Fazaclo ODT (Clozapine)
To comply with Canadian International Pharmacy Association regulations you are permitted to order a 3-month supply or the closest package size available based on your personal prescription. read more
Clozapine Information
(kloe' za peen)
Clozapine can cause a serious blood condition. Your doctor will order certain lab tests before you start your treatment, during your treatment, and for at least 4 weeks after your treatment. Your doctor will order the lab tests once a week at first and may order the tests less often as your treatment continues. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: extreme tiredness; weakness; fever, sore throat, chills, or other signs of flu or infection; unusual vaginal discharge or itching; sores in your mouth or throat; wounds that take a long time to heal; pain or burning while urinating; sores or pain in or around your rectal area; or abdominal pain. Because of the risks with this medication, clozapine is available only through a special restricted distribution program. A program has been set up by the manufacturers of clozapine to be sure that people do not take clozapine without the necessary monitoring called the Clozapine Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) Program. Your doctor and your pharmacist must be registered with the Clozapine REMS program, and your pharmacist will not dispense your medication unless he or she has received the results of your blood tests. Ask your doctor for more information about this program and how you will receive your medication. Clozapine may cause seizures. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had seizures. Do not drive a car, operate machinery, swim, or climb while taking clozapine, because if you suddenly lose consciousness, you could harm yourself or others. Clozapine may cause myocarditis (swelling of the heart muscle that may be dangerous) or cardiomyopathy (enlarged or thickened heart muscle that stops the heart from pumping blood normally). If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately: extreme tiredness; flu like symptoms; difficulty breathing or fast breathing; fever; chest pain; or fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeat. Clozapine may cause dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting when you stand up, especially when you first start taking it or when your dose is increased. Tell your doctor if you have or have had a heart attack, heart failure, or a slow, irregular heartbeat or are taking medications for high blood pressure. Also tell your doctor if you have severe vomiting or diarrhea or signs of dehydration now, or if you develop these symptoms at any time during your treatment. Your doctor will probably start you on a low dose of clozapine and gradually increase your dose to give your body time to adjust to the medication and decrease the chance that you will experience this side effect. Talk to your doctor if you do not take clozapine for 2 days or longer. Your doctor will probably tell you to restart your treatment with a low dose of clozapine. Use in Older Adults: Studies have shown that older adults with dementia (a brain disorder that affects the ability to remember, think clearly, communicate, and perform daily activities and that may cause changes in mood and personality) who take antipsychotics (medications for mental illness) such as clozapine have an increased chance of death during treatment.- Make sure the cap is tight on the oral suspension container by turning the cap clockwise (to the right). Shake the bottle up and down for 10 seconds before use.
- Remove the bottle cap by pushing down on the cap, then turn it counterclockwise (to the left). The first time you open a new bottle, push the adaptor into the bottle until the top of the adaptor is lined up with the top of the bottle.
- If your dose is 1 mL or less, use the smaller (1 mL) oral syringe. If your dose is more than 1 mL, use the larger (9 mL) oral syringe.
- Fill the oral syringe with by air by drawing back the plunger. Then insert the open tip of the oral syringe into the adaptor. Push all the air from the oral syringe into the bottle by pushing down on the plunger.
- While holding the oral syringe in place, carefully turn the bottle upside down. Draw some of the medication out of the bottle into the oral syringe by pulling back on the plunger. Be careful not to pull the plunger all the way out.
- You will see a small amount of air near the end of the plunger in the oral syringe. Push on the plunger so the medication goes back into the bottle and the air disappears. Pull back on the plunger to draw your correct medication dose into the oral syringe.
- While still holding the oral syringe in the bottle, carefully turn the bottle upwards so the syringe is on top. Remove the oral syringe from the bottle neck adaptor without pushing on the plunger. Take the medication right after you draw it into the oral syringe. Do not prepare a dose and store it in the syringe for later use.
- Place the open tip of the oral syringe into one side of your mouth. Tightly close your lips around the oral syringe and push on the plunger slowly as the liquid goes into your mouth. Swallow the medication slowly as it goes into your mouth.
- Leave the adaptor in the bottle. Place the cap back on the bottle and turn it clockwise (to the right) to tighten it.
- Rinse the oral syringe with warm tap water after each use. Fill a cup with water and place the tip of the oral syringe into the water in the cup. Pull back on the plunger and draw the water into the oral syringe. Push on the plunger to squirt the water into a sink or a separate container until the oral syringe is clean. Allow the oral syringe air dry and dispose of any leftover rinse water.
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Before taking clozapine,
- tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to clozapine, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in clozapine tablets. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.
- tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section and any of the following: antihistamines; cimetidine (Tagamet); antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and erythromycin (E.E.S., E-Mycin, others); bupropion (Aplenzin, Wellbutrin, Zyban, in Contrave); escitalopram (Lexapro); medications for high blood pressure, mental illness, or nausea; medications for irregular heartbeat such as encainide, flecainide, propafenone (Rythmol), and quinidine (in Nuedexta); oral contraceptives; medications for seizures such as carbamazepine (Equetro, Tegretol, Teril, others) or phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek); rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, in Rifamate, in Rifater); sedatives; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as duloxetine (Cymbalta), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem, Selfemra, others), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Brisdelle, Paxil, Pexeva), and sertraline (Zoloft); sleeping pills; terbinafine (Lamisil); and tranquilizers. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
- tell your doctor what herbal products you are taking, especially St. John's wort.
- in addition to the condition listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family has ever had a prolonged QT interval (a rare heart problem that may cause irregular heartbeat, fainting, or sudden death); or if you have or have ever had problems with your urinary system or prostate (a male reproductive gland); dyslipidemia (high cholesterol levels); paralytic ileus (condition in which food cannot move through the intestine); glaucoma; high or low blood pressure; trouble keeping your balance; or heart, kidney, lung, or liver disease; or if you or anyone in your family has or has ever had diabetes. Also tell your doctor if you have ever had to stop taking a medication for mental illness because of severe side effects.
- tell your doctor if you are pregnant, especially if you are in the last few months of your pregnancy, or if you plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking clozapine, call your doctor. Clozapine may cause problems in newborns following delivery if it is taken during the last months of pregnancy.
- if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking clozapine.
- you should know that alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this medication.
- tell your doctor if you use tobacco products. Cigarette smoking may decrease the effectiveness of this medication.
- you should know that you may experience hyperglycemia (increases in your blood sugar) while you are taking this medication, even if you do not already have diabetes. If you have schizophrenia, you are more likely to develop diabetes than people who do not have schizophrenia, and taking clozapine or similar medications may increase this risk. Tell your doctor immediately if you have any of the following symptoms while you are taking clozapine: extreme thirst, frequent urination, extreme hunger, blurred vision, or weakness. It is very important to call your doctor as soon as you have any of these symptoms, because high blood sugar can cause a serious condition called ketoacidosis. Ketoacidosis may become life-threatening if it is not treated at an early stage. Symptoms of ketoacidosis include: dry mouth, nausea and vomiting, shortness of breath, breath that smells fruity, and decreased consciousness.
- if you have phenylketonuria (PKU, an inherited condition in which a special diet must be followed to prevent mental retardation), you should know that the orally disintegrating tablets contain aspartame that forms phenylalanine.
- drowsiness
- dizziness, feeling unsteady, or having trouble keeping your balance
- increased salivation
- constipation
- dry mouth
- restlessness
- headache
- shaking hands that you cannot control
- seizures
- fainting
- falling
- difficulty urinating or loss of bladder control
- confusion
- changes in vision
- shakiness
- severe muscle stiffness
- sweating
- confusion
- changes in behavior
- unusual bleeding or bruising
- loss of appetite
- upset stomach
- yellowing of the skin or eyes
- pain in the upper right part of the stomach
- lack of energy
The content on this page is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute professional medical advice. Patients should not use the information presented on this page for diagnosing a health-related issue or disease. Before taking any medication or supplements, patients should always consult a physician or qualified healthcare professional for medical advice or information about whether a drug is safe, appropriate or effective.