Imipramine/Clomipramine

[dan1234]

Does anyone have any experience with either of these medications for panic attacks?

I have tried the SSRI type medications and am hoping imipramine will work. My shrink speaks very highly of it.

[nicola1980]

Id also be interested to know this as this is my next med as venlafaxine really isn't effective for me xx

[LAURA48]

Hi Nicola - I mentioned the Clomipramine for OCD to my psychiatrist last time I saw him and he said NO WAY quite abruptly - when I challenged him - he said the side effects were too bad and that I would not be able to tolerate? as this drug is supposed to be excellent for OCD? he want Effexor? that is not used as a rule for OCD?

As regards Imipramine ask Dan - he is on it as seems to be getting on well with it.

Hope you are ok

Laura x

---------- Post added at 10:37 ---------- Previous post was at 10:35 ----------

sorry Nicola read the post wrong - Dan is asking for info?? It is meant to be good for anxiety - as has a long history.

[dan1234]

Hiya - yes I am asking for info - just to reassure me more than anything.

I started off one week on 25mg, and week 2, on 50mg - the panic does seem better. Lately I have been better - but I won't celebrate just quite yet.

I am on duloxetine and asked my shrink if it does anything for panic, and he was like not really...

I asked him what side effects and he said they should be relatively minor - dry mouth, constipation etc. Laura I think these drugs are before your doctors time.

So far it gets a thumbs up, but it is early days and I won't be counting my chickens yet.

Dan

It has certainly done more than 12 weeks of citalopram, 4 of fluoxetine, and 2 weeks of amitriptyline.

[JaneC]

Hi Dan, I took clomipramine for about seven years and initially it worked very well for PAs. Unfortunately I was never able to take much of a dose so as my life stresses increased, the panic came back. Definitely worth a go though in my opinion so good luck x

[nicola1980]

Sounds promising dan, ill try anything to get rid of this panic and unfortunatly ven isnt helping much x x

[dan1234]

Just a little update 1 week on 25mg and 2 on 50mg and the panic attacks are better. Going up to 100mg p/d which I requested.

Hope I'm not speaking too soon, but it definitely gets a thumbs up from me.

[london]

Clomipramine is a old one but one of best i hear
for ocd its the top one the usa use it lots
god bless

[dan1234]

My shrink refers to imipramine as the gold standard. He uses it second or third line due to side effects and easy to commit suicide on them.

I think they have to be started on a really low dose and increase slowly. 50mg/d is meant to be effective for panic so starting on 10mg for a week or two then increasing over 2 weeks wouldn't be a bad idea.

I started on 25mg every second day increasing to 50mg after 2 weeks up to 100mg in days hopefully.