Swallow this capsules whole with a drink of water. Keep taking your medicine until your doctor tells you to stop. Do not stop because you do not feel any better. This medicine may take up to 4 weeks to work. The medicine may be taken as one dose at night or as smaller doses at intervals during the day.
In particular, do not take this if you are taking the following: medicines for depression called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), or have taken them within the last 3 weeks.
Known hypersensitivity to clomipramine and any of the excipients in the tablets.
Cross-hypersensitivity to tricyclic antidepressants of the dibenzazepine group.
Concomitant use with a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor, or within 14 days before or after treatment with an irreversible MAO inhibitor, or within 14 days before moclobemide, a reversible MAO inhibitor.
Acute and recovery stages of myocardial infarction.
Congenital long QT syndrome.
Very common side effects are increase in appetite and weight gain, headaches, dizziness, nausea, constipation, dry mouth, increased sweating, shaking hands, tremor, difficulty in passing urine, problems with their eyes, feeling tired or sleepy, sexual disturbances, restlessness.
Pregnancy category C. As clomipramine passes into human milk, babies should be weaned or clomipramine gradually withdrawn.
Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking your medicine if:
you have epilepsy (fits)
you have an overactive thyroid gland
you have a tumour (cancer) of the adrenal gland (such as phaeochromocytoma or neuroblastoma)
you have low blood pressure
you wear contact lenses
you have had severe constipation for a long time
you find yourself thinking about suicide
you have had a head injury and suffered brain damage
you are going to have ECT (electroconvulsive therapy)
you have an irregular heart beat or other problems with your heart
you have been diagnosed as having a low level of potassium in your blood (hypokalemia)
you have schizophrenia or any other mental disorder
you are elderly
you have glaucoma(increased pressure in the eye)
you have liver or kidney disease
you have any blood disorder
you have difficulties in passing urine (e.g. due to diseases of the prostate)
Older people: Elderly patients generally need lower doses than young and middle-aged patients. Side effects are more likely to occur in older patients.
Use in Children and Adolescents (<18 years): The safety and efficacy of clomipramine for the treatment of depression or other psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents aged less than 18 years has not been satisfactorily established. Clomipramine should not be used in this age group for the treatment of depression or other psychiatric disorders