[artsy.blonde]

hey all
I am dignosed with schizoaffective disorder. I have tried many anti pyschotics with no effect. I hear 3 voices, all male, that tell me not to trust anyone who drives a black car, that cnn talks to me thru the tv, and that spirits are out to get me so i should cover all my windows with tinfoil.

anyway, my pdoc just started me on clozaril as of today. well, i have to wait for my bloodwork to come back bc you have to bring the results to the pharmacy.

i was wondering if anyone has any experiance with it? or just knowledge about it? thanks all

[pachyderm]

You can look it up on the Internet. Wikipedia says:

"Clozapine carries a black box warning for drug-induced agranulocytosis."

and

"In the USA, patients who take clozapine are required to have a blood cell count every week, for the first six months of therapy. After this, they are required to have a blood cell count every other week for the second six months after therapy. After twelve months, blood cell counts need be performed every four weeks."

I have no personal experience with the drug.

I have experienced the same things. I would throw shoes at Lou Dobbs. For me it wasn't just black cars, but white vans too. I covered my back windows to prevent them from reading my mind. Now that I have been on the meds for a couple month's, I feel a lot better. I still feel some paranoia, but it is minimal. Once your doctor reaches a plateau with your meds, you will start to feel better. For now I will send you big hugs, and hope for the future. Happy holidays

Sardean

[goldgirl]

I have taken clozaril for years. You may have trouble at times getting it filled but your doctor can help with that. That medication really helped me a great deal. It will help you too.

[netsavy006]

I have taken Clozaril for almost 6 months now for my psychosis. It is the only medication that has kept me out of the hospital.

I'm on 100mg/bedtime. It prevent hallucinations (I use to see bugs and dripping from the ceilings), delusions (thinking people didn't care about me), paranoia (thinking that others were out to get me, including my doctor, my mom, and my twin bro), and it mildly helps the mania. I've also noticed it helps with the social withdrawal, so now I'm more talkative, and able to enjoy life. I'm more functional thanks to the Clozaril. I will never stop taking this medication, as it provides so many benefits for me.

[crazy/beautiful]

Hi
I have been taking Clozaril for 4 years now, after trying just about every other anti-psychotic on the market. Yeah, it can be a total pain having to go get your bloods checked all the time, and I put on a lot of weight with it which upset me, but I have not had to go into hospital since 2006 which is when I started on it, and my quality of life is much better. I still have bad times, with the voices and the visions, but nothing like as bad as it used to be. Before I started on this medication, I would spend at least 4 months of the year in a psychiatric hospital. Since starting on Clozaril I have not had to go in again, and as a result have regained custody of my son, who is the world to me. I just hope and pray that I never get a 'red light' when my blood is tested, as I honestly believed Clozaril has changed my life. I take 375mg at night, and 50mg in the morning, and although the side effects, like weight gain, drowsiness and drooling in my sleep, are annoying, they are not as bad as the side effects Ive had on other meds like Haloperidol and the like.
Sorry for rabbiting on so much - hope this made sense and is helpful to you. Feel free to contact me if you want
Good luck
xxx

[boboHongKong]

my brother got mental problem also ..
i remember him hv to close all window...
sometimes turn on air-con /fans

use tissue paper to plug his ears .../nose ...
i take knife wanna to hurt the opposite flat ( guess he hear weird noise

this clozapine ..
if withdraw,seem need gradually

some other forum .. warn of those heart /cardio related deaths ;(

relatively more compared to using other antipyscho drug