Olanzapine

Common Brand Names

Stalanza, Oliza, Olanz, Olavex, Pilanz

Overview

Olanzapine helps to manage symptoms of mental health conditions such as:

• seeing, hearing, feeling or believing things that others do not, feeling unusually suspicious or having muddled thoughts (schizophrenia)
• feeling agitated or hyperactive, very excited, elated, or impulsive (mania symptoms of bipolar disorder)

If you have bipolar disorder, olanzapine can also stop your mania symptoms coming back.

Olanzapine does not cure your condition, but it can help with your symptoms.

Olanzapine comes as tablets, including tablets that dissolve in your mouth (orodispersible), and an injection.

Olanzapine is only available with a prescription in some countries.

Important Facts

• Olanzapine does not work straight away. It may take several days, or even weeks, for some of your symptoms to start improving.
• Soon after you first start taking olanzapine, before your other symptoms improve, it may make you feel more relaxed and calm.
• Common side effects include: feeling sleepy, feeling dizzy, and constipation.
• Olanzapine belongs to a group of medicines called antipsychotics. It works by affecting the naturally occurring chemical messengers in your brain (neurotransmitters), like dopamine and serotonin.

• It’s important to keep taking your medicine even if you feel better, unless your doctor asks you to stop.