• Select Your Topic Then Scroll Down
    Alcohol Bupe Benzos
    Cocaine Heroin Opioids
    RCs Stimulants Misc
    Harm Reduction All Topics Gabapentinoids
    Tired of your habit? Struggling to cope?
    Want to regain control or get sober?
    Visit our Recovery Support Forums

Benzos Benzos + Anti-psychotics. Safe?

jobe28

Bluelighter
Joined
Apr 5, 2011
Messages
261
Location
QLD, Australia
Hi guys. I was wondering if anyone knows if mixing Benzodiazepines (Xanax in particular) with anti-psychotics (Clozapine) is safe or not?

Ive done a bit of googling and i found some people saying its fine and others saying it can be dangerous depending on the dose of anti-psychotics.

Can anyone offer any scientific explanation for the danger/safety of this combination.

Im taking 400mg of clozapine (which apparently is pretty low according to a psychiatrist i spoke to).

I would be looking at taking a small dose of xanax too.
 
According to a medical book I have on prescription drugs, it says that CNS depressants may have a toxic effect on the central nervous system if combined with clozapine. Nothing specifically about benzodiazepines though.
 
According to a medical book I have on prescription drugs, it says that CNS depressants may have a toxic effect on the central nervous system if combined with clozapine. Nothing specifically about benzodiazepines though.
I thought it might. The main thing i was worried about is respiratory failure or whatever. I know alcohol doesnt mix with benzos. Might be the same for clozapine.
 
^Without pretending to have any actual knowledge about exactly what combining these two drugs would do, common sense would tell you that they'd probably potentiate each other to a degree that would make functioning difficult!

Of course it's dose dependent, everything is....but without having the time to research this myself, I'd tell you to be very careful! My gut feeling tells me that mixing them would be possible to do safely, but until you have concrete facts about how to proceed with this, it would be wise to hold off!

Also, I don't see any good reason for combining these two drugs....
 
I have never been on clozapine but i have had clonazepam as well as lorazepam, Valium, temazepam and the Z-hypnotic zopiclone prescribed to me right alongside the anti-psychotics quetiapine, olanzapine, risperidone, chlorpromazine, prochlorperazine and methotrimeprazine aka levomepromazine. I have heard clozapine is a pretty sedating anti-psychotic but i doubt it is more sedating then methotrimeprazine which is so sedating that it makes seroquel and largactil look like dextroamphetamine.

It's not uncommon at all here for a doctor to prescribe a benzo such as clonazepam right alongside a anti-psychotic such as quetiapine or olanzapine to help control the manic part of bipolar disorder. In fact right now i am prescribed 6mg's of clonazepam a day along with 200mg's of lamotrigine and 300-400mg's of quetiapine to control my bipolar disorder. I am also prescribed 150mg's of morphine SR for chronic pain. Yet despite all the sedatives i am not sedated at all :p

I would say to take a very small dose of Xanax such as 0.25mg's first to see how it affects you. The thing you have to worry about is respiratory depression and although this combo is much less risky then combining alcohol or opiates with a anti-psychotic it is far better to be safe then sorry. Or dead :\
 
Yeah. I know psychiatrists often give benzos alongside anti-psychotics. But I guess they are closely monitoring the dose.

Anyway, Im gonna avoid taking the combination. Its not really worth it so meh.
 
Top