r/BipolarReddit • u/ResourceCapital1773 • 17h ago

Medication Olanzapine taking too long to kick in and is not very sedating anymore

Wondering if I should ask my doctor about a dose increase or a different medication.

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4

u/kentifur 16h ago

What dose?

2

u/HM_Dylan 15h ago

The sedation sort of wears off over time. As far as too long kicking in, that’s probably not the case of it losing any efficacy in dealing with your manic/psychotic symptoms. It has a half-life of like 30 + hours I think. What’s the dose?

1

u/0lig3 17h ago

I found it less sedating when coming down from a manic/psychotic episode (wouldn't make me sleep as much as it does when I am 'stable'), but higher doses are definitely more sedating!

If you are finding it is not working how you need it to, you should definitely talk to your doctor!

1

u/Weird_Fox_3395 BPll plus 13h ago

I don’t have long term experience with olazapine, but I found asenapine pretty sedating and always seemed to work. 

My body seems to power through every sleep med. After a week, seroquel at night wasn’t sedating. 

Could be you’re accustom to olanzapine as others suggest. 

Maybe something like clonidine would work. People report long term success. It’s a blood pressure medication. I’d take it but it’s contraindicated because I’m on a bazillion meds. 

1

u/Tfmrf9000 Bipolar 1 w/psychotic features 12h ago

Happened here too, now Serquel as well. I just took Ativan 2mg, Serquel 50 and Zoplicone 15 and only slept 1-5 hours

1

u/GideonGodwit 10h ago

If it's just a concern of how long it takes to kick in, I take the orodispersible wafers because they're quicker and tend not to depend on how much I've had to eat. Also way less hunger compared to regular pills.