1 Stars
Posted 2 months ago (12/26/2022) 1
Rated for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Report
Anafranil has not been a good experience for me. I am 16, also on fluoxetine, and have been taking 75mg anafranil for about a year and it hasn’t done me very well. dry mouth side effects made sports impossible, my lips would stick to my teeth after running for 30 seconds. i have had sleep disturbances 1-2 times a week every few weeks for last 9 months or so. i’ve done as much research as possible and i see that anafranil can cause insomnia, and it definitely has done as such. i wake up every 10 minutes with sleep paralysis episodes sometimes, I have to shake my body awake and my eyes flutter and i get dragged back into sleep. I also sometimes have muscle jerks (myoclonus) while just going about my day or relaxing, and soemtimes have “ocular flutter” in my eyes. the sleep paralysis has stressed me the most as it has caused so much added anxiety on my daily life, and honestly my ocd was a little better at first but it may have just been the placebo effect. we tried going up to 100mg but the side effects were so awful we went back to 75. we are currently weaning me off anafranil decreasing my dose and i have never been happier to be getting as far away from this pill as possible .
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0.5 Stars
Posted 177 months ago (6/9/2008) 0
Rated for Depression Report
Yikes, the worst antidepressant I ever taken. So many side effect and made my illness worse. But that´s just for me, I know it has worked for other ppl.
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4 Stars
Posted 181 months ago (2/14/2008) 4
Rated for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Report
i had taken this for 6 years and stopped taking it in january because i thought i was cured of anxiety and ocd, and because i was terrible constipated. man oh man, i went throught hell, come november. so i started it again, and i have taken 75 mg for 12 weeks now, and the ocd and anxiety have diminished with 80%. i'm taking macrogol for the constipation now, and have to be really disciplined with my meals to avoid gaining wait, but my life is better than it ever was. i think it dimishes your sex drive, but my interest in sex was already disappearing since i was 30 (that's 3 years before i started taking anafranil)
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4 Stars
Posted 196 months ago (11/13/2006) 4
Rated for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Report
Worked the best of anything I''ve tried for OCD. It worked great for obsessive thoughts; still had compulsive behaviors. Initial side effects of shaking and extreme tiredness mostly went away. Constipation and low libido were worst side effects for me.
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3.5 Stars
Posted 196 months ago (11/11/2006) 3
Rated for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Report
Good stuff! But side effects. One thing that my family and I were so amazed about and greatful for was how quickly I responded to it. My mom likes to tell the story, "24 hours after her first dose, she said to me that it felt like 'a cloud had lifted'." It's true, it literally did feel like that. It also REALLY helps my obsessions/compulsions/tics. Sometimes also helped anxiety. As far as treating symptoms, it was basically the perfect med for me. However, there are side effects such that I only take it now during short periods when my obsessions/compulsions/tics are really bad. 1) It made me fall asleep too late and wake up too early; I barely slept. 2) Sometimes it would make me hypomanic. 3) Weight gain. Significant. Fast. 4) Considerably worsened my acne. But still, I use it for short periods of time still on and off, because of how well it works against all the bad stuff!
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3.5 Stars
Posted 196 months ago (11/11/2006) 3
Rated for Bipolar I disorder Report
Good stuff! But side effects. One thing that my family and I were so amazed about and greatful for was how quickly I responded to it. My mom likes to tell the story, "24 hours after her first dose, she said to me that it felt like 'a cloud had lifted'." It's true, it literally did feel like that. It also REALLY helps my obsessions/compulsions/tics. Sometimes also helped anxiety. As far as treating symptoms, it was basically the perfect med for me. However, there are side effects such that I only take it now during short periods when my obsessions/compulsions/tics are really bad. 1) It made me fall asleep too late and wake up too early; I barely slept. 2) Sometimes it would make me hypomanic. 3) Weight gain. Significant. Fast. 4) Considerably worsened my acne. But still, I use it for short periods of time still on and off, because of how well it works against all the bad stuff!
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0.5 Stars
Posted 196 months ago (11/3/2006) 0
Rated for Asperger's Syndrome Report
HORRIBLE ! Very bad serotonin problems. Sexual dysfunction. Fatigue. Forgetfullness. The bad symptoms began 2-3 days after beginning of the treatment and remained 3-4 days after treatment.
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3 Stars
Posted 197 months ago (9/27/2006) 3
Rated for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Report
Worked Very Well It worked very well for my OCD and also depression. The side effects were annoying: constant dry mouth, weight gain and sexual dysfunction. Only stopped taking it when prozac became available and was suggested by my doctor as possibly being more effective.
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3 Stars
Posted 197 months ago (9/27/2006) 3
Rated for Depression Report
Worked Very Well It worked very well for my OCD and also depression. The side effects were annoying: constant dry mouth, weight gain and sexual dysfunction. Only stopped taking it when prozac became available and was suggested by my doctor as possibly being more effective.
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1 Stars
Posted 197 months ago (9/26/2006) 1
Rated for Depression Report
Felt more depressed sometimes maybe more fatigued
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4.5 Stars
Posted 197 months ago (9/24/2006) 4
Rated for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Report
The golden standard My psychiatrist told me clomipramine was the oldie but a goldie when it comes to OCD remedies. This medication actually makes me able to socialize in a more normal way then I was without it. I have noticed my obsessions and compulsions decreased since using it. It makes ejaculation more difficult and causes a dry mouth. This medication has worked good enough for me to want to stay on it. Update(Sep24,2006)I quit taking it cause it seemed to give me more anxiety. I started up again and now it is working awesome, no anxiety at all.
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2 Stars
Posted 197 months ago (9/19/2006) 2
Rated for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder/Attention Deficit Disorder predominant inattentive type Report
constantly sleepy no positive effects; constantly sleepy
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3 Stars
Posted 198 months ago (8/26/2006) 3
Rated for Schizophrenia Report
Strong Antidepressant With Sedative Effect The drug alleviates depression better than any other drug I have tried, but has a significant sedating effect. If taken in conjunction with antipsychotic drugs this sedation may prove troublesome. However, the mood enhancement effect on this drug exceeds that achievable from the more recent SSRI drugs, e.g. Prozac, so it is not to be written off as a possiblity in all cases.
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1.5 Stars
Posted 198 months ago (8/19/2006) 1
Rated for Depression Report
Anafranil - Relief from Depression @ last Anafranil seemed a good choice because it’s the only TCA that can help treat Depression & associated OCD, Anxiety. I started @ a low dose then rapidly increased to 300mg/day and I felt like a Zombie, the sedation was unbearable and I still felt deeply depressed. All the usual TCA side effects which decreased after 2-4 weeks (approx). After several months of taking Anafranil I had to stop this drug because it wasn’t the answer to my prayers. BUT for others I know this unique TCA can be Very effective, so don’t be put off by my “personal” comments
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3.5 Stars
Posted 199 months ago (8/17/2006) 3
Rated for Panic disorder / agoraphobia Report
Excellent for Panic disorder Takes a while to work but gave me back my life. I was suffering extremely bad panic attacks and ended up being admitted to hospital for 10 days to get it under control with benzos while the Clomipramine kicked in. Took about 2 months for full effect but completely stopped panic. I came off due to virtual complete loss of libido but have never found a drug that works as well. I have tried SSRI's with modest results that have now failed and I'm back with the panic. Tried Cymbalta - no good, Moclobemide, No good now on Nardil but early days, covering with Xanax. If you dont mind no sex life use this med - it works!
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3.5 Stars
Posted 199 months ago (8/16/2006) 3
Rated for Bipolar I disorder Report
treatment for depression Clomipramine makes your mood feel better than the more recent SSRIs can but has more serious side effects including heavy sedation. A heavily sedated mind will return into a depressed state so you must find your individual level of tolerance.
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2.5 Stars
Posted 199 months ago (8/16/2006) 2
Rated for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Report
Really a treatment for depression But if you are using checking rituals ad infinitum you are bound to become depressed and enter a vicious cycle which may be broken by antidepressants. Clomipramine makes your mood feel better than the more recent SSRIs can but has more serious side effects including heavy sedation. A heavily sedated mind will return into a depressed state so you must find your individual level of tolerance.
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2.5 Stars
Posted 199 months ago (8/11/2006) 2
Rated for Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) Report
side effects too bad i was taking it with Xanax and had i been taking valium and not xanax, it might had worked as well as the nardil i had taken for 13 years
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3 Stars
Posted 199 months ago (8/4/2006) 3
Rated for Social phobia (Social anxiety disorder) Report
side effects too bad i was taking it with Xanax and had i been taking valium and not xanax, it might had worked as well as the nardil i had taken for 13 years
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3 Stars
Posted 199 months ago (8/4/2006) 3
Rated for Depression Report
side effects too bad i was taking it with Xanax and had i been taking valium and not xanax, it might had worked as well as the nardil i had taken for 13 years
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5 Stars
Posted 199 months ago (8/4/2006) 5
Rated for Depression Report
Not very good I dont remember anything when I was on this medication it was like I was a zombie on another plane calm but not funcional I was in a daze.
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4.5 Stars
Posted 200 months ago (6/22/2006) 4
Rated for Depression Report
Together with an SSRI, it's a magic bullet I've been on SSRIs (mostly Prozac) for 11 years now. I've had them poop out on me several times, and really bad depression has come about. But when I add 50-75mg clompiramine, the depression always lifts. It's very nice to know that the clomipramine is there in case I need it. It has tons of side effects for me (dizziness, sleepiness, anorgasmia, dry mouth, etc.). But it sure beats depression. The only other drug I've found that is akin to a "magic bullet" is ProVigil together with an SSRI. But even that has failed me recently. So it's back to the low dosage clomipramine together with the SSRI. Be careful adding a TCA to an SSRI. The latter can increase substantially the serum levels of the forum. So don't do this without your doctor supervising.
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0 Stars
Posted 203 months ago (4/12/2006) 0
Rated for Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) Report
Really unpleasant and didnt work. Ive tried alot of meds for my GAD but this was one of the worst. It made me extremely tired and sick all the time plus it gave me a really bad headache. Also, it didnt work at all.
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0.5 Stars
Posted 203 months ago (4/11/2006) 0
Rated for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Report
Very bad I was hype-alert, agitated for 5 days and didn't sleep (this was going straight on to a average daily dose) Revisited the drug some years later trying low dose 5mg (I think) agitation again. Recommend trying a low dose and working upwards.
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4.5 Stars
Posted 203 months ago (4/6/2006) 4
Rated for Panic disorder / agoraphobia Report
My First Antidepressant I was precribed this drug for panic attacks and agoraphobia brought about my stress from facing trial in court due to a school fight that I had in 1990. I had hid out from the law for over a year and a half because of my charges and it was horrible as the school fight could have been avoided if the damn school would have interceeded and stopped the bully and her gang who was harrassing me. Moral of the story is that after the fight I had and stress of hiding out after fight- my agoraphobia with anxiety attacks came over me again. The law inevitably caught up to me and I was ordered to face court when they arrested my mother at work. It was actually the greatest thing that could have happened in my life and I'd actually trade places where I'm at now to be there again. Enough time had passed, had the right people- and essentially all that happened was I was fined, sentenced to probation, summer school, repeated the 8th grade and ordered counseling of which we had trouble finding on our own. Seems like it takes the strong arm of the law to pass anything through. This time it worked in my favor. They placed me on Anafranil and Xanax. I do not remember the exact dosage- but it was quit high until I was placed on a matinenance dosage. After trying Desipramine and Tofranil, this was the only AD I could tolerate and was highly effective. This did miracles for depression, agoraphiba, panic attacks, ocd (to the point I was a bit numb to all, AKA, didn't care...which was good), aggression. I also became interested in and excelled in Art and Music in school which lasted even after I left school. I became interested in God again. Now that I'm older, and bi-polar is suspicioned, I've heard plenty a story that Anafranil will not neccessarily make it worse (or as bad). I'd reconsider giving this one a shot again. When I was a teenager on it though (due to the high dose I was on), my hands did shake some in the morning and my appet
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2 Stars
Posted 203 months ago (4/1/2006) 2
Rated for Depression Report
Increased anxiety and irritated my nervous system. I could not handle the side effects. I felt anxious and nervous. It was almost as if I was experiencing anxiety all throughout my spinal cord. It made my body feel uncomfortable. It just didn't work for me. I was surprised since Anafranil is a very good antidepressant for many people. In addition, I expected it to work for my OCD. It just goes to show you that you can't always anticipate what will work for you.
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2 Stars
Posted 203 months ago (4/1/2006) 2
Rated for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Report
Increased anxiety and irritated my nervous system. I could not handle the side effects. I felt anxious and nervous. It was almost as if I was experiencing anxiety all throughout my spinal cord. It made my body feel uncomfortable. It just didn't work for me. I was surprised since Anafranil is a very good antidepressant for many people. In addition, I expected it to work for my OCD. It just goes to show you that you can't always anticipate what will work for you.
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1.5 Stars
Posted 205 months ago (1/20/2006) 1
Rated for Panic disorder / agoraphobia Report
Anafranil I was put on this for panic attacks. I was so sick taking them and it make no difference to the number and severity of the attacks. I took myself of it. Won't ever take that again.
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1.5 Stars
Posted 205 months ago (1/19/2006) 1
Rated for Social phobia (Social anxiety disorder) Report
anafranil this drug made my physical movements rigid. i felt stiff, made me shake, when under stress, mouth so dry when under emotional stress it felt like i had flour in my mouth, so i could hardly talk. no good for me.
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3 Stars
Posted 208 months ago (10/23/2005) 3
Rated for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Report
Anafranil works I have been on Anafranil for about a year, and it is one of the few medicines that work, granted its got a few side effects, it is worth taking for me.
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1 Stars
Posted 209 months ago (9/17/2005) 1
Rated for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Report
Clomipramine I have been on 100mgs. for about a year now for my OCD, as well as 100mgs. of Zoloft. Hasn't done anything for my OCD whatsoever. If anything, it's gotten worse. I am going to start tapering off of it very soon with my doc's approval. Very dissapointing drug for me.
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1 Stars
Posted 210 months ago (9/1/2005) 1
Rated for Social phobia (Social anxiety disorder) Report
clomipramine for social anxiety I didn't notice any positive changes. My psychiatrist told me that there wasn't a lot of solid evidence that it helped with social anxiety anyway. It made me tired, too.
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0.5 Stars
Posted 211 months ago (8/10/2005) 0
Rated for Panic disorder / agoraphobia Report
Anafranil Made me physically sick as a dog and nervous as hell. My doctor was a total ass, insisting I continue because the side effects weren't actually happening to me physically-they were just a manifestation of my psychological problems. Yeah right, and it's gonna be just your imagination when you get a baseball bat straight up your ass, Doc!! (just a rant-not anything i would actually do. I am just so insulted!)
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2 Stars
Posted 211 months ago (7/29/2005) 2
Rated for Social phobia (Social anxiety disorder) Report
Just like an SSRI - feeling sleepy........zzzzz OK so my mood was ok but I felt tired and lethargic all the time, just like with Paroxetine (Seroxat), Citaloprom (Cipramil) and most other SSRIs. More tolerable though. This effect did calm me down overall, but I'm rating this SPECIFICALLY for Social Phobia for which it made very little difference. One month was enough for me. See ya!
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3 Stars
Posted 211 months ago (7/19/2005) 3
Rated for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Report
had to stop Had a seizure today, it's sad how it was working so well, but now I have to say bye to it side effects gone! hurray update i am not on anafranil (mylan) 75mg per day. I had been extremely dizzy for days, hope side effects would go away asap I've been on anafranil (mylan) for about a week. I've been on prozac 80mg before for narly a year. It helped a little but apparently not as much for me to stick with it. I'm 5'3, 120 pounds, so 80mg of Prozac was ALOT for a female my size. I've heard so many good stuff about Andafranil despite its side effects so I decided to give it a try. It's only be a week, and I already feel better than before when I was on prozac 80 mg. I'll update this now and then. :)
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FAQs
Does Anafranil have positive reviews? ›
Anafranil has an average rating of 7.9 out of 10 from a total of 66 reviews for the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. 79% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 14% reported a negative experience.
What are the health benefits of Anafranil? ›It helps decrease thoughts that are unwanted or that don't go away (obsessions), and it helps reduce the urge to perform repeated tasks (compulsions such as hand-washing, counting, checking) that interfere with daily living. This medication belongs to a class of medications called tricyclic antidepressants.
Can you take clomipramine for life? ›The onset of action of clomipramine is usually between 6 to 12 weeks for OCD; it may treat anxiety or insomnia immediately. If the patient achieves OCD remission with clomipramine, treatment should continue indefinitely.
Does Anafranil stop intrusive thoughts? ›I was prescribed at different times, all SSRI's and not one helped me with depression and intrusive thoughts. Only 2 weeks on Anafranil 25 mg and I stopped crying and over time it helped me with the intrusion thoughts.
How does Anafranil make you feel? ›Clomipramine (Anafranil) is taken by mouth and used to treat obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It can be used by children as young as 10 years old. It's not a first-choice medication because of high risk for side effects, such as dry mouth, sleepiness, tremor, and headaches.
Is Anafranil harmful? ›The most commonly observed adverse events associated with the use of Anafranil and not seen at an equivalent incidence among placebo-treated patients were gastrointestinal complaints, including dry mouth, constipation, nausea, dyspepsia, and anorexia; nervous system complaints, including somnolence, tremor, dizziness, ...
What are the long term effects of Anafranil? ›The most common long-term effects individuals report includes gastrointestinal issues and mood changes.
Should you take antidepressants your whole life? ›Do I have to take antidepressants forever is a question that some ask as they struggle with depression. This is one of the more common myths associated with the condition. You do not need to take antidepressants forever nor do you need to get a prescription from a counselor or therapist.
Is clomipramine worth it? ›Clomipramine has an average rating of 7.9 out of 10 from a total of 174 reviews for the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. 75% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 14% reported a negative experience.
Is Anafranil the best for OCD? ›Anafranil has been around the longest and is the best-studied OCD medication. There is growing evidence that the other drugs are as effective. In addition to these carefully studied drugs, there are hundreds of case reports of other drugs being helpful.
Does Anafranil make you happy? ›
Presently taking 200 mg along with Beta Blockers - the best experience ever: I am happier, more confident and less anxious than ever in my life. Anafranil side effects are sometimes bad: loss of appetite, sexual dysfunction and blurred vision tend to him me badly.
Is Anafranil better than Zoloft? ›Zoloft (sertraline) is good for treating depression and anxiety, but it can interact with many medicines. Anafranil (clomipramine) can help with falling sleep. Anafranil (clomipramine) has a lower risk of causing heart problems compared to other medications like it.
Does Anafranil help social anxiety? ›Anafranil (clomipramine hydrochloride) and Luvox (fluvoxamine) are antidepressants used to treat symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Luvox is also used to treat social anxiety disorder (social phobia). Anafranil and Luvox are different types of antidepressants.
Who should not take Anafranil? ›You should not use Anafranil if you are allergic to it, or if you have: you have recently had a heart attack; or. you are allergic to antidepressants such as amitriptyline, amoxapine, trimipramine, desipramine, doxepin, imipramine, nortriptyline, or protriptyline.
Can Anafranil cause memory loss? ›Other side effects include: anxiety, fever, hot flash, hypertonia, memory impairment, muscle twitching, non-puerperal lactation, orthostatic hypotension, pruritus, skin rash, sleep disorder, tachycardia, tinnitus, vomiting, flushing, and taste disorder.
Does Anafranil have a black box warning? ›Warning: [Black Box Warning]: Suicidality and Antidepressant Drugs. Antidepressants increased the risk compared to placebo of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in short term studies in children, adolescents, and young adults with major depressive disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders.
What are the warnings of clomipramine? ›Clomipramine may cause some people to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors. It may also cause some children, teenagers, and young adults to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies or to become more depressed.
How does Anafranil affect the brain? ›Tricyclics like Anafranil inhibit the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine so that they can remain active in the synaptic gap for a longer duration. The more time that these neurotransmitters spend in the synaptic gap between neurons, the more they can increase feelings of well-being, motivation and improve focus.
Does clomipramine cause liver damage? ›Clomipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant used in the therapy of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Clomipramine can cause mild and transient serum enzyme elevations and is rare cause of clinically apparent acute liver injury.
What happens if you take antidepressants for years? ›Those who had used antidepressants for >3 years reported more severe side effects, including “weight gain”, “addiction”, “feeling not like myself ”, “withdrawal symptoms”, and “suicidality”, than those who had been on antidepressants for ≤2 years.
What happens if you don't want to be on antidepressants forever? ›
If you decide to stop taking antidepressants, don't quit taking them on your own. And don't stop all at once. A major drop in medication levels can trigger a relapse or other harmful symptoms, such as suicidal thoughts. Work with your doctor to create a plan to gradually reduce your medication dose over time.
How long is the average person on antidepressants? ›The length of treatment varies.
Even once you do start to feel better, you should expect to remain on your antidepressant for at least 4 to 6 additional months. Those experiencing depression for the first time may require even longer, from 6 to 12 months.
- Bladder pain.
- burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles", or tingling feelings.
- excessive muscle tone.
- fear or nervousness.
- hearing changes.
- hives or welts, skin rash.
- muscle stiffness, tension, or tightness.
- poor concentration.
Which medication works best for OCD? SSRIs, especially when combined with CBT, work best in lessening OCD symptoms. The American Psychiatric Association suggests switching to a different SSRI if the one you're using isn't helping. TCAs such as clomipramine may be used if SSRIs do not help improve OCD.
Does clomipramine slow metabolism? ›Cytochrome P450 2D6
The presence of this polymorphism in CYP2D6 is associated with reduced or poor metabolism of clomipramine.
Anafranil (clomipramine) effectively treats obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but has potentially intolerable side effects. Effective at helping people fall asleep faster and sleep longer. Extended release form is particularly good for staying asleep, and you can use it for longer than the immediate release form.
Does Anafranil make you gain weight? ›In these studies, 28% of patients receiving Anafranil had a weight gain of at least 7% of their initial body weight, compared with 4% of patients receiving placebo. Several patients had weight gains in excess of 25% of their initial body weight.
Is Anafranil or SSRI better for OCD? ›There is growing evidence that SSRIs are as effective as Anafranil in treating OCD, with fewer side effects. Four SSRIs that have been shown to be effective in treating OCD and are FDA-approved to treat adults with OCD in the United States are: Sertraline (brand name Zoloft)
What does clomipramine do to the heart? ›Clomipramine, in com- mon with other TCA, can increase heart rate, decrease blood pressure, and slow intracardiac conduction. 3-5 The quinidine-like class 1A antiarrhythmic effect is manifested as changes to the ECG, such as prolonged PR intervals, increased QRS duration, and increased rate-corrected QT intervals.
Should I take clomipramine at night or morning? ›It is best to take this medicine with food. Take this medicine at bedtime to lessen drowsiness during the day.
Does Anafranil make you tired? ›
This medicine may cause tiredness, dizziness, drowsiness or blurred vision in some people. Be careful when drinking alcohol or taking pain relievers, sleeping tablets or antihistamines (medicines for colds or allergies such as hay fever) while you are taking Anafranil.
Does clomipramine affect appetite? ›In this study we have examined the impact of clomipramine on food and activity in anorectics engaged in a treatment programme enabling them to regain normal body weight. Consumption of the drug was associated with increased appetite, hunger and calorie consumption during the early stages of treatment.
Does Anafranil increase serotonin? ›Clomipramine increases the levels of serotonin in the brain. Co-administration with other medications that also increase serotonin levels increases the risk of serotonin syndrome.