Blitz Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Hi Guys, I need some advice on Zyprexa (Olanzapine). A little story first. I was put on Zyprexa for a psychosis that came about from a depressive episode and was hospitalised for 6 weeks. I entered the hospital underweight at 70 kilos (155 lbs) and was on 10mg of Zyprexa. My weight increased and has now levelled off at 88 kgs (194 lbs). So the drug caused a weight gain of 40 pounds. I am now on 5mg of the drug and am on a slow taper program. I will be on 5mg for 2 months and then 2.5 mg for 4 months to prevent relapse of the psychotic depression. The thing I want to ask people in the know is how soon after going off Zyprexa will my weight get back down to normal. Normal being 75 kgs/ 165 lbs? My doctor said it will take about 4 months because I'm also on Celexa 40mg and that may slow down the weight loss. I workout religiously for an hour on the bike and an hour on the weights and nothing is budging with the fat around my abdominal area. I am really concerned that this weight gain might be permanent and I want to be able to lose 30 pounds and fit into my clothes again! None of my clothes fit me and I'm so depressed If anyone has been on Zyprexa and then off it could you inform me whether or not you lost all the weight you gained while on it and how long it took. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfranco92 Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 I'm a pretty small female (4'10", 126 pounds), and I gained 20 lbs while on Zyprexa. Even with a diet change and some moderate exercise I still have the weight. But I hear its harder for females to lose weight than men (not sure if this is true). Its been a long time since i've gone off of zyprexa (stopped in April 2011) and made the switch to Navane, which didnt help me in losing weight. It may have also contributed to more weight gain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blitz Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 I'm a pretty small female (4'10", 126 pounds), and I gained 20 lbs while on Zyprexa. Even with a diet change and some moderate exercise I still have the weight. But I hear its harder for females to lose weight than men (not sure if this is true). Its been a long time since i've gone off of zyprexa (stopped in April 2011) and made the switch to Navane, which didnt help me in losing weight. It may have also contributed to more weight gain. Is Navane an anti psychotic as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cfranco92 Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Yes it is. Its an older AP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimpmaster Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Diet is probably as important or more important than exercise when on a drug like zyprexa. Zyprexa tends to cause metabolic syndrome, whereby your body's metabolism slows down significantly; especially when it comes to carbohydrates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowan77 Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Truthfully, I never lost all the weight I gained on Zyprexa. I gained over 50 pounds in 4 months. Managed to lose some of it with a struggle but have never got back to the weight I was prior to my diagnosis of Bipolar and the commencement of AAPs and Mood Stabilisers. This is also because of other medications I was on. I'm sure it can be done, I just didn't do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blitz Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 Diet is probably as important or more important than exercise when on a drug like zyprexa. Zyprexa tends to cause metabolic syndrome, whereby your body's metabolism slows down significantly; especially when it comes to carbohydrates. I definately think Z slows down ones metabolism. I have been eating only 1500-1800 calories a day and working out for 1-2 hours and my waist it still a 36 when before it was 30-32. Do you think once I'm off it and just on my Celexa antidepressant that my metabolism (which is usually quite fast) will return back to normal again? Truthfully, I never lost all the weight I gained on Zyprexa. I gained over 50 pounds in 4 months. Managed to lose some of it with a struggle but have never got back to the weight I was prior to my diagnosis of Bipolar and the commencement of AAPs and Mood Stabilisers. This is also because of other medications I was on. I'm sure it can be done, I just didn't do it. I think maybe that if you are on mood stabilisers and another anti psychotic than it would be hard to lose it. I will only be on Celexa and I dont have bipolar, it was for a psychotic depression that I needed Zyprexa. I will be working out strenuously and eating very clean and no sugars whatsoever. Doctor said 4 months to lose the weight because Celexa will make it take a while but I really hope things return to normal, I can't be this big, even though I only need to lose 30 pounds, it still makes a big difference in my emotional wellbeing. I have so many clothes I don't fit into and I'm going on a trip to the states and UK in June and I'm desperately trying to get to at least 80kg. Looks like I will need some new clothes for the short term! cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CookieN Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 Blitz: My initial diagnosis was Psychotic Depression (2006). I was prescribed zyprexa 5mg. I took it for 4 years. I gained 44 pounds in the first 3 months. In 2010 I quit Zyprexa. Part of the weight I lost was automatically when I quit the medication. But the key to my weight loss was to find out I had become insulin resistant / glucose intolerant. This was diagnosed by another doctor who made me do a test called 2 hours Glucose Tolerance Test. This test allowed us to find out why I had become so fat and why I wasn´t able to lose weight. I was prescribed metformin. That along with healthy nutrition and exercise allowed me to lose all the weight I had gained. While on zyprexa all my efforts to exercise and diet were in vain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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