climbing up the walls

Jason April 21, 2018, 12:50 pm

I gained 30 lbs in less than one month by taking Zyprexa. It causes such extreme food cravings for me I eat all the time, even when it really hurts I still keep eating. And I lift weights and do a lot of cardio, so I probably would have gained more.

That was in August of 2017. I stopped taking Zyprexa due to the extreme weight gain, and just now I have gotten back down to the 250’s. I seriously went from 255lbs to 285 lbs in less than a month.

dette March 1, 2018, 11:53 pm

This drug has made me really fat, I have horrible stretch marks on my arms and none of my clothes fit me. I’ve been off the drug for a few months now and the weight is not coming off. I’m living on salmon and couscous. My parents gave me so much grief about the weight even though they knew it was the drugs, it’s horrid.

J December 22, 2017, 6:10 pm

Zyprexa ruined my life. It made me so fat I wanted to kill myself. 60lb in 3 months and I didn’t eat any more than I normally would have because I was inpatient in hospital, no visitors, no outside food. It caused stretch marks and I looked disgusting.

I showered with my bra on and rarely changed my clothes. I was a fat stinking sweating mess and now that it’s been 10 years, I have lost all the weight and more. I am now underweight and near-anorexic with a trench coat of loose skin. This drug should be illegal to prescribe to pretty girls.

Chelsea January 2, 2017, 11:36 am

I was started on 5mg of olanzapine and 40mg of citalopram 3 or4 years ago. I had weight problems prior to going on the medication so when it happened again when I went on Zyprexa, I assumed I was the problem. Before going on it, I had lost 30 kg from my last weight gain. Then I started zyprexa and very quickly gained 15, 20 kgs.

Slowly, my weight has been going up and up. I’ve now gained 40kgs (90 pounds) from this medication. You just don’t feel full or satisfied. Ever. I could feel absolutely starving even after eating seconds. My tummy could be full to bursting but I’ll still be craving food. I also think this drug is the cause of my hypersomnia.

I would be awake for 2 hours. 2 hours! And be so tired I had to go back to sleep. I could sleep for 18 hours and still feel tired. Feeling depressed and anxious most days, I stopped doing anything basically. I got no exercise and when I wasn’t asleep, I was eating. So that obviously didn’t help my weight gain.

In the last 12 months I have completely changed my lifestyle. I got a job, I do between 6-10k steps a day and I make healthier choices with food. But the cravings are still there. I have managed to lose 7kgs but it has taken 12 months.

I have been afraid to come off zyprexa as I have heard horror stories but I think I just have to take a leap of faith. I can’t stay on this medication any longer! I am 40kgs overweight and so unhappy.

Liz Australia November 25, 2016, 10:53 am

Don’t know what happened to my earlier post… Anyway, I’ll start by saying how much I loathe the company for making such terrible drugs which either a. Make you fat or b. Are hard to get off. Basically we turn into legalized druggies and the company is laughing all the way to the bank. It’s just morally wrong.

My story goes like this: I was put on 2.5 mg, then fell pregnant, gained a whopping 25kg, developed gestational diabetes (considering my first pregnancy, when i was unmedicated and no diabetes, I only gained a normal 10 to 12 kg, go figure). And the constant craving for food… what can I say? The “I’m full” switch in your brain ceases to function. The more I learn about it, the more I absolutely despise it and the company. This stuff is cruel.

B November 23, 2016, 8:16 pm

I’m taking 5mg of this drug and gained 2 and half stone over 7months! I gained 1 stone 4 lb inside 6 weeks alone! The doctor says it’s because of increased appetite, but honestly my diet is similar to before I started the drug, noting to warrant so much weight gain. It’s an awful side effect. I’m hoping I lose the weight once treatment ceases…

ManOfAdventure November 8, 2016, 2:28 am

Hi all, I have been on Zyprexa for a year and a half on 10 mg for Bipolar disorder. I have gained over 60 lbs, and am very self conscious because the community I live in are all beautiful fit people. I got off the drug 2 weeks ago and have not noticed any changes to my eating habits. I have not lost any weight.

My question is how long does it take for Zyprexa to leave the system for you to experience the possibility of weight loss? A company that I purchase supplements from such as amino acids and others for depression and bipolar said that it takes 90 days because it is stuck in your fat cells. Anyone can provide info on this it would be of great help!

Raven October 28, 2016, 7:36 pm

I was on this pill for two months and I gained 14 pounds in 3 1/2 weeks and my clothes weren’t fitting and I was depressed because of it. I was using it for sleep and it put me to sleep early I was waking up early like I wanted to and it really works for sleep but I gained almost 15 pounds in a month and I had to take myself off of it cold turkey. I also take some Cymbalta, Rumor has it this pill makes you gain weight as well. We can not win! :(

Toby October 25, 2016, 6:57 am

I was on Zyprexa… I went from about 75kg all the way up to 100kgs. I come off it and didn’t lose any weight because of the Seroquel I take but I want to know if Zyprexa causes permanent metabolism problems. Can anyone answer that for me?

Emero January 11, 2018, 8:35 am

I too would like to know if its possible to reverse the slowing down of metabolism caused by zyprexa. I’m off zyprexa 6 months and still haven’t lost the extra fat I gained as a result of this drug, despite eating significantly less and exercising significantly more. But I was on 17.5 mg – other people on lower doses may not b affected as severely.

I draw hope from the fact that, 5 months after stopping this drug, my nail biting habit reemerged (I’d bitten my nails for 25 yrs and that stopped automatically after my zyprexa dose was hiked to 17.5mg). I’ve read that nail biting is associated with dopamine activity so for me, the urge to bite my nails again is a hopeful sign that the dopamine activity/ dopamine receptors are gradually being restored/unblocked??

Who knows…nobody can tell me, but maybe its possible that my metabolism can eventually be restored too. I live in hope like so many other victims commenting here. This is a nasty drug that did me no good, personally. In my view the psychiatric profession play around with people’s bodies and minds with ‘treatments’ that they little understand for ‘illnesses’ that they little understand.

I believe that years from now society will look back on zyprexa ‘treatment’ in the same way as we regard lobotomies and other inhumane ‘treatments’ of the ‘mentally ill’.

Mayukh October 24, 2016, 4:16 pm

I have been on olanzapine for 12 years and have gained 25kgs. Not sure how to get rid of this medicine without getting back the symptoms of bipolar disorder.

julie October 24, 2016, 8:59 am

I too have gained weight with this medication. I can no longer squeeze into my clothes and have had to buy some bigger sized, but cannot afford a complete new wardrobe. I cannot continue to take this drug. There must be an alternative that works.

Anita Tate October 1, 2016, 2:11 am

I have been on Zyprexa 5 mg. and Depakote 500 mg. for approximately 15 years. My P. Dr. put me on Depakote first for bipolar. I gained 15 pounds a month until I was 200 lbs. Then, he had to put me on Zyprexa. I continued to gain weight and overeat (binge eating) until I weighed 250 lbs. I am 5’5″ tall. I also now have Type II Diabetes.

The two drugs are good mood stabilizers and antidepressants. They did make me stable, but oh what a price! I have to take insulin now which also has a side effect of weight gain. 1st two months on insulin I gained 30 lbs. I gained 20 more & I weigh 305.

I am thinking about weaning off both drugs. I want my health back!!! I ate salads at night and lost 10 lbs. in one week. So you can lose weight while on them. I am going to have to be more diligent and watch my carbs. They need to come up with a drug that works with no side effects!!!

Federico September 27, 2016, 10:19 pm

The periods I took 5 to 10 mg/day of Olanzapine (Zyprexa) I gained a lot of weight. I’m not even schizophrenic. I have OCD. Now I take 2,5 mg/day along with 20 mg/day of Fluoxetine. I still have a few pounds to lose, but by swimming 3 hours per week and trying to eat as healthy as possible (I became vegetarian a year ago) I have managed to lose a lot of it.

I will never, ever take a higher dose of this crap again. It’s suicidal. If I ever become bad again, I will ask for something else.

Jamie September 23, 2016, 10:12 pm

What an absolute joke!! Why do they prescribe this stuff? The doctor increased my dose to 15mg, I gained half a stone in 5 days. Currently been been taking this for 14 years. Impossible to stop taking due sleep problems. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

Aleesa August 3, 2016, 11:54 pm

I started 10mg of Zyprexa with 20 mg of Prozac about 4 weeks ago. I’ve gained 10 pounds and crave sweet foods like crazy before I hardly had any food cravings except for salty. I weighed about 100 pounds and now I’m up to 112, but my stomach is much larger than the rest of me. Other than having a high appetite, my moods are good. I have bipolar and schizoaffective disorder. I don’t know how much more weight I can handle, but my brain feels better.

Brian B. August 2, 2016, 5:40 am

I was prescribed 2.5 mg/night for insomnia. The sleep is amazing but I immediately started gaining weight. I went from 190 lbs to 210 lbs in less than 6 months. Because of the weight gain I’ve tried to stop taking this cold turkey several times but had bad withdrawal symptoms. I almost can’t fit in my clothes anymore so I will be attempting to taper off this time, hopefully in a few weeks.

ivy July 9, 2016, 4:54 pm

I went to rehab a month ago for meth addiction. I was 95 lbs then and was given lithium and olanzapine as meds. I was horrified to see that I gained 25 lbs in a month of taking the meds. I stopped taking it despite doctor’s orders after knowing from my other psychiatrist that one of the side effects of those meds was to gain weight.

I am fine without taking these drugs but I’m just afraid that I may be confined back for non-compliance of the drugs. My question is, why am I prescribed of such drugs when I am not bipolar nor psychotic? My mood is perfectly normal and I am not delusional. Please help me understand. Thank you.

julie brady June 7, 2016, 8:02 pm

Went onto this medication in February along with Wellbutrin and sertraline. I soon developed cravings for sugary carbs similar to the craving sensations I had when pregnant. I am constantly hungry and never feel full. It is difficult to stop eating when the cravings are so strong. I have put on at least 10 lbs and know that this has a negative impact on my mood.

Tara June 5, 2016, 9:46 am

I have gained over 80 pounds on Zyprexa within 2 years. I started on 15mg per day and now down to 2.5mg. My weight plateaued when I started taking metformin. When my doctor reduced the Zyprexa to 2.5mg and I tried cutting out sugar I lost about 15lbs but it didn’t stay off. I am still on 300mg Lithium as well so I am not sure how much that contributes.

If I got off Zyprexa completely but stayed on Lithium do you think that would help me lose weight? Even though it’s already such a low dose? I went from 135lbs to 220lbs. I hate it, I don’t feel like myself and something needs to change.

Stephanie July 28, 2016, 11:31 am

Izzy, you would have noticed the weight gain right away if it was going to affect you that way. I gained 50 pounds in the first year alone, starting from day one. It’s true that a minority of people aren’t affected weight-wise by Zyprexa…consider yourself lucky and stay on it so you don’t relapse with your eating disorder.

Liz May 11, 2016, 2:49 pm

I gained 15 pounds immediately on this medicine – my diet didn’t change at all. I didn’t eat anything more than I usually do. I had to basically starve myself not to gain any more weight, but I couldn’t lose the 15 no matter what I did – I would just look at a side salad with fat free dressing and I would gain 3 pounds.

It was horrible and my doctor blamed me for the weight gain – he said I wasn’t trying hard enough. I’ve been off this medicine for about 4 months and the weight literally fell off – I didn’t even have to try. I’m smaller now than when I went on the medicine. I can eat anything I want and I just keep losing weight.

I had a burger and fries last night as a test (I haven’t had fries, chips, or pasta in over 2 years) and I weighed myself this morning and I actually lost a pound. I’m praying that I never have to go on this medicine again – the other side effect for me, besides weight gain, was that I had no thoughts at all and I couldn’t talk – it was horrible.

Sandy May 6, 2016, 10:41 pm

Oh man, the hunger on Zyprexa is relentless. Just relentless. All my former tricks to cope with hunger no longer work. I spoke with a family doctor about Metformin and it was a no based on normal blood sugars… which is a positive. Yet the relentless hunger gnaws on. Water, vegetables, fatty meals, like McDonalds (which normally should stop hunger for hours for me) only last 30-60 minutes before the gnawing begins again. Well, off to walk an hour. No other answer…except also just learning to be hungry all the time without eating to solve it.

Jaylen April 27, 2016, 5:51 pm

I’ve been taking it (in shot form) once a month for a little over a year and I have gained more than 50 lbs… How much more than 50 I’m not sure but it is significant and I do think I’ve had increased appetite since taking it. I’ve been doing crossfit for 6-7 months and no results. I’m going to talk to my doctor as soon as I get the chance.

Lauryn April 15, 2016, 7:57 am

I started taking Zyprexa about a month ago. I have gained a significant amount of weight already and have been getting really depressed about it. After reading this, I threw my remaining pills away!

Julia April 10, 2016, 3:08 am

I have put on one hundred pounds over the 4 years I have been on it. Now I know why… I am on 30mg a day. It is the only thing that touched my psychosis.

Carina Jones March 27, 2016, 4:18 am

I have been on Zyprexa off and on for a couple of years now and have recently been put back onto a 5mg daily dose and didn’t seem to be gaining weight until the past three weeks, I’ve been gaining 1 kilo each week and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down. I am going to have to talk to my doctor about this because I eat a strict vegetarian diet and train 6 days a week and still I’m gaining weight… fast!

Rose March 14, 2016, 11:01 am

I have been on Zyprexa for almost a year, starting on 30 mg and coming down to 5 mg over the past couple of months. I have put around two stone (28 lbs) in weight and, although the dose has been reduced and although I have reduced the amount of food I am eating, there are no signs of the weight coming off.

deirdre March 7, 2016, 10:42 pm

I have gained about ten pounds in 2 months, and steadily climbing, which is a lot for me. My doctor is tapering down on the Zyprexa now, so I hope this enables me to be able to lose at least some of it.

Harry March 3, 2016, 12:45 am

I started taking Zyprexa in January 2015 and by June I had gained 100 pounds. One hundred. Fortunately it leveled off and I have since stopped taking it. My weight is (slowly) starting to fall off. Whew!

Laurie February 26, 2016, 7:20 pm

Oh yes I have gained weight on Zyprexa! Went from a size 8 to a size 16 in about 2 or 3 months. While I really hate the weight gain, this drug saved my life VERY quickly – like within a couple of weeks. I battle suicidal tendencies and attempted suicide on January 8, 2015.

I was put on Zyprexa in the hospital and within a matter of days I could tell a difference in the way I felt. Within two weeks I was discharged from the hospital. I felt SO much better and was definitely ready to go home and get back to life. This is a miracle drug, just with bad side effects.

AVI January 24, 2016, 8:13 am

I have been on this medication for about a year now. 2 months ago my doctor increased my dosage from 2.5 mg to 5 mg per day. I gained around 4 kg almost immediately although I was not eating much and was doing yoga 4 hours a day (I was on a training course). I have since decreased my dose to the initial 2.5 mg, but despite my efforts, I have failed to lose the weight which is so frustrating. Now I am thinking about discussing this issue with my doctor and discontinue the medication or replace it.

Lynne September 7, 2015, 9:35 pm

I am meticulous about my dietary and exercise habits. I had been taking 2.5 mg of Zyprexa twice per week and my weight was stable (BMI 23). I had a period of decompensation and the dose was increased to 5 mg daily. I gained 12 pounds in 2 months!! I’ll be calling my doctor tomorrow to see about reducing my dose…

Dawn July 20, 2015, 11:35 pm

I have been on Zyprexa for 11 years. I put on 90 pounds immediately. I was allergic to or couldn’t tolerate anything else that would help me so I just had to hang in there. By sheer will power and with the help of a lot of cardio, weight training and Weight Watchers, I lost 68 of those pounds. But the battle continued and I grew very weary from the constant work of keeping those pounds off. Long story short, I’m back at 90 pounds overweight. Now I have hope though. We have finally found a combination of meds that, in low doses, do not cause weight gain and that are solving my issues. Now to wean myself off the last little bit of Zyprexa and begin the weight loss all over again.

lisa July 18, 2015, 12:15 am

This medication is evil. I call it the fat pill. I think I gained 50 pounds. I lost it all when I went off. My stomach felt like it had a hole in it. I was always hungry and craving bad food. I got very hungry at night right after taking the evil pill. It made me binge eat… hated it – I forget what dose I was on, but I was only on it two years. It was a high dose. I am on a different medication that has no weight gain or any other evil side effects.

Shey March 30, 2016, 5:09 pm

I gained 120 lbs in four months of taking this God awful drug after being forced to do so. The 20mg caused so many more issues, both physical and psychological, than being off them ever did. Thankfully I live in a state with legal marijuana and have now been able to keep my anxieties down, my mood swings are nowhere near where they were on the medication, my OCD is in better control, and my schizophrenic moments aren’t a bother. This pill isn’t just evil, it’s the devil.

Shaun July 17, 2015, 1:43 am

I reduced the amount of dose from 10 to 5 mg because I gained almost 20 lbs in 2 months. I like to know how long I should take this medication. Please someone answer me. I feel great but I do not want to gain weight. What are the other options?

Michelle July 7, 2015, 2:42 am

Oh my gosh, I gain about 30 lbs a month every time I have to go on this drug. This June 10 I went on 5 then 10 mg and it’s July 6, I’m 25 lbs heavier. So frustrated cause I had been losing weight slowly but surely before I had to go back on the zyprexa. Now I’m in the plus section again and feel miserable. I’m glad to be stable and not manic but what a high price. We shouldn’t have to put up with this. It’s too much. I gained 100 lbs on zyprexa after years of treatment. I slowly lost. But it’s always right around the corner cause I can’t stay stable and sometimes have to go back on zyprexa.

John July 21, 2016, 11:21 pm

Zyprexa is very effective at giving a very troubled person some semblance of sanity but the weight gain is unreal. I have gained 20 lbs on 10mg in 3 weeks.

Exuser July 27, 2018, 4:04 am

I was taking 5 to 10 mg of zyprexa for three months. I was sleeping for 15 hours daily and gained at least 10 kg in three months. I went from 54 to 65 kg. I don’t know if this was from zyprexa or zoloft (which I also was also taking at the same time), but it was probably from zyprexa.

I had to stop to eat this evil drug. In next four to five months I lost around 7 or 8 kg, however, my stomach fat has still remained. :( Many years ago, I was taking risperdal and zoloft both together and I didn’t gain any weight.

Now I don’t know how it was even possible, because I have heard that taking risperdal also leads to weight gain. However, this zyprexa was ineffective for me and my social phobia.

BARBARA July 15, 2018, 2:10 am

I weighed 103 pounds when I was started on a dosage of 20mg of Zyprexa. My appetite increased and I mainly craved something sweet. I broke my hip and had surgery which caused my metabolism to really slow down. That was in 2017 and then I had knee replacement surgery and there isn’t many exercises that I can do.

My walking has slowed down. I can’t keep up with others. I also had wrist and thumb surgery & I just haven’t felt like exercising. I have cut out most of my sodas & deserts but I have gained 60 lbs. I am 66 years old.

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