So how many drugs do I have to try before I can get Clozaril? I’m not feeling very confident about Abilify right now… And I’ve already tried Invega, Seroquel, Latuda, Risperdal, and Haldol. They either don’t work, have too many side effects, etc… None of them have made the voices stop and my paranoia has been very resistant. Can I try Clozaril now? Or do I have to take more meds first?
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10mg of abilify is the therapeutic dose. You’re not on that.
I know… Maybe it’ll work but I really doubt it, if these other things haven’t worked.
Yea, u can try clozapine.
Is clozapine available as injection/depot??
You can try clozaril anytime you want as long as your psychiatrist is ok with it, you will have to start getting bloodwork done but I would highly recommend it, the fact that the other drugs don’t work for you is a sign that clozaril probably will, it tends to work for non-responders to the other drugs (like me and you).
I hope clozapine works for you, but I’m interested in why you feel so confident that it will?
Clozaril is more effective than any other antipsychotic. It’s the best drug there is. It’s just used as a last resort because of the side effects.
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I personally would literally try every other possible Antipsychotic out there before I moved onto taking Clozaril.
Clozaril or Clozapine has tons of side effects some very serious.
Clozaril is very sedating plus you have to go for periodic blood tests.
Clozapine is a big weight gaining med - it’s not unheard of to gain more than 50lbs in a matter of months.
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If you have the mindset “WHEN DO I GET TO TRY CLOZARIL ALREADY” then you’re not giving the other medications a fair chance IMO. And you’re setting them up for failure.
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I gained almost that much on Invega in 2 months. 40 pounds. And I have to get regular blood tests anyway because I take Lithium, so I might as well… I just want something that works and Clozaril has been studied and found to be more effective than all the other antipsychotics.
Mindset has nothing to do with whether medicine works. It’s all about neurotransmitters. Either it works or it doesn’t. And so far nothing has worked well enough. I’m starting 5mg of Abilify on Friday and when I see my psychiatrist on the 29th I’m gonna beg her to give me 20mg and an add on, either Loxapine or Perphenazine. I’m trying, I’m trying everything they give me and I’m asking for more and it just doesn’t work!
How many Antipsychotics have you tried?
Four … Five?
Six. Plus Remeron, which is an antidepressant but works like an antipsychotic.
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I think in the uk you get classified as treatment resistant if you have had a poor response to two APs with one being a typical.
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I am treatment resistant but have had a much better result with polypharmacy than with clozapine monotherapy.
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Remeron wouldn’t count.
6 APs is not enough.
You haven’t exhausted all options.
Have you tried the typicals besides Haldol?
Have you tried poly pharmacy?
As I said I’m going to ask for either Loxapine or Perphenazine to be added to my Abilify, and for my Abilify to be increased significantly. That would count as polypharmacy right?
Yes … Your on the right track
Have you tried Fanapt … Saphris? … Vraylar? … Latuda?
I’ve tried Latuda. Not trying any of those others, they’re too new. I want to only take meds that have been out for a while. Vraylar is so new nobody knows what the long term effects are!!!
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