The Risks Of Zyprexa, page 1

Originally posted by Murphs
Weight gain is a common side effect of most anti-psychotic medication.
To me that is not a major side-effect..I am a psych nurse and have been for 18 years.
I was involved with the trials of Olanzapine (Zprexa) in this country..
I didn't see it work and I am glad it has worked for wantsome.
It works for the mildly psychotic. Depressive etc. but not in a full blown manic, schizophrenic illness.
It is a maintanance drug and not a very good one at that. If you can get someone stabilised with "traditional" medication, then start Olanzapine. It can work but not always.
It is another one of Eli Lilleys wonder drugs...Prozac is another one..It only works for the *sad* not the the really depressed..Even then the side effects outweigh the benefits..It leaves people lifeless, numb, emotionless.
I will say my findings are not scientific but anecdotal. I know GP's and Psychiatrists over here chose others now..

I beg to differ on the effectiveness of Zyprexa. When I came down with schizophrenia I was quite sick. I had severe hallucinations dellusions and psychotic symtoms. I had no sence of reality I wasn't eating or sleeping. At my worst I thought people were poisening my food so I wouldn't eat. At one point I didn't eat for a week or drink water for 3 days. I was so far gone my family never thought I'd be half way normal again. I was sleeping with a shotgun because I thought the voices were out to get me. I did'nt leave my house for 9 months.

When I was first hospitalized I thought the meds they were giving me were poisen. I went as far as to stick my finger down my throat and vomit them back up. They ended up giving me a masive injection of Haldol. It stopped the hallucinations fast but the side effects were horrible. I was sleeping 23 hours a day and I was a walking zombie. I was hospitalized for 3 months and my diagnosses is paranoid schizoeffective dissorder (Bipolar and shcizophrenia).

When I got out of the hospital I quit all the meds I was taking and started on Zyprexa. I was fine for a year but still had some hallucinations. One day I figured I didnt need it anymore so I quit taking it. I ended up going through another psychotic break and ended up back in the hospital.

When I got out I went back on Zyprexa. I had hallucinations for the first four or five years. But slowly over time they have diminished. Its been 10 years and now I hardly ever have hallucinations but I still take Zyprexa.

Some meds are more effective then others for people, and one med that works for someone might not work for another. I feel very forutenette not to hear voices at this time but I know if it werent for Zyprexa I might not be where I am.

I recently moved to a new house and I have a neighbor with this illness and he is far from where I am and he is on a whole cocktail of meds and still hears voices. He reminds me of myself when I was sick. I was in just as bad of shape but yet I can now function to a higher digree.

I belive thier are many factors involved when it comes to recovery from schizoprenia. From what I've read is those that get help and medication early on in the developemet of this illness have a better outcome. Because the longer someone goes without treatment the more braindamage they suffer. I also read that those that quit taking thier meds everytime they have a relapse it gets harder and harder to get their symtoms back under control.

I feel the longer I stick with my treatment the less paranoia I have. But If I had a million dollars I'd bet if I quit taking my medication I'd have a severe relapse.

Thier are no marical cures for schizophrenia but Zyprexa does work. It might not work for everyone but it does for me. I don't know what country your from but I feel sorry for your patients especialy if thier on Haldol.