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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Zyprexa withdrawal....induced psychosis.....

bdomihizayka

bdomihizayka

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Jul 30, 2012
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My friend was on Zyprexa for depression for 2 years...she came off 2 years ago, and since has been showing signs of psychosis. She is hallucinating, and her anxiety is through the roof. It let up the past 6 months but it is still effecting her life in a very very bad way.... She also came off klonopin about the same time and blamed this all on protracted benzo withdrawal, but I said it's more likely it's the Zyprexa because an antipsychotic will make you psychotic if you're not psychotic sometimes... right?
 
Psychosis is a common withdrawal symptom of Zyprexa. But it may not have helped that she was also on Klonopin and quit that around the same time. But did she definitely had no such symptoms at all before she began taking these drugs?? And now she still has them 2 years after stopping? Was she taking Zyprexa for bipolar or just regular clinical depression?
 
She was taking the zyprexa for just "normal" depression/ anxiety.... she has no history of bipolar or psychotic symptoms before the zyprexa and klonopin. Some people, myself included, experience really long drawn out benzo withdrawals, mine lasted months, but no 2 years of hallucinations, that's why I was really wondering if it could be the zyprexa instead or cocurrent at least.

Should she reinstate? She is adimate about never taking a benzo again, she believes in kindling and it could make everything worse, I don't blame her, but how about with the zyprexa? Could it hurt to see if it eases the symptoms?
 
There goes my theory on onset of latent psychosis during treatment.

Not to say that it isn't possible at that age, only quite unlikely.

No real harm will come of five or ten milligrams a day to see if it helps. Is she on any other medications, so we can check for contraindications?
 
She's on nothing else. I suggested she went back on to see what happens and if relief is found, do a long drawn out taper. But yea, doesn't sound like benzo withdrawal to me.
 
Depends on if she wants to be on Zyprexa long-term or not. If she doesn't, then I'm not so sure I'd suggest going back on the Zyprexa because if it is the primary cause of her issues then they will likely just come back and be even worse once she stops it again. In my experience/opinion kindling seems to happen with pretty much all drugs that cause physical dependence. If she has been off Zyprexa for 2 years already then I don't see how reinstating it and tapering off slowly will change much. I worry that even with a taper her symptoms may return as soon as she gets to a lower dose or stops. I'm not sure what help/advice to offer though. If her symptoms are that severe and the Zyprexa does turn out to relieve them then perhaps she might rather just continue taking it long-term than go back to having psychosis etc. Does she have a good mental health care practitioner she can discuss this with?
 
Swimmingdancer said:
Depends on if she wants to be on Zyprexa long-term or not. If she doesn't, then I'm not so sure I'd suggest going back on the Zyprexa because if it is the primary cause of her issues then they will likely just come back and be even worse once she stops it again. In my experience/opinion kindling seems to happen with pretty much all drugs that cause physical dependence. If she has been off Zyprexa for 2 years already then I don't see how reinstating it and tapering off slowly will change much. I worry that even with a taper her symptoms may return as soon as she gets to a lower dose or stops. I'm not sure what help/advice to offer though. If her symptoms are that severe and the Zyprexa does turn out to relieve them then perhaps she might rather just continue taking it long-term than go back to having psychosis etc. Does she have a good mental health care practitioner she can discuss this with?
Click to expand...

That's what I'm thinking.
 
She could have depression with psychotic features....I asked one of my old pdoc's if my voices would be the same or worse when i came off of risperdal the first time and she said they would be the same but they are alot worse......These are Heavy duty med's and zyprexa works on a broad range of receptors.....But her depression could of came back but is worse then before.
 
Thank you for all the advice... really appreciate it. Her doctors think it's all in her head/ a new problem and she insists it's from the klonopin or zyprexa because it didn't start and she never experienced anything like it in her life until she discontinued the meds. She definitely has to talk to someone about this, she has no trust for doctors after this though, kinda understandably. I'll make sure she does...thanks!
 
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