Olanzapine

Drug name: olanzapine

Active Ingredients: olanzapine

Therapeutic actions: Olanzapine is in a class of medications called atypical antipsychotics. It works by changing the activity of certain natural substances in the brain.
Indications: Olanzapine is used to treat the symptoms of schizophrenia (a mental illness that causes disturbed or unusual thinking, loss of interest in life, and strong or inappropriate emotions). It is also used to treat bipolar disorder (manic depressive disorder; a disease that causes episodes of depression, episodes of mania, and other abnormal moods). Olanzapine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Contraindications and cautions: Pending revision, the material in this section should be considered in light of more recently available information in the MedWatch notification at the beginning of this monograph.

Before taking olanzapine,

tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to olanzapine or any other medications.
tell your doctor if you use or have ever used street drugs or have overused prescription medications and if you have or have ever had a stroke, a mini-stroke, heart disease or a heart attack, an irregular heartbeat, seizures, breast cancer, any condition that makes it difficult for you to swallow, high or low blood pressure, liver or prostate disease, paralytic ileus (condition in which food cannot move through the intestine); or glaucoma (an eye condition), or if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had diabetes. Also tell your doctor if you have ever had to stop taking a medication for mental illness because of severe side effects.
tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. If you become pregnant while taking olanzapine, call your doctor. Do not breast-feed if you are taking olanzapine.
if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking olanzapine.
you should know that olanzapine may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you.
you should know that alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this medication. Do not drink alcohol while taking olanzapine.
tell your doctor if you use tobacco products. Cigarette smoking may decrease the effectiveness of this medication.
you should know that you may experience hyperglycemia (increases in your blood sugar) while you are taking this medication, even if you do not already have diabetes. If you have schizophrenia, you are more likely to develop Diabetes than people who do not have schizophrenia, and taking olanzapine or similar medications may increase this risk. Tell your doctor immediately if you have any of the following symptoms while you are taking olanzapine: extreme thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger, blurred vision, or weakness. It is very important to call your doctor as soon as you have any of these symptoms, because high blood sugar can cause a serious condition called ketoacidosis. Ketoacidosis may become life-threatening if it is not treated at an early stage. Symptoms of ketoacidosis include: dry mouth, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath, breath that smells fruity, and decreased consciousness.
you should know that olanzapine may cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting when you get up too quickly from a lying position. This is more common when you first start taking olanzapine. To avoid this problem, get out of bed slowly, resting your feet on the floor for a few minutes before standing up.
you should know that olanzapine may make it harder for your body to cool down when it gets very hot. Tell your doctor if you plan to do vigorous exercise or be exposed to extreme heat.
if you have phenylketonuria (PKU, an inherited condition in which a special diet must be followed to prevent mental retardation), you should know that the orally disintegrating tablets contain phenylalanine.

Adverse effects: Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect. Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using olanzapine and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

fever, stiff muscles, sweating, fast or uneven heartbeats;
jerky muscle movements you cannot control;
sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body;
sudden headache, confusion, problems with vision, speech, or balance;
increased thirst, frequent urination, excessive hunger, or weakness;
feeling light-headed, fainting;
unusual thoughts or behavior, hallucinations, or thoughts about hurting yourself; or
nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Less serious side effects may include:

dizziness, drowsiness, or weakness;
constipation;
dry mouth;
swelling in your hands or feet;
back pain;
weight gain, increased appetite; or
upset stomach.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. Before taking olanzapine, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:

a medication to treat high blood pressure or a heart condition;
carbamazepine (Tegretol);
fluvoxamine (Luvox); or
a medication to treat Parkinson's disease including levodopa (Sinemet, Larodopa, Atamet), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), pramipexole (Mirapex), ropinirole (Requip), and others.

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Interactions: It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to ensure that the combination is safe. Be sure to mention any of the following: antidepressants; antihistamines; carbamazepine (Tegretol); dopamine agonists such as bromocriptine (Parlodel), cabergoline (Dostinex), levodopa (Dopar, Larodopa), pergolide (Permax), and ropinirole (Requip); fluoroquinolone antibiotics including ciprofloxacin (Cipro), gatifloxacin (Tequin) (not available in the United States), levofloxacin (Levaquin), norfloxacin (Noroxin), ofloxacin (Floxin), others; fluvoxamine (Luvox); ipratropium (Atrovent); medications for anxiety, hypertension, irritable bowel disease, mental illness, motion sickness, Parkinson's disease, seizures, ulcers, or urinary problems; omeprazole (Prilosec); rifampin (Rifadin); sedatives; sleeping pills; ticlopidine (Ticlid); and tranquilizers. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.

Additional Information: DO NOT SHARE THIS MEDICINE with others. DO NOT USE THIS MEDICINE for other health conditions. KEEP THIS PRODUCT, as well as syringes and needles, if needed during treatment, out of the reach of children. Do not reuse needles, syringes, or other materials.