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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Anne-Charlotte on April 12, 2006, at 15:22:42
I was wondering if anyone could share their experiences with Zyprexa for bipolar disorder. My doc wants to start me on 2.5 mg. I wouldnt say that I have raging symptoms precisely but do experience significant mood swings from fleeting euphoria/hypomania to most of the time- depression in all of its wonderful shades of grey. I have definitely had manic episodes, most recently two months ago,
for an entire week which culminated in sheer hell as it topped off (I could literally not shut up and felt like my head was in fast forward).... Would like to avoid something like this in the future.
Ah yes, and the constant recurring anxieties.....If my sitch is currently not too bad should I hold out? Is there anything to be gained from waiting to treat a lack of mood stability? I so much appreciate all input!
Posted by vainamoinen on April 12, 2006, at 17:25:35
In reply to Zyprexa anyone?, posted by Anne-Charlotte on April 12, 2006, at 15:22:42
I am currently on Zyprexa 6 mg, Prozac 25 mg, and Seroquel as needed for sleep.
For me it has been a night and day difference adding these antipsychotics to the Prozac.
I am Bipolar II and I really can't speak highly enough of the atypical antipsychotics. My experience has been very much a positive one.
In the long term you may want to consider a more traditional mood stabilizer. But for short term relief, no question, take the Zyprexa.
Posted by blueberry on April 12, 2006, at 18:02:02
In reply to Zyprexa anyone?, posted by Anne-Charlotte on April 12, 2006, at 15:22:42
I took 5mg zyprexa for 5 years along with 20mg prozac.
It is a half decent antidepressant, very good for anxiety, very good for sleep. It could seem way too sedating at first, but the sedation level drops pretty quickly. Watch out for increased appetite and weight gain. The nicest thing I liked about it was how fast it worked. It was an overnight significant change.
While changing other meds while keeping the zyprexa stable, I did go through some horrible depressions, mixed manias, and anxieties that zyprexa was not able to prevent. I think just natural bipolar swings could be prevented by zyprexa, but other drug induced swings not.
Zyprexa was my best friend and my worst enemy for a long time. The friend part was sleep, anti-anxiety, anti-depression. The enemy part was just not wanting to depend on an antipsychotic, and knowing that it did not save me from the pain of other meds gone wrong. Every day I think about restarting it.
Another possibility to calm things down real fast is 500mg depakote extended release. For me it had excellent antidepressant antimanic antianxiety action on the very first day. But unlike zyprexa, the benefits of depakote seemed to fade away in less than a month. Zyprexa lasted years.
Honestly I just wish none of us here needed any meds. Whether zyprexa is right for you or not, only a personal trial will tell. Some people can't deal with the appetite thing. Some people get depressed instead of undepressed. Some people get a wired feeling instead of relaxed. But clinical evidence is strongly in favor of it.
Posted by B2chica on April 13, 2006, at 9:11:38
In reply to Zyprexa anyone?, posted by Anne-Charlotte on April 12, 2006, at 15:22:42
i've been on zyprexa twice, the first time it worked great and actually lost a few pounds. then got a bad pdoc and he took me off it....
now have diff pdoc and back on it, did gain lots of weight but worked perfectly. hellped immediately with anxiety, i had major sleep issues and it helped with that too.as much as i hate the weight gain, it's really been the only thing that's helped me out. i do think atypical AP are really helpful.
my2c
b2c.
This is the end of the thread.
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