How To Wean Off Zyprexa?

Posted on Sun, 29 May 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sun, 29 May 2016 Answered on

Fri, 1 Jul 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : Hi buddy.

i lowered my Zyprexa oral pill dose from 8,75 mg per day to 6,25 mg per day, 7 days ago.

so i lowered by 2,5 mg.

i am hoping very much to get under "the 100% dose, or full dose".

i am wondering when the "leftovers or something like that" from the 8,75 mg dose is gone from my body.

after how many days will i be on 6,25 mg per day in my body ?

one "drug-specialist" that i talked to in the pharmacy said when i was on like 9,375 mg per day that if i would stop completely taking the drug that day that it would take 20 days to go completely out of my body. while you said it takes around 5 days for 0,625 mg to leave my body. ok i think you get my point.

when is the safe and soonest that you would recommend me to lower my dose again ? (its been a week already on the dose i am on now.)

(i'm thinking of lowering by 1,875 mg in the next step. from 6,25 mg. but i'm not certain of that because i havent asked my other psychiatrist if that is a safe step.)

thanks alot man.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Chintan Solanki (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
after more 5 days you can reduce the dose

Detailed Answer:
Hi Man,

Thanks for writing back. Hope you are doing well.

You have reduced zyprexa from 8.75 to 6.25 mg. Now your query is when you will reach 100% dose of 6.25 mg. Yes you guessed it right that remaining of 8.75 mg will clear from your body in approximately 5-7 days. Elimination half-life of zyprexa is 21-54 hours. Considering average 40 hours of half-life and 4 half-lives for clearance of the drug, remaining of 8.75 mg is cleared from body in 7 days maximum. Other 'drug-specialist has probably told you that whole 9.375 mg will clear from your body in 20 days when you stop the drug and he is almost right. At present you have not stopped but you are taking 6.25 mg so it is a different situation. It is almost 1 week you have reduced the dose, so you are on 100% dose of 6.25 mg now.

In my opinion you should be in this dose for more 5 days and then can reduce the dose 1.875 mg safely after 5 days without any problem.
Take care dear.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar