[neodoering]

I have been on Latuda for a few months, and it doesn't seem to be working. Very little, or at all. So today my psychiatrist switched me to Olanzapine, which I have no knowledge of at all. She said it can cause weight gain and is used to treat cases where the patient is AP resistant (I have been through a number of APs with limited success).

Anyone have experience with this drug? Effective, ineffective? Success stories? I'd appreciate anything you care to tell me about your experiences.

[still_crazy]

I tried it back in the day and I got akathisia. Don't let that scare you, though; I'm prone to akathisia, plus I suspect now that it may have been the result of drug-drug interactions (I was on too much on stuff at the time...).

Some doctors will prescribe metformin with the zyprexa to prevent weight gain and metabolic problems. There's some small studies showing good results using high dose, high potency antioxidants with zyprexa to reduce wegith gain, etc.

Next to clozapine, its the 2nd most effective atypical. Helps mood problems, too. There's a combo pill, Symbyax, which contains zyprexa and prozac in one pill. The combination is supposed to be effective for all kinds of psychiatric problems.

I hope it works well for you.

[Marylin]

I was on it for four years,massive weight gain from 13 stone to 20 stone,that is from 182 pounds to 280 pounds,your appetite increases massively.I was overactive on it but never lost weight,my body felt sluggish,and one day I felt so awful I couldn't take it anymore,my body felt like it was slowly being poisoned,so I stop taking it and had a withdrawal psychosis.

At the hospital they took blood,this showed that the Olanzapine had damaged my kidneys though they said it was mild kidney damage and they said it had also affected my heart and that I wasn't to take it anymore.

I was switched to a drug known here in the UK as Amisulpride I think it is also known as Solian...that hasn't caused me problems so far and keeps psychosis at bay,I've been on that for 14 years.I can't say Olanzapine will damage your heart and kidneys but it did mine,the thing about psyche drugs are they affect each person differently,a drug that harms me might not harm someone else.

I do advise if you are going to be on Olanzapine for any length of time to have regular blood tests to check kidney,liver,heart function.

[Teddy Bear]

Worked good for me for several years