Bipolar Spouses Online Support Group

My boyfriend is experiencing terrible join pain. We believe that it is caused by Zyprexa, which he started taking 3 months ago. He is also taking Lithium and Seroquel for Bipolar I. He is doing excellent, mentally, and has been completely stable since he started this new drug cocktail in September, but he can't stand the physical pain, which is starting to even affect his ability to walk. He has spoken to his doctor (and is continuing to express that this is becoming a serious problem), so hopefully, we will resolve it soon, but I am just wondering, has anyone else had this problem with Zyprexa? What if he stops taking it? Will the Seroquel and Lithium work on their own, without Zyprexa, or is there something he should replace it with? He definitely can't go on, as is. Are there other drugs that do the same thing, that won't cause this terrible side effect? I hate that it seems he has to choose between mental and physical health right now

Seemsunreal, my husband had joint pains with abilify and geodon horribly. We went to the dr and told him and he changed him to Trileptal which has worked beautifully for him. Everyone is different though and all have to find what works best with the least side effects.

I am so glad your boyfriend is responding to the medication in a positive manner besides the side effects.

Wish you well,

Hopeful

Thanks for your comment hopeful!

seemsunreal

I hope the meds can get adjusted and continue to work for him .. I don't know enough about those side effects, as my ex did not stay on his meds long enough to have side effects or any effects

Post edited by: rch, at: 12/02/2010 09:36 PM

seemsunreal

Zyprexa is an a-typical antipsychotic. I took it on two seperate occaisions to quiet my auditory hallucinations. It work great for that however I had to actively diet not to gain weight and it completely remove all sexual desire. I do not think I was on it long enough for any other side effects to manifest.

I feel for you both. Sad for your hubby because he has to endure pain and sad for you that you are worried about his stability should he have to switch meds. Rock and a hard place for sure.

There are a few more antipsychotics he could try. Is Zyprexa his only mood stabilizer? There are a number of mood stabilizers he could try as well. Maybe he should have a blood workup just to make sure something more serious isnt happening. Just a suggestion.

Hope this all gets worked out. Take care.

Thanks for your comments. He is also taking Seroquel and Lithium (he has been on Lithium for years), and he takes Adderal in the mornings. As it turns out, his doctor decided to take him off of the Zyprexa a week or two ago, and all seems well so far. I think he will be ok, because the reason he started taking Seroquel and Zyprexa in the first place was to break his mania, when he went for about 6 months, unmedicated, and went into a full-blown manic episode in August. I think the doctor thinks he will be fine as long as he keeps taking the other two. We shall see. I hope and do think that because he is stable, he will probably be ok. The best news is that he seems really committed to taking his meds, for the sake of our relationship, his relationships with other people, and in hopes of having a successful career. He is well-educated and smart; I think he knows he will never be really successful if he is not on meds. He recently went to a workshop offered by a prominent, successful bipolar professional, who had been hospitalized 10 times before committing to meds, and it made an impression on him. He starts a bipolar support group tonight, and I think that will help him too. So far, he is doing really well. I think his biggest hurdle, and the hurdle for a lot, is accepting the diagnosis in the first place. When he is not at least hypomanic, he feels a little "down." I try to explain to him that he is still fun and is more engaging when he is stable because he is more focused on conversations and tasks, but he feels inside that he is boring. But, I think he believes me when I say that, and after being hospitalized two times in the last 3 years when he went off his meds, he finally believes the diagnosis and is more willing to stay on medication. He does struggle with the thoughts that he might not need it still... I have heard that after a couple of years, that will likely go away, from other medicated, successful bipolar patients. I hope so! Hope you are all doing well!