My son is starting this med today. When will we see the effects of the drug?
Clozapine - How long does it take to have an effect?
Question posted by beast99 on 19 April 2011
Last updated on 28 February 2018
Answers
Psyched
19 April 2011
Beast99,
Clozaril (clozapine) usually starts to show signs of affect in about 1-2 weeks. That is an interesting medication, may I ask what your son's diagnosis is and his age. If you don't feel like posting it here, you can always click on my name and select ask a private question. I work at a psych hospital and I have some experience with this medication if you have any further questions.
Inactive
19 April 2011
Hello, and God Bless you Psyched.
Psyched
19 April 2011
Thanks Maso, and you as well. I just feel like we should all try and help our fellow man whenever and however we can.
Inactive
19 April 2011
Psyched, I most certainly agree with you... amigo.
beast99
20 April 2011
My son is 18. He is diagnosed with psychosis and depression.
beast99
20 April 2011
Any insight you can give me would be helpful.
thank you
Psyched
20 April 2011
Beast99,
Clozapine is an antipsychotic that's used to manage psychotic symptoms in schizophrenics and also to help people with recurrent suicidal behavior; consequently, it is used to treat bipolar disorder and stop tremors in Parkinson's patients. That's why I had asked what your son's diagnosis was. What you should be aware of is that this med is usually only used when most other antipsychotics have not be helpful because it interacts with a lot of other drugs, especially over-the-counter medications and other central nervous system depressants (including alcohol). If your son needs to take anything over-the-counter, make sure you check with his doctor before giving him anything. It takes about 1-2 weeks before you notice any real changes. Finally, do not stop clozaril abruptly because it can cause extrapyrimidal symptoms (tremors, uncontrolled shaking, odd facial movements, etc.)...
if he needs to get off of the medication, it's usually tapered off over a 1-2 week period. Hope this helps and I hope your son gets better. Remember, your son's illness not only affects him but everyone else in the household too. Don't keep your frustrations and emotions bottled up either. It's okay to want to get your son well, but you have to care for yourself as well. If you feel like you need someone to talk to, ask his doctor if there are any support groups for families with members suffering from your son's illness. Sometimes just knowing that you're not alone in all of this can get you through tough times. Take care.
ablueyedsissy
28 Feb 2018
Psyched, can you elaborate on Clozaril being an interesting med ? Do you know if this comes in injectable form and wondering what side effects you have noticed the most in your observations.Seriously thinking about the switch but the dr keeps saying it's a dangerous med (?)
Psyched
28 Feb 2018
Ablueyedsissy,
I meant that it is interesting because it seems to work well mostly for those who other treatments have failed. Your doctor is probably hesitant about prescribing it to you because it does have a lot of interaction between many over the counter meds and also central nervous system depressants like alcohol. It is available as an injection; however, doctors prefer to prescribe it orally.
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Further information
- Clozapine uses and safety info
- Clozapine prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Clozapine (detailed)
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