![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Ilene on October 10, 2004, at 20:05:30
I've been taking a small dose of Zyprexa for anxiety for about 6 months. It works like a charm, but I've gained at least 10 lb. and feel like a whale. (I was already overweight.) I haven't weighed myself for weeks because I don't want to know the awful truth. Has anyone successfully discontinued Z without the anxiety returning?
Posted by jdawg on October 10, 2004, at 22:21:23
In reply to Discontinuing Zyprexa, posted by Ilene on October 10, 2004, at 20:05:30
I'm not sure discontinuing Zyprexa is worth the risk of relapse for you especially since it works so well at relieving your anxiety. I took it for a while and gained over 30 lbs. in about 1.5 years. It's not uncommon to gain upwards of 40 lbs on this medication. I think you're pretty lucky to have only gained 10 lbs on it.
Good luck.
Posted by Ilene on October 11, 2004, at 20:27:48
In reply to Re: Discontinuing Zyprexa » Ilene, posted by jdawg on October 10, 2004, at 22:21:23
> I'm not sure discontinuing Zyprexa is worth the risk of relapse for you especially since it works so well at relieving your anxiety. I took it for a while and gained over 30 lbs. in about 1.5 years. It's not uncommon to gain upwards of 40 lbs on this medication. I think you're pretty lucky to have only gained 10 lbs on it.
>
> Good luck.You say you were taking it for "a while". What were you taking it for, why did you stop, and did you have a relapse? I've gained "only" 10 lb--so far. The trend line is definitely up. And I was actually losing weight before I started.
While I've always been a worrier, I didn't feel the kind of dread I was experiencing until my father came down with cancer. The anxiety continued after he died and I was stuck with a lot of responsibility. Much of that has dissipated, and I wonder if I could taper off the Zyprexa successfully.
My (rather useless) pdoc says she'll take me off Zyprexa and put me on something else if I gain another 10 lb. Risperdal didn't do too much for me, although my former pdoc said it made me less irritable. I don't know too much about what else is out there.
Posted by jdawg on October 12, 2004, at 6:27:29
In reply to Re: Discontinuing Zyprexa » jdawg, posted by Ilene on October 11, 2004, at 20:27:48
I took it for psychotic symptoms. I stopped because I was asymptomatic for 1.5 years and my doctor thought I could discontinue. I did have a relapse a about 2 years after discontinuing. I'm now on Risperdal now and am in no hurry to stop it.
I'm all for minimizing medications but not if there is a risk of relapse or deterioration. Personally, I don't want to tinker too much with my meds for a while. I'd like to have a few years of normal function before trying to taper off some of the meds. I'll probably have to be medicated for the rest of my life. It's not a great prospect, but at least I'll have a chance of leading a normal life.
BTW, it took me about 4 years after stopping Zyprexa to lose the extra weight. I tried different things but what eventually worked was the Atkins diet w. regular exercise.
JDawg
>
> You say you were taking it for "a while". What were you taking it for, why did you stop, and did you have a relapse? I've gained "only" 10 lb--so far. The trend line is definitely up. And I was actually losing weight before I started.
>
> While I've always been a worrier, I didn't feel the kind of dread I was experiencing until my father came down with cancer. The anxiety continued after he died and I was stuck with a lot of responsibility. Much of that has dissipated, and I wonder if I could taper off the Zyprexa successfully.
>
> My (rather useless) pdoc says she'll take me off Zyprexa and put me on something else if I gain another 10 lb. Risperdal didn't do too much for me, although my former pdoc said it made me less irritable. I don't know too much about what else is out there.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.