Mood stabilizer zyprexa and prednisone

I can't say enough how the mood stabilizer Zyprexa has dramatically altered my experience on prednisone (now on 20 mg). It's been 3 weeks so far and 5 mg Zyprexa is a relatively low dose. It worked immediately. I'm focused, able to concentrate and I'm very even keeled. No anxiety, which I believed caused me to re-flare. I had trouble with klonopin, made me tired and buzzed out. Xanex felt too druggie and didn't last long. Zyprexa goes 24 hours and given my anxiety level, its pretty clear that if I take them at 6 pm. every night, I'm calmed down. I'm taking 3.75 mg. Ambien (splitting pills) to help sleep and that's the other factor that helps with anxiety. I hope as I get less high on prednisone, that I can knock the ambien to 2.50 mg.

It also helps that I'm doing pretty well on the taper with my BMs and such. But it's pretty evident I'm still healing and have a ways to go. Going to 17.5 mg pred. on Thursday. Dropping by 2.5 mg every three or four days.

I should remind everyone that I am bipolar (also take lamictal for years) and the rx comes from a psychiatrist, but prednisone causes anyone mood instability, whether they are bipolar or not.

Oh, here's the rub. Zyprexa is known to cause weight gain and I'm not sure if its increased cravings/appetite or it's because it alters the metabolism. I am gaining the weight I lost and not sure if it's predisone or zyprexa or a combination of both. At some point I will have to watch what I eat more.