My mother is around 55. And she is having auditory hallucinations and anxiety that someone is going to kill her. Sometimes she imagines her dead father is visiting her. And she doesn't want to stay in her house and believes she is constantly doing things wrong. She is prescribed: olanzapine 5 mg for 6 days then 10 mg for another 14 days. Daily one time in night. And clonazepam 0.5 mg for 6 days. Then stop it when you can sleep without the medicine. Is it fine? Does it going to cause any side effects? Is antipsychotic is going to make her emotionless? Or any organ damage? And after 6 days can I suddenly stop clonazepam? Is it dangerous? Please reply.

Dr. Saranya DevanathanPsychiatrist52yrs exp

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Dear Jasmine, Have faith in your doctor. Do you think that your mother will be better with tablets or with hallucinations and delusions? In her case, the side effects outweighs the benefits. Give it and see whether she has any side effect. Many persons on these tablets don't get any side effect at all. If they sleep more, it is a beneficial side effect! She may be able to sleep without clonazepam, if her hallucinations and delusions come under control. Olanzapine will act to that benefit. It will reduce only the negative emotions - not that she will be totally apathetic. Organ damage will not occur in such a short duration of tablets. Since clonazepam is only 0.5 mg, you can stop it suddenly. If you feel better, you can give it. only if necessary. If it is dangerous, do you think that your doctor would have given it to your mother without warning? 

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