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jeaniebird Posts: 103
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Last year I was on Clozaril and also getting ECT's. My memory and cognitive abilities just seemed to go on vacation. Sometimes I couldn't remember my own name. Also, I could hardly ever remember to finish a sentence! It was bad, really bad! All of my doctors have told me it couldn't be the Clozaril, it was probably the ECT's (electric shock therapy). And, of course, the ECT dr told me it was the clozaril! I finally found out that it has a less than a 1% chance to cause memory loss. I'm pretty sure I'm that 1 in 1,000,000 person! I recently shot myself, . . . long story short, I'm back on Clozaril but I told them I would not go back on ECT's. I started at a very low dose only 8 days ago and am already noticing some of the horrible symptoms it caused last time, like restless legs (that may sound like nothing bad, but it's excruciating! It only happens when trying to fall asleep!). But, I'm pretty damn sure I'm already forgetting stuff! I told my doc and he said I was just imagining it! So, I need to know if there is ANYONE out there that has experienced memory loss after taking clozaril??? "Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving."
Albert Einstein
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SpazyJess Posts: 3456
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I haven't even tried that med, but I have been curious about it as a possible option to help with auditory hallucinations. I'm sorry you are having bad side effects from it. I can't believe your p-doc said that! How can you be imagining the side effects you're having? If it were me, I'd be uncomfortable with that. I'd probably ask to be prescribed something else; maybe even start p-doc shopping again as well. A p-doc like that reminds me of some regular docs who say that to people sometimes. Post edited by: SpazyJess, at: 04/27/2009 08:57 AM "The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority."
~Kenneth Blanchard
"Minds arelike parachutes. They only function when they are open."
~Sir James Dewar
"I learned that it is the weak who are cruel, and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong."
~Leo Rosten
"Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
~Albert Einstein
"Fall down seven times, get up eight."
~Japanese Proverb
"Perfect does not exist in an imperfect world"
~Anonymous
**~~Jessy~~** |
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SpazyJess Posts: 3456
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"The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority."
~Kenneth Blanchard
"Minds arelike parachutes. They only function when they are open."
~Sir James Dewar
"I learned that it is the weak who are cruel, and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong."
~Leo Rosten
"Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
~Albert Einstein
"Fall down seven times, get up eight."
~Japanese Proverb
"Perfect does not exist in an imperfect world"
~Anonymous
**~~Jessy~~** |
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SpazyJess Posts: 3456
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I almost forgot to mention. I didn't read what the side effects of that med are, but even if it's not listed, you can still experience other side effects. The side effects listed are what people have reported. If I'm remembering correctly, I think you can go to the FDA website and report any side effect(s) you are experiencing that's not on the list. Post edited by: SpazyJess, at: 04/27/2009 08:47 AM "The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority."
~Kenneth Blanchard
"Minds arelike parachutes. They only function when they are open."
~Sir James Dewar
"I learned that it is the weak who are cruel, and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong."
~Leo Rosten
"Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
~Albert Einstein
"Fall down seven times, get up eight."
~Japanese Proverb
"Perfect does not exist in an imperfect world"
~Anonymous
**~~Jessy~~** |
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jeaniebird Posts: 103
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Stacey, Other people have told me they take it for auditory hallucinations and that it works well for them. But they didn't have my side effects. Thanks for finding that web site for me. I'll check it out as soon as I get this off to you. And thank you so much for telling me about the FDA. I never knew I could do that and have wanted to tell someone official about this because no one believes it's the Clozeril, just the severe down-turn my bipolar has taken! I feel like I'm that one in a million person and that it definitely should be noted. My memory was so bad that I could watch the same show over and over feeling like it was the very first time I had seen it. That was the only good part. But driving around town because I forgot where I was going, was quite annoying and not efficient! We sort of have a tradition we do at about 1 hour before bedtime: My 2 boys come get into bed with us and we watch shows we have on TIVO. Mostly "The Office," and "Scrubs". Those are our favorites, but I'll say, "Oooh! Let's watch that one!" Everyone, in unison, will say, "We watched that one last night!" They get quite annoyed at me a lot of the time. It's extremely frustrating to them, and also to me. Right now I am not 100% sure my memory is going again. I've only been on it for 9 days but I am already experiencing some of the other HORRIBLE side effects. Damn it. Honestly, I'm kinda hoping that it does happen again so I can tell the FDA. Also, I am pdoc shopping at present. The small list our insurance company provided only left us with 4 people that seem right for me. Hopefully I can find someone I like soon. I used to think I should wait up to a year if I didn't like someone. I figured it would only be polite and I should give them plenty of a chance to get to know me as well as me getting to know them. But I recently found out I should change docs or therapists right away if I feel uncomfortable with them. That was good to hear. Cause I've only been with this guy since . . . Wow! I think I have been seeing this guy for about a year already! I just don't remember anything from 2008. "Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving."
Albert Einstein |
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SpazyJess Posts: 3456
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No problem jeaniebird  Do you think you might be able to get prescribed something else if it takes awhile to find a different p-doc to see? If that's not possible, do you have any clinics near you where you can see another p-doc temporarily until you find a new one? "The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority."
~Kenneth Blanchard
"Minds arelike parachutes. They only function when they are open."
~Sir James Dewar
"I learned that it is the weak who are cruel, and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong."
~Leo Rosten
"Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
~Albert Einstein
"Fall down seven times, get up eight."
~Japanese Proverb
"Perfect does not exist in an imperfect world"
~Anonymous
**~~Jessy~~** |
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jeaniebird Posts: 103
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Actually, I'm receptive to trying Clozaril again. We've heard from other psychiatrists that Clozaril sounds like a good idea for my case. I do remember telling my husband that I felt the best I've ever felt on Clozaril. I liked it at first. The memory thing was the biggest problem and the reason I asked to stop it. It was a slow process getting off of it. Only decreasing 25mg a week until I got to zero. My pdoc told me to promise to stop lowering the dose if I ever felt bad or thinking bad thoughts. I promised. But I got off of it very gently and effectively. I told my pdoc 2 weeks after no Clozaril that I felt great! And I really did. So I thought it was a good thing. But . . . That was in November '08. Then I shot myself February 5th of this year. Long story, but now I'm trying Clozaril but no ECT's. No way! And the ECT doc told me to promise I'd come back to them if I felt bad or started going down hill again. I promised. But I change my mind now. I'm taking back that promise! "Every day I remind myself that my inner and outer life are based on the labors of other men, living and dead, and that I must exert myself in order to give in the same measure as I have received and am still receiving."
Albert Einstein |
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SpazyJess Posts: 3456
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As I say with most folks, whatever works for you  If you feel clozaril is working for you, as the saying goes: why fix something that isn't broke? Even though I haven't had an ECT, I don't blame you for feeling the way you do. I've hardly heard anything positive about that kind of treatment. And I used to work in the mental health field. One of the things I had to do was take a patient to get an ECT treatment. For this patient, she did poorly if she didn't have one every three weeks, but that was only for her case. I've thought about it for myself as a last resort, but the memory loss part is not appealing to me. Post edited by: SpazyJess, at: 04/27/2009 04:57 PM "The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority."
~Kenneth Blanchard
"Minds arelike parachutes. They only function when they are open."
~Sir James Dewar
"I learned that it is the weak who are cruel, and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong."
~Leo Rosten
"Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
~Albert Einstein
"Fall down seven times, get up eight."
~Japanese Proverb
"Perfect does not exist in an imperfect world"
~Anonymous
**~~Jessy~~** |
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neondreams Posts: 7297
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My pdoc recommended that I have ECT, but I can't due to my cochlear implants. If I didn't have implants, I would definitely give ECT a try. I know several people who had 6 treatments and are doing very well. All of them also said that memory loss wasn't a problem except when it came to the moments immediately before and after the procedure. Bipolar I with Rapid Cycling
Meds:
Geodon 120mg
Prozac 20mg
Trazodone 100mg
Klonopin .5mg |
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SpazyJess Posts: 3456
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With Neon's addition on ECT treatments, it goes to show that everybody is different. If some only experience memory loss before and after the treatment and the treatment works for them than that's fine in my opinion. But I'd be concerned if it's memory loss beyond that. And I am not entirely against ECT treatment b/c I have seen the treatment work (when I worked in the mental health field as a caseworker); I just haven't heard many positive reviews about the treatment. I'm pretty open minded and a firm believer in whatever works for you as long as it's healthy. What works for me, may not work for you. What works for you, may not work for someone else, etc. Post edited by: SpazyJess, at: 04/27/2009 06:45 PM "The key to successful leadership is influence, not authority."
~Kenneth Blanchard
"Minds arelike parachutes. They only function when they are open."
~Sir James Dewar
"I learned that it is the weak who are cruel, and that gentleness is to be expected only from the strong."
~Leo Rosten
"Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty."
~Albert Einstein
"Fall down seven times, get up eight."
~Japanese Proverb
"Perfect does not exist in an imperfect world"
~Anonymous
**~~Jessy~~** |
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