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Original poster

Experiences of quetiapine or olanzapine please

38 replies

Ocdpanic · 08/02/2019 19:10

Posted before but got no responses.

Not doing so well. Currently on 30mg mirtazipine

Been saying for months it's not working Cmht have now said I can either

Increase mirtazipine - which they're not keen on & I'm honestly feeling it's helping depression a bit but anxiety is worse

Or try

Quetiapine 25mg

Or

Olanzapine

On the one hand I'm feeling pretty desperate on the other I've had a lot of trouble finding meds that work and don't make me worse or ill in other ways.

I'd like to know if you have taken or prescribed these drugs what your thoughts are on them?

OP posts:
DeadCertain · 08/02/2019 19:16

At the time I started Q I can honestly say it saved my life BUT it is a fairly horrible drug as well in terms of side effects (300mg MR at night). It turned me into a completely non - feeling entity who just existed in the main and I felt "drugged" much of the time. I am now off it and very pleased to be so. If I was at the end of my tether again I would maybe, maybe consider taking it again but it would be a huge deal for me.

Beeeeeeeeep · 08/02/2019 19:21

I've been on quetiapine for 3 months building up from 25mg to 200mg, which I'm currently on.
When you first start taking them, they knock you out. It takes a few days to get used to the feeling. I take mine at night as I'm asleep within an hour and good for nothing.
Mornings are a struggle too as I'm not properly awake or alert, albeit functioning.
They have alleviated some of my anxiety symptoms, but not completely. They are good for short term, esp if you find the mirtazipine aren't doing what they should be. I didn't get on with those so I'm on vortioxetine 20mg (the highest dose).
Good luck with whatever you choose.

CleverQuacks · 08/02/2019 19:22

I am on 10mg of olanzapine and it has honestly changed my life. i can not only function (hold down a job, parent my children etc) but I actually enjoy life. The side effects (mainly increased appetite) were hard at first but they have all worn off now.

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AngelaStorm73 · 08/02/2019 19:27

Why won't they increase the Mirtz? Normally they try and work with the drugs you're on first. And it is for anxiety too not just depression.
Quitiepine and Olanzapine are for psychosis or mania anyway not anxiety. They are quite heavy drugs. If you don't have psychosis/scitzofrenia/bipolar I would seriously consider looking for other options.

Original poster
OCDpanic · 08/02/2019 19:51

It's taken me 5 months even to get them to accept what I'm saying about the mirtz not helping the anxiety!

Feel like I'm banging head against brick wall to be honest.

They reluctantly prescribed pregabalin but I was really put off by people's experiences of that mainly that anxiety was worse - that's the absolute last thing I need at the moment as my anxiety is pretty much at its worst for over 10 years already, it's practically got me bedridden that's how bad I am.

They've basically been refusing to consider even increasing the mirtz as a way to try and pressure me to take the pregabalin

OP posts:
Original poster
OCDpanic · 08/02/2019 19:54

They are quite heavy drugs. If you don't have psychosis/scitzofrenia/bipolar I would seriously consider looking for other options.

This has really concerned me too. Part of me is wondering if that's because they want me to take the pregabalin and so are making out its either that or these strong drugs.

Also other "antidepressants" & coming off the mirtz they won't even discuss.

OP posts:
SpottedTiger · 08/02/2019 20:00

My husband was on Olanzapine for a few years. It worked well to control his positive symptoms but not the negative ones (psychosis) but is very sedating and causes appetite increase and weight gain. In my husband's case it also caused diabetes and this is not uncommon. On the other hand I knew someone who found it better than Mirtazapine for anxiety and lost weight on it as Mirtazapine is even worse for weight gain apparently. Different drugs have different effects on different people and unfortunately it's often trial and error until you find the right one for you. My husband is now on Aripiprazole which has given him his life back.

Original poster
OCDpanic · 08/02/2019 20:22

Yea I was told a lot about weight gain on mirtazipine yet I've lost weight since I started it.

I'm eating more than I was (I was somehow managing on a bowl of cereal or a sandwich per day, I'm now eating at least one proper meal a day and sometimes a snack too) but I think the increased anxiety is making me burn calories.

I have a very very sensitive stomach doesn't take much to trigger diarrhoea, cramps, trapped wind, reflux, heartburn which was another reason I wasn't keen on pregabalin.

Mirtazipine has opposite effects (slows the gut reduces acid) and that's been one real positive I have a near normal bowel now.

OP posts:
Original poster
OCDpanic · 08/02/2019 20:25

Family history of late onset diabetes in females, slim healthy eaters too so even the Drs think there's a genetic issue there. So the increased risk of that with olanzapine worries me.

OP posts:
OneNightTimeMenaceStrikesBack · 08/02/2019 20:28

i take quietiapine every day, 175mg split between morning and night and for me, the only side effect i've had is weight gain. I've never felt sedated, drugged up or anything else by them but it's so individual, what works for one won't always work for another. I have also, as it happens, been on pregabalin and honestly, i found those much worse in terms of side effects and i came off them because the negatives outweighed the positives of them for me

AngelaStorm73 · 08/02/2019 20:29

I have met too many people who are diabetic and overweight from olanzapine.
I know weight gain is a side effect of Mirtz too but honestly, that's what makes me query it more? Surely the combo of Mirtz and olanzapine would be worse?

I think you'd be better on pregabalin tbh

Original poster
OCDpanic · 08/02/2019 20:36

Onenight - this might seem an odd question but how are you with anaesthetics, analgesics?

Angela - the more I read on pregabalin the less I want to take it to be honest and I have been looking for positives for months and not finding them.

Using the toilet is a particular issue for me to the point I'll put it off until I risk wetting/soiling myself Blush so any drug that potentially will cause urgent diarrhoea isn't one I want to use. Especially as I've said my stomach can be very sensitive anyway it's a nightmare.

OP posts:
Original poster
OCDpanic · 08/02/2019 20:37

Anyone know of any other meds that can be taken long term for severe anxiety?

OP posts:
AngelaStorm73 · 08/02/2019 20:40

I wouldn't take pregabilin or olanzapine for anxiety.
I would push to have Mirtz increased? Possibly in combo with another antidepressant if needs be. Then use PRN benzodiazepines and/or antihistamines for anxiety.
Quitiepine at a push, over olanzapine or pregabilin anywho

northernstars · 08/02/2019 20:49

I take 400mg quetiapine at night but that's for bipolar. It knocks me out great. Also take antidepressants. For anxiety beta blockers and (different) antidepressants were a great combination.

Original poster
OCDpanic · 08/02/2019 20:59

Can I take another antidepressant with mirtz?

I have diazepam available for "energencies" but don't like taking it.

History of addiction in family which also concerns me and many of these drugs can have dependency issues.

OP posts:
wombatsandaplant · 08/02/2019 21:51

I take 800mg of quetiapine a day(for psychosis) so obviously a lot more than you would take. but at lower doses it is meant to be quite good for anxiety, and at lower doses it is sedating. My sleep is brilliant on it.

Never tried Olanzapine.

One I can suggest is Aripiprazole. It's an atypical anti psychotic. However in my notes it says that they wanted to try aripiprazole with me as it can also be used as add on treatment for ocd (and depression) in low doses. It's not a heavy med. Personally didn't work for me psychosis wise, but my ocd definitely improved whilst I was on it.

Original poster
OCDpanic · 08/02/2019 22:03

Yea I'd start on 25mg of quetiapine.

I may mention aripiparazole but I don't think they'll go for it.

I'm getting increasingly pissed off as I been saying for months the mirtz alone wasn't working. Also cos they're starting that "client refusing to engage" crap!

No I am engaging you're just not bloody listening!! I don't wanna live like this who would?!

OP posts:
OneNightTimeMenaceStrikesBack · 08/02/2019 22:10

@OCDpanic. I have never personally had much int he way of negative effects from painkillers, i'm currently on oxycodone and morphine every day and again, i don't feel sedated,d rugged up or, well, any different really. I also don't get the highs a lot of people report with them either. I am allergic to a few things, amytrytptline (sorry i have NO idea how to spell this!) and asprin being the two big ones for me so obviously avoid those but yeah, i don't really get much int he way of negatives and absolutely appreciate i'm very lucky in that regard. I am fairly resistant to local anaesthetic, i have to have double doses fairly often to go properly numb and keep me numb. My body is just odd like that, i've been told its because i have a lot of natural red in my hair, supposedly red heads are more resistant to it but i have no idea how true that actually is

as an aside, as well as the queitapine, i also have an injection every few weeks of another anti psychotic drug and again, can't really say i have any side effects from it apart from knowing absolutely when i'm due to have it, i know the week its due as i start feeling off and low and just not 'right'

Original poster
OCDpanic · 08/02/2019 22:50

Ironically that's the response I was expecting/hoping for.

I too don't get affected by anesthetics etc to the point of once almost coming round during surgery under GA!

So getting an idea of how the drugs being suggested affect someone else who has similar reactions to drugs is actually really helpful

OP posts:
DiaryofWimpyMumm · 08/02/2019 22:53

I take 20mg olanzapine for bipolar. It works well and keeps me stable. My weight jumped up though and I was a size 16, so I stopped giving into the munchies and cut down on sugar and I'm back to s size 12. I wouldn't be without olanzapine now. I'm so calm

PsychedelicSheep · 08/02/2019 23:21

In the psychology team I work in we see prescription of quetiapine to emotionally dysregulated / anxious young women as a human rights abuse. It shortens your life by an average of 19 years. And will add about 2 stone. Horrible stuff

dangermouseisace · 09/02/2019 00:52

psychedelicsheep your comment is not helpful, and psychology today is not an academic source for citations. No academic journal would pinpoint any one factor- you can’t isolate quetiapine in a real life experiment with people because everyone’s health is influenced by their genes and other factors in their environment- smoking, exercise etc.

I’m on max mirtazapine, another AD and quetiapine. If it were me I’d ask to increase the mirtazapine before adding quetiapine TBH.

But since they added quetiapine I’ve been able to stable for over a year without having a crisis...from 4 years of repeated bouts of severe depression/hospitalisation. I haven’t put on weight and according to the practice nurse at my GP I had the best figures (blood pressure, weight, cholesterol) in my over 40 health check than she’d seen in a long time! I do exercise though, and eat healthily. Having spent a lot of time with other people on antipsychotics I’d suggest that I’m in minority which could account for some of the shorter life aspects. That and the fact lots of people with MH end their own lives prematurely...

Wheretheresawill1 · 09/02/2019 10:04

I’ve previously had quetiapine at 750mg 10 yrs ago- it was very sedating and I put a couple of stone on. I’m currently on olanzapine which doesn’t sedate me but gives more energy but already put on 2 stone in 2 months. However I’m now most well I’ve been in 22yrs of bipolar. I take 10mg olanzapine, 300mg Venlafaxine, 30mg mirtazapine.
I’m a psych nurse- my being more awake and buzzy on olanzapine is unusual as most of my patients complain of sedation.
My motivation is much improved but the weight gain is worrying as I’d already gained 6 stone on medication

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