Hey everybody been awhile since I’ve posted here. I recently started taking clozapine in addition to zyprexa and sometimes seroquel when things get bad. The plan is to transition from zyprexa to clozapine. I’m currently taking 50mg twice daily and getting blood taken once a week (total pain in the ass). I was wondering if anyone here has ever tried clozapine because I’m getting some side effects. For one I wake up in the middle of the night with drool all over my pillow and very dry mouth even drinking tons of water barely helps. I’m also getting headaches and slight drowsiness. This is really the last hail mary since even on 30mg of zyprexa daily with 200-300mg of seroquel when the going gets bad I’m still having psychotic episodes. My anxiety is at at least a 5 all day long and sometimes it’s at a 10. I take clonazepam for that and it works great but I don’t want to be reliant on it. If anyone has experience with clozapine let me know how it went I’m seriously considering stopping the clozapine and maybe going up on the zyprexa.
I started clozapine 1.5 years ago…yeah, the blood tests are a pain in the ass at first, but after a year you only need the test once per month. I also have problems with the drooling, so I use a 1% atropine opthalmic solution, 1-2 drops sublingually before bed and it dries me up enough that I don’t aspirate or choke on the saliva when I’m sleeping (I don’t use it during the day cuz it doesn’t bother me when I’m awake). I’ve also had a hard time with weight gain on it, too, but I’m working on that. I also tend to sleep a lot on it, usually 10 hours a night.
For me, clozapine has helped so much, it’s worth the hassle, but everyone needs to weigh the costs and benefits of the meds they take to see what’s the best for them
Take atropine drops for the drooling. After awhile the blood work will only need once a month. 
im on clozapine 600mg
its not suppose to go above 400mg but my pdoc says it is needed
i get all those side effects-drooling dry mouth drink alot weight gain sleeping longer tiredness anxiety(i also take klonapin for the anxiety)
but with out the closaril im out of control with all the types of hallucinations
the blood tests suck but you get use to them cause its usually the same person drawing the blood each time so they know where to take it from(i go every 3rd Wednesday so its the same person)
i would prefer to come off but i always end up in the hospital if i change it
closaril is no joke it kicks your ass
but if you stay on it long enough it really helps
We are twins. I take 600mg of Clozapine and Klonopin too. Along with Buspar. 
i take buspar 20mg also 3 times a day
I also go at the same time for my blood work. So I get the same person and they know where to stock it. 
nice it is so easy when they know you
I like scraping my toes against the carpet.
I end up with a bruise every time
Have the side effects gotten better since you’ve been on it? I’m afraid it will get worse with a dose increase.
How much klonopin do you take?
2.5mg a day. 
I think I got lucky and am able to tolerate the clozapine decently. I never got anxiety or headaches. The sedation maybe improved some and the drooling seems to have improved a little.
I’ve been taking Clozapine 300 mg nocte since 2018, and i’ve found it exceptionally helpful. However, i do take Ziprasidone 80 mg BD, so that probably helps as well. I have very little side effects. I do drool, and i get slightly constipated, but i have special pillow case and i take a stool softener and all is well.
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