Anafranil User Reviews & Ratings (Page 3)

• Anonymous
• October 21, 2010

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Anafranil saved my life. The side effects are not pleasant, but not having the intrusive thoughts is well worth the effort! I am scared of long-term effects, but my fears are lessened by the effectiveness of Anafranil for OCD."

• pcw...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 25, 2016

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I was on Anafranil many years ago. Took it for 5 years. Unfortunately, after 5 years, it stopped working for me. But it is a wonderful medication. Give it a try. More than likely, it will work for you. If not, give fluvoxamine a try. It is another really good one. Only side effect was dry mouth. Small price to pay for the wonderful effects I got from Anafranil. Give it a try. When I took it, there was no co-pay. Nowadays, there probably will be a co-pay, but probably not a bad one."

• JDa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 29, 2021

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I’ve taken Anafranil for a month now because I had been struggling with anxiety with an OCD element as well. I’m on 150 mg right now. This medication is definitely helping. I take Prozac 20 mg as well, and I think they work better together. For me, it’s helped to stop worrying and thinking about things that don’t matter. Also, I’ve had random intrusive thoughts of uncomfortable words popping into my head. It’s made me realize how ridiculous it really is and that it’s really a bad serotonin imbalance. My mood has improved as well, so I think this drug should be used more because it’s a potent drug. It’s gonna hit the anxiety/OCD hard, whereas I tried Zoloft, Viibryd, Pristiq, etc., and they alone usually aren’t enough. You gotta be on Anafranil plus Prozac/Luvox/Paxil or some other SSRI. I’m also on Rexulti, which basically boosts the two primary medications. No side effects so far either. Hope this is helpful."

• Ste...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 20, 2020

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Bear in mind that this, like any medication, may work differently for you, but I can attest to the point that it does not work for everyone. I had a combination of OCD and depression. I took Anafranil for months. For one thing, it didn't do squat for the condition. It didn't help one bit. What it did was make me so tired and lethargic that I could not do a thing. I failed a college semester because I simply could not keep myself awake, and there was not enough caffeine on earth to do it. It made my situation many times worse."

• hea...
• November 17, 2010

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Works well for OCD, wonderful for body pain, and moderate for depression (it takes 6-8 weeks for me to see any effect), but the side effects are not pleasant: dry mouth, fatigue, drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, and anorgasmia."

• UK ...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 9, 2016

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I have severe early onset OCD. I have found that clomipramine (Anafranil) has taken the edge off of it. I've been taking it for 4.5 years, SLOWLY building up to 200 mg, but have found that the side effects of this medication to be too much, in particular the excessive sweating. I am regularly dripping with sweat to the point I have been asked if it is raining outside because I'm soaked. I'm thinking of coming off of it because the sweating is exacerbating the OCD as I now have obsessions about it, and I'm constantly worried about people looking at me because I'm sweating so much, which isn't very feminine. I've tried to come off of it a few times, but every time I do, my OCD regresses into overdrive-highlighting how effective it is for OCD."

• Cal...
• April 13, 2009

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "From reading the medical literature, this is probably the most effective treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder, but the side effects led me to change. After a year of use, I switched to a less taxing medication. The weight gain was too much, and it made me more confrontational with others. However, for bringing my initial problem down to a manageable level before switching, Anafranil was a lifesaver."

• BeF...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 8, 2020

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I took Anafranil for 5 months at a dose of 25 mgs. Definitely took some power away from the intrusive thoughts, but not fully. Had a hard time with being tired in the morning, terrible dreams, mild constipation. On a positive note, I did not gain any weight and was able to work out regularly. Tried to go up to 50 mg, but that got rid of my libido. Felt like taking an upper and downer at the same time. Some of the time, I felt good, other times, I felt depressed. Unfortunately, couldn’t tolerate a higher dose. But if you really need to shut off the noise, this may be the way to go. Best of luck."

• Sha...
• August 31, 2017

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I was on Effexor for 3 months, and I really liked it besides the fact it didn't help with my obsessive/intrusive thoughts. I did quite a bit of research on medications and decided to ask my doctor if I could try Anafranil. I have been on Anafranil for a month now, and it has really helped with the obsessing over intrusive, meaningless thoughts. In the beginning, it did spike my anxiety, which I used a benzodiazepine to help with until the anxiety calmed down. After that, I noticed I started to feel dizzy when I stood up fast, and it was another side effect. At this point, I began to get nervous, but I heard so many good reviews about this drug I really wanted it to work. After making it through my first month with it, the side effects began to lessen."

• Sam...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 19, 2021

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Anafranil helped my OCD symptoms a little bit and helped me sleep at night. However, as my doctor increased my dosage, I started gaining weight, having horrible acne, and severe constipation. It also made me crave junk food like some kind of addict. I was on Anafranil for about 10 months and gained 40 lbs. I haven't taken Anafranil in about 8 months. I've lost the 40 lbs. I didn't have to go on a diet or anything, as soon as I was off the drug, my appetite went back to normal. However, 8 months later, and my colon is still not healthy. I still have major issues with constipation and bloating. My doctor had me try Zyliss, a drug for IBS, and it helps a little. I feel like Anafranil may have ruined my gut. I have a hard time leaving the house because I am so uncomfortable in my gut. I wish I had never taken this drug. I was much better off before."

• Lua...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 18, 2013

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "This drug was a miracle for me! My problem was that I was always late for any and every little thing I attempted to do, and it was ruining my life. It is very baffling for me because I started with only 25 mg, and within four days, I was automatically, not just on time, but early for everything, without any thought or effort! I was ecstatic. This phase lasted 3 weeks. The doc said I'd be a superwoman when she amped me up to 50 mg. Well, that made it stop working! I began to slowly regress, and then started to be extremely drowsy to the point of even falling asleep at the wheel -- and worse, it wasn't even working! We experimented with it, but it never worked again, and I am super sad about that."

• Phi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 5, 2023

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "So far, I have been on 25 mg for about 2 weeks. It has given me much more headspace than other antidepressants I've tried so far. Sometimes I can now redirect my attention and not fixate on the thoughts. Obsessive thoughts do still come, though, but I need to put in the work in ERP anyways. I am having good hopes for increasing the dose now. The only issue is it makes me really constipated right now. But compared to every other antidepressant, I believe this is one of the best for OCD."

• Inf...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 30, 2022

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "My experience with Anafranil over the past 3 months is as follows: severely chronic constipation, urinary retention that hospitalized me the other day, a 60 percent increase in my depression, a 90 percent increase in my overall anxiety, and at best a 15 percent decrease in my OCD symptoms. Not to mention the sexual dysfunction that includes painful orgasms and low libido, and then there's the constant dry mouth. I cannot for the life of me recommend this medication to anyone. I'm currently 5 days away from discontinuing this medication and replacing it with Prozac."

• Use...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 12, 2018

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I definitely recommend Anafranil to anyone suffering from moderate to severe OCD. While on this medication, I noticed a great reduction in my OCD symptoms, and it had elevated my mood even. Though a few of this medication's side effects might be a little troublesome, generally, you get used to it, and it isn't life-changing."

• bal...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 18, 2022

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Anafranil gave me very serious balance problems. Within days of it for OCD, I began stumbling up the subway steps. The psychiatrist assured me it could not be from the Anafranil. Over a period of a few years, I twice fell and had to be treated and received facial stitches in the emergency room, lost part of a front tooth, suddenly fell for no apparent reason walking down the street, climbing stairs, going down stairs. I could have had extreme injuries, or in the case of falling down 15 steps at the train station, died. I asked my psychiatrist about Anafranil causing the falls. He said it would not in any way have caused these falls. On reporting my falling to an audiologist, she told me that research shows that Anafranil indeed does lead to balance problems in 30% of people taking it."

• Geo...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 26, 2018

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Been on since 1990, 25 mg at bedtime, and has worked fantastically for my OCD, which surfaced after a grand mal seizure. Generic ineffective - try to use the brand. Worst side effect is yawning, can also open the capsule and dilute in water partially if needed."

• Bry...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 22, 2022

For Depression "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."

• cie...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 26, 2019

For Depression "This is 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."

• JBa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 20, 2019

"I have tried everything for my PMDD. Nothing has worked until I tried Anafranil - Anafranil works for PMDD. Now I hardly feel the hormone-induced anxiety and depressive symptoms at all between ovulation and my period, two weeks that used to be hell for me. Side effects that I got are loss of appetite and dry mouth. Not a problem to live with."

• wil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 24, 2018

For Panic Disorder "I was suffering from anxiety and was prescribed Anafranil by my GP. Over a period of about a week, my anxiety increased to the point that I was not well enough to go into work. I contacted my GP, who increased the dosage. Within a few days, I became so anxious I was unable to leave the house. I also suffered shaking and felt so weak that I stayed in bed. But worst of all, I started having suicidal thoughts. At this point, another GP from the practice called out to see me at home and took me off Anafranil and onto a short-term course of diazepam/temazepam. My situation improved and stabilized. In the longer term, I was prescribed venlafaxine, which helped with my condition. If you start having any suicidal thoughts, ring someone immediately!"

• Kat...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 10, 2020

For Panic Disorder "I have been on this clomipramine since I was 9 years old. It has been the best thing for me. When I had taken myself off cold turkey 4 years ago, I suffered greatly until deciding to go back on. But unfortunately, I didn't give it enough time to work before deciding I had become immune. Tried others for the next three years. A little over a month ago, I decided to try again with this Anafranil, and was put on a higher dosage: 25 mg, x2 a day as needed. Now I don't have to take it every day! Only as needed, and it's an instant calming effect!"

• cin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 16, 2023

"Being on SSRIs since my first panic attack at 21 years old, having them recurring every 4 years or so (I am now 43), and while in a very severe and desperate episode, my psychiatrist asked me to give Anafranil a try. I was scared of tricyclics, as they have a bad reputation for side effects. The first dose had tough side effects that lasted for 2 hours. I was lucky I wasn't alone to face it. After that, kind of like a miracle, calmness took me by the hand. It's been 4 days and I've had a full night of sleep, something that hadn't happened in quite a while. I also suffer from nervous gastritis since the pandemic, and I'm slowly starting to eat things other than pasta and bananas with no disturbance. Reading other reviews and accessing my very recent experience, I can only say that I have faith to get my life back on track. Don't give up on yourselves, and if your doctor has prescribed it to you, give it a try - for me, it has been worth it, and things are looking up."

• Bca...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 23, 2022

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "This is the only medicine that ever did anything for my OCD. I have tried everything!! (Zoloft, Paxil, Luvox, Wellbutrin, Celexa, Prozac) It does have some side effects. The bothersome ones for me are weight gain (not extreme like 5-10 lbs) & fatigue. I recommend taking it at night before bed because it can make you tired. If your body can adapt to the side effects, it's worth it. Especially if you have intrusive thoughts. I have obsessive checking behaviors & I also pick my skin, which is considered the same type of disorder as trichotillomania. Anafranil helped me completely stop this. I had no desire to think about it or do it anymore, it was crazy. If you have tried a lot of other things, give it a try in low doses, slowly. It will get better, little by little."

• Ser...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 18, 2022

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "For those who are comparing OCD medications, you should note that Anafranil and Clomipramine are the same medication. Personally, I’ve found this medication to be the most effective for OCD, essentially removing all intrusive thoughts I had for the most part, as well as allowing me to easily dismiss or accept whatever intrusive thoughts did rarely arise, without it provoking an anxious response, meaning they could pass from my mind without issue. Unfortunately, however, the medication suddenly stopped working for me after a 3-year period and left me taking something much less effective. This has left me hoping that one day I’ll be able to go back on Clomipramine and that it’d work again, or that I could find another medication just as effective, if not more effective. It is an older medication, so it can have more side effects. Personally, I only had two: weight gain and orthostatic hypertension, however, the latter only appeared after a large dose increase much later."

• Pus...
• September 14, 2017

For Depression "I got prescribed Anafranil after not impressive effects of Trittico 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 cannot focus, your view is shifting, everything seems to be floating, also like a lagging game. It feels as if 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."