Olanzapine and weight issues

[Another bipolar bear]

I know a common side effect of Olanzapine is gaining large amounts of weight, which i have done since starting it. But i was wondering how long does it make you gain weight for, a month, 6 months? or does it never stop? i am about a week in and have gained 5 kg (11 Ibs) and i have asked my pdoc for a 'appetite suppressant' because i can't stop eating and thinking about food but she said "no". I have now put very hard food restrictions on me, so i can only eat at X times and Y foods, which is sooooo hard. I want to know when or if this will ever get better or if i am just going to get fatter and fatter. I have tried chewing gum, sucking lollies, eating celery but i still can't stop eating. its all i think about. but my pdoc isn't taking me or it seriously!

[llama44]

Have you asked your pdoc about taking the Zydis form of Zyprexa? And taking that form of zyprexa all at night? I find that I bypass most of the hunger issues by taking zyprexa zydis that way.

And right when I get up I drink about 2 mugs of coffee with a little touch of creamer and that holds me over until like 2pm or so. Then I have lunch. I try not to eat too much for lunch. I'll usually have a bowl of cereal and some yogurt and maybe an apple or banana too. Apples are really filling to me.

Then I can have a bigger dinner with my husband. Like pizza or homemade pasta or something out if we go out.

And I constantly drink water and more water throughout the day. It helps.

And I've heard multiple times that it doesn't matter if you take 2.5mg of zyprexa or if you take 20mg of zyprexa, you get the hunger side effect no matter what. Some people may disagree, but I've heard that from multiple pdocs and found that to be true (I used to take only 15mg of zyprexa zydis). Plus I like the zydis better because it hits you faster and you fall asleep faster at night. It's very relaxing and calming. I don't think I could sleep without it. And I sleep through the night too (like 90% of the time).

I need to get some exercise into my routine though too. But my team delivers my meds to me on a daily basis because they don't trust me after my last OD on meds. So it may be a while before I can hit the gym with my husband again.

[SashaSue]

I took zyprexa for about a month and a half. I gained 40lbs. There was no end in sight, even on the zydis, even on metformin. So I went back to seroquel.

[Another bipolar bear]

Have you asked your pdoc about taking the Zydis form of Zyprexa? And taking that form of zyprexa all at night? I find that I bypass most of the hunger issues by taking zyprexa zydis that way.

And right when I get up I drink about 2 mugs of coffee with a little touch of creamer and that holds me over until like 2pm or so. Then I have lunch. I try not to eat too much for lunch. I'll usually have a bowl of cereal and some yogurt and maybe an apple or banana too. Apples are really filling to me.

Then I can have a bigger dinner with my husband. Like pizza or homemade pasta or something out if we go out.

And I constantly drink water and more water throughout the day. It helps.

And I've heard multiple times that it doesn't matter if you take 2.5mg of zyprexa or if you take 20mg of zyprexa, you get the hunger side effect no matter what. Some people may disagree, but I've heard that from multiple pdocs and found that to be true (I used to take only 15mg of zyprexa zydis). Plus I like the zydis better because it hits you faster and you fall asleep faster at night. It's very relaxing and calming. I don't think I could sleep without it. And I sleep through the night too (like 90% of the time).

I need to get some exercise into my routine though too. But my team delivers my meds to me on a daily basis because they don't trust me after my last OD on meds. So it may be a while before I can hit the gym with my husband again.

Thank you, this is great information, I am on dissolvable wafer form but the generic ones. I found when i was on the 5mg my hunger was much worse than it is now. Currently i am taking 5mg in the morning and 10mg at night because my doctor wanted the calming effects during the day. I do not find olanzapine makes me sleepy in fact it is keeps me awake at night hence why i am on small dose of quetiapine.

Since starting olanzapine i have become more aware of what i am eating so i have become i lot more healthy with the vegetables and meat and fruit etc but i am still gaining weight, i have set times when i can eat and what i can eat and everything but still no luck, i bet if i staved i would still gain weight. I am also exercising a lot more too. I would come off it but so far this is the only medication which has helped.

How long does the side effect of this hungry eating feeling last? will it stop or slow down at a certain point/time after taking it? eg 2 weeks? or is it for ever while you are on it?

[chimpmaster]

Olanzapine unfortunately has the WORST weight gain of any modern medication, which really sux because it works so well for many people.

The carb metabolism thing won't go away as far as I know, even after months or years.

Clozapine is the only AAP that is effectively more effective for most people than olanzapine. But there is a heap of shit you have to go through (weekly appointment, observations, blood tests etc). The weight gain on cloz isn't as base as olanz, but still worse than the other AAPs.

[Anna]

Yes, you can try zydis, but even that doesn't work for everyone. I never stopped feeling hungry, even on 2.5 m.g. of zyprexa. In fact, it turned me bulemic.

I would not expect the hunger to go away EVER. When I am on zyprexa I can eat the entire fridge and still feel hungry. It's an awful side effect, which is unfortunate as it works SO WELL as an AP.

Have you tried some of the other AAPS? Many do have that side effect, but none is as bad as zyprexa in my experience.

Anna

[papertrees]

It may be weird, but I am hungrier on invega than zydis, and I gained more weight on invega than zydis too (3 pounds vs 1 pound).