Withdrawal symptoms of Olanzapine

Question

Has anyone had experience of the withdrawal symptoms and any tips on how to succeed

Answer 1

ask for some melatonin from your psychiatrist , this is a naturally occurring substance in our bodies which helps us to go to sleep and it is non addictive, sometimes lack of sleep can cause psychosis because of all the stress it brings.

as i am coming off olanzapine i have been offered this if i have trouble sleeping, i am sleeping a few hours less than usual but no big problems

hope this helps

Answer 2

I am on 2.5mg Olanzapine and have been on it for 9 years this very low dose. I am currently using 2.5 mg 5 days a weeks and then taking a break on the weekends. On the weekends I take lemon balm tea at night to make me sleep better. So far theis regime is working with little or no ill effect. Some how the lemon balm does the job in making me sleep and it has calming affect. However I have only done this for 2 weeks. Maybe I dont need Olanzapine altogether or may be the herb lemon balm is super fantastic I really dont know. Problem is there is no one to advise me. I am going to continue taking 5 days a week olanzapine and 2 days lemon balm. And then increase this ratio very slowly so I take Lemon balm only and olanzapine. I tried Valerian and felt ill, I dont think valerian is good for those on Olaanzapine, then again who knows.

Answer 3

Olanzapine withdrawal is awful, after being on it 20mg nightly for 4 years I completely stopped taking it and suffered from......acute paranoia, only sleeping 3 hours a night, bad groin and leg pains, became irritable, after a week off it it felt like my head was about to explode.

I had put a lot of weight on but lost 60 pounds in 4 1/2 months still couldn't sleep properly, the groin pain was unbearable but I vowed never to take it again and I didn't......for 18 months. By this time the lack of sleep and how my head felt I resigned myself that it wasn't worth the suffering and went back on it but only took 10mg and within hours I felt ok and slept.

Now 5 years after attempting to  withdraw from it cold turkey, I take 2.5 mg nightly and I feel ok. I don't think I will ever come off it completely. I was on rispiradol when I suffered an acute psychotic breakdown in 1999 and after 2 years of feeling like my head was in a vice and suffering paranoia badly my medication was changed to olanzapine.

I feel for anyone trying to get off this drug as it is an absolute nightmare and curse, some people can but I can't.

 

Answer 4

I am currently coming off olanzapine we cut my dose in half and i am having trouble sleeping, and old symptoms are returning. I am more anxious, on edge, irritable and more emotional. My thoughts are running away with themselves again. I am quite scared of my mood swings returning. i have more energy though.