Lofepramine

[milliemoo]

Thank you for your reassurance. I am trying to put in place the CBT that I was taught. In the hope this medication will be the one for me! When previous medication has worked it has been an hour here and there then improvement over weeks but that was when I was really bad with OCD. This time is not as bad but has just lasted two years, and struggled to find medication to work. Fingers crossed the TCA will work for me.

[panic_down_under]

In the hope this medication will be the one for me! When previous medication has worked it has been an hour here and there then improvement over weeks but that was when I was really bad with OCD. This time is not as bad but has just lasted two years, and struggled to find medication to work. Fingers crossed the TCA will work for me.

There is a good chance lofepramine will be effective. If it isn't then the TCA clomipramine (Anafranil) might be a good alternative given OCD is a part of your disorder. Clomipramine is one of the two antidepressants with the best OCD track record. The SSRI fluvoxamine (Luvox) is the other, but imho clomipramine is the better med. Plus, if other SSRIs haven't worked for you then fluvoxamine probably won't either.

[milliemoo]

Absolutely crap day today, my anxiety has been off the scale! When it gets this high the intrusive thoughts start kicking in, which is not nice! Just feel like I should feel a slight bit better by now (I know it's only been 3.5 weeks and I need to give it longer but my logical brain doesn't work when I'm anxious) I just feels like my ability to cope is reducing!

[panic_down_under]

Absolutely crap day today, my anxiety has been off the scale! When it gets this high the intrusive thoughts start kicking in, which is not nice! Just feel like I should feel a slight bit better by now (I know it's only been 3.5 weeks and I need to give it longer but my logical brain doesn't work when I'm anxious) I just feels like my ability to cope is reducing!

All you can do is take it one day at a time. It is what it is. No amount of thinking about it will make a positive contribution, indeed ruminating almost always makes things worse.

Distraction helps. As soon as a intrusive thought begins go and do something which will occupy your mind. Going for a walk can also be beneficial, even if it's just up and down your street. Not only is it good for general health, but it can trigger the same brain changes as antidepressant do, albeit on a lesser scale.

[milliemoo]

I'm am going back to my gp today and going to askfor something else I really don't think the lofepramine is me me. I am now suffering with depression and now don't want to leave the house - which has never been an issue- what are your thoughts on imipramine?

[panic_down_under]

I'm am going back to my gp today and going to askfor something else I really don't think the lofepramine is me me. I am now suffering with depression and now don't want to leave the house - which has never been an issue-

It's your call, but I wouldn't be making it based on just one bad day.

what are your thoughts on imipramine?

It worked well for me, but it has a similar mode of action as the SSRIs and SNRIs which apparently haven't worked for you in the past.

Imho, desipramine should also be considered. It is the active metabolite of lofepramine and like the parent compound is primarily a noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor, however, it is also a fairly potent inhibitor of serotonin reuptake.

[milliemoo]

By the time I'd got to my GP on Tuesday I had calmed down a bit, she agreed that it was perhaps too soon to change meds. We have agreed to leave it a little while longer although she did give me a prescription to increase my dose if I wanted to.

I feel very weird at the moment, like in between being anxious and very lethergaic. I have been in the full dose 70/70 for just under 3 weeks now. Mornings and evening seems a bit better but afternoons I'm am still quite anxious. I hate this waiting game, just holding on to the hope this is the one and respite is just round the corner.

[panic_down_under]

I have been in the full dose 70/70 for just under 3 weeks now. Mornings and evening seems a bit better but afternoons I'm am still quite anxious. I hate this waiting game, just holding on to the hope this is the one and respite is just round the corner.

The long 3-12 week wait between first taking an antidepressant and getting a response is one of the biggest problems with these meds. Unfortunately, there is no way of speeding up the process.

[milliemoo]

I had such a good day yesterday! Anxiety was minimal and things that usually bother me didn't, however I woke up this morning feeling very anxious again 😥 I suppose 1 day of feeling fairly normal is better than none!! Onwards and upwards I hope!

[milliemoo]

I increased my dose to 105mg in the morning and 70mg at night. Could this be why my anxiety has skyrocketed again?? It's been 7 days now since the increase and although I've had a good day Saturday, I feel all panicky now. So I've now done 2 weeks at 70mg a days 3 at 70/70 a day and a week at 105/70. Any advice would be beneficial!!