Clozapine? Last resort?
 

They've tried near enough every anti-psychotic there is and I haven't responded to any of them.

So my team are starting me on clozapine after Christmas. I am terrified because there seems to be so many serious side effects (bone marrow, white blood cells etc).

Has anybody have any experience with Clozapine; positive or negative?

Thank you!

I was on it for 3 years and it did help although it was quite sedating.

They monitor your bloods so closely (once a week at first, then once a fortnight, then monthly) that even if something were to go a bit wrong with your bloods, they would catch it before anything serious could happen.

I've been on clozapine for nearly 2 years and it's helped a lot. At first I was really sedated and had really bad consitpation but that went after a while. Inititally I did put on quite a lot of weight but that too stopped after a while.

It's a really good medication, try not to be too worried about the serious side effects, like cacoethes said, they monitor you very closely.

Will you be going into hospital to start it or with the HTT?

Thanks for the replies.

I'm currently an inpatient

clozapine turned my life around. side effects suck (weight gain, tiredness, hypersalavation, poor concentration) but for me it is worth it.

Ive been on clozapine for 7 years. They do make me tires but i manage this by taking large dose at night and small on the morning and thats all fine. I drool a lot when i sleep and it has made me gain a lot of weight, but im functioning. I can now live a pretty normal life. Good luck x

I'm on it and and it has helped with voices etc i don't like. The weight gain that's only downside for me

If you are able to, do let us know how it goes.

Thinking of you

It's helped a bit. Still keep waking up with a soaking wet pillow which isn't pleasant. Super sedative so not really functioning at the moment, but in terms of the psychosis its helped a little.

do you put a towel on your pillow? I find it's less uncomfortable for the hypersalavation. how long have you been on clozapine now? I was very out of it for the first few weeks but it gradually improved over the months. the hallucinations etc also improved over time.

I have 3 pillows and i swap and change through the night.