 2 huge fights with my husband because I felt like I wanted to break up with him. He told me he can't be with me if I don't stay on my medication because he does not want to be on a roller coaster and be my therapist. AFTER much much hesitation, I agreed and decided to stay on this medication. It makes me even out and focus. He was worried about me being unstable again and wanting to move back to my mom's house and quit my job. THOSE ARE NOT OPTIONS FOR ME RIGHT NOW. I want to live in my home with my husband and cat ginger that I love more than anything in the world. You know the cat went missing for 2 weeks. I found him and nursed him back to health. He is the love of my life lol. I told him the other night, this is my home, this is where I belong. This is the first time since London that I have been happy. We have great neighbors. I love Austin, I love my life with you. I love my job. so olanzepine is back on, but maybe I could just take a lower dose so I don't feel the weight of it on my shoulders. The fogginess, the burden , the lack of motivation to make positive changes in my life etc. etc. Link to comment
boltnrun Posted August 4, 2017 Share Posted August 4, 2017 Did you consult with your doctor before you "tried to quit"? Link to comment
vesper Posted August 7, 2017 Author Share Posted August 7, 2017 Did you consult with your doctor before you "tried to quit"? No. She is closing her practice and Im in the midst of finding a new doctor. I have tried 2 quite twice before. It was extremely difficult both times and I suffered a lot through it. Link to comment
chitown9 Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Vester, what is happening now? Are you ok? chi Link to comment
vesper Posted August 10, 2017 Author Share Posted August 10, 2017 Vester, what is happening now? Are you ok? chi Hi Chitown9 - I remember you from long ago!!! Hope you are well. Baically, Im still on olanzepine, I tried to quit and I noticed my self and my mind spinning out of control so Im back on it. I have a 2 month subscription and Im seeing my new psychiatrist on October 6th to either refill or move on to something new. Link to comment
chitown9 Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Ok, then you got yourself covered. My daughter is bipolar and has opted not to take any medication for it. I worry about her when she is not on medication. The problem is that she is better when she is on it and it leads her to think that she does not need it, so she stops taking it. chi Link to comment
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