Help

[Mich-Awry]

I'm a mess. I stopped taking my olanzapine last wednesday and this Sunday I've been struggling with horrendous anxiety. I'm not sure if it's a withdrawl symptom. Has anyone trying going off this medication? I was only on 5mg though, so I didn't expect this to happen. I went to the hospital and they gave me ativan. It didn't work though so on Monday I went to my actual doctor and he gave me clomazipine. I've been taking both and I can calm down in spurts, but every so often I get worked up into crying spell. Also, the drugs do nothing for my stomach that is in knots, so I bought some gravel, which so far seems to be helping. The pharmacist told me that if I take all that, I should be quite drozy, but I'm not. I wish I was. Anyway, I'm really looking for way to deal. I know I just have to go through this, but it feels like I"m going to go through this longer than I want. I can't do another day of this. it's tearing me apart. Anyone have any experiences they could share? How long have you guys had a spell of anxiety? Was there a way to quicken it along?

On a side note, I"ve never dealt with anxiety like this. I did when I was a kid, but it never lasted this long.

[AJ]

I got switched from olanzapine to another antipsychotic, so I don't know what it's like to just stop it. Can I ask you why you stopped the olanzapine? My level of anxiety varies, but I don't have very much time where I have no anxiety. Some of it's related to what's going on in my life, and some of it just is. I go for walks to clear my head, and because my dog wants to. I excuse myself from situations (like busy malls or social events) that aggravate my anxiety. Sometimes deep breathing exercises help. Sometimes when it's all too much, I take an Ativan (lorazepam) during the day and then clonazepam that night. I only take those drugs as needed, because benzodiazepines can be addictive.

[Mich-Awry]

I stopped taking it because I felt I had no benefits from it and it was making me too tired to do my job properly. I also started dipping into a low deppression and thought the pills were the cause of it. I'm not sure if the stopping the pills made me this anxious, but it's painful and debilitation and I'm having trouble coping. I read a few different places online of people stopping olanzapine and becoming anxious, so maybe it's due to the pills. My doctor doesn't entirely thing it was the pills. He just thinks that the anxiety is just a gift from the depression.

[Atlantis]

How much and how often are you taking the ativan each day?

With your pdocs approval, you may be able to increase the dose and how often you take it each day to help control the acute anxiety you are feeling since stoping the olanzapine. Of course this is only a short term solution. Ihave used this method in the past and it worked quite well for me. I hope you feel better soon.

[Mich-Awry]

The ativan was prescribed to me as 'take as required'. They're 1mg dissolving under the tongue tables. I'm not sure how many I can take per day. I asked my doctor if it was okay to take the clomazapine and ativan together and he said it'd be fine, but not to drive. So I take my 2 clomazapine and then take an ativan if I need it. So far it works, but not on my stomach knots, which I've started taking gravel to help.

[Stormy Weather]

Hi Mich-Awry,
I'm sorry to hear that you are suffering so much - anxiety can be very difficult to deal with.
I'm sorry but I have no experience with olanzapine - actually had to look it up.
I just have one thing to throw out there. Olanzapine is an antipsychotic where ativan and clomazipine are benzos, (I hope I have that right) do these 2 families of drugs work on the brain differently? My thought is that the antipsychotic was working in a way that the benzos don't, could this be why you are suffering?

It's just a thought - I could be off here, I'm not very familiar with all the meds out there, but unfortunately getting to now know them better.

[paul m]

Hello Mich-Awry. Sorry to hear about your problems, the frustration of trying to change/quite meds can be very great.

Several things. First the following is a statement from the drug mfg themselves about stopping olanzapine. "Studies have shown that, after coming off medication, a relapse of symptoms occurs in about 2 out of 3 patients " . That in itself may not be a problem, but I also have read elsewhere and know from personal experience that sudden stopping most antipyschotics like olanzipine can bring about problems that you describe, it is usually better to wean down. (too late I know).

Second, twice you refer to clomazipine(no such med). I suspect you mean either clozapine(aka clozaril) which is an antipyschotic like olanzipine or clonzepam, which is a benzo like ativan. I have heard that clozaril can be hard on the stomach. Plus it probably will take a little longer to work than a benzo as it takes longer to built up in your system.

Third, your pharmacist is wrong(rare occurance). You may get quite drowsy, but any of the mentioned meds(clozapine, ativan, clonazepam, gravol)) may cause a paradoxical reaction of increasing anxiety. In particular ativan. Some people become down right hostile when they take it(my wife), especially in any size of dose.

My suggestion would be to back to your doc and start taking olanzapine again. Than once you stabilize you try cutting back slowly to see if that works better for you. Good luck with this and don't hesitate to ask more questions or just vent as I am sure that you are having a very tough time. Take Care. paul m

[Danming]

I have only ever relied on ativan for a crisis situation and it has helped me knowing that I have ten in a vial if I need them. But when I was on ativan before I found myself taking them too often and depending upon them too much....So I stopped....To me they were prescribed as a short term solution immediately available for crisis types of situations....they worked very well....however I was told to use them very sparingly....because a habitual dependence upon them is a risk.
I have changed antidepressants four or five times and none of those times was fun at all...nausea, headaches, dizziness, tremors, and a host of other withdrawal symptoms I have experienced.
I also understand about the tired exhausted feeling you had from some of your anti-psychotics....I have felt that way most of my life....until lately.
anyway take care and hope you feel better soon....

[Mich-Awry]

you're right paul, i got the name wrong. It was clonzepam. The anxiety is starting to decrease. My mornings are the hardest, but today I got through it really quickly, but I think I may have picked up the flu from being at the hospital. Luckily a few days ago, my mom came to the city and picked me up and brought me home, so she's taking care of me now. I'm glad I have her.

[uni]

Hello Mich-Awry. I'm glad you are feeling better anxiety wise. I hope you soon feel better physically too. How nice to have your mom around to take care of you .

[paul m]

Hello Mich-Awry. First I am glad that your anxiety level is decreasing. I always hate pointing out when someone gets a drug name wrong. The names can be very confusing. But sometimes it makes a heck of a difference in the advice I can give.

Both clonazepam and ativan are benzodiazipines, as I believe Stormy has mentioned. Both can make a person fairly anxious until one adjsuts to them. Most people have no problem, but that affect is known. I take ativan all of the time and when I first take it, it can increase my anxiety level. For some people it takes a long time to adjust to clonazepam and ativan. Plus clonazepam does take several days to build to a full theraputic dose in your system.

As I mentioned my wife cannot take lorazepam at all, although she does take a different benzo for sleeping once in awhile.

The main thing is that you are feeling better, I hope that it continues. Take Care. paul m

[Mich-Awry]

Things have gotten worse. My nights are okay. They anxiety subsides and I feel calm, but the mornings are hell. It turns out I don't have the stomach flu, having the anxiety for so long has torn my guts into chaos. I feel like this is never going to end and I'm doomed. I somehow have to make it to the end of the day. I've decided to stop taking the clonazepam and ativan since they are not actually helping anyways and I'm afraid of what will happen if I get used to them and then stop taking them. I need to go back to my doctor and get an anti-depressant. I'm going to request cipralex. Has anyone tried that one? What are the side affects and withdrawl symptoms?

[A.E.V.]

I hope things get better for you soon Mich-Awry!
it's been a few years since I've taken cipralex, so I don't remember much of it. sorry I'm no help!

[AJ]

Cipralex (Lexapro in the U.S.) Chemical name is escitalopram. http://tinyurl.com/Cipralex
I was on it for a short while. It did wonders for my depression, but same old story for me, I got manic and had to stop taking it. Other than a little nausea initially I tolerated it very well.

[paul m]

Hello Mich-Awry. Cipralex has been around for a while now and a lot of people like it. I have read a lot of peoples posts and talked to many people about it, as well as done my own research. The following may give you some idea on how others find it.

It can cause SSRI discontinuation syndrome(like effexor, paxil etc) however because it now comes in small doses it is usually easier to taper off than effexor and I haven't heard of anyone who gradually stopped taking it who had major problems with the discontinuation sydrome.

It is like all the rest of the newer Antidepressants(A/Ds) it will work in 50% of the people, so you have a 50-50 chance of it working. It has a rep for making some difference in a couple of weeks and a lot in 30 days.

The largest side effects when one is first taking it are possible headaches, nausea, dizziness and increased anxiety. These almost always diminish in a couple of weeks. They tend to be less when the med is gradually started at a lower dose.

Biggest problems that no one talks about, including your doc and pharmacist(affects approx 5-10% of users of cipralex): are ***ual side affects including loss of libido, anorgasmia and/or orgasm difficulties. I only mention these as they often get overlooked. The fact that we have depression in the first place and the change in libido often takes a while to become serious, we often don't put the blame on the medicine. Even the drug company admits that these types of side affects are probably under reported due to their sensitive nature. Many A/Ds cause these problems, but often just a change in type of med and/or dosage can put things right again.

Some people also find that even taking 2-3 drinks in the evening can cause a large hangover type effect when taking cipralex.

While I have listed many possible problems with cipralex, please remember that I started out this post by saying that a lot of people like it. For those who it works well for it has a reputation of being a good med with few side effects. Take Care. paul m