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Can Olanzapine Be Used For Anxiety And Mood Swings?

Posted on Thu, 1 Oct 2015

Question: does oleanz 5mg work for anxiety and mood swings? or it only works for psychotic disorder!!!!

Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (21 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Yes the drug is also helpful in anxiety and mood swings

Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking from HCM

Olanzapine is an antipsychotic drug but also used as mood stabiliser drug so its helpful in mood swings. In some cases the drug in low doses also used in cases of anxiety, restlessness, insomnia not responding to normal drugs.

Thanks, Hope this helps. Take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (6 minutes later)

For anxiety, insomnia is 5mg better or 2.5 mg works better. I am on 2.5 mg oleanz and 15 mg mirtaz for anxiety, ibs and anxiety attacks. Have been getting weird and scary dreams. Will tweaking the dosage of oleanz and mirtaz help I.e. reducing mirtaz to 7.5 and then increasing oleanz to 5 mg. Also at these dosages what r the chances of gaining weight significantly? Look forward to hearing from you soon.....thanks

Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (3 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Both drugs are known to cause weight gain

Detailed Answer:
Hello again and thanks for asking a follow up

Mirtazapine is an antidepressant and anti anxiety drug. In my opinion the doses shouldn't be reduced because the drug will provide effective control of symptoms. Olanzapine 2.5 mg even supplement the actions of other drugs, but if anxiety persist then you can increase the dose to 5 mg per day.

Olanzapine and Mirtazapine both are known to cause weight gain. The weight gain is significant in high doses. The dose of 5 mg is not a high dose for olanzapine but even such low dose is known to result in weight gain. Mirtazapine 30 mg might cause significant weight gain in some individuals.

Thanks, Take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (4 minutes later)

How to control the scary dreams? My doc told me it can a side effect of mirtaz? How to address it?

Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (10 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Mirtazapine is known to cause nightmares.

Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking again

Yes Mirtazapine might increase REM sleep and thus is known to increase nightmares. If nightmares are causing serious concern then you can ask your doctor to switch to some other antidepressant. Most of antidepressants cause reduction of REM sleep and thus help to improve nightmares. Even Olanzapine will help you and the nightmares will decrease.

Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (22 minutes later)

Will reduction in dosage of mirtaz to 7.5 help with reduction in REM sleep and therefore lesser nightmares?

Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (1 minute later)

Brief Answer:
Yes that should help.

Detailed Answer:
Hello again

Yes reduction of doses to 7.5 mg will surely help and the REM sleep will reduce and thus nightmares. You can go for the reduction of the doses.

Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (5 minutes later)

Thank you. You have been very kind. Have taken 7.5+1/2 of 7.5 mirtaz. Hope it gives me restful sleep.
I have a long history of anxiety, insomnia and chronic ibs. What medicines are good for people for these conditions which are soothing to the stomach at the same help with chronic anxiety and ibs?

Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (4 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
SSRIs can help in such symptoms.

Detailed Answer:
Hello again

Yes gradual reduction of the doses will not result in withdrawal disruption of sleep. The one and half tablets will give you good sleep. For insomnia, anxiety, chronic IBS if Mirtazapine is not working then other drugs like SSRIs especially Sertraline, Paroxetine etc can be used. Paroxetine will help to improve the symptoms of IBS also and will result in good sleep. The drug has comparable efficacy to Mirtazapine in treating anxiety.

Thanks. Still have doubts please ask again.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (4 minutes later)

SSRIs don't suit my stomach. Have tried serta, paroxetine and dveniz. Mirtaz that way suits my stomach but the only problem as I mentioned earlier is sleep disturbances. What other options other than SSRIs and mirtaz I have? Someone told me about fluvoxemine since it is an ssri and have not suited me in the past, scared of taking it.

Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (3 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
SNRIs can help in such case

Detailed Answer:
Hello again

If SSRIs caused side effects then I don't think Fluvoxamine will help you. The drug is also a SSRI and might cause intolerance.

Other antidepressants like SNRIs as Venlafaxine, Desvenlafaxine, Duloxetine etc can be used. Even Bupropion can help in your symptoms. If Mirtazapine side effects are getting worse then you can consider taking either of these drugs.

Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (13 minutes later)

How about clofranil? Also what are chances of high triglycerides and cholesterol at 15 mg mirtaz and 2.5 oleanz?

Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (2 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Clofranil can be used and have high efficacy

Detailed Answer:
Hello again

Clofranil is Clomipramine and is a TCA drug. The drug is having high potency but is not used commonly now a days except in resistant cases of OCD. The drug will not cause much nightmares as compared to Mirtazapine.

Both Mirtazapine and Olanzapine are known to worsen the metabolic parameters and they may cause hyper cholesterolenemia. Both are known to cause significant weight gain.

Thanks.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (24 minutes later)

What would your advice of medication be for a patient like me?
Symptoms : anxiety accompanied by anxiety attacks, chronic ibs, worrying a lot and insomnia

Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (9 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Chronic anxiety and IBS symptoms and treatment

Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking a follow up

In a patient with anxiety attacks, chronic IBS and insomnia I usually prefer SSRIs as first line of treatment. Paroxetine is my choice for such symptoms, but in your case you had stomach discomfort with SSRIs so in such case other drugs like TCAs can be used.

Amitriptyline is a good choice for chronic anxiety and problems of insomnia. The drug will help in reducing the symptoms of IBS also. Apart from this for relief of constant stomachache due to IBS drug combination like Clinidium Bromide and Chlordiazepoxide can be used. This drug combination helps to reduce the anxiety and IBS symptoms. You can discuss with your doctor for these medicines.

Thanks, Still have more doubts please ask again. Take care

Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar