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Suggest Remedy For Chronic Lower Back Pain When On Clozapine
Question: I take clozapine 75mg at night and 50mg in the morning and I experience pain in the lower back, crushing pain I also believe that I was healed of my schzophrenia. I also take abilify 5mg in the morning too. Should the psychiatrist wean me of the clozapine on that basis?
Brief Answer:
Clozapine is found to be associated with backache in some studies.
Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking from HCM for your health related queries
I can understand your concern. Clozapine is a one of very good second generation anti-psychotic agent. The drug is used in resistant cases of schizophrenia or in patients with psychotic symptoms difficult to treat. In some cases reports the drug is found to cause burning lower back pain so the drug can be the cause for your backache. The incidence of back pain while on Cloazapine is not very high but it can cause pain by some unknown mechanisms. Inflammatory processes could be the reason of backache. High doses of about 300-400 mg per day are associated with increased risk of backache.
If you have been evaluated properly for backache and other causes have been ruled out then in such case you can discuss with your psychiatrist to reduce the doses or drug or to wean off the drug completely. Continue to take analgesics for relief of the pain till you get properly evaluated.
Thanks, Hope this helps you, please don't hesitate to ask again for more doubts. Take care.
Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi
MD Psychiatry
Clozapine is found to be associated with backache in some studies.
Detailed Answer:
Hello thanks for asking from HCM for your health related queries
I can understand your concern. Clozapine is a one of very good second generation anti-psychotic agent. The drug is used in resistant cases of schizophrenia or in patients with psychotic symptoms difficult to treat. In some cases reports the drug is found to cause burning lower back pain so the drug can be the cause for your backache. The incidence of back pain while on Cloazapine is not very high but it can cause pain by some unknown mechanisms. Inflammatory processes could be the reason of backache. High doses of about 300-400 mg per day are associated with increased risk of backache.
If you have been evaluated properly for backache and other causes have been ruled out then in such case you can discuss with your psychiatrist to reduce the doses or drug or to wean off the drug completely. Continue to take analgesics for relief of the pain till you get properly evaluated.
Thanks, Hope this helps you, please don't hesitate to ask again for more doubts. Take care.
Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi
MD Psychiatry
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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