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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by borderliner21 on February 5, 2003, at 20:35:17
I have been taking tofranil( Imipramine ) for a month and it is truly amazing. I am able to go back to work now and before I couldn't work even on ssris. This drug has worked 10x better than any of the ssris I have taken in the past 5 years. I haven't felt this good in ages. I am worried though because this is not my prescription(it is my sisters-she takes it for sinus drip or something) I will ask my doctor to prescribe me this and if he says no ssris are better blah blah blah I will be extremly mad
Posted by Eddie Sylvano on February 6, 2003, at 9:05:06
In reply to tofranil, posted by borderliner21 on February 5, 2003, at 20:35:17
One of the other benefits of imipramine is price. While most of the newer drugs are over $100 a month, imipramine can be had for ~$25 in generic form. Much cheaper than I was paying for Effexor, and (as you mentioned) more effective. It's a shame that so many doctors seem to be afraid of it.
Posted by ricardo on February 6, 2003, at 19:40:24
In reply to Re: tofranil, posted by Eddie Sylvano on February 6, 2003, at 9:05:06
Good to read positive posts on tofranil on my very first day on it... However, my doctor told me to stay on a very low dose (50mg/day) for the whole month (until my next visit to him). The insert says regular dosage is 150mg/day. Can only 50mg be considered a therapeutic dosage?
Cheers,
Ric
Posted by Eddie Sylvano on February 7, 2003, at 9:04:53
In reply to Re: tofranil, posted by ricardo on February 6, 2003, at 19:40:24
> Good to read positive posts on tofranil on my very first day on it... However, my doctor told me to stay on a very low dose (50mg/day) for the whole month (until my next visit to him). The insert says regular dosage is 150mg/day. Can only 50mg be considered a therapeutic dosage?
-----------------I don't really know, but I am sure that tapering up to that dosage slowly is a good idea. Taking 150mg of imipramine from a dead stop will probably kick your ass (although I've known people who seem unfazed by this). Also, it takes a while for the drug to build up in your system (half life of ~20hrs), so as you begin, each day you take it, even if it's just 50mg, you're experiencing more total drug than the day before.
IIRC, therapeutic dosages range from 50-200mg. It may take a week or so longer for benefits to appear at the rate you're going, but the greater tolerability you buy with that time probably makes it worth the wait.
Hope it works well for you!
Posted by ricardo on February 7, 2003, at 20:19:19
In reply to Re: tofranil » ricardo, posted by Eddie Sylvano on February 7, 2003, at 9:04:53
Thanks, Eddie!
I was reading the insert, and they say that Tofranil works by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine. Isn't that the same principle of Effexor? In what ways do these two drugs differ?
Posted by viridis on February 8, 2003, at 2:26:42
In reply to tofranil, posted by borderliner21 on February 5, 2003, at 20:35:17
When you see your doctor, you don't have to accept whatever med he or she prescribes. OK, you've been taking imipramine non-legitimately, but now you know it works; maybe you could just say that you've found imipramine very effective (without the specifics of how you got it etc.), and if your doctor pushes SSRIs, just politely insist on imipramine. If the doctor refuses, just say you'll seek a second opinion, and see other doctors until you get what you need. I think that too often, we become intimidated by doctors; you don't want to come across as a know-it-all, but at the same time, it's important that you receive appropriate treatment.
This is the end of the thread.
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