Clomipramine for Depression User Reviews

• alon
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 6, 2013

Anafranil (clomipramine) "After 6 years with very strong depression that nothing helps, this medicine saved my life. It takes more than a month to kick in, and it continues to grow for a full year, but after you use it, you feel strong and don't think about depression anymore. If you have resistant depression, you must try this. It's a totally different class than the rest. I also tried all the natural 5HTP, St. John's Wort, and the rest, and nothing helped."

• Rod...
• April 20, 2013

"Side effects were really unpleasant but 2 months in have lessened to some degree - as an effective antidepressant it is the best I have ever taken. I have been on just about every antidepressant out over the last 20 years with nothing really working and worsening depression. I started to feel a lifting in mood almost immediately and now feel 'normal' which is an awesome feeling. My social phobia/anxiety has almost disappeared too which is an added bonus. Wish I had been prescribed this years ago!"

• Betty
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 31, 2018

Anafranil (clomipramine) "I have been using Anafranil (clomipramine) for more than 10 years. It has done wonders. I only take 25mg, but that is enough for my OCD. I can take more if I want but don't want any side effects. Anafranil did what no other antidepressant could do. It is an older drug but for me it's better."

• Cheesus
• July 13, 2016

Anafranil (clomipramine) "I've been taking this medication for major depression for 14 years now. 17 years ago, I was given big doses of steroids due to problems resulting from back surgery. Those high doses of steroids pushed me into major depression. After 3 1/2 years of trying to find a medication that worked for me, I was prescribed Anafranil. Within two days, I was seeing positive results. Within a year of taking Anafranil, I was free of depression. I've been taking Anafranil ever since - somewhat afraid to stop. There are many side effects that I often get tired of, but they pale compared to the relief I received from this medication. It is the most serotonergic of the tricyclics, and I feel it should be more widely tried for major depression."

• Batch
• July 17, 2013

"This medicine saved my life. I have now been on it for 12 years for anxiety and depression. I tried a whole slew of SSRIs over a three-year period with minimal success prior to clomipramine. A week after starting clomipramine, I started to feel better but had some major side effects (dry mouth, constipation, and later weight gain). With the SSRIs, I had no or minimal side effects. I thought maybe these side effects mean the medicine is working. The side effects continued for about 5-6 weeks, but I started to feel like my old self. I gained about 15 pounds in the first 8 months, but I didn't really care because I could live again and enjoy my family and friends. The weight all came off after about a year with exercise and eating right. Awesome!"

• Geger...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 3, 2021

Anafranil (clomipramine) "I had tried escilatopram (Scippa) and vortioxetine (Trintellix) before, practically both were ineffective. Anafranil has been a miracle for me, within a month it reduced my severe suffering very effectively, and made me much better for 90% of my time. And it was reached quickly with very small dosage: 20 mg a day. Minor side effects occurred during the first couple of weeks, the most unpleasant was the dry mouth and reduced libido, but it bounced back within weaks."

• Ela
• November 28, 2015

"I have tried everything. The only one that really helped me after I lost hope. The doctors don't give it to you because it's an old medication, the patent is over, and the big pharmaceutical companies don't make any money. But believe me, it is the best. Give it a 2-month chance."

• Nate
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 10, 2019

"Iv tried many SSRI's and SNRI's with little help, with augmentations of all sorts. Clomipramine is the only drug that has worked well so far for my depression. I did a combo of rtms and clomipramine at 100mg now, I am finally pulling free from the grips of severe clinical depression. Thank you clomipramine!"

• Man...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 10, 2017

Anafranil (clomipramine) "Was on Effexor, Seroquel and Prothiaden but could not shift the constant thoughts of killing myself. Driving became a night mare, just leaving the house was impossible as my thoughts kept telling me to walk in front of a bus etc etc. Anafranil literally saved my life and gave me back the wish to live. Most effective drug I have ever used and gradual withdrawal worked really well. Thoughts not completely gone but no pressure anymore, they just drive on by."

• zahi
• December 10, 2014

"I use this medication for 5 years after I tried everything Prozac, Cymbalta, Abilify, and all the others. This one was the only one that worked. It took 1 month to feel good and continued to grow for 1 year. It is not like the other medicine that lets you continue in your life, but you still don't feel good. This medicine really makes you strong and without all the bad thoughts and the lack of energy."

• Megg
• December 28, 2016

"Iv'e been on over 6 SRRIs along with the combination of benzodiazepines over the past 7 years for the treatment of depression/ptsd/OCD. Nothing has been so life changing and effective as Clomipramine. Its the most expensive prescription I've had had ($40/mo), but its also the most helpful. I noticed the benefits within 2 weeks, with its effects continuing to increase over time. I've been able to wean off of the benzo, and my anxiety has stayed at a manageable level. My OCD has subsided immensely, but more importantly this medication helped pull me out of a deep depression I had been stuck in for years. I couldn't be more grateful that my psychologist had the idea to try this medication, as I hear it is an older drug.TRY IT! :)"

• Charmed
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 13, 2019

"This is a VERY effective Rx; it totally cured my depression & repetitive thinking, but is the polar opposite of Imipramine & amitriptyline in side effects. The others were sedating, increased my appetite, & decimated my memory, Clomipramine decreased my appetite & gave me tons of energy. My outlook changed 180 degrees. It may increase anxiety for some, but made me feel so well & happy that I wasn’t worried about anything (not didn’t care/was catatonic as on Imipramine). I’m no longer always obsessing about the minutiae to the point of being impossible to live with, fear no longer motivates me. This could make someone who is bipolar (last reviewer) more manic & takes a while to adjust your sleep pattern to, but this prescription is a Godsend. I’ve been on & off antidepresants for 35 years. I wish I found it sooner. If the other TCAs made you slow/confused, have weird skin problems rashes/acne, try this."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 10, 2019

"OMG everybody on these reviews is so keen on telling people to try clomipramine are you kidding me? If you are sensitive to meds this stuff it the worst it is much much more powerful than other options. It can make you extremely unstable and unwell there’s a reason newer treatments were developed, they are much more selective and this is the very, very very last resort after literally trying everything. I was put on this during a depressive episode when I needed different bipolar options and it turned me into something scary plus caused constant nervousness. I recommend more gentle mood stabilizing or antidepressant options over this stuff. I feel it completely harmed me after being put on it at a high dose up to 150 mg for a long by a reckless hospital that just made things worse. I was in a vicious cycle of being on this terrible med. If you need to try it make sure you take the lowest dose powerful powerful stuff."

• JGhou...
• June 4, 2020

"I was in SSRI’s for 17 years and it only helped the OCD. I was still pretty miserable with depression. No doctor mentioned it until I ended up in a psychiatric hospital where they started putting me on clomipramine back in January of 2013. The first dosage of 25 milligrams gave me an acute anxiety attack. But I got over it. I went up to 50 mg in a few days and felt better. However 100 mg made the symptoms worse so I went back down to 50 mg and I was happy as a clam within 2 weeks. I’ve never been this happy or optimistic in my life. The only side effect that has become a problem is a significant amount of weight gain. At least 40-50 lbs. I’m making every effort to reverse it"

• Toona
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 14, 2015

"I had several attacks of depression on the last 25 years following stress of works with variable severity. All of these attacks respond well to anafranil in 3-5 week of therapy with some side effects like sweating, tremor during first 2 weeks then I take a small dose for another sevaral weeks and tapering it without problems. During the last attack of depression, I did a mistake when I start treatment with zoloft depending on an opinion of a psychatrist who said to me that this drug is very good with less side effects in comparison with "old drug anafranil with unpleasant side effects" as he said. I m on zoloft with up to 150 mg for the last 6 weeks without significant improvement. I decide to stop this drug & return back to my anafranil"

• Adyy
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 30, 2015

"I had roller coaster episodes of depression that was not seem to be cured from multiple Ssri that i tried.am struggling against depession for 6 years.The only miracle drug that worked is only chlomipramine.whenever i feel depression i just havr to adjust its dose and it start working again"

• Samo
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 1, 2021

"Awesome drug!! After trying almost all SSRI with no improvement at all. then the combination of mixing anafranil and lithium (I'm not bipolar) worked wonders for my depression. Have been on it for a couple of years now and still great. However sadly did not notice its full effects until probably 6 months. Felt pretty yuk for the first 6 weeks...but then slowly got better and about 12 months felt great. When nothing else worked it pretty much saved my life!"

• Jake
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 4, 2019

"Terrible medication that is way too powerful for anybody sensitive to medications. Caused a lot of nervousness mania and mixed states for me when used in a depressive episode when struggling with OCD and needed safe mood stabilizing meds as well as safer OCD options like luvox at a low dose. Stick with safer options this stuff is terrible it is very powerful."

• BLR
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 23, 2021

"I am taking Clomipramine for postnatal OCD, anxiety and depression. The only reason I haven’t given this drug 10/10 is because it has taken 6 months to fully feel it’s effects. I remember reading these reviews at 2/3 months and thinking that it just wasn’t working for me. Side effects: dry mouth, tremor, facial flushing, immediate headache if consuming alcohol. These have mostly reduced but I still can’t really drink alcohol at all. I believe a combination of this medication, therapy (ERP works best for the OCD!), meditation, mindfulness and time have helped me get to this stage. It’s like a new, better level of the drug opens up after 3 months and again after 5 months, that was my experience anyway. If you’re in despair reading this I would suggest speaking to your doctor about Clomipramine, it’s an older tricyclic but has worked much better for me than other SSRI’s. Good luck!"

• cier
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 26, 2019

Anafranil (clomipramine) "This excellent for depression, but use of the established big names such as NOVARTIS or CIBA GEIGY. I found the anafranil from ALFASIGMA in Milan, Italy not good and believe that this brand has INFERIOR pills."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 7, 2018

"Since finally demanding to wean off this drug my life has improved dramatically. My docs always said iIcould not afford to stop this med although I had 7 hospitalization and 3 suicide attempts. After 25yrs and 30 grand out of pocket I started weaning process from 200mg to now 25mg. Cerebral blood flow was inhibited as well as blood flow to all other organs most noticeably I now have the return of erections. Constipation which took me to the ER for manual extraction is now gone, urinary inhibition sometimes up to 1 2hrs is gone. This med worsened my depression in many ways and cost me 20 years of a good life as well as loss of career, family and self confidence, dignity,r espect and hundreds of thousands of dollars in income, medical bills and more. Hopefully this may help others who are on this drug or are considering it for treatment as well as docs who prescribe, especially long term. That 's all. Good luck to all!"

• Push
• September 14, 2017

Anafranil (clomipramine) "I got prescribed Anafranil after not impressive effects of tritico and zoloft, and yeah, it worked for a few months, but I had to up my dosage every now and then. However after around 4 months of taking it, it stopped working, I capped the dosage, and had to switch therapists, as the former had no idea what to do with severe depression. However what I'd like to share is the withdrawal part. In the time I was off it, it was really bad, imagine being constantly drunk. You can not focus, your view is shifting, everything seems to be floating, also like a lagging game, it feels as the visual part comes later than the audio. Really weird, so if you are on it or planning to try, ask your doctor for a way to take it out gradually."

• Bryce
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 22, 2022

Anafranil (clomipramine) "This drug made me feel worse than anything I have ever taken in my life! It did the opposite of everything it says it does. Any bad memory came straight to the front of my head and stuck there. The drug basically made me suicidal. If this drug works for you more power to you, but I would be careful because this is what it did to me."

• Welsh...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 13, 2019

"Help, clomipramine has been discontinued! Can't get it in UK anymore. I have been on it on and off over 30 years. Having an episode of depression now which started Sept 2018, now Jan 2019 and now being tapered to sertraline. Scared!!"

• Teo
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 11, 2022

"This drug is very effective for depression and generalized anxiety disorder but has ruined my life. I took it for more than two years, at first the only side effect was delayed ejaculation. After two years of use I started to experiencing low libido and severe erectile dysfunction. I stopped taking it and 10 months later I’m still completely impotent like a 90 years old man, it seems to be permanent."