Zyprexa Withdrawal - Anyone else shared my experience and success with Trazodone replacement?

Question

I trolled the internet and found some questions in Yahoo! Answers about my problems with Zyprexa. Didn't really find any answers, and it seemed that many suffered from Zyprexa and couldn't get off it. I always meant to come back to Answers and post my experience as an answer but all questions on this are "resolved" even though I still see no good answers.

I took Zyprexa for a major depressive episode, and it did no good other than help me sleep. I gained 50 lbs, and couldn't sleep and had horrible withdrawal if I stopped it, even titrating it down slowly. My depression abated from other meds (Mirapex), so I wanted off Zyprexa. My ignorant Psychiatrist would not support my tapering. Finally, I saw an old Psych who told me the Zyprexa shuts down almost all neurotransmitter activity. He suggested Trazodone which targets neurotransmitters specific to sleep. In just one day I was off Zyprexa. Months later I got off the Trazodone as well with no withdrawal.
Consider Trazodone!

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Zyprexa is an anti-psychotic. Zyprexa has been mostly prescribed to people who suffer from Dissociative Identity Disorder. Trazodone is an anti-depressant with a sleep additive (non-narcotic). To suggest people change is not very wise considering that many people are on it for different reasons but I do agree that for depression I certainly wouldn't recommend it considering the fact that it does shut down certain transmitters that may not be very beneficial to those suffering from depression. You were wise to switch doctors.