Learn More. Or in a crisis , text "NAMI" to Donate Now. All FDA black box warnings are at the end of this fact sheet. Please review before taking this medication. Olanzapine is a medication that works in the brain to treat schizophrenia. It is also known as a second generation antipsychotic SGA or atypical antipsychotic. Olanzapine rebalances dopamine and serotonin to improve thinking, mood, and behavior. This medication sheet will focus primarily on schizophrenia.
You can find more information about bipolar disorder and depression here. Olanzapine may also be helpful when prescribed "off-label" for prevention of chemotherapy-associated acute and delayed nausea or vomiting, chemotherapy-associated breakthrough nausea or vomiting, delirium, delusional parasitosis, post-traumatic stress disorder, Tourette syndrome, and other mental health conditions.
Your mental health provider should justify his or her thinking in recommending and "off-label" treatment. They should be clear about the limits of the research around that medication and if there are any other options. Schizophrenia requires long-term treatment. Do not stop taking olanzapine, even when you feel better. With input from you, your health care provider will assess how long you will need to take the medicine. Do not stop taking olanzapine or change your dose without talking with your healthcare provider first.
For olanzapine to work properly, it should be taken every day as ordered by your healthcare provider. If you are planning on becoming pregnant, notify your healthcare provider to best manage your medications. People living with schizophrenia who wish to become pregnant face important decisions.
This is a complex decision since untreated schizophrenia has risks to the fetus, as well as the mother. It is important to discuss the risks and benefits of treatment with your doctor and caregivers. Symptoms in the newborn may include agitation, feeding disorder, hypertonia, hypotonia, respiratory distress, somnolence, and tremor; these effects may be self-limiting or require hospitalization.
Caution is advised with breastfeeding since olanzapine does pass into breast milk. It is recommended that women receiving olanzapine should not breast-feed. Typically patients begin at a low dose of medicine and the dose is increased slowly over several weeks. The oral dose usually ranges from 5 mg to 20 mg. The dose of the injection usually ranges from mg to mg.
Only your healthcare provider can determine the correct dose for you. Olanzapine orally disintegrating tablets must remain in their original packaging. Open the package with clean dry hands before each dose. Do not try to put tablets in a pillbox if you take the orally disintegrating tablets.
Olanzapine orally disintegrating tablets will dissolve in your mouth within seconds and can be swallowed with or without liquid. Use a calendar, pillbox, alarm clock, or cell phone alert to help you remember to take your medication.
You may also ask a family member or a friend to remind you or check in with you to be sure you are taking your medication. The long-acting injection form of olanzapine is administered every 2 to 4 weeks. It should be administered by your health care professional through an injection into your buttocks area.
A health care professional will keep you in a setting where you can be observed for at least 3 hours after each injection. If you miss a dose of olanzapine, take it as soon as you remember, unless it is closer to the time of your next dose. Discuss this with your healthcare provider. Do not double your next dose or take more than what is prescribed.
If you miss a dose of olanzapine long-acting injection, see your healthcare provider to receive your dose as soon as possible. However, it may sometimes be prescribed by specialists to treat schizophrenia or mania in children aged 12 to 18 years.
Most people take olanzapine by mouth, either as standard tablets, or tablets that dissolve on your tongue. For people with schizophrenia it can also be given as a long-acting 'depot' injection that lasts for either two or four weeks.
Olanzapine works in the brain, where it affects the activity of various neurotransmitters, in particular dopamine and serotonin also known as 5HT. Dopamine and serotonin are neurotransmitters known to be involved in regulating mood, behaviour, thinking and perception. Psychotic illness appears to be caused by disturbances in the activity of neurotransmitters mainly dopamine in the brain. Schizophrenia is known to be associated with an overactivity of dopamine in the brain, and this may be responsible for the delusions and hallucinations that are a feature of this disease.
Olanzapine blocks the receptors in the brain that dopamine acts on. This prevents the excessive activity of dopamine and in this way helps to control symptoms of schizophrenia and mania. Olanzapine improves symptoms such as hallucinations hearing, seeing, or sensing things that are not really there , disturbed thoughts such as having mistaken beliefs or feeling unusually suspicious or paranoid , feeling depressed, anxious, agitated, hostile or unusually excited, having a lack of emotion or becoming withdrawn.
Parenting Mental health Healthy eating Conditions Follow. If you have taken more olanzapine than the dosage recommended by the doctor who prescribed it to you, you must get medical help immediately — even if you do not feel any different.
Olanzapine can sometimes cause serious side effects. Tell your doctor immediately if you experience unusual movements mainly of the face or tongue. Go to hospital immediately if you think you may have developed a blood clot symptoms are usually swelling, pain and redness in the leg - a clot may travel through blood vessels to the lungs causing chest pain and difficulty breathing. Also go to hospital and tell the doctor you are taking olanzapine if you develop a combination of fever, faster breathing, sweating, muscle stiffness or drowsiness.
Stopping olanzapine suddenly can cause withdrawal effects and stopping it too early could cause your illness to come back. See your doctor if you want to stop taking olanzapine because it is better to come off it gradually. You might feel sleepy or dizzy in the first few days after taking olanzapine.
Do not drive a car, ride a bike or operate machines until you see how this affects you. If you are pregnant, or thinking of becoming pregnant, please read the pregnancy section under the 'Side Effects' tab because olanzapine may affect the developing baby.
Take your medicine with you to show to the doctors. Tell them how much you have taken. Get a friend to go with you, if you can, just in case you feel ill on the way. Go to a doctor or hospital straight away if you get any of the following symptoms while taking olanzapine:. You need to talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment with olanzapine if any of the following apply to you:.
You should have your weight, blood sugar, blood fats, blood pressure and pulse measured regularly during early treatment, then at least every six months to a year after that, depending on your age. You should also have your blood sugar tested when you start, after one month, and then every four to six months after that. The doctor might also check your heart with an electrocardiogram ECG and check your blood pressure. They might also check your height and development.
If you have periods, they may also check whether they are regular. Please do not be worried by the side effects listed on this page. Some people take olanzapine without any side effects or with only a few mild side effects. Some side effects wear off after a few days or weeks. If you think you might be getting a side effect from olanzapine, then you should discuss this with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. Do not stop taking the tablets until you talk to your doctor, or you may get withdrawal symptoms as well.
Olanzapine use has been linked to an increased risk of developing diabetes among some young people. Symptoms include:. If you already have diabetes, you may need to increase the amount of medication you take for this alongside taking olanzapine. We use cookies We use cookies on this website to store user preferences, aid in accessibility and analyse our traffic.
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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.
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