Coming off Dosulepin - Bad withdrawal

[Jack Wagstaff]

Hi everyone, first time poster here.

First of all I have searched for a Dosulepin section in the Meds board and can't find it? If I have missed it, mods, please move it there.

I have been taking Dosulepin for coming upto two years now. I sustained a serious injury around three and a half years ago and despite trying to cope with it I realised I could not so I consulted with my doctor and he put me on a 75mg dose of Dosulepin once a day. I had tried several other anti-depressants previously and they all gave me serious bouts of dizziness and "depersonalisation". Dosulepin was the only one that didn't give me these problems.

I reduced my dosage to 25mg a day about a year ago and have been fine at that dose ever since. I recently spoke to my doctor and he said considering I was on such a low dose that was in his words "basically just a sleeping pill at that dose" he encouraged me to see how I was off the medication.

So for the past two weeks I have been taking 25mg every other day (one day on one day off). Today is the start of the third week of me doing this. The hope being I can then take one every three days for a week or two then stop.

Everything seemed fine until last Friday (5th April) were I had what seemed like an all day panic attack exactly like the ones I was having when I was prescribed the medication. Since Friday I have been consumed with panic, anxiety, breathlessness and "depersonalisation", symptoms I haven't had since beginning the drug. I am still taking 25mg every other day.

My question is to people who have experience of this drug and stopping it. Is this likely to continue or is this just withdrawal symptoms that should level out? I'm scared that this means something has been altered in my brain and I'll probably never be able to come off this drug.

Many thanks for any help.

[Annie0904]

Dosulipin is an older drug and not often not prescribed now. I have been taking it for 10 years and have managed to get down to 25 mg per day but after an accident last year I am back up to 75mg. I have never tried to come off it completely but my Dad took it for about 40 years and came off it a few months ago at the age of 83 with no side effects. I just think if it is doing me good than I will stay on it. If it was meds for a heart condition or some other illness I would still be on them so whats the difference.

[Jack Wagstaff]

Dosulipin is an older drug and not often not prescribed now. I have been taking it for 10 years and have managed to get down to 25 mg per day but after an accident last year I am back up to 75mg. I have never tried to come off it completely but my Dad took it for about 40 years and came off it a few months ago at the age of 83 with no side effects. I just think if it is doing me good than I will stay on it. If it was meds for a heart condition or some other illness I would still be on them so whats the difference.

Everyone's different. I personally want to be medication-free if possible.

I particularly don't want to be on AD's for the rest of my life. Dosulepin apparently can have an effect on the heart. I'd rather not be on something like that.

[Annie0904]

There have been some warnings about it affecting the heart but my Dad is 83 and never had heart problems even though he was on dosulipin for half his life. His 2 ypunger brothers dont take dosulipin and have both needed heart by passes. I understand what you are saying though and I would rather be med free but at the moment I would rather be anxiety free whatever it takes. They are not really addictive though and if it is a gradual withdrawal you shouldnt have bad side effects. I hope your recovery goes well.

[ElizabethJane]

Hi Jack I was on dothiepin for a very long time probably about sixteen years at high doses 175-200mg.My psychiatrist took me off it very quickly and without side effects/withdrawal.i felt weepy and that was about it. I had far more trouble coming off mirtazapine.I'm sorry at you are having a tough time but it will pass. Dothiepin had always been very good for me but because of the increased risk of heart problems and NICE guidelines I was taken off it.Its efficacy was in question as I had been on it for such a long time it was questionable whether it was still working? I think my brain is still working well and since I was on such a large dose it felt like a veil being lifted when coming off it.EJ

[Smoothy]

I'm come down from 50mg to 25m to then go on to Mirtazapine in one week, I'm a bit more anxious and feel sick later in the day. How long will this last?

[Annie0904]

I have now gone down to 25mg without any side effects. Smoothy if you re going on to mirt then maybe that will help get rid of the side effects from coming off the dosulipin.

[Smoothy]

Maybe but I worrie swapping meds all the time will make me worse. The Gp wants me off the dosulepin as I was complaining about irratic heart rate rhythm. He said it could be the med so was safer to switch again... It's probably just anxiety again though...

[sarahxxx]

hi there i have been taking this ad for 23 years tried to come of but felt awful i am taking 75 mg a day but i am hypothyroid so not sure if mabie that caused me to feel bad anyone who came of can you let me know how they managed my doctor does not even want to know x

[MyNameIsTerry]

hi there i have been taking this ad for 23 years tried to come of but felt awful i am taking 75 mg a day but i am hypothyroid so not sure if mabie that caused me to feel bad anyone who came of can you let me know how they managed my doctor does not even want to know x

Thats disgusting that your GP is not interested but its sadly not uncommon when it comes to mental health issues!

Have you tried Googling withdrawal of this medication? I'm not on this one but I know when I've done this for various things out of interest when talking in threads on here, and from my own experience of some medications, there are websites out there that give recommendations.