Anafrinal/clomipramin [Archive]

maggs

07-03-06, 14:18

Hi folks,

Have been battling with Anx/dep for over a year now. GP prescribed SSRI and they just didn't agree with me. Funny, because i was previously on seroxat for 4yrs following the birth of my son. I had very bad anxiety and Panic attacks. Although the panic attacks are virtually gone i still get anxious with depersonalistion symptoms and i get a bit low The thing is after being referred to phsyciatrist she suggested trying an older type drug Anafrinal/Clomipramine starting at 10 mg then increasing to 20mg. The thing is i'm absoultely terrified of taking it. I'm disappointed after trying self-help methods the past year and still stuck in a rut after coming off seroxat. Although i do have some good days/weeks i can also come crashing down with a great bump and get so low. I think i should maybe try the meds but i'm scaared they make me sleepy(well in my mind, knock me out and the kids can't wake me up when they come home from school) or any other side-effects. I feel at rock bottom at the moment and i think my GP is loosing patience with me. Has anyone been on these meds or any advice in general would be really appreciated.

Many thanks
Maggs

Ma Larkin

07-03-06, 15:53

Hi Maggs, I've got a drawer full of clomipramine. I'm too scared to take them (have taken about 2 or 3 then stop) because my anxiety seems to get worse & they kept me awake. I haven't had a full blown panic attack for a while & i'm really scared that my anxiety will get worse before it gets better whilst giving the tablets time to get in my system. My GP didn't really say much about them, or should I say maybe i wasn't listening, I just remember hearing they are an old-fashioned anti-dep & they will stop panic attacks altogether, which is what I intended on using them for, but like I say, now its general anxiety (mainly health anxiety) more than panic. I'd be really interested in the responses you get on this one as it looks like we're in the same boat here.

Les

tracyp584

07-03-06, 16:35

Hey Maggs,

I have been on clompiramine for 3 months now, after trying two different anti-dep first.

I have really seen the benefits from being on these, and no nasty side effects at all. I didnt have any problems with tiredness either, i just feel a lot calmer and on a more even keel.

Hope this helps!

tracy x x

Every time you avoid your fears they become stronger,every time you face your fears they become weaker.

maggs

07-03-06, 16:42

Hi lesley

Thanks for your post. Is so interesting that your circumstances sound so simialr to mine. I have been diagnosed have GAD which can include Health Anxiety. You mentioned that your anxiety got worse when you started taking these pill. That' s what happend to me on the SSRI's so i've been switched to Anafrinal. My GP said that i got so Anxious about taking them and that's why i was getting more anxiety while another GP said that i was sensitive to SSRI' s hence trying Anafrinal. Like yourself i am pertrified to take them. I will let you know how i get on when i pluck up the courage to start them. I've had them in the cupboard for two weeks. I have been told they are a good a/d for anxiety even though they are older-type a/d. Are you still taking them? Are you managing to sleep now? I was prescribed 10mg the lowest dose because of my fear of side-effects. I'll keep you posted. Take care

Thanks
Maggs

maggs

07-03-06, 16:44

Hi Tracy,

Do you take them morning or night? and did they make you drowsy to start. Re-assuring to hear your getting on fine with them.

Thanks
Maggs

tracyp584

07-03-06, 16:45

Maggs,

I'm on 100mg which was built up gradually from 25mg, to 50mg, to 100mg over a month. I have had no problems whatsoever sleeping! I take them an hour before bed!

tracy x x

Every time you avoid your fears they become stronger,every time you face your fears they become weaker.

maggs

07-03-06, 16:50

Hi tracy

Thanks ever so much with that info. It has relaxed me a bit about taking them.

Good to hear you are doing well.

Thanks again
Maggs
xxxxx

tracyp584

07-03-06, 16:53

No problem Maggs,

I know it can be a bit daunting, but i think it would be worth a try,if there is a chance of some progress to be made!

Good luck with it, and if you start them, let me know how you get on!

tracy x x

Every time you avoid your fears they become stronger,every time you face your fears they become weaker.

Ma Larkin

08-03-06, 10:52

Hi Maggs, I'm waiting for you to take them lol!! I've been prescribed 25mg, one to be taken at night. I really want to feel better, but don't want to feel worse before I feel better if you know what I mean!

Will you PM me & let me know how you get on. I have trouble finding topics on here after a week (not an expert yet haha!!)

Les

maggs

08-03-06, 12:45

Hi Lesley

I still haven't plucked up the courage yet!!!!

I'm pmt'ish and my Anxiety gets worse at this time of the month and i feel really low today. I spoke to the out of service CPN last night on the Telephone and she advised me to start the meds after my period finished because she knows i get anxious about taking them but she said at the end of the day it is up to me. I know i feel bad at this time of the month and i'm worried in case i go loopy or something if i take the meds at the same time. I usually don't go loopy but i get very down. So it might be a few days before i start them but i'll definatley keep you posted. How are you getting on? I know how hard it is not to worry about meds. Once i get over the intial first week of taking them, i'll relax more but i can understand totally when you said you didn't want to feel worse and thats one of my fears. Just think at least you have taken the step to try them which is pretty brave in my books!!!!LOL. It would be good to know how you are getting on and take care.

Maggs
xxxxx

Ps Lesley, Does Pm mean private message? I think it does. I'm just finding my way around the Forum but i would be more that happy too!!!
I'll try and figure out how to do it

Ma Larkin

08-03-06, 14:04

Hi Maggs, see you managed the PM, well done! I don't do PMT (thank god!!) I have injections which totally do away with monthlies so I don't get any other symptoms apart from the usual anxiety stuff. I've noticed that Tracy has gone from 25mg to 100mg. This is something else I don't understand, why people are on a low dose yet others are on a high dose?? I feel a lot better having talked about it now & might start taking them tonight doh!!

Les

tracyp584

08-03-06, 15:41

Hey,

Everyones dosage is different, depending on the individual problem i think.. its all about finding which dose is best for you.

tracy x x

Every time you avoid your fears they become stronger,every time you face your fears they become weaker.

Ma Larkin

08-03-06, 15:57

I don't have much spare time available to visit my GP. I think I will, in fact I definitely will, start taking the Clomipramine tonight. I'm only prescribed to take one a night 25mg, but my GP did say my panic attacks would stop completely on this dosage so I'll have to trust his judgement I suppose.

I'll let you know how I feel tomorrow. I know its probably too early & it could take a few weeks for it to get in my system, but I just want to make sure it doesn't make my anxiety worse before it makes it better cos at the moment I am "coping" with it in my own way.

Keep you posted & hope they go OK for you too Maggs.

Les

Ma Larkin

09-03-06, 13:40

Well, I took the clomipramine last night about 7pm (1 x 25mg tablet). By 8pm I felt a bit drowsy but managed to stay awake for The Bill! I had felt slightly more anxious all day because I'd made the decision to take the tablet & was worried that it would make me feel worse before it made me feel better. Well it did! I felt bloody awful! Its mainly my heart & back, like I'm on the verge of a panic attack but manage to control it, but I also feel jittery & my concentration has totally gone out of the window. I had a meeting this morning with my Department & I might as well not have been there, I just stared into space & couldn't take anything in. I must admit though, I feel a lot better now. I was bad up until about an hour ago, when I say bad, the feelings that I experienced last night didn't go away, apart from when I was asleep. I did sleep OK once I got to sleep, took me a while to get off. I've still got this spaced out feeling, that if I didn't have other symptoms of anxiety, I would probably feel really chilled out, so that's a good sign. Regardless of being on the verge of a panic attack last night, I'm going to continue with the tablets & see if I can manage for a week, if all goes well then I'll stay on them & visit my GP when I'm ready for another prescription.

Let me know how you get on maggs. Take care.

Les

maggs

09-03-06, 17:39

Hi lesley

Thanks for letting me know how you got on. Your so brave starting them, I'm still being a right chicken. I think the first couple of days are probably going to be the worst. You've taken the first step and probably things will get alot easier for you. You manage to cope with the Anxiety so that's a good sign. That's what really worries me because the SSRI's just sent my Anxiety through the roof. I am thinking of starting them this evening. It's a 10mg dose to start the increase after a few days. I went to see my GP this morning after my husband persuaded me. I was so weepy and low, I didn't want to face the day on my own. Outwith my Pms i try and carry on with normal day to day things and muddle on . I like to meet with a friend for coffe and generally like to chat to people. When the Pms strikes i can't face anyone it get so bad. It's probably because i have an underlying anx/dep which i try to manage (not all the time) during the month but then go to pieces as soon as my period starts. My GP really wants me to give the meds a try and she might also try a gync....st if things don't settle down for me on the meds.

I hope this evening is better for you and i'll keep you posted.

Take care
Maggs

FRANKIEISBACK

09-03-06, 18:17

Anafranil is like effexor , that means it affects both serotonin and noradrenaline but is an older drug

my doctor says its like paracetamol.....been around for ages and works well when it does work

tulip123

09-03-06, 20:02

Hi like you I had tremendous problems starting Anafranil and was scared of the effects. Since taking it I haven't had one sleepless night, which I had plenty before taking it. After a few doses my anxiety came back even wose than before but it levelled out after a while. Now I'm scared of coming off them as I could do with out the side effects of that.

Tulip

Ma Larkin

10-03-06, 11:14

That's what I'm scared of tulip, of it getting bad & the panic attacks coming back. I really can't cope with the panic attacks & they have put me in the hospital every time. I just cannot get the breathing technique right because my hands set like claws & they get so bad that I need the paper bag but can't hold it because of my hands. I'm afraid I've bottled it Maggs, I took one tablet, didn't bother last night because I felt awful all day yesterday, I feel a lot better today but still not 100% that I'd like to be. I feel like I've let you down now, but I'm too scared to think about having another panic attack. I know we all react in different ways to meds, some are great on them others aren't so great. Looks like I'm one of the others, sob, sob!!!

Take care folks & hope it goes well for you all.

Les, xx

maggs

10-03-06, 16:26

Hi Lesley

You haven't let me down. Please don't think that. I felt i'd let you down too, so we are in the same boat. I really do understand how you feel.
I'm still trying to pluck up the courage or i'm questioning whether i can get through this another way. I'll keep you posted and take care.

ps Tulip- glad to hear your doing well on them

Maggs
xxxx

Jodieg

10-03-06, 17:06

Hi Maggs

I know how you feel about not wanting to take any more medication. I am exactly the same.

My doctor gave me the wrong medication a few months ago and I had a really bad reaction to it. Since then, I feel my panic has worsened and I became Agoraphobic. Now I am still Agoraphobic, but not so much. I can go out a little bit, but nowhere major so I still have a lot to work on.

Now I feel very dubious when I talk to my doctor. Have you tried cbt? I am looking into it at the moment, as everybody here on the website has said it is really good and have advised it.

You say that you are scared that the medication will make you sleepy, Im afraid theres only one way to find out! Try taking it for a day and see what happens, go for it with your eyes wide open though. Dont expect it to be a bed of roses, if you accept that it MIGHT make you sleepy chances are it probably wont!

Im no expert, believe me, but thats all I can think of to say, other wise, face the world and just take each day as it comes!

Well, goodluck
Take care
Love Jodie xx

maggs

10-03-06, 17:27

Hi jodie

I'm looking for a local cbt therapist at the moment. So here's hoping i find a good one. I've searched under BACP. Worth a try. Good luck with your search and i'll keep you posted.

Take care
Maggs
xxx

tulip123

10-03-06, 21:30

Anafranil made me feel sleepy at first and the doctor allowed me to reduce the dose so it was right for me. Now I have a balance between feeling fairly calm without feeling like going to sleep so much. Its not perfect but much better than it was. Most important, you must give these medications time to work. On the first night I felt sick and even worse the next day. It may be some time before any real improvements can be felt. Also they are not a magic wand: They should cut you a bit of slack while one sorts ones mind out.

Tulip