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What Causes Drowsiness While On Olimelt?

Posted on Sat, 14 May 2016

Question: My daughter 19 yr old college student has been prescribed olimelt 2.5 mg twice a day

But she feels drowsiness and unable to write exam. Can she leave the medicine during exam period

Answered by Dr. Shubham Mehta (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Can stop the daytime dose.

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to HCM.
I can understand your concerns for your daughter.

In my opinion, she should not stop the drug completely. As olimelt can cause sedation, she can avoid the daytime dose till exams.

As you not mentioned the details/reasons for starting this drug, I would request you to please keep her treating doctor informed about this.

Hope this helps.
Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Deepak

Follow up: Dr. Shubham Mehta (27 minutes later)

Sir
She has been advised to take etilaam .5 mg too

Can she stop taking this medicine just for 2 days

Becoz I understand this medicine is just for inducing sleep.

My daughter reported insomnia for a week which resulted in nervousness. Anxiety n fear suspicion in her mind(that some thing is wrong , people are fighting outside, she cld feel noise even in silence), she is highly academic girl

Resides in hostel

Answered by Dr. Shubham Mehta (32 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Can stop etilaam.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for the details.

Yes, it's better to stop etilaam first then olimelt. If she does well after stopping etilaam, I think she would not need it further.

Hope this answers your query.
Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Deepak

Follow up: Dr. Shubham Mehta (7 days later)

Dear doctor

My daughter has been advised to take daxid 50 mg in night and etilaam 0.5 mg in day n night wef today
Now olimelt has been stopped
That medicine was doing more harm to her mood and health

I want to stop this medication as she is too young and very intelligent girl

Pls advise

Answered by Dr. Shubham Mehta (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Need some details.

Detailed Answer:
Dear Madam,
Before I advise on stopping drugs, I think her detailed history is important.
Did she have similar symptoms in past?
or it was just due to exam stress?

If she had similar problems in past (anxiety and all), she would slightly longer treatment.
If her symptoms were just due to exam stress and are resolved now, then there is no need to continue drugs for long.

Hope to hear the details from you soon.
Regards.
Dr. Shubham Mehta, MD(Psychiatry).

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

Follow up: Dr. Shubham Mehta (7 hours later)

Will it be easier to get rid of daxid 50 mg tablet
And etilaam .5 mg?

She had this symptom last year also. So this is second time.

Doctor is saying bipolar disorder. But last year she took medicines for 15 days and then left the medicines abruptly. She had done well in her exams during this one yeat.
This time I want proper closure of medicine. Treating doctor says medicine should continue

after how many days I can stop daxid ?
What about etilaam?

Answered by Dr. Shubham Mehta (41 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Should be continued for atleast 6 months.

Detailed Answer:
Thanks for the follow up.

Ideally, the drug should be continued for atleast 6 months after symptoms are resolved.

So daxid should be continued for a longer time.

Etilaam can be stopped as soon as her sleep is normal. It can then be taken when needed, that is when she has problem sleeping and intense anxiety.

Hope this answers your query.
Thanks.

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

Follow up: Dr. Shubham Mehta (27 hours later)

I find her nervous in facing people and attending class

Is it becoz of daxid tablet?
What for this tablet is used, kindly advise

Answered by Dr. Shubham Mehta (4 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Antidepressant and antianxiety drug.

Detailed Answer:
Is this developed after taking daxid?
Daxid can cause anxiety for 3-5 days initially. But it is general restlessness and not specific like during meeting people etc. It resolves after 3-5 days.

It is an antidepressant and antianxiety drug.

Hope this helps.
Thanks.

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

Follow up: Dr. Shubham Mehta (3 days later)

Dr sir
She is not well since 8 feb. Olimelt n etilaam started from 18.2.16.

But she has suspicion in her mind that people are talking about me . so not able to socialise. even she shows this attitude on 5 march.
Whether medicine is OK or she need some rest from college

Answered by Dr. Shubham Mehta (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Needs detailed assessment.

Detailed Answer:
Dear Madam,
Suspicious attitude and inability to socialize is not normal. It can be stress-induced, can be due to anxiety-depression or prodrome of psychosis.
She needs proper assessment by a psychiatrist.
Olimelt 2.5mg can cause slowing initially but I would now suggest that she should continue with it.

If possible, a break of some days from college would be relaxing for her.

Hope this helps.
Thanks.

Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

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