I was given imipramine for panic/anxiety. I know this partcular drug has been on the market for a long time. I find that the Effexor I am currently taking does not seem to be working for me.
Thank you for any questions or comments in advance :)
Have any of you had much success using imipramine for panic disorder?
- Posted:
- 28 Dec 2010 by want2Bmedless
- Topics:
- effexor, anxiety, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, imipramine
Details:
Answers (2)
christine...28 Dec 2010
Effexor was horrible and did nothing for anxiety. As a matter of fact, it made it worse for me. I made the mistake of quitting effexor 300mg cold turkey, I thought I was gonna die! The only reason I continued to take it was to avoid the withdrawal. It really didn't help depression either. As far as anxiety, I take valium for muscle spasms and it does help any anxiety I have. I haven't heard of Imipramine but would like to know how it works. Are you having much success with it? Take care and hope you have a great new year!
chris
15 Jan 2011
I realize I'm late in answering this question, but I hope you have had some good results since you started taking Imipramine. I was diagnosed with a panic/anxiety disorder when I was twelve, i was prescribed Imipramine because it had been on the market for a long time and my doctors were nervous to try anything new on someone so young. My anxiety attacks got better, (they didn't go away completely) I was so glad to finally get some relief, especially as they increased my dosage. I took it for 8 years with little negative side affects before I weaned myself off of it. I didn't have to take an on-going medication for my anxiety for several years, but a couple years ago the attacks became unmanageable again. This time I asked for Imipramine and have been taking it again for 2 years, I still have attacks occasionally, but not nearly as often as I used to. I know different people have different results, but I wish you luck with this.
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Hi,
I had some success with Imip for a while. Did not take it for long but it seemed to help. Went on Xanax instead, and that really helped.
Good luck, and let us know how it works for you,
Thanks so much for your feedback Christine and Sweetlemon!
I have been taking the imipramine for 3 weeks now... an increasing dose. Have decreased my 300mg dose of Effexor down to 150... hope that is not too much of a decrease... but am feeling "okay". When I first started the imipramine my doc said to take it at bedtime, cuz' it will make me sleepy... but it really does'nt... I am hoping as my dose increases, I may be able to take 25 mg four times daily to help with panic/anxiety. Thanks for asking... if any of you out there have any comments or concerns about my doing this... please do not hesitate. I am in a remote area of Northern Canada and do not have a family doctor... which, is why I come to inform myself to this fantastic website so very often:)
Happy New Year! xx
I always seemed to have the opposite of what the medication was supposed to do. Even with the pain medication. It's supposed to make me tired but doesn't. It actually keeps me awake at night if I take it too close to bedtime. It's good you were able to cut down on the effexor. 225mg is the maximum dose recommended, we both were over that at 300mg. That is one medication I will NOT take again. Some people it works wonders for, me, it just kept me from the low low's but the anxiety I felt needed to be counteracted with benzo's. Not really an ideal way of handling depression. Now it's the chronic pain adding to it. Bottom line... It's always something!!
Christine ATU :)
I had been on Effexor for 7+ years before I "piped up" and said that I did not think it was working. Most docs around my area think that their patients are "drug seeking"... I just want something to help me along with my anxiety. I do yogo and meditation and hope to not have to use any 'benzo's which are not available anyway... just want to enjoy my life... get rid of those terrible "what ifs" that linger in my mind. I do not think I would ever get an RX for valium because I see a different doctor each time I have an appointment... usually have to wait 3 mos. Have any of you tried valerian? Melissa... I am desperately trying to live a normal life.
Any thoughts or suggestions would be immensly appreciated xx
I've a Q on this one... is Imip. the generic for Pamelor?
Lemon Pie
Valerian? I have to look that up in the guide. There's a link in my profile that has all the info on meds and supplements, even herbal remedies. I'll take any ideas at this point. How could you deal with attitudes the doc's have in your area? Everyone is a drug seeker? wow. That's got to be hard to convince a doc that isn't the case, especially when someone really needs controlled meds. I'm lucky in that my pain can be seen on an x-ray. What is Valerian?
I see! It's used as a sleep aid. It's a root of some sort. It actually has pretty good reviews. Where can you buy it? I'm not sure, but I think this link will bring it up.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/870.html
nortripyline is the pamelor generic, I think?
OK, I think I may recall... Imip, = Tofranil?
(still stupid from Lyrica Topamax mixture, yeahhhhh, I'll blame it upon THAT)
imipramine is generic for tofranil, it can be used together with buspar to help with anxiety & or chronic pain disorders.See if you can get the book 'healing anxiety & depression' from Dr. Daniel Amen & Lisa Routh,and check out their websites.I have seen Dr. Amens seminars twice for ADD & ADHD.He is the master! He has new lab in seattle for brain imaging,now we just need the cash-ola. I also take 90 mg. of buspar a day for anxiety,20 mg. of lexapro for depression & 25 to 50 mg. of amitriptyline or 'elavil' during the day for a boost to help with anxiety & 50 to 75 mg. @ night to sleep.It all helps but i can't wait to get back on my benzos, which i can't have now because i'm on house arrest for a dui & the stupid jail nurse says no controllable substanses. Benzodiazepines were magic for me. I wish i could've taken them when i was a teenager, i probably would'nt of smoked so much pot.
wow! An intelligent answer! Thank you so much. That sounds really interesting, I'll look it up on Amazon. Have a wonderful new year!
chris
thank you,your welcome & have a happy new year too!!!
I have never tried Effexor but have been on immipramine for about 19 years. I take 150 mg. every night before bed and it does help me. For times that I'm really stressed or feel the onset of anxiety attack, I do have clonzapem that I take on an as-needed basis. Hang in there & the immipramine should work out!