How effective is olanzapine for treating depression. What are the most common side effects reported by patients. How does olanzapine compare to other antidepressants. What should patients know before starting olanzapine for depression.

Overview of Olanzapine for Depression Treatment

Olanzapine, marketed under brand names like Zyprexa, is an atypical antipsychotic medication that is sometimes prescribed off-label for depression. Based on 181 user reviews on Drugs.com, olanzapine has received an average rating of 4.9 out of 10 for the treatment of depression. This rating suggests mixed experiences among patients, with 36% reporting a positive experience and 46% reporting a negative experience.

While primarily approved for conditions like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, olanzapine is occasionally used as an adjunct treatment for major depressive disorder, especially in cases that have not responded well to standard antidepressants. Its use for depression is considered “off-label”, meaning it is not FDA-approved specifically for this condition.

Effectiveness of Olanzapine in Treating Depression

The effectiveness of olanzapine for depression appears to vary significantly among patients. Some users report dramatic improvements in their depressive symptoms, while others experience little to no benefit. This variability in response is not uncommon with psychiatric medications.

For those who find olanzapine helpful, benefits may include:

• Improved mood and reduced feelings of sadness
• Increased energy and motivation
• Better sleep patterns
• Reduced anxiety symptoms
• Stabilization of mood swings

However, it’s important to note that a significant portion of users (46%) reported negative experiences, suggesting that olanzapine may not be suitable for everyone with depression.

Common Side Effects Reported by Patients

One of the primary reasons for negative reviews of olanzapine is its side effect profile. Common side effects reported by patients include:

• Weight gain and increased appetite
• Drowsiness and sedation
• Dry mouth
• Dizziness
• Constipation
• Elevated blood sugar levels

Weight gain is particularly concerning for many patients, with some reporting significant increases in body weight over relatively short periods. This side effect can potentially lead to other health issues and may impact a patient’s self-esteem, potentially exacerbating depressive symptoms.

Metabolic Changes and Long-term Health Concerns

Beyond the immediate side effects, some patients and healthcare providers express concern about the long-term metabolic effects of olanzapine. These may include:

• Increased risk of type 2 diabetes
• Elevated cholesterol levels
• Higher risk of cardiovascular issues

Given these potential risks, patients taking olanzapine for depression often require regular monitoring of their metabolic health.

Comparing Olanzapine to Other Antidepressants

When comparing olanzapine to other medications used for depression, it’s important to consider both efficacy and side effect profiles. Traditional antidepressants like SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) are typically the first-line treatment for depression due to their generally favorable balance of effectiveness and tolerability.

Olanzapine, being an atypical antipsychotic, is often reserved for cases where standard antidepressants have not been effective. Its mechanism of action is different from that of traditional antidepressants, which may explain why some patients find it helpful when other medications have failed.

Advantages of Olanzapine

• May be effective in treatment-resistant depression
• Can help with both depressive and manic symptoms in bipolar disorder
• May have a faster onset of action compared to some antidepressants

Disadvantages of Olanzapine

• Higher risk of significant weight gain compared to most antidepressants
• Potential for more severe side effects, including metabolic changes
• Not FDA-approved specifically for depression, leading to potential insurance coverage issues

Patient Experiences and Testimonials

Patient experiences with olanzapine for depression vary widely. Some users report significant improvements in their quality of life:

“Olanzapine has been a lifesaver for me. After trying numerous antidepressants with little success, this medication finally helped lift my depression and stabilize my mood. Yes, I’ve gained some weight, but the benefits far outweigh this side effect for me.”

Others, however, have had less positive experiences:

“The weight gain from olanzapine was extreme and rapid. I gained 30 pounds in just a few months, which only made my depression worse. While it did help with sleep, the side effects were too much to handle.”

These contrasting experiences highlight the importance of individualized treatment approaches in mental health care. What works well for one person may not be suitable for another.

Dosage and Administration Considerations

The dosage of olanzapine for depression can vary depending on individual patient factors and whether it’s being used as monotherapy or in combination with other antidepressants. Typically, lower doses are used for depression compared to those used for schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.

• Starting dose is often 2.5-5 mg daily
• Dose may be gradually increased based on response and tolerability
• Maximum daily dose is usually not more than 20 mg

Olanzapine is available in various formulations, including tablets, orally disintegrating tablets, and long-acting injectable forms. The choice of formulation depends on patient preference and specific clinical circumstances.

Importance of Proper Titration

Proper dose titration is crucial when starting olanzapine. Gradually increasing the dose can help minimize side effects and allow the body to adjust to the medication. Patients should work closely with their healthcare provider to find the optimal dose that balances symptom relief with side effect management.

Monitoring and Follow-up Care

Due to the potential for significant side effects, particularly metabolic changes, patients taking olanzapine for depression require careful monitoring. Regular follow-up care typically includes:

• Periodic blood tests to check glucose and lipid levels
• Regular weight and blood pressure checks
• Monitoring for signs of tardive dyskinesia (involuntary movements)
• Assessment of overall mental health and symptom improvement

Patients should be encouraged to report any new or worsening symptoms promptly to their healthcare provider. This proactive approach can help in early detection and management of potential issues.

Discontinuation and Withdrawal Considerations

If a patient decides to discontinue olanzapine, it’s crucial to do so under medical supervision. Abrupt discontinuation can lead to withdrawal symptoms, including:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Sweating
• Insomnia
• Anxiety or agitation
• Return or worsening of depressive symptoms

A gradual tapering of the medication is typically recommended to minimize these effects. The tapering schedule should be individualized based on the patient’s current dose, duration of treatment, and overall health status.

Planning for Alternative Treatments

When discontinuing olanzapine, it’s important to have a plan in place for ongoing depression management. This may involve transitioning to a different medication or exploring non-pharmacological treatments such as psychotherapy or lifestyle interventions.

Patients should work closely with their healthcare provider to develop a comprehensive plan that addresses both the discontinuation of olanzapine and the continued management of their depressive symptoms.

Olanzapine Reviews & Ratings – Drugs.com

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Brand names:
Zyprexa,
Zyprexa Zydis,
Zyprexa Relprevv,
Zyprexa Intramuscular

Olanzapine
has an average rating of 5.8 out of 10 from a total of 999 reviews
on Drugs.com.
45% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 34% reported a negative experience.

Reviews for Olanzapine

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Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.

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• Olanzapine (Intramuscular) (Advanced Reading)
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Olanzapine User Reviews for Depression

Print

Save

Brand names:
Zyprexa,
Zyprexa Zydis,
Zyprexa Relprevv,
Zyprexa Intramuscular

Olanzapine
has an average rating of 4. 9 out of 10 from a total of 162 reviews
for the
treatment of Depression.
36% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 46% reported a negative experience.

Filter by condition
All conditionsAgitated State (12)Agitation (35)Anorexia (4)Anorexia Nervosa (2)Asperger Syndrome (3)Bipolar Disorder (297)Body Dysmorphic DisorderBorderline Personality Disorder (37)Depression (181)Depressive Psychosis (18)Insomnia (105)Major Depressive Disorder (48)Nausea/Vomiting, Chemotherapy Induced (1)Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (20)Paranoid Disorder (27)Schizoaffective Disorder (70)Schizophrenia (136)Tourette’s Syndrome (3)

Olanzapine rating summary

4.9/10 average rating

162 ratings from 181 user reviews.

Compare all 190 medications used in the treatment of Depression.

Reviews for Olanzapine

Search keyword

Are you taking this medicine?

• Add your review
• Learn more about Olanzapine

Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.

Learn more about Depression

• Antidepressants and Alcohol Interactions
• Antidepressants: Options, Advantages, and Precautions

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• Depression after Spinal Cord Injury
• Depression Management for Adolescents

Symptoms and treatments

• Depression

Medicine.com guides (external)

• Depression Guide

More about olanzapine

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• Compare alternatives
• Pricing & coupons
• Reviews (1,020)
• Drug images
• Side effects
• Dosage information
• Patient tips
• During pregnancy
• Support group
• Drug class: atypical antipsychotics
• Breastfeeding

Patient resources

• Drug Information
• Olanzapine injection
• Olanzapine (Intramuscular) (Advanced Reading)
• Olanzapine (Oral) (Advanced Reading)
• Olanzapine Extended-Release Injection

Other brands

Zyprexa, Zyprexa Zydis, Zyprexa Relprevv, Zyprexa Intramuscular

Professional resources

• Prescribing Information

Related treatment guides

• Agitated State
• Anorexia
• Anorexia Nervosa
• Agitation

Antipsychotic drug (neuroleptic) Olanzapine-TL – “Adventures of the brain or how tired I am of all this.

I tell you why I stopped taking olanzapine. »

Hello everyone!

First, I’ll tell you my medical history.

A long time ago, 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with VVD, which means vegetative-vascular dystonia. It all started with dizziness. I woke up one morning and my head was spinning. I thought it would pass. Moreover, before I didn’t go to the doctors at all, I never had a headache, even during a session at the institute, and I didn’t know what dizziness was at all. But life, apparently, decided to show me all the delights of this side.

As I said, it all started with dizziness. A month, two, but it still does not pass. They ran to do an MRI of the brain and contact a neurologist. I was prescribed all sorts of pills and antidepressants and other drugs, but nothing really helped. So my head was spinning for 8 months. Then the dizziness turned into squeezing of the head, especially in the region of the crown. Everything was expressed precisely by physical sensations, I did not feel any psychological signs of a violation. I suffered precisely from dizziness, squeezing the head, panic attacks. Almost every day there were these panic attacks. I didn’t want to live at all. There were periods of time with suicidal thoughts. But only one thing stopped me, that there is a small child and he needs to be raised, it’s a pity to leave him without a mother.

How many of these MRI of the brain, brain vessels, MRI of the cervical region, neck vessels have I done. Here, I even took a picture of all the packages from the MRI. Almost every year, I get tested.

But the MRI didn’t show much. And doctors neurologists diagnosed vegetovascular dystonia. I have changed neurologists many times.

Then, after some time, I began to feel better, to leave the house, not to be afraid to go to the store. Previously, to take a ride in a minibus, it was very difficult and scary.

Now for olanzapine. How I met him.

Last summer, I had coronavirus, and I became very ill psychologically. Here, the doctors advised me to turn not to neurologists, but to a psychiatrist. I had such fear, fear of everything that exists, it seemed to me that I would die, a complete hell was going on in my head, my head was so squeezed that it seemed that it would burst from the inside. I couldn’t go out and see a psychiatrist. They called to the house.

The psychotherapist is a good one. He pulled me out of this terrible swamp. He prescribed me olanzapine, seroquel, and tranquilizers and the antidepressant Rokona (our analogue of Fevarin). Moreover, he immediately gave me all these pills and for free, to help and not wait until my mother buys them at the pharmacy. All of this is sold by prescription only.

I began to drink olanzapine and gradually began to feel better, dizziness and pressure were gone. I thought, well, finally this is a magical remedy, and I went to neurologists for 10 years and there was practically zero sense. I drank pills that improved the blood circulation of the brain, but by doing so they contributed to an increase in my brain activity, my fears. I also had such a problem, it is now, it is called OCD. This is when you do certain actions, repetitive actions, and if you don’t do this action, then you think that something bad will happen. (I had this thing since childhood, but I did not pay attention to it, and lived calmly with it).

Olanzapine, by the way, did not cope with this problem. After a month of taking this drug, I felt better and my appetite improved. I began to recover by leaps and bounds, quickly gained weight. But don’t care about the weight, just to feel normal. Well, there were some adventures here. It caused me a side effect, and this side effect did not go away until I refused this drug. What is this side? I became afraid of knives and sharp objects that I could hurt myself. And it was so embarrassing and scary. I didn’t know what it was, I thought I was going crazy. But then I decided, what if it’s from olanzapine. I stopped drinking it, after a year of using alanzapine, I abruptly quit it.

I have a lot of it left, because my mother bought it, if only I was better, they thought that they had found salvation.

What did I feel after stopping the drug?

First, my head began to work better, more thoughts appeared, it became easier to control their flow.

There were also desires, a desire to do something. The creative potential of olanzapine completely kills. Actually, I don’t want to do anything. Everything that happens in life begins to suit you, how you look, that you are not wearing makeup, that you do not have a man. Somehow you stop thinking about it. In general, you score on yourself. To be honest, I didn’t like being fat, I wanted to lose weight so much, and I’m still losing weight. From alanzapine, you quickly gain weight, not only because you start eating a lot, but also because the metabolism in the body is disturbed. My face was covered with acne, and no ointments and creams helped.

When I stopped taking olanzapine, my acne slowly disappeared. I am 40 years old, and my whole face was strewn with acne, it was somehow strange. Now this problem is gone.

But the dizziness began to return. I am currently taking only the antidepressant Fevarin. I would continue to take olanzapine, and this would be a lifesaver for me if my metabolism was not disturbed and there was no side effect in the form of fear of sharp objects.

This is my experience with alanzapine for one year.

Thank you for reading my review. I hope it was helpful to you.

Olanzapine-SZ – customer reviews and experience

Olanzapine-SZ reviews

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900 02 Thinks the product is good

from 250  ₽

The doctor in the psychiatric hospital prescribed Olanzapine C3 for me after a long search for a suitable therapy. I tried them twice. The first time I left them because of a bad condition, I could not understand why I was drinking them, my health did not improve, I only poisoned myself. Another unpleasant feeling in my soul, beyond words. And the second time after repeated treatment, I was prescribed it again. This time, either I set myself up like that or took the treatment more seriously, to my surprise, the drug began to work. Not only me, but also my relatives saw the changes for the better. You see how it happens)) Thanks to the doctor for the second positive experience. Buy and take only under medical supervision.

Thinks the product is good

from 250  ₽

Of course, it was addictive, the disease worsened, during exacerbations the dose reached 15 mg. The result from 10 mg for 9 years had to be switched to 15. Of the pluses, at the moment, I note an improvement in mood and all sorts of aggression has passed. In general, not bad, but judging by the fact that I have been taking Olanzapine C3 for so many years, it’s a sin not to get addicted. I am completely satisfied with the price, because it is generally difficult to buy medicines in our time, they can’t add up the cost.

Thinks the item is bad

from 250  ₽

The drug Olanzapine C3 caused severe drowsiness and digestive problems. The price is good and you can buy freely, but unfortunately it did not fit me. Side effects popped up.

Thinks the product is good

from 250  ₽

I want to share my personal experience, I know about the drug olanzip not by hearsay. Known him for many years. The only one that came up at the time of the onset of the disease. It suppressed aggression, helped to cope with panic attacks and hallucinations. From experience I can say that not the worst drug. If you want to get decent quality, then the price will be appropriate. Take only after a doctor’s prescription, I think that such drugs should be dispensed by prescription, but they sold it to me just like that. And if I just heard a lot of reviews and decided to buy and it would be even worse? Don’t joke with your health!

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Zyprexa 5 mg film-coated tablets, 28 pcs.

Eli Lilly, Spain

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Zalasta 5mg Tablets, 28 pcs.