Anafranil (Clomipramine) Withdrawal And Detox

Anafranil (Clomipramine) Withdrawal And Detox

Anafranil is an antidepressant used to treat OCD. The CDC says thatantidepressant use is on the rise, making this class of drugs one of the most common drug types used in the country. The effects of these drugs are also in question. A fourth of the people who took these drugs in the past month had been doing so for 10 years or more, per the CDC data. With such an increase comes more people needing drug detox, which can be a hard (but needed) part of recovery. Detox helps people avoid a severe withdrawal event.

What Are Common Anafranil (Clomipramine) Withdrawal Symptoms?

The withdrawal symptoms of Anafranil are similar to other antidepressants. Some of the drug’s withdrawal symptoms are:

• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Headache
• Insomnia
• Fever
• Irritability
• Anxiety
• Depression

If a woman is pregnant, these symptoms can affect the baby. Research shows that drug withdrawal in pregnant women can sometimes lead to epilepsy in unborn babies.

While some withdrawal symptoms occur during recovery, some can develop when a person stops treatment abruptly. This are known antidepressant discontinuation syndrome (ADS). Such symptoms include fatigue, loss of balance, tremors and nightmares.

Anafranil (Clomipramine) Withdrawal Timeline And Symptom Durations

Many factors contribute to a person’s withdrawal process. Such factors include their history of drug use, if symptoms remain at the end of treatment, if the person has chronic medical or social problems, or if they lack social support. People over 60 years old are known to have a harder time during the withdrawal process than younger people.

How long the withdrawal symptoms of Anafranil last can vary from days to weeks to months. With the help of a doctor, people can be tapered from the drug efficiently.

Managing Withdrawal Symptoms Of Anafranil (Clomipramine)

Many people use treatment centers to help manage their withdrawal process. There are two phases of treatment for drug therapy. The acute phase is the first few weeks of care. Nearly 30% of people using Anafranil felt depressed during this phase. If symptoms do not improve during the first four weeks, the patient may no longer benefit from the drug. The regimen should be managed as needed. Even a small change in that time could be a good sign.

The next phase is continuation therapy. The end goal of this phase is to have four months of recovery before deciding to end treatment. Every person’s withdrawal timeline is unique.

Anafranil (Clomipramine) Medications And Detox

Many of the symptoms of ADS can feel like the flu. A doctor may treat those symptoms as if it was the flu. There no approved drug to treat ADS. Doctors will typically use one of two methods to manage progress. One strategy is to taper the dose of the drug in specific amounts. If this does not work, the doctor may switch to a drug with a longer half-life.

Staying active and going to therapy can help people stay on track in detox. Having a solid sleep schedule, good diet and an exercise routine are all ways to relax during and after detox.