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Combat tiredness from olanzapine

7 replies

KissMyStardust · 04/10/2013 08:39

Im on 5mg olanzapine, have been for almost a year but am really struggling with tiredness from taking them...i feel terrible as just let dd watch cbeebies for few hours in the morning as im so exhausted i struggle to function.
has anyone got any ideas to combat this? the olanzapine helps with my symptoms of psychotic depression so i don't want to risk not taking it.

OP posts:
TheKnightsWhoSayNi · 04/10/2013 13:30

DW used to take Orlanzapine. She always took it at night, and it knocked her out for longer than usual. She used to go to bed earlier than usual, but it was still quite difficult to rouse her in the morning.

Orlanzapine was wonderful to making her stable, but she had to come off it due to excessive weight gain.

maniclady · 04/10/2013 15:27

I took olanzapine I also took a anti depressant in the morning which gave me energy maybe ask if this is possible.

Snipface · 04/10/2013 17:05

When do you take it? If its at night, you could try taking it earlier (tea time/ early eve) - the sedative effect might wear off a bit earlier in the day.

KayHarker · 04/10/2013 18:34

Great sympathy - I'm on 15mg and the drowsiness is sometimes all-consuming. I take it very early evening now, but I'm still rubbish in the morning and middle of the day. I'm being reduced and put on another drug which doesn't sedate or increase weight gain. Nowt wrong with a couple of hours of Cbeebies if you can't function properly.

KissMyStardust · 04/10/2013 18:48

I take 200mg sertraline in the morning too which helps a bit once it kicks in...will try taking the olanzapine earlier in the evening and see if that helps.

I've had a massive weight gain to but was a size 6 due to not eating though so for me that's been a welcome side effect.

I've spoken to my psychiatrist about changing anti-psychotic but she's very reluctant as this has work so well in calming my mind and (so called) psychotic delusions - though personally i know that these so called delusions are the truth, other people just can't see it.

OP posts:
KissMyStardust · 04/10/2013 18:49

of course i mean 'too' not 'to' in that second paragraph!

OP posts:
DiaryOfAWimpyMum · 06/10/2013 14:09

I take 5mg at 5/6pm and 20mg at 8pm bed around 10pm and usually feel fine by 9am the next morning, I gets the DC up for school around 7am but can never fall back asleep when they go off the school.

I haven't gained any weight but haven't lost any either but my Psych refuses to change me to anything else as he can see I have stopped talking so much and seem calmer.

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