Leponex
Leponex is a medication used to treat schizophrenia when other medicines haven't worked, and also for severe thought and behavior problems in Parkinson's disease.
Form
tabletti
Strength
100 mg
Active Ingredient
Clozapine
Manufacturer
Viatris Oy
How to Use
Dosage
For schizophrenia, the usual starting dose is 12.5 mg (half of a 25 mg tablet) once or twice daily at first, then 25 mg once or twice on the second day. The dose is gradually increased to 300 mg. For Parkinson's-related issues, the starting dose is 12.5 mg in the evening.
Method
Swallow the tablet whole with water.
Important
For schizophrenia, the maximum daily dose is 900 mg. For Parkinson's-related thought problems, the maximum daily dose is 100 mg.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Severe constipation (requires medical attention to avoid other problems).
- •Fast heartbeat.
- •Drowsiness.
- •Dizziness.
- •Increased saliva production.
- •Cold symptoms, fever, flu-like symptoms, sore throat, or other signs of infection (may require urgent blood test).
- •Seizures or sudden fainting with muscle weakness.
- •High white blood cell count.
- •Weight gain.
- •Blurred vision.
- •Headache.
- •Tremor, stiffness, restlessness, muscle twitching, abnormal movements, difficulty starting movement or staying still.
- •Changes in heart ECG, high blood pressure.
- •Weakness or feeling strange/unreal after changing body position.
- •Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, dry mouth.
- •Urinary incontinence, difficulty urinating.
- •Tiredness, fever, increased sweating, increased temperature, slurred speech.
RARE
- •Sudden high temperature and stiff muscles leading to unconsciousness (Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome). This is a serious side effect requiring immediate care.
- •Strange, unreal feeling, dizziness, or fainting when standing up (may increase risk of falls).
- •Lack of white blood cells (agranulocytosis).
- •Speech disorder (e.g., stuttering).
- •Symptoms of respiratory infection, pneumonia (fever, cough, difficulty breathing, wheezing).
- •Severe, burning upper abdominal pain radiating to the back with nausea and vomiting (from pancreatitis).
- •Fainting and muscle weakness due to a big drop in blood pressure.
- •Difficulty swallowing.
- •Nausea, vomiting, and/or loss of appetite (doctor must check liver).
- •Signs of gaining weight or increased obesity.
- •Breathing pauses during sleep, possibly with snoring.
- •Low red blood cell count (anemia).
- •Restlessness, agitation, confusion, delirium.
- •Irregular heartbeat, inflammation of the heart muscle or sac, fluid in the heart sac.
- •High blood sugar, diabetes.
- •Blood clot in the lungs (pulmonary embolism).
- •Liver inflammation (hepatitis), liver disease causing yellow skin/dark urine/itching.
- •High blood creatinine kinase levels.
- •Persistent, painful erection (priapism) lasting over 4 hours (requires immediate medical attention).
- •Spontaneous bleeding or bruising (may indicate low platelet count).
- •Symptoms of poor blood sugar control (nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, thirst, frequent urination, confusion).
- •Abdominal pain, cramps, swelling, vomiting, constipation, and difficulty passing gas (signs of bowel obstruction).
- •Loss of appetite, abdominal swelling/pain, yellow skin, severe weakness/illness (signs of serious liver disease, potentially liver failure).
- •Nausea, vomiting, tiredness or weight loss (may be symptoms of kidney inflammation).
- •Increased platelet count, which can lead to blood clots.
- •Involuntary movements of the mouth, tongue, or limbs.
- •Obsessive thoughts and repetitive behaviors (OCD symptoms).
- •Skin reactions, swelling in front of the ear.
- •Difficulty breathing.
- •Very high levels of triglycerides or cholesterol in the blood.
- •Heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy), cardiac arrest, sudden and unexplained death.
- •Changes in brain activity (EEG).
- •Diarrhea, uncomfortable feeling in stomach, heartburn, stomach pain after meals.
- •Muscle weakness, muscle spasms, muscle pain, joint pain, muscle pain with fever and weakness (lupus-like symptoms).
- •Nasal congestion.
- •Bedwetting.
- •Sudden uncontrolled rise in blood pressure.
- •Uncontrolled twisting of the body to one side.
- •Ejaculation disorder in men (semen enters bladder instead of exiting penis, known as dry orgasm or retrograde ejaculation).
- •Rash, purplish-red spots, fever or itching due to blood vessel inflammation, change in skin color, 'butterfly rash' on face.
- •Diarrhea due to colon inflammation, abdominal pain, fever.
- •Restless legs syndrome (irresistible urge to move legs or arms, especially at night, relieved by movement).
- •Crushing chest pain, pressure or tightness in chest (pain radiating to left arm, jaw, neck, upper abdomen), shortness of breath, sweating, weakness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, palpitations (signs of heart attack), which can be fatal. Seek immediate medical help.
- •Pressure in chest, heaviness, tightness, burning or choking feeling (signs of insufficient blood flow and oxygen to heart muscle), which can be fatal. Your doctor needs to check your heart.
- •Intermittent 'thumping' or 'fluttering' feeling in chest (palpitations). Fast and irregular heartbeats (atrial fibrillation). Occasional palpitations, fainting, shortness of breath, or uncomfortable feeling in chest. Your doctor needs to check your heart.
- •Symptoms of low blood pressure like feeling faint, dizziness, fainting, blurred vision, unusual tiredness, cold sweats, or nausea.
- •Symptoms of blood clots, especially in leg veins (swelling, pain, redness in legs). These can travel to the lungs, causing chest pain and breathing difficulty.
- •Confirmed or suspected infection with fever or low temperature, fast breathing, fast heart rate, changes in awareness, low blood pressure (sepsis/blood poisoning).
- •Heavy sweating, headache, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (cholinergic syndrome symptoms).
- •Severely reduced urine output (sign of kidney failure).
- •Allergic reaction (swelling mostly in face, mouth, throat, and swollen tongue, painful or itchy).
- •Loss of appetite, abdominal swelling/pain, yellow skin, severe weakness/illness. These may be signs of severe liver diseases, including liver failure which can be fatal, liver damage, and liver transplant.
- •Burning upper abdominal pain (especially between meals, early morning, or after acidic drinks); tar-like, black, or bloody stools; bloating, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, early fullness (stomach/intestinal ulcers), which can be fatal.
- •Severe abdominal pain intensified by movement, nausea, vomiting (including bloody or coffee-ground vomit); stiff abdomen with rebound tenderness spreading from perforation point; fever and/or chills (intestinal perforation or ruptured bowel), which can be fatal.
- •Constipation, abdominal pain, tenderness, fever, bloating, bloody diarrhea. These can be signs of megacolon (enlarged bowel) or blood clots in intestinal vessels (intestinal infarction/ischemia/necrosis), which can be fatal. Your doctor needs to examine you.
- •Sharp chest or abdominal pain with shortness of breath, with or without cough or fever.
- •Extremely intense and severe skin reactions, such as blistering rash, with or without eosinophilia (DRESS syndrome). Skin irritation, swelling, fever, and flu-like symptoms may occur. These symptoms usually appear 2-6 weeks after starting treatment.
Important Warnings
- Do not take Leponex if you are allergic to clozapine or any other ingredients.
- Do not take Leponex if you cannot have regular blood tests, or have ever had a low white blood cell count (unless caused by cancer treatment).
- Do not take Leponex if treatment was stopped before due to serious side effects like a severe drop in white blood cells or heart problems.
- Do not take Leponex if you are using or have used other long-acting antipsychotic injections.
- Do not take Leponex if you have or have ever had bone marrow disease.
Show 10 more warnings
- Do not take Leponex if your epilepsy (seizures) is not controlled.
- Do not take Leponex if you are very drowsy or unconscious.
- Do not take Leponex if you have severe heart, kidney, or liver disease (including symptoms like yellow skin or eyes, nausea, poor appetite).
- Do not take Leponex if you have paralytic ileus (bowel paralysis) or severe constipation.
- Do not take Leponex if you are taking medicines that stop your bone marrow from working normally or reduce white blood cells.
- Contact your doctor immediately if you get chills, fever, flu-like symptoms, or a sore throat. You might need an urgent blood test.
- Contact your doctor immediately if you suddenly get a rapid high temperature and stiff muscles, which can lead to unconsciousness (neuroleptic malignant syndrome). This is a serious side effect requiring immediate treatment.
- Contact your doctor immediately if your heartbeat is fast or irregular, even at rest, or if you feel palpitations, have trouble breathing, chest pain, or unexplained tiredness. Your heart needs to be checked.
- Contact your doctor immediately if you feel nauseous, vomit, or have a poor appetite. Your liver needs to be checked.
- Contact your doctor immediately if you have severe constipation, abdominal pain, tenderness in the abdomen, fever, swelling, or bloody diarrhea. This requires medical treatment to prevent complications.