Can't stand Zyprexa dose. Gonna quit.

Welp, I took one pill (not two) of Zyprexa tonight.

I took Zyprexa once to come down from mania. It worked so well, I decided to keep taking it. I gained something like 10-20 lbs in 1-2 months, without exercising, and on my next visit my then doctor looked at my rounder face and said - "So I see it. We will discontinue it. Shame, many of my other patients take it without weight gain". But personally including on this board I have not heard a happy report from anyone taking it without weight gain. So I conclude that it is a wonderful PRN drug but not a maintenance drug, especially with the record of causing diabetes. Being bipolar and being diabetic are bad enough separately, having both must be a true horror.

Later on I had a p-doc who was so concerned about my weight (I was 40 lbs overweight, 20 from Zyprexa and 20 from sedentary lifestyle and overeating - I started taking care of myself recently and lost 5 of it already) that he questioned the pharmacist's advice to take my night dose of Lithium with a light snack or a glass of milk. He did not want me to take in these unnecessary calories, and told me that his other patients are fine taking Lithium just with water - and that is what I do now.

I cannot afford him anymore and today had an intake with a new p-doc through the county system. When I mentioned Zyprexa and weight gain in the past, she acknowledged that the drug can have this side effect, asked me for my weight and height and did a MENTAL calculation of how much I was overweight. She was off by 10 lbs but still - make the effort at this non-trivial math?! She clearly took weight seriously.

With recent experiences like these, I am enraged like hell when I read about doctors who shrug off this vital issue.

uhhhhh...man, i hate sugarcoating, but I guess in this forum sugarcoating is all people want to hear...*switching on the sugarcoating*

Moose, your posts have been jumping all over the place, are you sure you are okay? It seems as if there is more going on than just wanting to get off the meds. Please stay on your meds (and taking them as directed) until your doctor can prescribe you new ones, because with my experiences zyprexa is very effective, but does cause weight gain and it's really bad to be jumping around from meds to meds while you are having an episode. You just can't jump from two pills to one, it will **** you up more than you...nevermind. I think your bipolar is causing you to want to stop taking them. =/

I've got a toothache...

My dr said to switch from 2 to 1.

And I don't feel great right now but oh we'll. Last few weeks are a mess. Of course I felt happy earlier.

I think my period is part of it. I'd get his way when pregnant. (nOt!!)

Well...some people do get a little...moody.

To be honest, the ONLY person who truly understands what's going on with your body is you. Be honest with your doctor and he should find you a better solution. Talk to him about your weight and ways to lose weight. Talk to him about what you like about the zyprexa and what you don't like. Tell him what you want to happen with your well-being.

Hmm.... ..........

I did do and will tell them these things. I don't just complain to the ether- though I do vent here.

Just want to say thanks for this post and all the replies it has really helped me come to the decision not to take this drug. I will be discussing other options with pdoc next week when I see him.
At most a short term PRN if needed.

Thanks folks again.

Eh, my pdoc tried to tell me that that's it's rare to gain much weight on zyprexa, that the cases I was reading about were only rare cases. Reality, this board is full of people having serious weight gain from it. I wouldn't say that it's rare whatsoever

Moose (((( HUGS)))) Keep doing what your doing .. At least your down to one pill now and not 2 ! Im so glad you are forcing the issue with your Pdoc !!! Proud of you !!!

Id love to address a few of the comments left on this thread but my mother told me if I dont have anything nice to say to keep it to myself so im going to SHUT the hell up...

(((((((( Moose ))))))) Be kind to yourself

This forum should have a button in addition to Hugs and Thanks.

I refilled Zyprexa. Let's hope I get something new do I don't need to take most of it!