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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Janelle on August 19, 2001, at 22:03:30
Just wondering how the 5 mg of Zyprexa is going - is it working for you in terms of making you drowsy, even if it's not immediate. Sounds like from my own experience, that of JohnL, you and my pdoc's other patient, that Zyprexa may take a few hours to "kick in" for some people, well at the low doses anyway. Let us know how you fare; I can understand your desire to be off benzo's. Seems like both JohnL and I have found a good sleep inducer in Zyprexa. I also like the "quality" of sleep I get with it - I sometimes remmeber dreams so I know I'm getting the "right" kind of sleep!
Again, good luck!
-Janelle
Posted by Collete on August 20, 2001, at 9:51:28
In reply to COLETTE: how's 5mg ZYPREXA going?, posted by Janelle on August 19, 2001, at 22:03:30
> Just wondering how the 5 mg of Zyprexa is going - is it working for you in terms of making you drowsy, even if it's not immediate. Sounds like from my own experience, that of JohnL, you and my pdoc's other patient, that Zyprexa may take a few hours to "kick in" for some people, well at the low doses anyway. Let us know how you fare; I can understand your desire to be off benzo's. Seems like both JohnL and I have found a good sleep inducer in Zyprexa. I also like the "quality" of sleep I get with it - I sometimes remmeber dreams so I know I'm getting the "right" kind of sleep!
> Again, good luck!
> -JanelleJanelle, I took 5mg at 7:00 and at 12:00 I still wasn't the least bit drowsy! At that time, I took my xanax, benedryl & Soma and then I did sleep through the night. Why won't it make me sleep??
I reported all this to my pdoc's office & I immagine he will call a script into my pharm(I had 7 free samples). I only have 2 left, but I will try taking 5mg tonight at 5:00pm on an empty stomach...I don't know what else to do! I like how I feel in the daytime but I can't get up in the morning because of my terrible sleep patterns.
Thank you for your concern, Collette
Posted by Janelle on August 20, 2001, at 16:16:21
In reply to Re: COLETTE: how's 5mg ZYPREXA going? » Janelle, posted by Collete on August 20, 2001, at 9:51:28
Wow, but not altogether surprising that you took FIVE mg of Zyprexa and still were not at all drowsy by midnight. I am a hard one to sedate! I react quickly to activating meds and have trouble with them, but sedating ones often do NOT work for me! Guess I got lucky with Zyprexa + Klonopin.
Anyway, it could be that you need the synergistic effects of those other meds (xanax, soma) with the Zyprexa to get you to sleep, or else for some reason your particular body chemistry doesn't get any benefit from Zyprexa.
I'm not sure Zyprexa 2.5 mg/night alone would help me; my pdoc says it's probably the combined effect of having Zyprexa in me from when I take it earlier in the evening, then adding Klonpin when I'm ready for sleep time.
Trying Zyprexa on an empty stomach could help, although I've heard that taking meds with food or having food shortly after taking them helps metabolize them.
I can relate to your sleep patterns; mine got very messed up and I still don't feel that "normal" tired feeling when it's bedtime. It's med-induced drowsiness when the Zyprexa finally hits.
My pdoc said that with depression, anxiety, etc., the first thing to go bad is sleep and the last thing to return to normal after recovery is sleep!
Let me know how you do with taking 5 mg of Zyprexa on an empty stomach. I have not heard that nausea is a problem with it, so I imagine you'll be okay taking it that way.
-Janelle
Posted by Collete on August 20, 2001, at 16:55:26
In reply to COLLETTE: more -- » Collete, posted by Janelle on August 20, 2001, at 16:16:21
> Wow, but not altogether surprising that you took FIVE mg of Zyprexa and still were not at all drowsy by midnight. I am a hard one to sedate! I react quickly to activating meds and have trouble with them, but sedating ones often do NOT work for me! Guess I got lucky with Zyprexa + Klonopin.
>
> Anyway, it could be that you need the synergistic effects of those other meds (xanax, soma) with the Zyprexa to get you to sleep, or else for some reason your particular body chemistry doesn't get any benefit from Zyprexa.
>
> I'm not sure Zyprexa 2.5 mg/night alone would help me; my pdoc says it's probably the combined effect of having Zyprexa in me from when I take it earlier in the evening, then adding Klonpin when I'm ready for sleep time.
>
> Trying Zyprexa on an empty stomach could help, although I've heard that taking meds with food or having food shortly after taking them helps metabolize them.
>
> I can relate to your sleep patterns; mine got very messed up and I still don't feel that "normal" tired feeling when it's bedtime. It's med-induced drowsiness when the Zyprexa finally hits.
>
> My pdoc said that with depression, anxiety, etc., the first thing to go bad is sleep and the last thing to return to normal after recovery is sleep!
>
> Let me know how you do with taking 5 mg of Zyprexa on an empty stomach. I have not heard that nausea is a problem with it, so I imagine you'll be okay taking it that way.
> -JanelleSince I just filled the Zyprexa and still am in sticker shock, I am going to stay at 2.5 for the nice days I am having and figure out some other way to get to sleep! I just took the 2.5mg on a empty stomach. Maybe it needs to " build up."
I never could fall asleep well even before Prozac unless I was on a TCA..Elavil, I think it was.
Posted by Janelle on August 20, 2001, at 20:20:22
In reply to Re: COLLETTE: more -- » Janelle, posted by Collete on August 20, 2001, at 16:55:26
I can understand your sticker shock and how it would cause you to stay at 2.5 mg of Zyprexa for now! And what a COINCIDENCE that you said you had been a a TCA, Elavil because that was also the very first a-d I ever took. It was GREAT for sleeping for about a week or two, then the sedating effect wore off completely! But those first two weeks, it literally lulled me into sleep and I slept through the night like a baby. Zyprexa sorta does that to me - but it's more of a med-induced drowsiness. I have yet to get back that "normal" tired feeling at the end of the day.
I'm not sure I understood you about Prozac, but if you were indicating that it helped you sleep (which puzzles me because I've heard it's activating and gives people insomnia!), maybe you could take Prozac at night? I had to do that with Celexa (which did not work for me and I eventually stopped it) - I found it sedating, put me in a fog and gave me headaches, so while I was giving it the ol' 4-6 week try, my pdoc told me to take it at night.
Good luck and I sure hope the Zyprexa kicks in and works for you like it does for me! A good night's sleep means so much!
-Janelle
Posted by Collete on August 21, 2001, at 3:46:18
In reply to COLLETTE: here's a COINCIDENCE!!, posted by Janelle on August 20, 2001, at 20:20:22
> I can understand your sticker shock and how it would cause you to stay at 2.5 mg of Zyprexa for now! And what a COINCIDENCE that you said you had been a a TCA, Elavil because that was also the very first a-d I ever took. It was GREAT for sleeping for about a week or two, then the sedating effect wore off completely! But those first two weeks, it literally lulled me into sleep and I slept through the night like a baby. Zyprexa sorta does that to me - but it's more of a med-induced drowsiness. I have yet to get back that "normal" tired feeling at the end of the day.
>
> I'm not sure I understood you about Prozac, but if you were indicating that it helped you sleep (which puzzles me because I've heard it's activating and gives people insomnia!), maybe you could take Prozac at night? I had to do that with Celexa (which did not work for me and I eventually stopped it) - I found it sedating, put me in a fog and gave me headaches, so while I was giving it the ol' 4-6 week try, my pdoc told me to take it at night.
> Good luck and I sure hope the Zyprexa kicks in and works for you like it does for me! A good night's sleep means so much!
> -JanelleSome good news! I took my 2.5 at 6pm & about 9pm it DID kick in. It felt similar to the old Elavil feeling and I recognized it immediately. Instead of going right to sleep, I went to the refrigerator because I HAD to have a "snack" (more like a meal!!) I'm thinking THIS is where the weight gain problems kicks in too, no? I don't have any increase in appetite during the day so I was thinking THAT side effect was going to pass me by..lol. I called my pdoc earlier in the day and he said to stay with the 2.5 ( which I wanted to anyway) and that it WOULD build up, so I guess it does that in some people. Now we know for future Zyprexa "newbies". I am so thankful to you and John L and others here. I really feel so much better. Now, I HOPE I can add more physical activity in the day and perhaps that will help me STAY asleep. It is 4:00 AM right now.
Also, I am thinking I may be able to taper off some of the other stuff I take to FALL asleep so that I can work more on the STAYING asleep problem. Perhaps that too, will build up over time on Zyprexa.
Oh and BTW, to clear up the Prozac question..It exacerbated my insomnia. Hey, perhaps I will even be able someday to lower that morning dose to 10MG! Collette
Posted by Zo on August 21, 2001, at 21:56:01
In reply to COLETTE: how's 5mg ZYPREXA going?, posted by Janelle on August 19, 2001, at 22:03:30
Wow, Zyprexa put me out like a light, with the best sleep I think I've ever had in my life. . am still trying to find a workaround (am off it) for it's disatrous effect on my blood sugar, and therefore weight.
Good luck!
Zo
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