? Cyproheptadine

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Misterbeesmom

Misterbeesmom

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just started it. I'm not sure if its the medicine or something else but my cat isnt acting like himself so i though i'd ask if anyone here found their cat didnt do well on it.

I cant think of anything else different that would be causing him to be a little unhappy today. Just not purring, and a little 'off'. Its been 12 hours since i gave him the cypro so i think i'll skip it today and see if that changes anything.
 
Larry and Kitties said:
How much (mg) did you give? Yes, cyproheptadine can cause that type of behavior.
Did it increase appetite?
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I gave him 2mg. Vet said 4mg every 12 hours but i thought i'd start lower.

We're actually not taking it for appetite, but for seasonal allergies. We've used chlorpheniramine in the past with so-so results so i asked to try this. If it makes him spacey or feel badly, we'll go back to the chlor.
 
Misterbeesmom said:
I gave him 2mg. Vet said 4mg every 12 hours but i thought i'd start lower.
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That sort of dose might make him a bit groggy/depressed.

For appetite, my vet said it was OK to give 1/8 to 1/4 of a 4mg tablet every 8 hours (10lb/4.5kg cat). There might be a little snooziness for 30-60 minutes but that would wear off. Perhaps go back to your vet and ask about whether a smaller dose administered more frequently might be effective for the allergies but without causing the dip in mood?

For info, cyproheptadine is sometimes used in the treatment of depression in humans. I know that for many antidepressant drugs (e.g. SSRIs, tri/tetracyclics, SNRIs) patients need close monitoring in the first few weeks of treatment because depressive symptoms may initially worsen before the antidepressant benefits of the drugs start to manifest. It might be worth asking your vet about whether he has observed similar in other feline patients for whom he has prescribed cyproheptadine and whether the negative effects wear off as the patient gets used to the cypro (and maybe research online yourself to find human experiences of taking the drug - can provide helpful insights sometimes).


Mogs
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Critter Mom said:
That sort of dose might make him a bit groggy/depressed.

For appetite, my vet said it was OK to give 1/8 to 1/4 of a 4mg tablet every 8 hours (10lb/4.5kg cat). There might be a little snooziness for 30-60 minutes but that would wear off. Perhaps go back to your vet and ask about whether a smaller dose administered more frequently might be effective for the allergies but without causing the dip in mood?

For info, cyproheptadine is sometimes used in the treatment of depression in humans. I know that for many antidepressant drugs (e.g. SSRIs, tri/tetracyclics, SNRIs) patients need close monitoring in the first few weeks of treatment because depressive symptoms may initially worsen before the antidepressant benefits of the drugs start to manifest. It might be worth asking your vet about whether he has observed similar in other feline patients for whom he has prescribed cyproheptadine and whether the negative effects wear off as the patient gets used to the cypro (and maybe research online yourself to find human experiences of taking the drug - can provide helpful insights sometimes).


Mogs
.
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I had no idea until last night that there was a serotonin action with this drug, i thought it was a straight up antihistamine. I think he's feeling better today. Thank you i dont think we'll be using this again if i can help it. We'll go back to chlorpheniramine. Or if that doesnt help use a lower dose of the cypro. Glad i didnt give him a whole 4mg all at once.
 
With all anti-histamines you need to keep regular checks on blood pressure.

FWIW when Saoirse was on Piriton it seemed to help her GI system. I had to discontinue it when her BP started getting higher and she couldn't tolerate amlodipine.


Mogs
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Murphy is on 1/2 of a 10 mg tab of zyrtec every day from Mother's Day until the first snow. I used chlorpheniramine for awhile, but it seemed to have stopped working and caused drowsiness. Zyrtec is not thought to be bad for cats that I know of. In fact if you google zyrtec and felines you will find an article that it may be beneficial with some GI issues-
Even zyrtec is not enough for Murphy sometimes, so the vet gave me a new med called Apoquel - it was developed for cutaneous allergies in dogs, and they are trying it for other allergy issues. It has made a big difference for Murphy -
 
Carol & Murphy said:
Murphy is on 1/2 of a 10 mg tab of zyrtec every day from Mother's Day until the first snow. I used chlorpheniramine for awhile, but it seemed to have stopped working and caused drowsiness. Zyrtec is not thought to be bad for cats that I know of. In fact if you google zyrtec and felines you will find an article that it may be beneficial with some GI issues-
Even zyrtec is not enough for Murphy sometimes, so the vet gave me a new med called Apoquel - it was developed for cutaneous allergies in dogs, and they are trying it for other allergy issues. It has made a big difference for Murphy -
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Good to know! Thank you
 
Misterbeesmom said:
I gave him 2mg. Vet said 4mg every 12 hours but i thought i'd start lower.
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I think you were wise to start with a lower dose. Hannah takes cyproheptadine as an appetite stimulant and it works fairly well for that purpose. Her vet prescribed one 4 mg tablet per day, but I found that to be way too much for my tiny kitty and lowered her dose to a 1/4 tablet, twice a day, immediately followed with food. I noticed initially that this drug made her somewhat tipsy and quite groggy, but that lessened with time and with the smaller dosing. Also, cypro can be constipating, so if you continue using it, watch for that issue. Best wishes to you and Mr. Biddles. :cat:
 
Blamethecats and Hannah said:
I think you were wise to start with a lower dose. Hannah takes cyproheptadine as an appetite stimulant and it works fairly well for that purpose. Her vet prescribed one 4 mg tablet per day, but I found that to be way too much for my tiny kitty and lowered her dose to a 1/4 tablet, twice a day, immediately followed with food. I noticed initially that this drug made her somewhat tipsy and quite groggy, but that lessened with time and with the smaller dosing. Also, cypro can be constipating, so if you continue using it, watch for that issue. Best wishes to you and Mr. Biddles. :cat:
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Thank you hannah! Mr b already has trouble pooping because of his lameness from neuropathy, so we definiately do not want constipation on top of that! I'm not taking a chance on the cypro any further, unless we absolutely have no other options.
 
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