Saturday 7 July 2012

Clozaril Details: The Beginning

I emerged from hospital last week, after 5 weeks on Clozaril. There is not much to say, actually, because I have only had side effects so far and am not on a therapeutic dose yet, according to the doctor.

I have felt really tired, sleeping till the afternoon, sometimes feeling faint walking about (like my blood sugar levels were affected). I had high readings for blood pressure and pulse, but that only meant that they raised the clozaril dosage slowly to be more easily accepted. I had one "amber" result but it was only a very little way under the green barrier, so I was okay to keep taking the medicine.
I noticed it made my speech slurred and disordered - I really noticed it upsetting my communication. Also my memory was affected - I had trouble remembering if I had already told someone something, in conversation, or remembering if I had done something that had happened the day before.

The speech and memory problems are not so bad now. I am still having problems of feeling faint when walking around. Last night I slept from around 11:30pm to 4:45 pm today (over sixteen hours).

Also "drooling" while asleep. And wetting the bed once (about day 3) - which is a side effect, I was told.


So that's some detail on the medicine, which I have been told is "life changing", and a "wonder drug". It hasn't started working yet! But the doctor said I could carry on noticing change for up to a year after starting. At least I have got through the hospitalisation. I coped by going to the hospital cafe every day, and enjoying the sights of the surrounding hills. And reading and writing. And I made some good connections in there with staff and patients. It really reminded me how very ill I was when I was hospitalised before, in 2008, because no one there really seemed as ill when I was in last time.


So there you go! Clozaril: not so scary or difficult, and hope for change.