My pdoc said Clozapine is similar to Olanzapine. I guess both end with -zapine. Olanzapine didn’t work for my psychosis so is there a chance of Clozapine not working? I would try it if I didn’t have to do blood tests for it. Idk if the blood tests are worth it to possibly have better negative symptoms. I am seeing 2 pdocs, one recommended Clozapine while the other said it won’t help negative symptoms but have no problem prescribing it for me if I wanted to try it.
I think someone names george something here said Clozapine did not work for him but other APs did.
@Headspark Why were you on 40mg Zyprexa, lower doses did not work? I tried up to 15mg but didn’t work for positive symptoms. Dr suggested to try 20+mg but I am afraid of weight gain and metabolic problems and of it not working for positive symptoms.
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Yes, the response rate to any psych drug really varies from person to person. However, the best drug is the one that works best for you.
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Yes it’s possible everyone’s body chemistry is different.
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Clozapine hasn’t helped my negative symptoms much. Having said that, I have other health issues that don’t help the situation so I can’t say for sure. Helps other symptoms well though. I take it in combination with lamotrigine, sertraline and concerta.
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Well here is what I don’t understand. When I first became psychotic they didn’t try lower doses. They started me on 40mg from the very beginning.
After like 13 years my health was so bad from side effects we slowly started reducing it. My blood work did improve but it wasn’t good enough. I kept reducing and when I got down to 10mg back in 2018 I became psychotic, that was the last time I was hospitalized and then they eventually switched me to Lurasidone (They tried Haldol first but it had side effects, restless leg syndrome and extreme dizziness/vertigo).
So in hindsight I probably would have been stable at 15 or 20 mg from the very beginning, but the pdoc never tried that. When I was admitted to the mental health facility back in 2004 they started me on 40mg on day one.
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I mean the sedation from clozapine makes it not really different from negative symptoms when you have to sleep 15 hours/day…
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Clozapine is unique. It can be worth blood tests, which also get less frequent with time. Although I’m sick of its side-effects, it is possible that I would have worse side-effects from something else. All in all, it is worth trying, but I suggest you first have a clear agreement with your doctor to take you off it if you change your mind.
-Albert.
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