2 weeks on

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15-03-17, 20:13
Barnabas75

2 weeks on

So its been 3 weeks on Anafranil. Cant say the start up effects have been worse than ssris. Only thing that is bothering me is the lack of energy and lethargy. Also the lack of motivation to do anything. Will these eventually go away. Or is it early days yet. I was sxpecting constipation and dry mouth but it seems I have excaped those. Will the low mood also eventually go away? All I feel like doing is sleeping but I cant reallyy sleep except at night. ALthough the anxiety has subsided and no severe panic attacks the depression still seems to be there. How long before it works on deprssion? The doctor said if after 15 days I see little improvement I should increase the dose from 75mg to 150mg. I started that yesterday. I also switched from thaking the med in the morning to taking it at night as I dont think I would manage the days feeling so sedated, Maybe I should try 75 mg at night and 75mg in the morning. Going to try stick this one out as long as I can as I dont feel like trying anything else again. I really had high hopes for this one and now I am on the verge of feeling hopeless again. If anyone reading this has been on this med how long did it take before it helped with depression?
15-03-17, 21:03
panic_down_under

Re: 2 weeks on

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barnabas75

Only thing that is bothering me is the lack of energy and lethargy. Also the lack of motivation to do anything. Will these eventually go away. Or is it early days yet.

It is very much still early days. It might kick-in today, but is more likely to around the 5-8 week mark, however, some take longer.

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How long before it works on deprssion?

About the same as for anxiety, usually somewhere between 3-12 weeks.

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The doctor said if after 15 days I see little improvement I should increase the dose from 75mg to 150mg.

I think s/he was being wildly optimistic expecting a result in only 2 weeks.

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I also switched from thaking the med in the morning to taking it at night as I dont think I would manage the days feeling so sedated, Maybe I should try 75 mg at night and 75mg in the morning.

Anafranil has a longish half-life, about 32 hours, so in theory it shouldn't make any difference when you take it, or how, but in practice it often does. I seem to do better with split dosing even though the TCA I take has a much longer half-life, about 50 hours. Of course, it could just be my imagination, but hey, if it works...

Most of those on the shorter half-life SSRIs, i.e. all except fluoxetine and citalopram/escitalopram would do better if they split doses, but doctors are reluctant to prescribe multiple daily dosing because compliance becomes an issue. People don't like taking meds and the more times a day they have to the more likely they are to not take them at all. We're fickle creatures.

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Going to try stick this one out as long as I can as I dont feel like trying anything else again. I really had high hopes for this one and now I am on the verge of feeling hopeless again.

Sorry, but you're expecting the impossible. Your disorders were a long time in the making, probably years, you can't expect them to be resolved in 3 weeks. Antidepressants work by stimulating the growth of new brain cells. It is the new cells and the strengthened interconnections forged which produce the therapeutic response, not the drug directly, and brain cells don't bud, grow and mature overnight.
15-03-17, 21:33
Barnabas75

Re: 2 weeks on

Thanks for the informed response. I am going to stick it out this time. I will give it at least 10 weeks. I need patience.
15-07-17, 19:53
akerswes

Re: 2 weeks on

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barnabas75

Thanks for the informed response. I am going to stick it out this time. I will give it at least 10 weeks. I need patience.

Hi Greg, might I ask how you are feeling now? Have you stuck with the anafranil? I am in a similar situation to you when you initially posted this, having just gotten up to the 150mg dosage, although not feeling hopeless at the moment.
15-07-17, 23:13
Barnabas75

Re: 2 weeks on

Hi akerswes, I switched to sertraline. Been on it for 6 weeks now. Feeling a bit better. I eventually got constipation and put on a lot of weight on anafranil. I ended up in hospital for 4 weeks because I was so down and that is were they changed the meds I was on.Hope you are doing okay.
15-07-17, 23:55
akerswes

Re: 2 weeks on

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barnabas75

Hi akerswes, I switched to sertraline. Been on it for 6 weeks now. Feeling a bit better. I eventually got constipation and put on a lot of weight on anafranil. I ended up in hospital for 4 weeks because I was so down and that is were they changed the meds I was on.Hope you are doing okay.

Glad to hear you're feeling better. Sertaline is the only SSRI I have not tried I believe. I, too was just in the hospital, where they switched me from Lexapro to clomipramine. So far I have been feeling better. Just got to 150mg. Hope it keeps going smoothly, for both you and I.