Zyprexa (olanzapine) is a medicine commonly prescribed for the treatment of mental conditions that may result from the imbalance of chemicals in the brain. Zyprexa works by restoring the balance therefore relieving the symptoms of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, helping you to go back to living a normal life. Zyprexa may cause high blood sugar in patients taking it. If you are diabetic, you need to be especially careful when taking Zyprexa and report any of the following symptoms to your health care provider: loss of appetite, increased urination, dry skin, drowsiness, extreme thirst, nausea, dry mouth, and vomiting. You need to take this medicine regularly and do not stop even if the benefits do not become obvious as soon as you expected. It may take this drug up to 4 weeks to become fully efficient and for you to see the benefits of the treatment. You need to be very careful if you have to stand up, as this medicine can cause dizziness. Avoid taking part in any hazardous activities that require you to be alert and concentrated. Make sure you always drink plenty of fluids to avoid getting dehydrated as a result of taking this medicine. Alcohol can increased some of the side effects Zyprexa has been reported to cause. The following side effects are most common: back pain, drowsiness, dry mouth, weakness, upset stomach, increased appetite, constipation, weight gain, and dizziness. They go away on their own in most case without any need to worry about them increasing in severity or intensity. This is possible only in a very small number of patients. More serious side effect are also possible, although unlikely to happen. Nevertheless, you need to be aware of the possibility of getting the following serious side effects: stomach pain, fainting, sudden headache, dark urine, problems with vision or speech, body aches, stiff muscles, unusual thoughts, confusion, fast or uneven heartbeats, increased thirst, and loss of appetite. Make sure your health care provider is notified of any of the serious side effect as soon as you get them. Certain health conditions you have may affect the dose of Zyprexa you are prescribed. Make sure you let your health care provider know if you ever had or have at the moment: kidney disease, enlarged prostate, family history of diabetes, glaucoma, a history of heart attack or stroke, heart disease, high cholesterol, seizures or epilepsy, high blood pressure, a history of breast cancer, or liver disease. Your dose may be reconsidered if some of these factors are present to make sure you will benefit from your treatment without suffering from any side effects. This medicine is FDA pregnancy category C. Pregnant women are not supposed to start taking it without previously consulting a health care specialist, as health effects in an unborn baby are possible. It is not known for sure whether Zyprexa can harm a nursing infant – but it does pass into breast milk. You are never supposed to breastfeed while using this medication until you have discussed all the risks and benefits with your health care provider.