Ive been on various AD's since I was about 18 as Ive had OCD pretty much since puberty hit. These drugs include Prozac, Cipramil, Lexapro and Effexor. Also Zyprexa an anti-psycotic. None of these did a thing for OCD, even at high doses.

Prozac made me a Zombie and all my family members and freinds had said that my personality changed and I went really quiet..Cipramil flattened me out so I had absolutley no Emotion..high or low! This was the worst feeling. Lexapro didnt really do much and Effexor really was like a stimulant for me..It helped heaps with depression and it lif ted my mood..but OMG it brang out the OCD in me soooooo much! Zyprexa made me feel like I was dying so I stopped that after 1 day.

When my new psychatrist recently put me on to Anafranil (an older tricyclic AD) I was a little worried as he explained to me that these types of drugs are more effective, however alot worse side effects!! But I decided to go ahead with it as I could no longer take the intrusive thoughts and compulsions ie: Not being able to leave a room without counting to the number 28 ect and many bizzare thoughts that I repeated in my head that nobody else would be able to understand. I cant even explain how much these affected my life socially and mentally...

Anyway.....all I can say is that Anafranil is the only drug that has EVER worked for OCD and I can say that I am 99% cured!!!!!
I never knew I could feel like this...for the first time in my life I am able to wake up and WANT to get out of bed and look forward to the day ahead. Ive started to LOVE life and also LOVE myself. It is as if I have been reborn, honestly.

When an OCD thought comes into my head every now and then, I am able to control it and switch it off! Im getting better and better at that. Im currently on 75mg so I take 25mg in the morning and 50mg at night (as they are 25mg tablets): I just cant explain how happy I am because of Anafranil..sometimes it makes me cry almost.
As for the side effects...I do notice that I have a slightly dry mouth sometimes and eyes (however its not a big deal...like considering how im feeling) and sex-drive has gone down (but almost all AD's do that) and from my past experiences with medications after a while on the drug and your body has ajusted to it, the sex drive returns somewhat. So im hoping that will start happening in a few months. Also they say this drug increases appetite..but it has not done that for me as im eating the same as before. No sleeping issues ect...so afterall this drug is wonderfull for me and the side effects are really nothing.....


The only thing is..my Social Anxiety has started coming out a bit again so ive just started taking 50mg of Zoloft in the morning aswell as this is a medication used to treat Social Anxiety and Phobias... So I hope that works..

I know this drug is not for everyone and many people will have worse side effects, but if theres anyone out there suffering from OCD and have not been able to find a suitable SSRI...dont be scared by tricyclics...look at what it has done for me...my life has completley turned around...

Im not gonna keep going on and on because you get the idea..but is there anyone else out there who is on Anafranil and/or has tried it in the past with success? Ive heard heaps of negative things about this drug so I consider myself lucky that it has worked for me...I havent heard much about other peoples success with it.
Please share your comments & stories!

This post has been edited by Lizzy: Jul 25 2008, 06:25 AM

a success story! Try not to take on too many commitments at once though, or you will take a step backwards! I did that ........... <rolls eyes>. Because you have less OCD you are able to socialise more? So the possibility for anxiety levels to rise is there. Little steps!

Thanks for that....I appreciate it :-)
I just hope the Zoloft helps with the social anxiety now that my Ocd/depression is dealt with....

Little steps!

i am on anafranil for depression..and it has saved my life

i am soooo much happier and calmer now.

My doc has given me Anafranil (Clomipramine) today....

u may start out having more anxiety..but in a few days u will suddenly and quickly become calmer and calmer. thats what happened to me. and it was worth it.

Bummer. dont need more anxiety. Is it really only for a few days though ?

aww yay! You just gave me so much hope :) I just got put on effexor about a month ago and its made my anxiety and OCD go through the roof and my depression worse actually, its actually sooo bad I've pretty much stopped taking it and am hoping to see my psychiatrist soon to get some new better meds! I'll for sure ask her about this one though, it sounds amazing :) I'm glad it has helped u so much :)

Update

Apart from the sexual side effects, Clomipramine is brilliant stuff !!!!

I hope you still check the message boards. I was just wondering how you guys are doing on the anafranil? I've been having terrible anxiety/panic and depression since December and have been on three different SSRI's since then. Most recently, I'm on zoloft 100 mg and day after tomorrow it will have been four weeks. I'm still having difficulty with the anxiety and having to take ativan three times a day. My brother, grandfather, and now my mom have all done well on anafranil, but I'm afraid to ask my psychiatrist about switching because I've already tried so many things and I'm afraid he'll just say that I haven't given the zoloft enough time. Maybe that's just because we're both getting frustrated that nothing has worked, but I desperately want my life back.

I'm also curious if you guys were on an SSRI before starting the anafranil. What kind of side effects to expect and for how long?

Thanks

Ali

Update 5 months down the line.

Brilliant stuff. Life saver.

Reason I havent been on here so much is because I no longer feel the need. I'm back to my old self.

Big cheer for Anafranil !!!!!

I was on this for a year, 200mg I think in the end. I had side effects.., dry mouth, indigestion everyday and nausea, constipation/diarhoea, dizzyness, twitches in my face and limbs, libido was greatly reduced, took me an hour to feel turned on with my boyfriend, involuntry jerks- slurred speech and stuttering in the most embarassing places, headaches also. This drug for me was a nightmare. I was sedated to a certain degree, very aware and alert but sedated at the smae time. Its an old old drug thats barely used anymore for OCD and this one needs to go. It ruins the lning of the stomach and actually has an acid within it that burns away at your internal muscles, hence the dizzy spells and headaches.
I think we become immune to these in time anyway, their a short term help thru a crises, my dad had died and stuff. My feelings would be take these drugs short term and maybe a small amount after, but drug therapy alone won't cure you. (not anafranil). where I live its impossible to get psychotherapy nowadays, with the recession, so I've to be so vigilent as to what i put into my body. Hope thats of some help, im sorry its so negative but its a warning abnout this drugs. (i dont usually feel so strongly about something but when i do its really important)

This post has been edited by Oisin: Sep 17 2009, 04:11 PM