chimpmaster Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Well, I have been on clozapine for around 7 weeks now: i think. I am also on prozac. I was feeling pretty good up until a week ago. My question is: how do you tell the difference between depression, negative symptoms of schizophrenia & the sedating effects of meds? They all have similar side effects. Either ive pooped out on prozac, need more clozapine or something else Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt07 Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 Hi, I think sedation would have been constant and present at the beginning of treatment rather than beginning just a week ago. Negative symptoms of schizophrenia ... that's a tough one. For example, my depression presents almost exactly like negative symptoms of schizophrenia, but I have absolutely no positive symptoms so they say that I have depression. I have often thought that mental illness is on a spectrum with depression on one end and schizophrenia on the other so that depression is related directly to the negative symptoms of schizophrenia. But this is just my hypothesis. Nobody else thinks so. I think only your pdoc can tell the difference. My guess would be that it's the Prozac, but I'm not a doctor. Anyway, I wish you luck and hope you are feeling better soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SashaSue Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 I agree that if it was med induced sedation, it probably would have shown up before now. Just thinking about it pragmatically, increasing clozaril is the easiest thing to do, and will kick in the fastest. And it's not impossible that a clozaril increase might help either depression or negative symptoms. So I'd try that first, then think about either increasing or changing your ad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NullChamber Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 i think thats the kind of question that only a good pdoc can answer. or someone who's both extremely knowledgable about drugs/conditions and has experience with schizophrenia. very tough question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneMarie Posted April 4, 2011 Share Posted April 4, 2011 That's tough. I've been dealing with something similar but not schiz, another illness instead. It's a confusing tangle to unknot. I'm sorry you have stuff like this to sort out. In the meantime, go see you pdoc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimpmaster Posted April 4, 2011 Author Share Posted April 4, 2011 Thanks for the replies guys. I see my p-doc on thursday so I will ask him then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blart752 Posted April 5, 2011 Share Posted April 5, 2011 Yeah this is a tough one, if you eliminate the diazepam(if you could) then that would make it easier. I'm not advising you to do so, but i find when i discontinue my klonopin, i can tell which med is doing what more frequently, because of two things, the benzo kind of depresses me a bit, and also, when i stop taking it, i get an anxious rebound. assuming you've been on prozac longer than the clozaril, i would say that it most likely is the clozaril, but it's a tough one, so talk to your doctor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chimpmaster Posted April 7, 2011 Author Share Posted April 7, 2011 Well I had my p-doc appointment today, and he confirmed that the lack of motivation and drowsiness was most likely from the clozapine. He cut my dosage from 225mg-->200mg. We will see what happens next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneMarie Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Good things. May good things happen next. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SashaSue Posted April 7, 2011 Share Posted April 7, 2011 Oh good. I hope that does the trick! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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