blackbird Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 As you are all sick and tired of hearing, I'm doing really well on Zyprexa and I have found a drug that works for me. I am diagnosed with schizotypal disorder/psychotic disorder NOS, how long will I have to be on Zyprexa? 2-3 years? 20 years? for ever? Are there any serious effects with taking Zyprexa long term or as a prophylactic measure? I heard something about diabetes, but I'm an Atkins diet devotee so I don't think that will really apply to me. And is Zyprexa withdrawal as bad as everyone says it is? (I tend to suffer very harshly from medication withdrawal) Would I be better off staying on it for life? Feedback is appreciated! Blackbird x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unipolarbear Posted October 12, 2006 Share Posted October 12, 2006 I have been on it for only one year an i feel the same thing. who knows how long we have to be on it. I would assume for life. I have heard that it is particularly hard to get off of. I take it to come down from my manicness and to help me sleep. I can't imagine not having it. When I miss a single dose, I really can see the manicness start up again. So I guess that means I'm on it for life. I'm sure this makes the pharmaceutical companies very happy as it's like $10 a pill if I remember right (could be wrong, I can't remember right now. But it's expensive without insurance no doubt.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unregistered Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 I've been on it 10 months, and yes, it's been fantastic. But when I realised I needed to lose weight, Atkins and the gym did nothing. I stopped cold turkey two or three weeks ago to get the weight off, and it is beginning to shift slowly. As soon as I stopped, my sleep pattern went shitty, my thoughts started to speed up and I generally felt I was on the point of losing it. I've been taking amitryptiline for sleep, and that's helping me stay in control, just. My understanding is that this is for long term maintenance. Incidentally, my GP was astonished that I had managed to keep my weight under control at all - her experience was of 20-30lb gains. The diabetes risk is purely from weight gain, I understand, BTW, so if you're not piling on the pounds, you should be OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
resonance Posted October 13, 2006 Share Posted October 13, 2006 There are concerns about more people getting tardive dyskinesia the longer they stay on it, and of course the diabetes thing as you mentioned. Other than that, I don't think we really know. Yet. We'll know eventually, but it hasn't been around for that long. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bane Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 Hi Blackbird, I'm glad you're doing well on the Zyprexa. I am too. It is absolutely my favorite medication. My pdoc told me I have to stay on it indefinitely since symptoms returned when I quit taking it (I've quit a couple of times at my dad's urging -- he doesn't think I'm sick). I guess that means I'll be taking it until new antipsychotics are developed and approved, and then I can try those I suppose. But I may not want to if all is going well. The long term effects of taking Zyprexa are possibly tardive dyskinesia and diabetes, as was mentioned already. As for withdrawal, I never had a problem when I quit taking it. I tapered down very slowly, five milligrams at a time in intervals of one week. It was an easy med for me to stop taking, compared to Seroquel or Effexor. Those left me so messed up. I hope you can take it as long as you need to without getting such effects since it sounds like you're doing great on it. I hope to take it forever if I can get away with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilie Posted October 14, 2006 Share Posted October 14, 2006 I loved zyprexa until I got akathesia(sp?) so for me it was only a little under a year. But I think I've read somewhere on here that there's a med you can take if you get it. I hope it works trouble free for a good while for you. lilie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackbird Posted October 14, 2006 Author Share Posted October 14, 2006 Bane, your dad sounds just like my mother. She's always urging me to quit taking Zyprexa as she thinks I'm not really psychotic. She always warned me "Stay away from those Pine drugs (i.e. Olanzapine and Clozapine) or you'll put me in an early grave!" But now that I'm on olanzapine and she sees how well I'm doing she doesn't say much except occasionally comment on my being a drugged up zombie which I don't think I am. Olanzapine is not sedating for me, in fact it makes me feel more focused and concentrated. If I could take it forever without the diabetes and TD I would be a very happy woman. Heres to Zyprexa! Miracle drug par excellence! Blackbird x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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