Clomipramine and Dry Mouth: What Users Say

• olc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 29, 2025

For Panic Disorder "I've been using Anafranil for 5 days. 25 mg - so far I've had dry mouth, fatigue, and lack of motivation. After 7 days, I am to increase the dose to 50 mg, and after 2 weeks, 75 mg. So far, I feel less anxious, I sleep better, I have no diarrhea. I hope, as people recommend, that it will help me with social phobia and panic disorder."

• Bre...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 28, 2025

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Great for OCD when on 150 mg, but had to stop this drug due to the horrible side effects. Constipation so bad I had to go to the hospital, dry mouth, and red skin, plus a weird constant tingling in my feet. Weaning off the medication was surprisingly easy. Recently started on Paxil 40 mg with no side effects. So far, Paxil doesn’t seem as “good,” but the side effects are just not worth it, unfortunately."

• Bre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 5, 2024

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Started on clomipramine after being on SSRIs for 20 years. Weaned off Lexapro 40 mg and started on 25 mg of clomipramine. The first month has been rough, no sleep, extreme constipation, dry mouth, and anxiety, but 5 weeks in it’s getting easier and helping my OCD more than anything ever has. It’s also helped with my depression and irritability. I am now on 100 mg 5 weeks in, and things are looking better. Only side effects now are dry mouth and constipation."

• Jul...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 8, 2023

For Panic Disorder "Had life debilitating panic attacks after my mum died. I couldn’t work or socialize and felt like I was dying too, it was so awful. After a couple of weeks on this drug, I started to get my life back, and now, 4 months in, I feel so good. Only wish I’d been prescribed this years ago, as OCD has affected me all my life. Side effects? A few (tiredness, hot sweats, and a dry mouth - but only in the first few weeks, now all gone). Honestly, this drug has been a lifesaver."

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

Clomipramine 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."

• Meg...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 10, 2022

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I've been taking 25 mg of clomipramine for six months. The first two months were rough. Constant dry mouth, fatigue, constipation, and brain fog. 25 mg was the highest I could go - any higher and the side effects were intolerable. That being said, by the sixth month, most of the side effects got better, but were not completely gone. My sleep and anxiety have improved greatly. My intrusive thoughts weren't gone, but I wasn't ruminating and obsessing like I used to. Overall, I was having a generally positive experience taking this drug. However, at the same time that I started taking clomipramine, I was diagnosed with lymphedema and gained weight in my legs that I can't lose. It's hard to know if this is tied to clomipramine because lymphedema is hereditary. The timing could be coincidental, but this medication is known for causing weight gain. So tomorrow I'm switching to Zoloft, which I took years ago. It's worth giving this med a try. Give it two months to really kick in."

• Rlw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 4, 2022

Clomipramine for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I’d love to know how anyone else went on this drug? I’m only on 25 mg and also on Concerta 18 mg for ADHD, so I’m basically OCD/ADHD. I have been getting really bad insomnia, but I do find it is helping. I take it in the morning at the moment because when I first started, I found it kept me up worse when I took it at night. I will eventually increase. I get dry mouth, but it has also fixed my IBS. Please feel free to share experiences if the insomnia side effect goes away. I’m on week two now."

• 123...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 27, 2022

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Suffering from pure harm OCD for 5 years now. No compulsions, just thoughts. It starts with the moment I wake up in the morning. Grueling and the most disgusting thoughts you can ever imagine, and an earworm that never stops and changes every day. No therapy has worked. After suffering for one year, I was at my wits' end. So my psychiatrist suggested we try Prozac with an optional conjunction with Abilify. I took it for two years, and it helped for about a 75% remission. Then it pooped out. My obsessions returned to full force, and for about 1.5 years, my suffering continued. I thought Clomipramine and maybe Abilify were my last hope. I started with 37.5 mg and upped my dose to 300 mg with 37.5 mg steps every week. Side effects: dry mouth, urine retention, severe constipation, tiredness, tremor in both hands, loss of libido, blurred vision, some of these disappeared, some didn't. Then I waited. After 7 long months and being on the max dose for over 4 months, I started to notice slight improvements."

• Coy...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 25, 2022

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "This medication is quite literally a lifesaver. I have had debilitating OCD along with bipolar and PTSD since childhood. I have also battled anorexia and exercise addiction for close to 50 years. I was on it for a couple of years about 6 months back, but my doctor took me off of it because it was making my manic episodes much worse. As soon as I went off of it, my obsessions and compulsions came back with a vengeance. She put me on Depakote to stabilize me, then put me back on the clomipramine last night. I could feel the difference as soon as I woke up this morning! I am (and was previously) only taking 12.5 mg, which did help tremendously. I'm hoping that, with the Depakote, I can make it to at least 25 mg to really get rid of it for good. I know that many of you are here because you aren't sure if you want to take the leap and, like me, you are probably obsessing about it. PLEASE push past your fears and give it a try! Dry mouth, sweating, and some mild tachycardia...that's it!"

• Rac...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 17, 2021

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Saris stopped working. I had up to 60 obsessions a day morphing. 1-hour toilet routine. I'd been using different SSRIs for 20 years with success for OCD, but for some reason, none of them worked anymore. I held no hope for clomipramine at all. I'm very sensitive to drugs, so they were increased very slowly. The worst side effect was dry mouth, it was like a rat had crawled in and died there, but it does pass and improve. Also, reading movement disorder as a side effect had me begin to be convinced I had one, but I didn't believe that until they were fully working. Anyway, slowly all my obsessions cleared up to the point where I can almost be the other way. I was considering many ways out of life before this started to show improvement. Now it is like I'm a slightly obsessive person with no OCD. It was a miracle for me. I was nearing the end, I had no quality of life. Give it a try."

• Ann...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 11, 2021

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I take 175 mg of clomipramine for OCD, dermatillomania, and treatment-resistant depression for over 6 years. After about 2 months, my dermatillomania has almost vanished, and my intrusive thoughts diminished greatly. The only downside is the dry mouth, but chewing gum (sugar-free) helps a lot. I've tried SSRIs, and they just were sedative. The side effects of clomipramine seem like a small price to pay (at least the side effects I have felt thus far) for relief from chronic OCD and depression."

• Ala...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 21, 2021

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Clomipramine gave me back my quality of life and ability to function. My OCD no longer controls me. Obsessive thoughts are less frequent, and normally when they do happen, I’m able to shrug them off and they don’t torment me. Only side effect is dry mouth and muscle twitches for a few days when increasing dose."

• And...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 9, 2021

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Clomipramine has been a lifesaver. It has taken away nearly 90% of intrusive thoughts. Over the next week, the doctors will increase the dose to 150 mg, and I believe it will help a lot. The first 4 weeks were tough on the drug, and I suggest anyone trying the drug to hang on and stick in there. Side effects are it takes longer to orgasm and dry mouth from time to time. Overall, a thumbs up from me."

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

For Depression "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 its 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 SSRIs. Good luck!"

• jde...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 7, 2021

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I am on 150 mg, and it has been extremely helpful for my OCD and depression. There are side effects such as dry mouth, difficulty urinating, and it takes longer to orgasm, but overall, it has been very helpful."

• Ave...
• March 5, 2021

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Started at 25 mg. A week later, I was taking 50 mg. Mouth was dry, but I could deal with that. Went up to 75 mg. I was having difficulty urinating. Okay, I can deal with that as long as that's the worst. Went up to 100 mg. Could not urinate at all. Went to the ER and was catheterized - I had to be catheterized due to the amount of urine in my bladder. This was Saturday. The doctor looked up this medication and found this happens to 6% of patients - which is considered a fairly high number regarding side effects. The doctor said to go to a urologist on Monday. Went to a very good urologist with excellent staff. They took out the catheter, and I was able to urinate. Went home and urinated 2 times. By 2:00, I wasn't able to go at all. Back to the urologist and got catheterized again. The amount I had in my bladder was 450 - apparently, that is quite a lot. The doctor said this medication has 5 half-lives, which equals 160 hours!!! Went home with the catheter. Today (Thursday), the catheter was removed, and it's 10:00 pm and all is good. *Knocks on wood*"

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

Clomipramine for Depression "I had tried escitalopram (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 a 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 weeks."

• z-d...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 2, 2021

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Makes my mouth dry and makes me sweat more than normal. Nevertheless, this med has helped to quiet my head to a manageable level to function."

• Lin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 7, 2021

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "The lowest dose of clomipramine in combination with Luvox gave me dry mouth, nausea, headaches, loss of taste, weight gain, dizziness, fatigue, feeling like needing to pee, and sexual dysfunction. It made me feel numb inside. Some reduction in the intensity of obsessive thoughts due to being so sedated. This drug is very old and strong and did not work for me at all. I quit cold turkey after four weeks and have never felt so depressed."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 7, 2020

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Suffered with severe intrusive thoughts, was on 300 mg of clomipramine for about a year and had side effects of putting weight on (6 stone), dry mouth, shaky hands, just felt like a zombie. Gradually came off of them and started to feel better, then along came COVID and intrusive thoughts came back, so got put back on them but made me feel anxious, so came off them."

• Kar...
• August 17, 2020

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I have tried all SSRIs for my OCD, but they made my condition worse and caused me suicidal thoughts, aggression, and depression. Taking those pills for several months (3 to 4 months on each SSRI), I had to quit them because I had several suicide attempts. Then I met with a doctor after years of struggling who gave me clomipramine! It stopped my suicidal thoughts and reduced my OCD by 90%. Now I have very few obsessions which are very easy to handle. They don't affect me. I started with a very low dose and raised it to 50mg within 3 weeks. Then I noticed a first small difference. After that, I slowly increased my dose to 150mg/day in week 5, and after week 7 (on 150mg/day), it reduced my symptoms by 90%. I am a 21-year-old guy and my weight is 50kg. Loss of libido, dry mouth, little constipation, and mild urinary retention can be a problem for you also, but this medicine is worth it, some of the side effects will go over time. It is old, that doesn't mean it won't work. This medicine is WORTH IT!!!"

• And...
• June 1, 2020

For Panic Disorder "I asked my psychiatrist to try me out on this drug clomipramine because the reviews were so promising. I started off on a dose of 25 mg and didn't really notice too much of a difference. I went up to 50 mg and started to feel a little better, but still not 100% myself. I went up to 100 mg and it was way too strong for me. My panic became worse and I was a crying mess. The side effects were extremely dry mouth, dehydration, and extreme difficulty in orgasming. I went back down to 50 mg and that seems to be the sweet spot for me. I'm still depressed and anxious, but I'm able to leave my house, sleep better, have better sex (was on SSRIs before and that killed my libido), and be functional. I know there's no magic drug that will eliminate all anxiety or depression, but this one has helped out a lot. I rarely ever get panic attacks anymore and I'm able to manage my anxiety a lot better. I'm a little upset because it's not really helping with the depression, but I'm going to try and find something to pair with this."

• ARa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 23, 2020

"I was a singer and had a stroke on stage. After convalescing for a year, I stuttered, constantly had panic attacks, and was hyperemotional all the time, oscillating between screaming or crying. I also realized I'd lost my voice, singing off-key with a weak, trembling voice. I've always been quite sensitive, but I actually felt handicapped, so I explained these symptoms to my family doctor, and he reluctantly prescribed 25 mg Clomipramine for 6 months. It truly is a miracle! After a month, I can now sing again, am finally even-tempered, and generally feel balanced. And though it hasn't been all rosy, as I had dizzy spells, palpitations, and still have dry mouth, I still hope he tells me I can take it for the rest of my life because I do not want to ever revert to the PTSD state I was in."

• Cha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 6, 2020

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Out of all the medicines I have tried for my anxiety/OCD, this one, clomipramine, has worked the best! I take 50 mg a day, and it took about 3-4 weeks to start noticing a difference. I went from OCD thoughts running my life all day/every day to having small thoughts throughout the day that I am able to easily dismiss. My panic attacks are also gone! Side effects have been dry mouth, a little bit of weight gain (maybe 5 pounds), and sexual side effects (delayed ejaculation). This medicine is expensive and has caused a few side effects, BUT IT IS WORTH IT!"

• Tom...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 18, 2020

For Panic Disorder "I started on clomipramine at a dose of 50 mg daily for anxiety, panic disorder, depression, and OCD. I slowly increased the dose by 50 mg and am currently taking 150 mg at bedtime. This medication is an old one, but don’t be fooled by new doctors and new medications. This medication has been a gift from God. At first, I was afraid to start it after reading a lot of reviews about negative side effects. The only thing I’ve had is a little dry mouth. Other than that, my depression is much better, panic attacks are way down to almost nothing, and obsessive thoughts have dropped by about 90%. So overall, this medication has been the best medication I’ve ever been on. I am thankful for my older psychiatrist who had an idea that my depression and panic were coming from mostly obsessive thoughts. I am so grateful to have been put on this medication!!!"