Clomipramine
Clomipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant used mainly for obsessive-compulsive disorder, sold here as Anafranil capsules and Clomipramine tablets in 10mg, 25mg and 50mg.
Clomipramine
Clomipramine
10/25/50mg
Clomipramine tablets in 10mg, 25mg and 50mg, a tricyclic antidepressant used first for obsessive-compulsive disorder and also for depression, in packs for a long course.
What clomipramine is used for
Clomipramine belongs to the tricyclic antidepressants, the generation that came before SSRIs. Its best-known job is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) — the loop of unwanted thoughts and rituals that crowds out daily life. It also treats depression, particularly where a sedating effect is wanted, and obsessional and phobic states. In narcolepsy it is sometimes added to control cataplexy, the sudden loss of muscle tone that strong emotion can trigger.
Why the benefit is slow to arrive
Nobody feels clomipramine in the first days, and that surprises people. The drug acts straight away on serotonin and noradrenaline, the chemical signals between nerve cells, but the brain takes weeks to adjust to the change, and that adjustment is what eases the urge to check, count or repeat. Low mood often lifts first. The dry mouth, sleepiness and constipation arrive sooner than any benefit, because clomipramine also blocks histamine and acetylcholine receptors.
Taking it
Swallow the capsules or tablets with water. Early on the day's amount is often divided into two or three doses with meals as it is raised; later it usually becomes one dose at bedtime, which suits a drug that makes people drowsy. Coming off clomipramine is done in steps, since a sudden stop can bring dizziness, nausea, headache, weakness, poor sleep, fever and irritability. Keep the packs somewhere cool in their blisters.
Side effects
Dry mouth, sweating, a fine tremor, blurred vision, constipation, dizziness and drowsiness are the ones people notice first, along with changes in appetite and sleep. Most of these settle as the body adjusts. Rarer and more serious: an irregular heartbeat, fainting, confusion, trouble passing urine, and a painful red eye with blurred vision that can mean raised pressure inside the eye. A severe allergic reaction can cause swelling of the face, lips or throat or trouble breathing, and needs urgent treatment. A fever with rigid muscles and confusion points to too much serotonin and also needs urgent care. MAO inhibitors, another older antidepressant group, are a dangerous combination for the same reason.
Anafranil capsules and Clomipramine tablets
Two listings make up the whole range. Anafranil is the brand name, supplied as capsules in 10mg, 25mg and 50mg. Clomipramine is the same medicine under its plain name, made as tablets in the same three strengths. The choice between them comes down to capsule or tablet and the milligram strength on the pack. Both sit in the antidepressants range.
Sources
- Clomipramine: MedlinePlus Drug Information — National Library of Medicine
- Clomipramine 10 mg Capsules, Hard - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc) — UK Electronic Medicines Compendium (EMC)
Is Clomipramine available to order in Hong Kong?
Clomipramine can be ordered online with delivery to Hong Kong. The range here is generic Anafranil capsules in 10mg, 25mg and 50mg, and Clomipramine tablets in the same three strengths. Every order ships in plain, unbranded packaging with nothing on the outside about the contents.
How are Clomipramine prices shown?
Prices vary between the two clomipramine products and between pack sizes. Every product page lists its current prices in HKD or in the currency you choose.
Do I need a prescription to order Clomipramine?
PockDose does not ask you to upload a prescription when you order clomipramine. See the ordering FAQ for details.
What brand names does clomipramine have?
Anafranil is a brand name of clomipramine. Here, clomipramine can be bought online as generic Anafranil and clomipramine tablets. These are generics, not the original brand.
How long does clomipramine take to work?
The full effect builds over several weeks rather than days, and OCD symptoms tend to shift more slowly than low mood does. Doses are usually raised gradually over that period, so a short trial rarely tells you whether it is working.
Can I drink alcohol with clomipramine?
Alcohol deepens the drowsiness and dizziness clomipramine causes, and reaction times slow further. The more you drink, the more noticeable it becomes, especially in the first weeks while the dose is still being settled.
Is clomipramine the same as an SSRI?
No, though they overlap. An SSRI works on serotonin only. Clomipramine is a tricyclic, so it also acts on noradrenaline and blocks histamine and acetylcholine receptors, which accounts for more dry mouth, constipation and sleepiness than most SSRIs cause. It is one of the few antidepressants with a long record in OCD.
Why is clomipramine taken at night?
Drowsiness is one of its common effects, so once the dose is settled it is often taken as a single evening dose, which puts the sleepiness to use. During the first weeks, when the daily amount is split, the doses are spread through the day and taken with meals.