Any success stories on Clozapine? What if I get low white blood cells count, how does it affect covid symptoms and vaccination efficacy?
@Rester How is Clozapine so far? How’s your job and functioning level? I hope its better on Clozapine. Only thing I am afraid of Clozapine is the low white blood cell count and the weekly blood tests.
Your immune system is at least partly crashed. Don’t expect your vax to be worth a spit in a strong wind at that point. I nearly got taken out by pneumonia and COVID didn’t exist back then. Hate to see what could happen now.
I wish we had Amisulpride in Canada. Its the 2nd most effective after Clozapine. I am stuck with 6mg Risperdal, maybe I can go on the max dose, 8mg.
I’d just be happy to see a specialist without having to wait four bloody months. Useless tossers.
I’m on clozapine, and it’s ok.
What aspect are you interested in?
When I had sz symptoms before diagnosis, I told 4 Drs, 3 of them ignored me and said my symptoms like hearing voices are just from stress. The 4th one told me I need to wait over a year to see a psychiatrist. Here in my part of Canada you can’t see a specialist like a psychiatrist without a referal from family Dr. I ended up trying to kill myself twice bcz symptoms got worse until they took me seriously in the ER and finally let me see a psychiatrist who diagnosed me with sz.
Any side effects? How is it for negative and cognitive symptoms? Better than Risperidone if you tried it?
I used to take risperidone with clozapine, small doses, about 2mg of risperidone and 100 mg clozapine…
Yeah, finding one took me 14 months. Add that to the 4 month wait for the specialist.
Hey I am taking 250mg clozapine and 100mg docusate. I think my motivation is higher on clozapine than risperidone. My cognition might be a little better also. A phlebotomist comes to my place for the weekly blood draws. I take the blood draws seriously don’t want to risk a bad immune response. I had to go into the hospital for a blood draw one week when the phlebotomist was out. Is there any mobile lab services in Canada? I got paranoid one night so far taking 250mg. I have a little more saliva at night but I haven’t drooled yet. It’s a little harder to wake up in the morning.
I’ll have to ask my Dr about this.
Thanks!
I think @om_sadasiva is a huge success story on clozapine.
But I have not seen him in a long time.
Yea me too. Hope he reads this.
I started clozapine in Feb of last year. It has made a huge difference for me. I only hear 1 voice now instead of 4, and my suicidal ideation has decreased significantly. I did the first six months of weekly blood tests, now I do them every 2 weeks, and in another few months of normal results they will go to monthly. My clinic doesn’t actually draw my blood from a vein, but uses a finger stick machine to test it.
The biggest side effects I’ve experienced are extreme drowsiness after dosing (so I take all my clozapine before bed) and increased salivation. That doesn’t bother me during the day but I use sublingual atropine drops before bed to dry out my mouth so I don’t aspirate on saliva while sleeping.
I think the clozapine also has helped even out my moods a bit, too.
I originally read the topic as “Canadian success stories” and was immediately worried someone would bring up Justin Bieber as an example.
I also take Clozapine 300 mg (with Ziprasidone). It has been a great addition to me. I don’t have any voices, and my delusions are very mild. My agitation is all but none. My concentration is better. I am able to work part-time. I have been on Clozapine since 2018, so i only need my bloods done once every month. The only side effect i really get from it is night time drooling. Maybe the odd bout of constipation now and then.
I am on clozaril since 2011, so almost 12 years, i take 550 mg at night, it is the only medication that has worked for me, side effects are a pain, those include weight gain, drolling at night and constipation, but overall it is worth it!
I used to be on 200 mg but it caused tachycardia. My heart rate was 120 at rest for a couple of years. Ultimately I went to a cardiologist and she said I had to lower my dose of clozapine. Now I just take 12.5 mg to help me fall asleep. My heart rate is back to normal.
I’ve been on clozapine since 2007. I also take Abilify. I think clozapine saved my life, it has been the best drug for me. I go to blood tests every month. I have never had any problems with my blood. My dose of clozapine has been 200-400mg per day.
The first symptoms after starting the drug were… bad. It took me a month to get past them. But after that I have been fine. I fall asleep 30 minutes after I take my meds and I could not wake up if my house was on fire, for example. Clozapine is really really sedative. I need at least 8-10 hours of sleep and I’m always really tired in the morning.
I was on Risperdal before clozapine. It did not work for me at all. The combo clozapine&abilify is the best for me.
What were the side effects?