How bad is it really? I’ve read that you can get low white blood cells and die, or get myocarditis and die… Is it that bad for real? Is it worth trying since all this other crap doesn’t seem to work?
It’s bad for me. Tons of sideaffects. You get bloodwork every week at first to protect against the rare risk of low blood count. It’s a lifesaver for some but not for me. Some people hate abilify but it’d great for me. Worth a try if you’re willing to get the bloodwork done.
The best part is the hot nurses will be real nice to you when they take your blood work since they know you must be struggling to have be taking clozaril!!! I found that the best part of taking clozaril.
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I’m willing to get the labs done I’m just concerned because I get my meds from the state department of mental health and they’re really shitty about actually reading your labs in a timely manner. I’m afraid they’ll “lose” my labs and miss something important.
I got loads of side effects on clozapine. Kept on aspirating stomach acid in my sleep so had to stop. Have seen it work miracles for some people though.
My pdoc once suggested Clozapine for me. She said it is very good drug. The only thing is the blood tests but when you are settled on it, it is probably the best med on the market for positive symptoms. I did not try it but rather remained on Abilify
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It made me feel numb and having to get blood tests every week was awful. I would only ever take it again if i became beyond psychotic and was put away in a hospital for a long time. But i haven’t reached that point yet thankfully.
@Sooner88 You seem to be concerned about gaining weight with these meds.
Well Clozaril/Clozapine is a big weight gaining med - You could end up gaining more than 50lbs in a matter of months, no joke.
Clozaril is usually a last resort AP.
After trying all of the APs and combos and if still nothing is helping, then Clozaril is used.
Personally I don’t know why they still keep it on the market.
If it’s not closely monitored then death is a very real possibility with this drug.
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Well I’ve tried a bunch.
Haldol
Risperdal
Invega
Seroquel
Latuda
Now I’m switching to Abilify. But it won’t work. None of them work. Invega was the best, it controlled most of the symptoms. But they took me off because of side effects.
You haven’t tried
Rexulti
Fanapt
Cariprazine
Zyprexa
Saphris
The other Typicals
Combos of various other meds
You are far from needing to be on Clozaril
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YAY!!! Praise the lord lol
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Try olanzpine that could work if I had to take another AP id try that one next.
Olanzapine is a good one.
Clozapine isn’t bad at all, the side effects you are talking about are extremely rare. You do have to get blood work on a regular basis but that is so you can catch the side effects early and nothing will happen to you. Clozapine is the only AP that ever worked for me, it has kept me out of the hospital. It tends t work on non-responders to the other meds (me).
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It didn’t really work for me but the white blood count thing is rare.
I didn’t really get side effects other than constipation and drooling in my sleep.
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