Clozapine

[Dede65]

Clozapine . My doctor wants me to try it but it’s a schizophrenic drug that can lower your white blood cell count and is for hallucinations but can create hallucinations which I don’t have. You need Weekly blood draws. Has anyone used this for tremors or stiffness?

[Dede65]

He says for my Parkinsons tremors and stiffness.

[park_bear]

"Clozapine is associated with a relatively high risk of low white blood cells (agranulocytosis), a condition of suppressed immunity which may result in death."

Have you tried any levodopa preparations or any other Parkinson's medications, and if so what were the results? How severe are your symptoms?

Clozapine has been prescribed for treatment resistant tremors. Given the adverse effects it should be regarded as a last resort. Here is a review with some recent case reports:

movementdisorders.org/MDS/J...

[Jackundmicky]

I have also been recommended Clozapin to get rid of the tremors. I was recommended this by one if the most renowned and experienced Neurologists in Germany. This use of Clozapine is at a much lower dosis than for Schizophrenia. The problem is that many patients Tremor is not controllable with Levodopa. I have met several other patients whose Parkinson’s tremor was controlled successfully with Clozapine , I still am hesitant but the suggestion is not so weird.

[movinngroovin1]

I have taken it for sleep for 12 years. No problems yet!

[PDWife60]

Your doctor prescribed Clozapine, not Clonazepam? My husband does not take Clozapine. His neurologist prescribed Klonopin (Clonazepam) seven years ago. He was acting out his dreams, injuring himself, and being physically aggressive with me. The prescription moved to his sleep doctor after he was diagnosed with sleep apnea and REM disorder. He takes 1 mg / day at bedtime. Without it, I could not sleep with him...and I would worry constantly about him throwing himself out of bed.

[MarionP in reply to PDWife60]

Yes, clonazepam is the usual appropriate go-to for the things you mentioned. Clozapine is a whole different country.

[MarionP]

Clozaril (brand for clozapine) was, and since it is still around, is, very mean stuff. One of the original, if not the original, "atypical" anti-psychotic, developed to be an alternative to the generally permanent tardive dyskinesias created by the first line of antipsychotics, i.e. the thorazine/ phenothiazine branch of what at the time were called "typical" anti-psychotics. Clozaril came as the first of a "second generation" referred to as "atypicals."

But clozapine could be extremely rough on people. And you have to be ok with uncontrollable drooling, agranulocytosis (part of the destruction of your white cell infection-fighting supply) too.

It was never that popular even though it was very heavily-marketed with the psychiatric crowd because the complications and side effects and restrictive limits (you had to have frequent professional monitoring of your white cells for instance) were simply just too hard on patients.

Unless this medication is already your treatment of choice for a psychiatric condition, I'd challenge the doctor to try it on him/herself first and then report back. But if what you say is established successfully with low dose, perhaps you might chance it. Skeptical and slow though, for the risk of blood dyscrasias and infections due to the possibility of losing some of your infection-fighting blood cells.

[Dede65]

Thank you so much. I thought it was too risky.

[MarionP in reply to Dede65]

I did mention that low-dose might be another situation altogether and more research into that would be reasonable. If they have found a way to benefit your tremors without triggering the side effects found at schizophrenia-level doses, and if the effects are temporary, and reversible, it might be the thing. It occurs to me the wonders accomplished with tiny doses of botulism toxin and some forms of snake venom.

Didn't want to leave you with the impression that it is not appropriate at all...I still would do the research into the low-dose use put to you, wouldn't want to deprive you of something that you would think is helpful. Important to know whether, at low dose, the side effects are reversible. Very important because then you could consider trying it. Because you must know what they were able to do with low dose botulinum toxin...lots.

So ask the questions, do your own searching at your local medical library or assign your public librarian to help you with accessing current abstracts at the very least and bring them to your doctor to in turn shop around to colleagues...and liberally remind said doctor about that little "do no harm" oath.