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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Zyprexa® (olanzapine) 
        
(Message started by: maffumatt on Apr 30^th, 2006, 2:57pm)

Title: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by maffumatt on Apr 30^th, 2006, 2:57pm

Is there anyway I can find the % of clusterheads who use this drug, A scientific poll would be great. Flo do you have any information.

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by Lizzie2 on Apr 30^th, 2006, 6:11pm

Not that this is really what you're looking for, but I did use it in the past. Do you want numbers of people who have tried it or numbers of people who currently still use it? I took it as an abortive for about a year, but actually before I had CH. It was for when the migraine got unbearable. I've gotta say that it did a nice job of knocking me out, but I wouldn't want to take it for a headache that was going to leave in an hour anyways. Makes me too sleepy...

I know not everyone feels the same way about it, though because Eric uses it and really finds it helpful.

Carrie :)

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by maffumatt on Apr 30^th, 2006, 6:34pm

Basicaly I am looking to see if it is a commonly perscribed drug for CH, and if so is it FDA approved for CH. Sucess and failure results would be great too.

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by Lizzie2 on Apr 30^th, 2006, 7:19pm

Not commonly prescribed and not FDA approved for CH. But - does seem to be effective for some!

To my mind, it's one of those meds that can be very helpful, but has this sedating side effect which is pretty crummy.

Helpful at all? Somebody has links they like to provide about the use of Zyprexa, but at the moment I'm blanking on who likes it... Bob Johnson possibly?

Carrie :)

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by Redd715 on Apr 30^th, 2006, 8:06pm

Eric...E-Double,

He swears by the abortive properties. Not sure who else may have tried it.

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by Karla on Apr 30^th, 2006, 8:19pm

I have read of case studies where people have taken zyprexa compared to a placebo and zyprexa has shown to be very effective against ch.

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by Kris_in_SJ on Apr 30^th, 2006, 8:25pm

Yep - Pegg is right. Ask EE about it. If my guess is right, he probably has statistics. And ... it works for him.

My feeling on all medical treatments is that it ain't gonna hurt you to try it. The one thing we know about this disease is that what works for one, may not work for all. But, it's sure worth a shot!

Hugs,

Kris

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by E-Double on Apr 30^th, 2006, 9:08pm

I do not use any meds anymore, only oxygen.

I would however use zyprexa in a heartbeat if necessary.

Here is the article that Bob J. always posts:

Quote:

1: Headache 2001 Sep;41(:813-6

Olanzapine as an Abortive Agent for Cluster Headache.

Rozen TD.

Department of Neurology, Jefferson Headache Center/Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate olanzapine as a cluster headache abortive agent in an open-label trial. BACKGROUND: Cluster headache is the most painful headache syndrome known. There are very few recognized abortive therapies for cluster headache and fewer for patients who have contraindications to vasoconstrictive drugs. METHODS: Olanzapine was given as an abortive agent to five patients with cluster headache in an open-label trial. The initial olanzapine dose was 5 mg, and the dose was increased to 10 mg if there was no pain relief. The dosage was decreased to 2.5 mg if the 5-mg dose was effective but caused adverse effects. To be included in the study, each patient had to treat at least two attacks with either an effective dose or the highest tolerated dose. RESULTS: Five patients completed the investigation (four men, one woman; four with chronic cluster, one with episodic cluster). Olanzapine reduced cluster pain by at least 80% in four of five patients, and two patients became headache-free after taking the drug. Olanzapine typically alleviated pain within 20 minutes after oral dosing and treatment response was consistent across multiple treated attacks. The only adverse event was sleepiness. CONCLUSIONS: Olanzapine appears to be a good abortive agent for cluster headache. It alleviates pain quickly and has a consistent response across multiple treated attacks. It appears to work in both episodic and chronic cluster headache.
=======================================================
Olanzapine has a brand name of "Zyprexa" and is a antipsychotic. Don't be put off by this primary usage. Several of the drugs used to treat CH are cross over applications, that is, drugs approved by the FDA for one purpose which are found to be effective with unrelated conditions--BJ.
=======================================================

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by Lizzie2 on May 1^st, 2006, 5:03am

You know, I've seen that article dozens of times in the past, but for some reason I never put two and two together that the reason I was on zyprexa as an abortive at all is probably because I went to Jefferson and this research was done not long before I started going there. 3 months after the article publication, I was started on zyprexa as an abortive, except like I said...I didn't have CH then.

Wonder how much it caught on in other centers....

Really can be a great med - also why they use some other interesting combinations of things both outpatient and inpatient there.

C

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by chewy on May 1^st, 2006, 5:06am

Quote:

I was started on zyprexa as an abortive, except like I said...I didn't have CH then.

They put you on a med for something you didn't have?

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by Bob_Johnson on May 1^st, 2006, 5:31am

I just checked the National Library of Medicine (PubMed) and there is still only the one article posted here.

Rozen reported (some other source I can't recall) that he had tried Zyprexa as a preventive med but it didn't work.

From the limited stats in his original report you can see that the rate of effectiveness is not as high as with Imitrex injection but I find the cost advantage and convenience so compelling that it's worth a trial. Docs will give a sample for a trial.

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by E-Double on May 1^st, 2006, 6:19am

Statistics regarding efficacy of meds with CHers is not the best as a general rule.

The majority are episodic and for many, even chronics, have to keep on adjusting dosages and or changing.

In addition most do not have "on-going" treatment with continuous monitoring.

Interesting side note. I share an office with a pain management group and one of the doctors was just involved in a debate @ the neurological convention with Dr's Siberstien and Tepper over the use of narcotics with CHers and the only thing I can really tell you was what was mentioned above......statistics and long term monitoring. When I get more info I will post.

E

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by Bob P on May 1^st, 2006, 9:55am

Interesting that there is an injectable, intramuscular, form. Probably not approved for self administration though.

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by Lizzie2 on May 1^st, 2006, 10:56am

on 05/01/06 at 05:06:07, chewy wrote:

They put you on a med for something you didn't have?

Nah it was when I'd gone to them 1 year into having a migraine that wouldn't leave. That's how I started my life of headache treatments and how I've managed to try almost everything out there for headaches. Over 5 years later, I still have it. I was diagnosed with CH in 2003.

So my guess is that they were trying the Zyprexa as an abortive for several headache types when they did the research. They, like all centers, seem to get into one med they really like and try it on everything.

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by Lizzie2 on May 1^st, 2006, 10:58am

on 05/01/06 at 09:55:00, Bob P wrote:

Interesting that there is an injectable, intramuscular, form. Probably not approved for self administration though.

I don't think we'd want to play with fire on that one. I did the injectable, IM form for Geodon, which is another atypical antipsychotic. Each injection put me to sleep for 4 hours. I had a doc come in to try to talk to me shortly after I got the injection, and he finally realized it was pointless and said he'd come back another day.

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by Radha on May 3^rd, 2006, 11:26pm

i was wondering if zyprexa is actually doing anything to relieve the pain, or is just making us so drowsy and dopey that we are not as aware of the pain? like a sleep med or tranquilizer that knocks you out into sleep?
radha

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by E-Double on May 4^th, 2006, 6:33am

on 05/03/06 at 23:26:08, Radha wrote:

2.5-5 mg during an attack puts the beast to sleep but not me. It has never made me drowsy.
Such a small dose just aborts.

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by floridian on May 4^th, 2006, 1:46pm

on 05/03/06 at 23:26:08, Radha wrote:

Olanzapine works by blocking certain serotonin and dopamine receptors. There might be some incidental sleepyness, but being tired never stopped a cluster as far as I know.

http://www.med-owl.com/clusterheadaches/tiki-index.php?page=Olanzapine

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by Radha on May 4^th, 2006, 11:52pm

i took a half of a 2.5 mg tablet and even such a tiny dose helped the headache alot, but even that amount made me dopey and drowsy, but that is definately better than how the imitrex makes me feel, i hate the side effects of imitrex!! but i was wondering if zyprexa will lose its effect the more often you take it, what do you think?
radha

Title: Re: Zyprexa® (olanzapine)
Post by floridian on May 6^th, 2006, 5:28pm

on 05/04/06 at 23:52:20, Radha wrote:

but i was wondering if zyprexa will lose its effect the more often you take it, what do you think?
radha

Well, having read a few posts here, I would hazard to say that pretty much every treatment can stop working for some people. "The beast" adapts, as some would say. Even some people say oxygen stops working for them. Not something that can be planned for.