remedy48 Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 What antipsychotics are offered in Canada? I'd like to know both the typical and atypical ones. I'd just like to know all of my options because my pdoc wants me on clozapine but I would rather try something different first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tryp Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Definitely seroquel, risperdal and olanzapine. I think aripiprazole (Abilify) just came out here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
remedy48 Posted November 9, 2009 Author Share Posted November 9, 2009 Definitely seroquel, risperdal and olanzapine. I think aripiprazole (Abilify) just came out here. I've tried everyone except for abilify. That was actually the one on the top of my list to try but I wasn't sure it was out in Canada or not. I trust your input tryp but I'll have to double check anyways to make sure that abilify is out in Canada. Thx. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
remedy48 Posted November 9, 2009 Author Share Posted November 9, 2009 Sorry tryp but I think that you can only get abilify if you go through the special access program of health Canada. At least that is what my nurse told me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tryp Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 I thought I read an article about it being released, but I guess it's restricted access like you said. You could always try that, if the situation really is that desperate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
remedy48 Posted November 10, 2009 Author Share Posted November 10, 2009 I could try it yes. But its very expensive and my disability won't cover it. My parents drug plan wouldn't cover it either. But I'll talk to my pdoc about it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarn Posted November 10, 2009 Share Posted November 10, 2009 Geodon (Ziprasidone) and Invega (Paliperidone) are also offered in Canada, though I find Invega generally has to be ordered by the pharmacy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
remedy48 Posted November 10, 2009 Author Share Posted November 10, 2009 I've tried both of those. Geodon I reached to the maximum dosage but had an awful side effect so I couldn't continue it. Invega I could only reach 3mg and then I would get akathesia. So that never worked for me. I've tried every atypical except for clozapine that is offered in Canada. What I would like to know is what typical antipsychotics are offered in Canada besides Haldol and Stelazine for I've tried those and they both gave me extrapyramidal symptoms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted November 11, 2009 Share Posted November 11, 2009 In Canada: chlorpromazine ("Thorazine") haloperidol ("Haldol") thiothixene ("Navane") fluphenazine ("Prolixin") trifluoperazine ("Stelazine") prochlorperazine ("Compazine") loxapine ("Loxitane") pimozide ("Orap") perphenazine ("Tilafon") And atypicals: olanzapine ("Zyprexa") quietiapine ("Seroquel") clozapine ("Clozaril") risperidone ("Risperdal") ziprasidone ("Zeldox") paliperidone ("Invega") Thioridizine ("Mellaril") dissappeared a few years ago (a typical). I've seen patients have excellent results with clozapine, and unlike all of the above, the incidence of EPS and tardive dyskinesia is observed to be practically zero. Big downside with clozapine is the required blood testing because of agranulocytosis, but the new treatment protocol reduces the blood testing signicantly once you're stabilized on the medication for a while. My impression of the situation is that psychs would love to have everyone who needs an anti-psychotic on clozapine -- but they cannot simply because of the cost issue (expensive med -- $3/100mg, and most use 600-800mg/day, weekly blood testing, etc.). Basically, its a $1500-$2500/month treatment in a health care system that is really strapped for dollars, compared with, for instance, Haldol, which, even at a high dose, and even with adjunctive meds for EPS, doesn't cost more than $200/month. Bottom line: if the doc offers you clozapine, take it. Properly monitored, its less dangerous the alternatives, causes less weight gain than the other atypicals, and is overall, safer. Not reacting well to other medications isn't your fault -- lots of people try every medicine in the book until they find one that works well for them, and clozapine has produced a lot of miracles over the years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cairn Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Some medications have been discontinued in Canada. See: Products Discontinued from the Market Since Publication of the 2000 CPS http://www.pharmacists.ca/content/hcp/tools/drugnews/discontinued.htm For example, they list: Haldol (Janssen-Ortho). haloperidol. 2002 Haldol LA (Janssen-Ortho). haloperidol decanoate. 2000 I don't know if that means Haldol is not available at all, though. Perhaps there are other brands. In any case, you can always purchase what you need once you have a prescription from a compounding pharmacy, though you will pay for it. There is at least one in most cities and I'm sure you could order from one of these if there isn't one near by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
remedy48 Posted November 12, 2009 Author Share Posted November 12, 2009 Wow now I know every option in Canada thanks Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 I don't know if that means Haldol is not available at all, though. Perhaps there are other brands. Yup, there's at least 3 generic vendors of haloperidol tablets (in all doses) and IM injection, in addition to the decanoate LA injection. Dirt cheap too (10-15 cents a dose!). Many of the Canadian drug plans won't cover the $800-$900 cost of Risperdal Consta per month, so the haloperidol depot injection is what's used when depot medication is indicated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkP Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Wow now I know every option in Canada thanks Mark Yeah a lot of those medicines are just variations on the phenothiazine class of meds. An experienced psychiatrist will usually be able to make a pretty good guess whether or not a different medication would be worse or better considering your side effects. Compazine (prochlorperazine) is used extensively as an anti-nausea drug and not often for schizophrenic psychosis, but it could be prescribed for psychosis. But clozapine is pretty much the med to be on, if you can be compliant with its requirements and its offered to you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mejeba Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 In Canada: I've seen patients have excellent results with clozapine, and unlike all of the above, the incidence of EPS and tardive dyskinesia is observed to be practically zero. Big downside with clozapine is the required blood testing because of agranulocytosis, but the new treatment protocol reduces the blood testing signicantly once you're stabilized on the medication for a while. My impression of the situation is that psychs would love to have everyone who needs an anti-psychotic on clozapine -- but they cannot simply because of the cost issue (expensive med -- $3/100mg, and most use 600-800mg/day, weekly blood testing, etc.). Basically, its a $1500-$2500/month treatment in a health care system that is really strapped for dollars, compared with, for instance, Haldol, which, even at a high dose, and even with adjunctive meds for EPS, doesn't cost more than $200/month. Bottom line: if the doc offers you clozapine, take it. Properly monitored, its less dangerous the alternatives, causes less weight gain than the other atypicals, and is overall, safer. Not reacting well to other medications isn't your fault -- lots of people try every medicine in the book until they find one that works well for them, and clozapine has produced a lot of miracles over the years. After a couple of yrs, maybe less, of good results from the blood tests, you can be reduced to once/month. A common problem with Clozapine is drooling and sedation. But once the 3 alarms get you out of bed, the rest of the day is clear-headed. The lowest theraputic dose is said to be 250 mg, even for constant psychosis, but if you take good care of your health, excercise, low stress, etc, you can rely less on the drug. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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