Need some input

[Sickntired]

Well, we are on day 5 of starting Zyprexa. I have some questions. The doctor chose Zyprexa this time because it tends to cause weight gain, and with taking Concernta, where he only eats maybe once a day, we thought this might tend to balance it out. But, his appetite is just as poor as it was before. Also, for the "calming" effect, this is what I see. He is calmer, BUT. The only way I can explain it is if you had a pot of water on to boil, the water is boiling and you put a glass lid on it. It is "contained" but you can look through the lid and see it is still boiling. If you understand what I am trying to say, that is what I see. He is calmer, but I still see the underlying anger and the least bump raises the lid of the pot a bit. Has it just not been enough time? Thanks

PS: Forgot to add, sleep? Not. He was up until 3:00 this morning. Yes, I'm sure he's taking it. It is the Zyprexa Zydis. Thanks

 

[Jena]

hi,

i think with any medication or at least from my own experience it takes alot more than 5 days to see what it's truly going to do. i know i've waited up to 2 mos. to truly see effects. as far as the sleeping goes it may be a side effect. is that a listed side effect of that medication insomnia?

it may pass. i always try warm baths a strict routine sort of thing for the first few weeks of new medication before i start expecting any type of normalcy to occur.

i just took my little one off abilify its been a cr*pshoot one nights sleeps next up at 3, that sort of thing. so i had doctor call in chlonidine incase i need it yet im going to ride out the bumps for another week or so.

good luck
Jen

 

[gcvmom]

I totally get what you mean with the boiling pot analogy I've seen this in husband who has an undx'd mood disorder. He started Paxil last spring, which helped his irritability, but you could tell he was struggling still underneath the calmer exterior. Since he started Lamictal for seizures, that bubbling anger below the surface pretty much went away. I'm still not used to it, and still catch myself watching for signs that he's going to blow any minute, but 20 years of behavior experience is hard to get over.

We have no experience with Zyprexa, but difficult child 2 did take Risperdal, and then Abilify while he was on Concerta, and the medications did seem to balance eachother with respect to the appetite and weight gain issue. difficult child 2 was usually slightly under- to normal weight. Over time, though, he eventually crept into the "chunky" category, but by then, the stims weren't working because his mood disorder was beginning to present itself.

Has the psychiatrist ever talked about one of the anti-seizure/mood stabilizing medications?

 

[smallworld]

Even though Zypexa is relatively fast-acting, it can take a month for full efficacy. Furthermore, 5 mg might not in the end be enough. My daughter, for example, has taken as much as 15 mg Zyprexa (she's currently down to 12.5 mg as we add Remeron).

 

[4sumrzn]

My difficult child takes Zyprexa & has for quite a long time now. I believe it did take awhile to see full results, including the unwanted in her case....weight gain. She started sneaking food in the middle of the night, hiding food & even taking others food. She has been on different doses of this medication & I recently have been lowering it. This has helped in the weight gain area, but negatives are coming out too. I would say give it a little more time, in my opinion.