Posted by yxibow on March 1, 2008, at 23:31:51
In reply to xanax has unbelievable affect, posted by jgmw on February 28, 2008, at 19:48:14
> my sister is a rapid-cycle bi-polar with psychotic features (when manic). She did not respond to many medications, so after years of searching, we came to clozaril. It works GREAT for her! It's been about 10 years now. Every once in a while she goes down on the medication to try to lose weight (gained from the medicine). She takes a relatively small amount for stabilization (200mg at night only). Everytime she goes down on her med, she becomes delutional, hears voices, can't sleep for days, is anxious, etc... TAkes her 6 weeks to recover (the voices last the longest). She just recently did it again, went down on her med. I noticed she exibited alot of the symtoms that I had when I had a axniety breakdown (no delutions or psychosis), so I gave her .25mg of xanax once in the afternoon for 5 days. We titrated back up to her normal Clozaril level (this has never gotten immediate results in the past). But, 3 days into xanax, all her delutions and voices, everything was gone and she was completely normal again. I am completely floored. I don't know what to make of it, and neither does her psych. Anybody have any answers to this. Is she miss-diagnosed, or could her condition somehow changed?
Generally benzodiazepines are contraindicated with Clozaril.However small scale studies have shown that Valium can help in schizophreniform disorders.
Perhaps the Xanax is helping in that way, or maybe its helping in a completely different way.
I just noticed that -you- gave her the Xanax. Be careful. As I said, benzodiazepines are contraindicated with Clozaril because of CNS depressant (coma and respiratory depression, i.e. lung collapse) possibilities.
As drugs.com says:
[!!]
"alprazolam and clozapine (Major Drug-Drug)
MONITOR CLOSELY: Benzodiazepines and clozapine may have additive effects on respiratory and cardiovascular function. Ataxia, excessive salivation, hypotension, collapse, respiratory depression, respiratory arrest, loss of consciousness, cardiac arrest, and sudden death have been reported. The mechanism is unknown and causality has not been clearly determined.MANAGEMENT: Caution is advised if concurrent therapy is necessary. Vital signs should be closely monitored."
poster:yxibow
thread:815259
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080221/msgs/815659.html