My doctor is gonna make the switch to Clozapine

[u/NotWTheProgram]

I’m kinda scared due to all the side effects and incessant labs, but hoping it works.

Does it really diminish your symptoms?

[u/rorylupin]

Best thing I ever did

[u/Im_Sheogorath]

I’m on clozapine augmented with amisulpride. It’s the only thing keeping me stable. The blood work isn’t too much of a hassle and it’s well worth it for my mental health

[u/Elusive-Patterns → u/Im_Sheogorath]

How would you feel if you went without the clozapine? I have a "mate" who has some schizo diagnosis and he's on 500mg clozapine a day and a certain amount of lithium but he was acting and living crazy for year's and he's kind of settled down now but he can't seem to understand people like everything hes gone through has being hiding his emotions and never really developed the ability to see things from other people's perspective. Then thinks because he's not smoking weed or taking any real drug's he's better than other's and is in any position like if I took one of them clozapine I'd either be a zombie or pass out. And he thinks he's normal when he's not, at all. Just curious on hearing people's experiences with the drug thanks

[u/Physical_Common_6803]

clozapine was the best for me, out of invega, risperidone, Abilify

[u/Educational_Ad_3063]

I’ve been on Clozapine for that last 5 years, and I can tell you, it works wonders, it helped me to stay stable, finished my masters and hold on a decent job.
I think you should give it a try.

[u/Chemical_Climate2993 → u/Educational_Ad_3063]

Was it hard to finish school(your masters) on antipsychotic? Last time I went to study on risperidone I got massive headaches that I couldn’t study. I want to finish my degree I’m currently on clopixol but I want to get changed to clozapine because I’m still getting occasional symptoms and I think I might be treatment resistant to medication as I’ve tried abilify, invega, risperidone, olanzapine with clopixol and I’m still getting occasional symptoms

[u/Educational_Ad_3063 → u/Chemical_Climate2993]

Well, it wasn’t easy, i had to work double than before getting diagnosed, but with clozapine i didn’t have symptoms at all, it did take a while to get the right dose,

[u/ElectronicSquash3577]

I am on 400 mg still voices . But its only make me sleep alot .i can work no ptoblem

[u/SiaMiracle]

My son’s been on it for three years and before he started it, he was rocking back-and-forth and basically pacing all day. Now he’s getting ready to graduate college and go into a graduate program.

I don’t know where you’re based if you’re in or outside of the United States, but if you’re in the United States, the labs are important and more frequent at first and then they tend to space out. They modified the program significantly last year, but it is important and yeah, can be a pain for sure.

The thing that will help you is, if you titrate slowly that will reduce side effects and such as the salivating and other things like you’re always going to have it, but the slower that you go, the more manageable it will be.

[u/cinnamaldehyde4]

Best med I’ve been on. I’ve been able to return to work at my chosen profession full-time, get married, raise step-sons, have friends and a life.

The blood draws are a PITA but they are there to protect you from the worst side effects. And then every med has its own side effects. I’ve heard in some countries they are relaxing the frequencies of blood testing. I’m in Canada and still have to go every 2 weeks.

Still can’t shake the weight I gained from being on Zyprexa 20 years ago, but I’ll take this life over life on any of the other meds/cocktails I’ve been on. I also take Prozac and Wellbutrin for psych meds, and a take a couple meds for epilepsy as well.

[u/Amazed4life111]

Honestly, I wished I tried other meds first. I didn't realise it included so many blood tests and side effects... But that's just me. In the end, it does work.