If anyone has advice... I've been trying to get off Olanzapine (Zyprexa) for years. It stabilizes me perfectly, especially by regulating my insomnia, but the weight gain is a real problem. I basically starve myself so I don't gain weight, but even with barely eating I'm still over my old regular weight between 10 -13 lbs, and it's only going up.
Has anyone taken Zyprexa and successfully replaced it? If so, what did you replace it with? I've tried so many alternates even my doctor can't keep track anymore, but they either don't work to help me sleep, or I've had bad side effects. Having Bipolar is bad enough, but starving myself for years is really unfortunate too. I hate it.
Also I've tried every herbal sleep remedy there is. L-tryptophan helps me sleep, but only with Zyprexa. I hope someone can help. Thank you.
I can understand how weight gain would suck, but since this is the only medication that helps have you considered trying different eating plans, would a paleo diet perhaps help?
@CKBlossom Hi, thank you for the suggestion. Yes, I’ve tried Paleo. I completely stopped carbs for a long time. I tried every diet I felt had promise. Starvation is basically the only way to slow the weight gain. I eat just enough to not feel starving. There was one weekend I decided I didn’t care and I didn’t want to be hungry… but I gained 3 pounds in two days! So I went back to borderline starvation. What’s also bad is I had bloodwork done and I’m malnourished from it. I don’t get sick or anything, my immunity is strong, but I guess I’m low on nutrients. 10- 13 pounds doesn’t sound like much, but I have small bones and am generally a petite person. Before Zyprexa I could eat as much as I wanted without gaining a pound. Naturally I have a fast metabolism. Zyprexa killed it. I don’t want to keep living this way not being able to eat food… it’s a hard thing to give up on… eating. It’s also embarrassing in public because I can hardly get any food down… like at a restaurant I only order an appetizer and still barely make a dent. I feel so strongly about not wanting to eat that sometimes even when I’m soooo hungry, I have to force feed myself. My stomach doesn’t even want food. I think that part is psychosomatic… my stomach reacting to my mind not wanting food. I can’t accept this as my life… especially on top of being physically disabled. Starving and mentally and physically disabled. It’s bad. I need a break.
@CKBlossom Thanks for your reply. I’ve been talking to my doctor about this for years. He knows the whole story, about me not eating and the weight gain. That’s why we’re trying so hard to get me off it. I have to strategize my med changes around life, in case I get bad side effects or insomnia which has been constant… I can’t just do one after the other because I have to still be able to function in life. So it’s like trying a handful every year because I have to find a week where I can just stay home for attempt. Nothing about this is new to any of my doctors. We’re doing everything we can to get me off Zyprexa and restore my regular eating. That’s why I posted here specifically about Zyprexa, and asking if anyone has been off it and onto something else. We’re running out of things to try, and it’s not like I can get rid of my bipolar. We’ve been trying for years, this is not new. It’s why I posted in case someone else has gone through it.
@CKBlossom I really need to replace Zyprexa. I never imagined it would be nearly impossible.