How does zyprexa affect the brain

It is very important to tell your doctor how you feel things are going during the first few weeks after you start taking olanzapine. It will probably take several weeks to see big enough changes in your symptoms to decide if olanzapine is the right medication for you.

Antipsychotic treatment is generally needed lifelong for persons with schizophrenia. Your doctor can best discuss the duration of treatment you need based on your symptoms and illness. Last Updated: January This information is being provided as a community outreach effort of the College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists.

This information is for educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. This information contains a summary of important points and is not an exhaustive review of information about the medication. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified medical professional with any questions you may have regarding medications or medical conditions.

Never delay seeking professional medical advice or disregard medical professional advice as a result of any information provided herein. The College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists disclaims any and all liability alleged as a result of the information provided herein. Search Close Menu. Sign In About Mental Illness. About Mental Illness Treatments. About Mental Illness Research. Your Journey Individuals with Mental Illness. Your Journey Family Members and Caregivers.

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Open site search Open main navigation. View shareable links View Basket : 0 items. Guide Menu for Olanzapine. Hide Show guide menu. Guide contents jump to section About olanzapine Olanzapine and everyday life Uses, warnings, safety and side effects About this information More information and advice. Olanzapine: what I wish I had known. Taking olanzapine and sertraline: Elizabeth's story.

About olanzapine. Please note. Always talk to your doctor about your situation and whether this medication is for you. Thinking about trying medication? Read our guide. How olanzapine works. Olanzapine and everyday life. Frequently asked questions. How long does it take to start working? If you have had no good effects after two to three weeks, your doctor may increase the dose or change the medicine Your doctor might start you on a low dose and then increase it slowly over two to four weeks to your full dose.

What effects will it have on my body? Talk to your doctor about this if it worries you. Should I tell my family and friends I am taking it? Can I drink alcohol, take street drugs and smoke cigarettes while taking it?

Alcohol You can continue to drink some alcohol while taking olanzapine, but having the two together might make you very sleepy or make you fall over. If you drink a lot of alcohol, these effects will be much more serious. Alcohol can also make the symptoms of your condition worse. Street drugs Antipsychotics block the effect of dopamine, so the 'high' you get from drugs that work by increasing levels of dopamine may not be as 'high' as before.

Cannabis can make drowsiness worse with olanzapine. It can also make your symptoms worse. All antipsychotics can reduce the stimulant effects of cocaine. Smoking If you start or stop smoking while you are taking olanzapine, you may have to change your dose. Cigarette smoke affects the amount of olanzapine in your body. If you smoke, you may need a higher dose of olanzapine than someone who does not smoke.

Tell your doctor if you smoke, so that you get the right dose for you. If you re start smoking, you may need to increase it again Go to your doctor for advice if you stop or start smoking.

Can I take it with other medications? Olanzapine does not mix well with some other medicines and drugs. Tell your doctor before you take olanzapine if you are taking any other medicines. I have allergies and food intolerances. Is there anything I need to know?

Can I drive while taking it? Do not drive a car or ride a bike just after you start taking olanzapine. Olanzapine may make you feel tired or dizzy when you start taking it. Do not worry - most people drive as normal while taking olanzapine.

Can I take it if I am pregnant or breastfeeding? Pregnancy Olanzapine is not seen as high-risk during pregnancy and, if regular medicine is keeping you well, then changing your medication may be the greater risk. Post-natal Taking olanzapine close to delivery may lead to some discontinuation withdrawal effects in your baby.

Breastfeeding may help with any discontinuation withdrawal effects. Talk to your doctor or midwife about your feeding options. Will it affect my sex life or fertility? Sex Olanzapine can have side effects that might affect your sex life, but they should not last for long.

These include: drop in libido how much you want to have sex difficulty getting an erection very occasionally breast growth and, in very rare instances, some milk flow, regardless of gender Some of these effects should pass after the first couple of weeks. Fertility Olanzapine may increase the level of a hormone called prolactin in the body for a short time when you start taking it, but not to a very high level.

Will it affect my ability to play sports? Olanzapine is not a banned substance in sport. Do not worry - most people play sports as normal while taking olanzapine. Will it affect my ability to take exams? Try not to take olanzapine for the first time just before your exams. Olanzapine can make you feel tired and dizzy, and can affect your memory.

You should talk to your doctor about any future exams if you are starting olanzapine. You might decide together to delay starting it until you have done them. These effects may be dose-related and probably are not prevented by the use of second-generation agents.

This argues for minimizing antipsychotic exposure both acutely and long-term. However, we are left with the additional dilemma that a longer duration of untreated psychosis DUP may also be neurotoxic.

Longer DUP has been associated with poorer symptomatic and functional outcomes 7 as well as brain volume loss. New approaches for early intervention are needed and, with existing drugs, the potential for neurotoxicity must be weighed against short-term and long-term clinical gains.

In the meantime, clinicians should avoid using antipsychotics unnecessarily and, when needed, use the lowest effective dose. Long-term antipsychotic treatment and brain volumes: a longitudinal study of first-episode schizophrenia.

Association between brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met gene polymorphism and progressive brain volume changes in schizophrenia. The influence of chronic exposure to antipsychotic medications on brain size before and after tissue fixation: a comparison of haloperidol and olanzapine in macaque monkeys. Effect of chronic exposure to antipsychotic medication on cell numbers in the parietal cortex of macaque monkeys. Effect of chronic antipsychotic treatment on brain structure: a serial magnetic resonance imaging study with ex vivo and postmortem confirmation.

Acute D2 receptor blockade induces rapid, reversible remodeling in human cortical-striatal circuits. Your doctor will use other medicines as a first choice if you have anxiety.

If you drink alcohol while taking olanzapine it may make you feel sleepy and unsteady on your feet. Drinking alcohol every day or in large amounts can make your symptoms worse. It also makes it harder for olanzapine to work properly. You will not usually lose weight on olanzapine. It can make you feel more hungry than usual, so you may put on weight.

Try to eat a healthy balanced diet, without increasing your portion sizes. Do not snack on foods that contain a lot of calories, such as crisps, cakes, biscuits and sweets. If you feel hungry between meals, eat fruit and vegetables and low-calorie foods.

If you are worried about gaining or losing weight while taking olanzapine, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Apart from limiting alcohol, you can eat and drink normally while taking olanzapine. If you have an increased appetite, try to eat a healthy balanced diet without increasing your portion sizes. Olanzapine will not affect any type of contraception, including the combined pill or emergency contraception. Olanzapine can affect your hormones and sometimes causes sexual problems, such as less interest in sex reduced libido in men or women, and problems getting an erection.

It can also affect periods. If you would like to start a family, then talk to your doctor if you have any of these problems or if you have any concerns. Olanzapine is a type of medicine called an antipsychotic. Most antipsychotic medicines can cause sexual problems, but some are more likely to cause problems than others. If you feel you have a sexual problem of any kind while taking olanzapine, including less interest in sex reduced libido or problems getting an erection, talk to your doctor.

Your doctor will be able to help you and may change your olanzapine treatment so that the sexual problems improve or go away. Olanzapine can make you feel sleepy. If this happens to you, do not drive, ride a bike or use tools or machinery until you feel better. Some people find it hard to concentrate while they are taking olanzapine. When you first start taking it, it's a good idea to stop driving and cycling for the first few days until you know how the medicine makes you feel.

Page last reviewed: 27 July Next review due: 27 July Olanzapine - Brand names: Zyprexa, Zentiva On this page About olanzapine Key facts Who can and cannot use olanzapine How and when to take olanzapine Side effects How to cope with side effects of olanzapine Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions about olanzapine.

About olanzapine Olanzapine helps to manage symptoms of mental health conditions such as: seeing, hearing, feeling or believing things that others do not, feeling unusually suspicious or having muddled thoughts schizophrenia feeling agitated or hyperactive, very excited, elated, or impulsive mania symptoms of bipolar disorder If you have bipolar disorder, olanzapine can also stop your mania symptoms coming back.

Olanzapine is only available with a prescription. Olanzapine does not work straight away. It may take several days, or even weeks, for some of your symptoms to start improving. Soon after you first start taking olanzapine, before your other symptoms improve, it may make you feel more relaxed and calm. Common side effects include: feeling sleepy, feeling dizzy, and constipation.

It works by affecting the naturally occurring chemical messengers in your brain neurotransmitters , like dopamine and serotonin. Olanzapine can be taken by adults aged 18 years and over. Dosage and strength Olanzapine tablets come in different strengths: 2. How to take olanzapine Take olanzapine once a day, at the same time each day. You can take it with or without food.

How to take tablets Swallow your tablet whole with a drink of water. How to take tablets that dissolve in your mouth orodispersible Place the tablet on your tongue and let it dissolve. How to have injections Injections are given into the muscle of your buttock every 2 to 4 weeks by a doctor or nurse. Will my dose go up or down? What if I forget to take it? Contact your doctor if you miss 2 or more doses. Do not take 2 doses at the same time to make up for a forgotten dose.