if you gained weight on Zyprexa, were you able to lose it?

I have gained a ton of weight on Zyprexa. I started it at the end of Nov. 2022 and have gained 20 lb. with no sign of the scale stopping. I don't even seem to eat that much (and I eat healthy foods for the most part), and for the first time ever, my bad cholesterol has gone into the red zone (when it's never been close). My pdoc plans to stop they Zyprexa and just replace it with the Vraylar possibly at my next appointment early next month or maybe go back to the Seroquel (which I stopped because of catatarct formation at an early age though I have had the surgery and am told they catataracts will not recur).

I am doing 20-35 minutes pilates (albeit beginner) and walking 20 minutes a day (just over 1 mile) for a week now. So far, nothing. Anyone have any luck losing weight on Zyprexa or at least after stopping it a bit? I know a week is a short period of time, but I am hating this extra weight.

During the short period I took Zyprexa, I also gained a lot of weight and fast. After going off of it I lost that weight on more weight friendly meds. I had also gained a larger amount of weight on other weight unfriendly meds (Depakote and Invega mix the worst). After being taken off of them I lost about 40 lbs in six months, but I did diet and exercise. It didn't just fly away with no effort and it was a healthy gradual loss. Not rapid. If you exercise and eat a healthy amount, I can't imagine that you wouldn't lose the Zyprexa weight over time.

I gained so much on it so fast. I’m
Sorry you’re going through this!

I gained much more weight on Zyprexa, initially very fast and then some more. I took Zyprexa for several years. I then started on Ozempic, a weight loss med, and the weight gain reversed. Later, my pdoc switched me to Latuda, which is weight neutral. I eventually lost the Zyprexa weight, but it took almost a year. I did strength training. Looking at your photo, you would not qualify for Ozempic because your BMI is still not in the problematic range. My advice is to find a replacement for Zyprexa. Vraylar did not work for me, but Latuda did. Maybe Vraylar will work for you as it does for many people. Try to find a weight neutral replacement. You can think of weight loss afterwards, but first nip the problem in the bud.

Thanks for the encouragement. Tart Cherry Jam, my photo is old and not yet updated. Add 20 lb. to it...sigh.

I am wanting off the Zyprexa, and I think the Vraylar is helping my depression but making me hungry too. Ugh, these meds and weight!

My dr put me on lybalvi. Have you heard if it?

I was on Lybalvi during my last months on Zyprexa. For me it did not improve anything compared to regular Zyprexa. I still was abnormally hungry.

I still
Fee
Hungry but nothing like when I was on regular zyprexa!

Most, but not all, of it. While I was on Zyprexa I was also put on Metformin which slowed the weight gain down some.

I've never heard of lybalvi. Crazy 'cause my pdoc's tried me on just about every psych drug and then some. I can't wait until I see the pdoc at the start of June because I want to tell him I am not taking Zyprexa any longer because of the weight gain. Hopefully, he'll have an alternative.

Lybalvi is generic zyprexa plus an opioid blocker to help with weight gain. Prevention!

I should maybe make a new thread, but my issue is pretty much exactly the same as yours, except it's from another medication-Vraylar. I gained weight on that. I've been off of it though for almost a year (or two?) now, but still have not been able to really lose the weight.

my son is on it and omg the weight gain is so real. my friend aswell got on it and gained 30 in 2 months. now my son has pre diabetes due to the lack of control, he will eat you out alive, no matter what the food is. UGH

If your son depends on Zyprexa and cannot benefit from an alternative antipsychotic, at a minimum he should be on 500 mg Metformin three times a day to prevent escalation into diabetes.

I have weight gain. Just not from Zyprexa. When I was on clozaril I gained 50lbs in three months!!! I still haven't been able to fully shed it. Clozaril ruined me! I feel your pain.

About twenty years ago I was on Zyprexa for about a month and gained fifteen pounds. I was taken off it and lost the weight. There's hope!

I have heard that Clozaril is as bad as Zyprexa. I feel for you!!!

Thanks.

Yeah. It was awful! And I STILL haven't lost all the weight I gained while on it, and it's been over a year now since I was on it!

Weight is so much easier to gain on meds than to lose after them....

Yeah. Doesn't that suck? I still can make my stomach jiggle lol. My pdoc told me that loxapine was as close to clozaril as we could get, and recently my dose of it was upped, and now I think THAT'S making me gain more weight! So frustrating.