Olanzapine side effect (has anyone heard of this??)
 

Hi
I have been taking Olanzapine (10mg at night) for two and a half years. I also take Fluoxetine. I had an appointment with my psychiatrist yesterday and she expressed a wish to take me off the drug even though it is helping me.
Her reason for this is that Olanzapine can aparently cause uncontrolable shaking when taken in high doses for long periods of time. I had never heard of this and wondered if any of you had?

thanks

Shelley x

yeah its true,not wanting to scare you,but it can also induce seizures(my ex was on it for a while,then they upped it,and he started with the siezures),theres also a very rare side effect that ive only known to be related to olanzapine.
BUT if its working for you,then id give it serious consideration,as ALL meds have side effects.x

i was on olanzapine, but only for a couple of months. But i have never heard of that, but i do know that quite alot of meds are harmful if taken for a long period of time. Some meds are even harmful when you take them like lithium, you have to keep having your blood checked and stuff.

If the dr says it then obv it must be true, but there are plenty more meds out there that might help you.

Could you try something different and give your body a break from it and then go back to it in a couple of months?

I take olanzapine 15mg at night. I get the shakes, and I also think I'm developing tardive dyskinesia (I have been on various antipsychotics for 3 years now).

But having side-effects is better than being full-blown schizophrenic, in my case.

I take additional medication for the side-effects.

Cool thanks for the advice.
Yeah i suggested taking something for the side effects but she didnt like this idea as i am already on buccastem the counteract the sickness caused by fluoxetine and apparently thats just "too many meds".

Hi,

In my experience 10mg may be used for anxiety. If you are strong enough challange the Doc about change, every med has side affects, what would she prescribe next?

Try and get a BNF from the library. It lists all medications and conrtras.

Yes, the BNF is a great source. If you can't get it from the library, my school nurse has one; I can borrow it from her and look up the side-effects and contraindications for you when I go to school tomorrow.

Procyclidine is a great help for me because it stops the tiredness and the muscle stiffness.

BNF also has a website:-

www.bnf.org

You have to register to view though, but it is free, and is useful if you cant get to the library.

If I were you I would listen to her. She's unto something, being on that medication for too long can have permanent effects. She doesn't want you to suffer that and that's admirable because most doctors aren't that concerned with their patients long-term drug use side-effects. There are always other drugs you can try and though they all have side-effects they don't all have such serious ones as this one.
I guess you should just brief yourself on the drug, what it does and it's permanent side-effects. If you find it is worth it to risk it and keep taking it, it's your life and your decision. If you find she's right and it is best for you (in the long run) to stop it then you do that. Just don't go against her advice without knowing what you could possibly face if you keep taking the medication. If you know and you still want to take it'll be your responsibility.

Check out this page, http://www.crazymeds.us/symbyax.html

How long have you been on the Prozac? I mean, if you've been on Olanzapine for 2.5 years then I'm guessing that the side effects (if any) aren't bad enough to make you stop. So just stopping it might not be the best thing. Basically, the "shaking" that can occur is tardive dyskinesia, it can happen but like every drug's side effects, it can be totally random. Talk to your doc more, but if you've been on the combo of Olan/Prozac for a while and you haven't noticed anything, you might be safe. Tardive dyskinesia does usually require long term use, but since you've been on a AS for 2.5 years and (presumably) haven't developed any problems, I'm not totally sure what your doc is worried about.

I've been told I may have to take meds for the rest of my life...I'm confused.

eeks! i've never heard of that before, i'm currently on olanzapine, and for now it is just to stablilise me till we can disscuss what meds i should really be on! but my pysch said if i choose i could be on olanzapine forever, just depending on how much weight i didnt mind to gaining! he didnt say anything about serious long term effects! eekks!!!!!!

I felt really drugged up today. Even made running difficult (I normally find running relatively easy). Annoying because I'm going to cross-country club tomorrow.

Does anyone else feel drugged up on their medication? I can distinguish feeling just tired to feeling drugged up, they're two different types of tiredness, aren't they?

Shaking is a side effect of most if not all anti-psychotics, however if you are not getting thses side effects then I find it quite strange for your psychiatrist to consider taking you off it, especially if it is having positive effects. I've left my BNF at uni and so can't give you anymore advice, apart from make sure both you and your doctor are monitoring your meds. What were they thinking of prescribing to you instead?