Dosulepin

[Pongowaring]

Is anyone else taking this?

I had a hellish six weeks on Citalopram, before my doctor switched me to Dosulepin two weeks ago.

He told me to take 25mg the first week, 50mg the second, and 75mg the third. Today is my last day on 50mg.

I am also taking 5mg Bisoprolol a day.

I've had no side effects thus far (which is a godsend, as cit reduced me to a gibbering wreck and made me feel ten times as bad, despite a previous spell on it four years ago, when it did the same - to a much lesser extent - before helping me).

He told me he was prescribing this as it has a heavy sedative effect, and I have a really close correlation between not sleeping and anxiety - the day after a night of hardly any sleep, I feel utterly awful, without fail.

I've noticed the sedative efffect growing the last few days, it is knocking me out more comprehensively and quicker.

I have also noticed that my mood is lifted considerably - even though I didn't consider myself depressed in the first place - and although I still have moments of strong anxiety / panic, and the occasional bad day, it seems to be helping me.

Don't see it mentioned much on here, so was wondering if anyone else had experiences of it to share.

[Mr.Jitters]

I've taken Dosulepin on and off for the past 14 years, since the age of 14 to help with GAD and Panic Disorder. It's been an absolute life saver for me.

Several times various doctors have attempted to prescribe newer medications instead of Dosulepin, and I've had very bad reactions that have simply worsened with time. As with you, there's a close correlation between my not sleeping, or poor sleep, and heightened anxiety, so Dosulepin is a good medication for this.

I think the reason you don't see it mentioned very much here is that it's rarely prescribed these days, in favour of more modern drugs, and like all tricyclics it's very dangerous in even small overdoses.

Generally, 6 months of treatment at 75mg per day (I take mine in a single dose at night) is enough to completely turn me around, and I spend a few months reducing the dose slowly. Despite not being addictive, Dosulepin is a very difficult medication to stop, and can cause really severe rebound insomnia and anxiety because while it only has a very mild antidepressant effect it has very strong anxiolytic and sedative properties. My GP has taken it herself, so she recommends reducing it slowly, staying on 25mg once a day for a few weeks to months, before taking 25mg every other day, until you stop. Works like a charm, every time.

Dosulepin does raise my heart rate slightly, but I take Atenolol for sinus tachycardia anyway.

Glad you seem to have found something that helps you!

[Pongowaring]

Hi Mr Jitters

Yes, I can't stress the link between not sleeping and anxiety for me. It is so, so clear - if I sleep well, I have a "good" day the next day, if i don't sleep, it is a bad day, absolutely without fail.

My side effects are pretty much zero. Feel a bit zonked out in the mornings, struggle to get out of bed, and have a dry mouth quite a lot, but that's it.

On Citalopram, I just felt 10 times worse - worse than I've ever felt - so I'll willingly take those.

Fingers crossed the move to 75mg brings more improvements!

[Mr.Jitters]

I hope it does. For me, Dosulepin has a pretty immediate effect on mood because it helps with sleep architecture. So not only do you sleep, but you sleep well.

All SSRIs and SNRIs have exactly the same effect on me as they do with you. They've all stopped me functioning, completely, because I just can't sleep and the anxiety is unbearable.

I've taken 150mg of Dosulepin once a day, at night, in the past, and it left me struggling to wake up in the mornings, sore throat, dry mouth, but nothing that didn't ease within the hour. Taking it in divided doses throughout the day keeps me pretty calm for the entire day, and I don't feel too groggy in the mornings. I found no difference between 75mg and 150mg at all.

Word of caution, though - make sure you visit your dentist regularly. I was on Dosulepin continuously for over 4 years at one point, and while it did wonders for my anxiety and helped me overcome agoraphobia, I did have a few dental problems because of the dry mouth that could have been avoided if I'd made regular visits.

Let us know how you get on! Good luck.

[Davevanza]

Is anyone else taking this?

I had a hellish six weeks on Citalopram, before my doctor switched me to Dosulepin two weeks ago.

He told me to take 25mg the first week, 50mg the second, and 75mg the third. Today is my last day on 50mg.

I am also taking 5mg Bisoprolol a day.

I've had no side effects thus far (which is a godsend, as cit reduced me to a gibbering wreck and made me feel ten times as bad, despite a previous spell on it four years ago, when it did the same - to a much lesser extent - before helping me).

He told me he was prescribing this as it has a heavy sedative effect, and I have a really close correlation between not sleeping and anxiety - the day after a night of hardly any sleep, I feel utterly awful, without fail.

I've noticed the sedative efffect growing the last few days, it is knocking me out more comprehensively and quicker.

I have also noticed that my mood is lifted considerably - even though I didn't consider myself depressed in the first place - and although I still have moments of strong anxiety / panic, and the occasional bad day, it seems to be helping me.

Don't see it mentioned much on here, so was wondering if anyone else had experiences of it to share.

Hi,

I think it is called Dothiepin here in Australia.
I tried it for a couple of weeks, back in 1996 I think..
As far as I know, to me, I noticed my hand is trembling whenever holding a test tube, pipette, etc in the lab in Uni.

Actually the effect is much the same like Amitriptyline, as Dothiepin/Dosulepin is a Thio-analogue of Amitriptyline.

The same with Doxepin.
It is also an analogue of Amitriptyline.

So my Psychiatrist changed it to Aurorix ( Moclobemide) instead.

I think, the effect of Dothiepin is different to each individual, some may derive positive effects from it, while others get the side effects that have to stop taking it.

Kind regards,
Davevanza

[Geoff2301]

I was on dosulepin for several years........ 150mg....... then went through a really bad patch and the gp doubled the dose to 300mg in error!! This caused me to have fits and end up in hospital on a number of occasions!! Haven't touched it since.

[Mr.Jitters]

I had a very similar experience, Geoff2301. My doctor had very little understanding of antidepressant medications and just fobbed me off with a prescription for 300mg per day after a bereavement. Needless to say, it failed badly, and you know what implications that can have.

Dosulepin has only a very mild antidepressant effect, and it's effective at very low serum levels. If somebody needs more help, common sense would dictate a very mild antidepressant should be replaced with a more potent one. Common sense, unfortunately, isn't a strength of some GPs, and as we the patients aren't often very empowered by our healthcare professionals, we're not able to employ our own.

NICE guidelines are currently to withdraw patients from Dosulepin in the UK because of it's toxicity in overdose, which is the only reason cited, and many doctors are replacing it with Amitriptyline and Nortriptyline because they share the sedative effect, both of which have a higher incidence of mortality in overdose and a greater risk of cardiotoxicity than Dosulepin. Interestingly, both around 4 times the price of Dosulepin.

I guess just like every medication, it's a wonder drug and a lifeline to some, and a curse to others.

[Lilyblue]

I'm on week 4 of dosulepin and don't think it's working, havn't slept properly since started it, and it spose to help insomnia.
I'm not really getting any side affects. Im on the liquid and it gives an anesthetic on the throat and numbs it, it's disgusting, want to take tablet but don't know how big they are. Anyone know? Only can swallow small tabs. Used to take this in capsule but always shrunk them when in mouth before swallowed, didnt' notice any difference,so stopped after 5 months, was only shoved on them cos I was stressed.
Now im on them cos anxiety so hope it helps my bad anxiety. Im on 25mg, i'm spose to take 10mls which would be 50mg but the numbness is horrible.

[nicola1980]

I'm on week 4 of dosulepin and don't think it's working, havn't slept properly since started it, and it spose to help insomnia.
I'm not really getting any side affects. Im on the liquid and it gives an anesthetic on the throat and numbs it, it's disgusting, want to take tablet but don't know how big they are. Anyone know? Only can swallow small tabs. Used to take this in capsule but always shrunk them when in mouth before swallowed, didnt' notice any difference,so stopped after 5 months, was only shoved on them cos I was stressed.
Now im on them cos anxiety so hope it helps my bad anxiety. Im on 25mg, i'm spose to take 10mls which would be 50mg but the numbness is horrible.

Hi i also tried dosulepin for my bad anxiety for nearly 6 wks and unfortunatly it didn't work for me at all if anything it made me depressed to the point i didn't want to get out of bed!! i started on 75mg then went up to 125mg and it didn't help me sleep either!! now on wk 5 of citalopram again and its suiting me much better.
Nicola xx

[Lilyblue]

I've taken 10mls tonight, 50mg, and I feel more drowsy, think my anxiety by worrying is giving me sideaffects,
Will I get side effects from upping dose? I'm half way thru week 5. Is 25 - 50 a big gap to up dose? Can't get 30 mg in liquid.
Just hope I sleep tonight aand not worry bout what effect it has on me as giving me SE symptoms, hate anxiety