Clomipramine Withdrawal

[Tia67]

Hi, I'm new to this site and wondered if anyone could give me information/advice about withdrawal from Clomipramine.
I have been taking this for around 10 years (fluctuating from 30mg to 50mg daily so not a high dose) for bad anxiety. I wanted to change due to issues with weight. After discussion with GP I was advised to drop 10mg a week and go back when on 10mg daily. I did this then spoke to a different GP who said I could either start Sertraline 50mg right away or try without anything. I initially said I couldn't go without but then decided to try to be drug free and for the first 7 days without them I felt really good, the odd side effect but nothing much. I felt less sluggish and less numb than I had in years and had only very mild anxiety.
After this first few days though I started getting a lot more side effects and also acute back/neck and shoulder pain and have been off work with this. I went back to see my GP (the first one I saw) who said I shouldn't have totally stopped meds and to start the Sertraline. I am now 14 days off the clomipramine, still in pain and still getting side effects. I now don't want to start Sertraline incase they start a whole new set of symptoms.

I really was wanting to know if anyone else have had these symptoms coming off these tablets..... Dizziness, feeling hot then later feeling cold and chittering (can't warm up), Irritable and bouts of anger, I often get a sensation that my whole body (or brain) beats for a few fast beats, last night I woke up through the night with a rapid heartbeat (approx 150bpm and this lasted for 5 mins or so then went down to about 100 which is more my normal (I did not feel anxious about any this). The pain in my neck and back I am thinking could be due to the tablets having being masking an underlying problem as they can be prescribed for nerve pain, I work all day at a computer so there is a chance that there has been a problem with neck/spine building up without me realising.

I would also like to mention that I have been on this medication a few times over the years and found them to be a lifesaver, they always made me feel 100% worse when I first started them but they work wonders after a few weeks. This time is the longest I've ever used them.

I would appreciate any feedback from other members :)

[purplepie]

I am on 20mg of clomipramine and have tried to come off it in the past. I get to about 3 weeks feeling great and then I start to feel bad again, morning nausea, obsessional thoughts, not sleeping, high alert etc. I am not sure if this is a return of my original symptoms or part of withdrawal. I have ended up going back on them although I can't say I feel great all the time on them, I do feel better than not. I have been on them about 3 years and do agree that they are a saviour. Nothing else worked for me and I can't tolerate ssri's.
I get very down thinking I need them and still don't feel great but know I will feel even worse without them.
I do seem to get a lot of shoulder/neck/back of head pain, but not sure if it is the tables or not? Sometimes my body just seems to be tense and I think that may be the cause, I try to relax but my body has other ideas.
Let me know how you get on as there doesn't seem to be too many people on clomipramine and it is good to see how others get on. x

[opalakia]

did anyone get itchy skin when trying to get off this medication?

[purplepie]

I haven't had itchy skin, but I can't get off them completely without old symptoms coming back.

[Heretic]

I also failed to withdraw Clomipramine (Anafranil) and take only Coaxil. I really would like to know if someone was successful in transition from Anafranil to some newer drug.

[purplepie]

I am still on 20mg of clomipramine but I decided that I feel good on it and at the moment, I really don't want to try to come off it. I may drop down to 10mg and see if anything changes. hope Heretic that you can make the transition. Good luck, let us know how you get on.

[Heretic]

Before I tried to drop Clomipramine, I was on 25mg. After I gave up and returned, I had to start taking 2x25mg, which is still my current dose. Before I start considering the transition again, I want to be on the minimum dose for some time. Pity that I don't have a clue which drug to use as the replacement.

[Golbez]

Hi all.
Ive been on Clomipramine for around 14 years.
Been on 50mg dose for ages but had to stop due to manufacturing issue apparently.
My pharmacy (boots) cant get any. Tried a few others but nothing.
I felt fine on day 1,2,3 and 4.
Day 5 today. Got strange shock sensations. A little hyperactivity. Heartburn. Feeling a bit weird vision wise.

How long do i need to put up with this? I wanna get off them anyway.
Happy to power through!

[Heretic]

Congrats, Golbez, if you succeeded. Do you take any replacement now?

[Golbez]

Hi Heretic.
Nope. No replacement. Im now day 12 of stopping.
Still got flu type symptoms. Headaches here and there. General brian fog.
But doing good. No panic attacks yet. General anxiety as usual but had that even on the meds.
Im a veterinary nurse so work can be a bit hairy for going through withdrawal but im coping.

Ill keep all updated. :)

[Heretic]

Glad to read it :). 12 days look promising.

[Golbez]

Well day 14 has been shite.
Really struggled today. Had a massive brain flurry. Money anxiety. Hating the world. Hating myself. How I've become.
Feeling a little better but still fragile as hell. But argument/tension between me and missus as i slept on and off all day.
Meh.

[Heretic]

I know all these symptoms very well. After several days, I suddenly could not find sense in anything - I could not look forward to anything - any activity was absolutely senseless... I was walking from one room to another asi if I could find something, but knew that I would find NOTHING...

[Golbez]

It's hard when im struggling with debt. Payday loans. Km close to being clear of the worst of it. Another 2 months. But means zero money to live off. Realistically £1k would pay them off but is more in interest over these 2 months. Then there's more pointless debt.
Dont have anywhere to borrow it from.
Then I work with a vet who said yesterday he has around 120k in his bank.
Made me think about all the money. How so many live in poverty whilst others live lavish lifestyles.
I work my fingers to the bone (literally when i get a bad bite) and stuggle to pay rent and bills.
Then all the greed and selfishness in the world.
Makes it all seem so worthless.

Im feeling better now. But damn its hard.

I know its a little longer to fight but what if it never ends too?
Even when my money and brain are better. What about the world?

[Ally15]

Hi, after about 16 odd years my doctor has decided to take me off clompramine due to terrible social anxiety etc thinking a newer medication might be more suitable. I was on 50 mg and on monday dropped to 25mg. After a few weeks goping to drop to 10 mg before coming off them. Feeling terrible already, not sure i can cope with the thought of feeling worse and worse for weeks, maybe this wasnt the best time of year to come of them. Does anyone know how long it will take before im off them completely? Doctor says once they are out of my system i need to go a few days without anything before i can start a new drug. Cant see how im going to cope, already feel like giving up on everything.

[Heretic]

I am on 25mg, feeling quite stabilized, but at the same time I feel that anything less would bring panic and depression problems. I hope that next year I will feel strong enough to try some newer medication.