[Lei]

my doctor just prescribed Zyprexa for my bipolar and am curious as to your experiences with it. I havent previously been on any drug to stabilize my moods, i'm very new to this, any advice or comments would be very helpful-thanks

[bptoo]

Hi Lei,

I'm sorry I didn't get to this sooner, I've been a bit of a space cadet lately... I can share my experience with Zyprexa with you, I hope it helps.

I've been taking it for about a year and a half now and it's been a godsend for me. People have told me that I should be the poster child for the drug. I am Bipolar II and had very bad rapid cycling and mood swings. I tried many meds before the Zy but nothing seemed to help. I started on a very low dose (2.5 mgs, which I'm still on) and immeditely noticed a dramatic improvement. I rarely cycle anymore and I don't have many mood swings. I should add that I also take Topamax as a mood stabilizer which helps immensely. The downside to the Zy for me has been weight gain. I put on 45 pounds in the first 10 months that I took it. But because it worked so well with my BP II symptoms, I was willing to stick with it. When my psych added the Topamax along with a good diet and an exercise program, I have been able to lose a little over 30 of the pounds I gained. It also can be a little sedating at first but it passes in time.

I really think that Zyprexa is an excellent med for Bipolar disorder, but too many people give up om it because they can't tolerate the weight gain. Zy is infamous for that. But it all comes down to choices. I'm willing to live with some extra weight if it helps me to regain some balance and sanity in my life.

If you have any specific questions about this that you think I can answer for you please don't hesitate to ask. I'll be glad to help in any way I can.

I wish you all the best and please let me know how it goes.

bptoo

"All in all we're just another brick in the wall"