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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Roslynn on March 21, 2010, at 16:17:55
Hi everyone,
My doc recently added Zyprexa to my med cocktail...it's been about 9 days. The first 7 or so days I felt much better than I had in several months... I was glad that I seemed to be getting a response from a med. I had been going through a phase of crying/despair, which the addition of Zyprexa stopped.
I was a little tired, but not much else in the way of side effects. I did notice I was blurting out things a bit, so I made sure to be careful.
Now I am on day 12, and the crying/despair has not returned, thank God. But I feel snappy/irritable and annoyed by things a little, feeling like I'm in a hurry.
I am not feeling as good/happy as I did right when I first started the Zyprexa. I am worried; I thought maybe I was going to continue to improve with the addition of Zyprexa.
This is my current combo:
Prozac 25 mg/day
Lithobid 600 mg/day (can't tolerate a higher level)
Zyprexa 2.5 mg/day
Ativan 1 to 2 mg/day, sometimes 3 mg if needed
Does anyone have any thoughts on what could be going on here with my mood? Med interactions?
Thank you in advance for any insight!Roslynn
Posted by Phillipa on March 21, 2010, at 20:57:23
In reply to Zyprexa started, please help!, posted by Roslynn on March 21, 2010, at 16:17:55
Could you maybe need a higher dose of zyprexa? How do you find the ativan? Phillipa
Posted by Zyprexa on March 22, 2010, at 0:33:09
In reply to Zyprexa started, please help!, posted by Roslynn on March 21, 2010, at 16:17:55
Thats an offly low dose of zyprexa. You should try increasing it to 5. Just keep raising it till you stabilize. I take 10mg. 2.5 does not do much for me. 5 is not enough, 7.5 is almost enough, but 10 is just right. I've mainly been at that dose for 12 years, working great. I'm male, 210 lb. If you are female a lower dose might be right for you. Maybe 5 or 7.5?
Posted by SLS on March 22, 2010, at 6:47:56
In reply to Re: Zyprexa started, please help!, posted by Zyprexa on March 22, 2010, at 0:33:09
> Thats an offly low dose of zyprexa. You should try increasing it to 5. Just keep raising it till you stabilize. I take 10mg. 2.5 does not do much for me. 5 is not enough, 7.5 is almost enough, but 10 is just right. I've mainly been at that dose for 12 years, working great. I'm male, 210 lb. If you are female a lower dose might be right for you. Maybe 5 or 7.5?
I agree that raising the dosage to 5-10mg is a reasonable course of action. I find that the appearance of irritability and a progressive flattening of mood is a prelude to relapse.
- Scott
Posted by Roslynn on March 22, 2010, at 12:30:49
In reply to Zyprexa started, please help!, posted by Roslynn on March 21, 2010, at 16:17:55
Hi all,
Thank you for your responses. I just wanted to add that I have either depression, or bipolar II, they aren't sure. (I'm on lithium for depression.) I don't have any mania, so maybe that is why I'm on a lower dose?
Also, I don't understand the sudden switch in mood..is it possible Zyprexa made me hypomanic at first?
Won't a higher dose make it more likely for me to gain weight?
Sorry for so many questions!
Thank you,
Roslynn
Posted by julie1977 on March 22, 2010, at 13:27:33
In reply to Re: Zyprexa started, please help!, posted by Roslynn on March 22, 2010, at 12:30:49
weight gain is the same regardless of dose
Posted by Roslynn on March 22, 2010, at 15:35:39
In reply to Re: Zyprexa started, please help!, posted by julie1977 on March 22, 2010, at 13:27:33
Hi Julie,
I'm a little confused...why is weight gain the same regardless of dose? Bear with me, I haven't been doing well enough to read that tiny insert that came with the med :)
Thanks,
Roslynn
> weight gain is the same regardless of dose
Posted by Phillipa on March 22, 2010, at 20:08:30
In reply to Re: Zyprexa started, please help! » julie1977, posted by Roslynn on March 22, 2010, at 15:35:39
I agree how can the gain be the same? Phillipa
Posted by Zyprexa on March 22, 2010, at 21:23:37
In reply to Re: Zyprexa started, please help!, posted by Phillipa on March 22, 2010, at 20:08:30
I say the weight gain is dose dependant. In my own experiences.
Posted by Zyprexa on March 22, 2010, at 21:34:40
In reply to Re: Zyprexa started, please help!, posted by Roslynn on March 22, 2010, at 12:30:49
Lithium and zyprexa are for bipolar, not depression. Anouther word for bipolar is manic depression.
Its posible that you are cycling and need a higher dose. When you are in certain periods of a cycle the meds can be more or less effective. When this happenes to me I feel like the meds are not working. Its very likely you do need a higher dose so that this is not as bad.
Posted by Roslynn on March 23, 2010, at 10:54:18
In reply to Re: Zyprexa started, please help!, posted by SLS on March 22, 2010, at 6:47:56
Hi Scott,
Is there a chance that Zyprexa pushed me into hypomania? Or does what I described sound more like depression?
I think raising the dose of Zyprexa might help me feel better again, but I'm afraid to, if what I was experiencing when I felt "better" was actually hypomania.
But Zyprexa would stabilize my mood, not cause hypomania, right? I'm so confused.
Waiting for a call back from my doc.Thanks so much for any thoughts.
Roslynn
> I agree that raising the dosage to 5-10mg is a reasonable course of action. I find that the appearance of irritability and a progressive flattening of mood is a prelude to relapse.
>
>
> - Scott
Posted by SLS on March 23, 2010, at 11:20:56
In reply to Re: Zyprexa started, please help! » SLS, posted by Roslynn on March 23, 2010, at 10:54:18
Hi Roslynn.
> Is there a chance that Zyprexa pushed me into hypomania?
I hate to complicate things, but the answer to that question is yes. Zyprexa has been known to precipitate mania. I can't give you any statistics as to the frequency of this happening. Still, I think it is worth the experiment to try increasing the dosage. Zyprexa more often treats mania successfully than it does exacerbate it.
How many hours of sleep are you currently getting?
- Scott
Posted by Roslynn on March 23, 2010, at 14:56:12
In reply to Re: Zyprexa started, please help!, posted by SLS on March 23, 2010, at 11:20:56
Hi Scott,
I am currently getting 9 or 10 hours but I also take 1 mg ativan at night to sleep.
I have noticed my sleep is decreasing as this irritability is increasing.How are you doing, Scott?
> Hi Roslynn.
>
> > Is there a chance that Zyprexa pushed me into hypomania?
>
> I hate to complicate things, but the answer to that question is yes. Zyprexa has been known to precipitate mania. I can't give you any statistics as to the frequency of this happening. Still, I think it is worth the experiment to try increasing the dosage. Zyprexa more often treats mania successfully than it does exacerbate it.
>
> How many hours of sleep are you currently getting?
>
>
> - Scott
>
Posted by SLS on March 23, 2010, at 15:25:44
In reply to Re: Zyprexa started, please help! » SLS, posted by Roslynn on March 23, 2010, at 14:56:12
Hi again.
> I am currently getting 9 or 10 hours but I also take 1 mg ativan at night to sleep.
Still, if you were manic, you would be getting much less sleep.
> I have noticed my sleep is decreasing as this irritability is increasing.
Perhaps you are somewhat activated as your depression begins to lift. It is hard to say.
You can look at several different bipolar disorder mania rating scales here:
http://www.neurotransmitter.net/bipolarscales.html
> How are you doing, Scott?I am less well now than I was a year ago. My doctor and I are exploring a few things before giving up and returning to Nardil.
- Scott
Posted by Roslynn on March 23, 2010, at 15:44:20
In reply to Re: Zyprexa started, please help! » Roslynn, posted by SLS on March 23, 2010, at 15:25:44
Scott,
Thank you for your quick response and the helpful link.
I'm sorry you are not doing as well as before...Stay strong..
Roslynn
This is the end of the thread.
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