# Transitioning from Clomipramine?



## fffff (Dec 14, 2006)

Hello everyone

I joined this forum a long time ago!

I didn't post much.

I've had a lot of success with clomipramine. But I have two problems with it. One, it is hella expensive in the US right now. It's covered by my insurance currently but that may change. But more concerning to me right now is that it messes with my sleep and because of that I'm very tired and out of it and having a different kind of dpdr where I feel disconnected, like I am halfway asleep and halfway awake.

I'm strongly considering switching to an ssri+ lamotrigine or going down on the clomipramine and adding lamotrigine or something similar. Does anyone else have experience doing something like that? When I have a good day where I am not impacted by sleep issues and my brain isn't getting sleep signals all day, I couldn't ask for a better experience in my life. However, this problem is driving me crazy, effecting my ability to communicate and pay attention at work. So I'm ready to go back to the drawing board and try some new combos of meds.

I also know it's important to use the SAD light in the winter, get exercise (which it's been hard to do lately because it's cold and my car is dead and can't take me to the gym), and I need to start taking Vitamin D again.

But yeah looking for any advice to remedy this problem as well as if anyone has experienced similar problems with Clomipramine/Anafranil.


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## Broken (Jan 1, 2017)

I havent had clomipramine but I have just started Imipramine. They are quite similar in function and structure except clomipramine has higher affinity for Serotonin and Norepinephrine receptors. I guess this makes it stronger acting so less dose is needed. In the UK there is a shortage of Clomipramine (I assume due to price) so I was advised by my doctor to take Imipramine.

I don't know, but maybe check if it is cheaper in the US. I assume it is. I would advise you thinking very carefully before changing meds though. It really is a miracle if you find something that helps your DPD and sometimes when people taper off a med and the DP comes back, the medication never works the same as it did before. So think hard if it is really worth it. But look into imipramine as well. It is helping me sleep and with concentration and helping integrate my senses a bit into a more unified experience of the present moment (bit hard to describe that one). But I am simultaneously more aware of multiple things at once, which is a good sign!


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