Is anyone in the world still taking Dosulepin??

Hi tiawhitecat,

I'm really sorry that it has taken me so long to reply to this.  I didn't know that I had another reply until now as karmaqueen replied today.

Anyway thats not important.  I'm really anxious to know what your doctor said to you when you went to your appointment the following week?  As just last week the exact same thing happened to me.  I went to pick up my repeat prescription and i was told that there was manufacturing problem with the 75mg tablets I didn't get too worked up about it because i was told that there was no problem with the 25 mg capsules so i could take 6 of them instead.  i'm worried that if they are stopping the 75mg then they might stop the 25mg too. 

I like yourself have been on dosulepin for a long time (13 years) and i know it is the only pill for me.  When i tried mirtazipine i thought i was going to die i felt so bad.

Please reply and let me know what your doctor said.  i am going to ask a chemist tomorrow if they are aware of any problems with the production and i have looked on the internet and there is no talk of it being taken off the market.

Anyway i really hope that you are okay - and your husband too.

take care,

lisax

 

Hi Lisa362, I am so sorry I never replied to you, my only excuse is part of the reason I take antidepressants is due to me being sole carer for my 86 year old mother, I am an only child and we don't have children.  She came to live with us 2 years ago, our plan is to remove to a house to suit us all, my husband as well.  Cut a long story short it has been a disaster and my nerves are in streds.

I am actually going to see my mum's GP with her today, same practice as mine, and I am going to ask if there has been any change on the Dosulepin situation.  I have had no trouble getting them in 25s so far but I have to take 5 at a time and I am hopeless at swallowing meds so it is very time consuming!

I have read through the rest of your conversation, so far as I know there is no chance of them being withdrawn completely but my GP wasn't at all forthcoming about why the 75s have been taken off prescription.

This morning I have been doing a bit of Googling and found this site _______

This suggests you can still get them, going to take a copy of the page to the GP as well.  

I also have a very limited supply of diazepam for sleeping but this past 2 weeks have been horrendous one way or another so I am going to have to 'beg' for more.  I only get the 2mg ones but often have to take 2 or 3 for any effect.

Emis Moderator comment: I have removed the link as it was to a site unsuitable for inclusion in the forums. If users want this information please use the Private Message service to request the details.

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Am replying to myself as I am sorry to say my GP has told me on Tuesday that Dosulepin is no longer being prescribed to new patients and all patients on it are going to have to start looking for an alternative as the 25mg capsules are to be withdrawn but she didn't have a timescale!  She has given me a prescription for 2 months and we have agreed I will try to reduce my dose slowly.  I take 125mg at night.  She has also said I can space the dose out over the day as I find taking tablets difficult at the best of times and 5 capsules takes an age for me to swallow.

I am going back in three weeks, although I am scared about reducing, now I know Dosulepin is being withdrawn I am going to try to cut down.  I have the option of increasing propranolol as I take less than the dose I was originally prescribed.

(Admin sorry I didn't know the link wasn't allowed but to be honest I think it will be useless anyway, the 75mg aren't available anywhere now I don't think.).  I was a bit disappointed though that I seemed to be more clued up on why Dosulepin was being withdrawn that the GP.

Hi hannah,

Its lisa here.  This has happened to afew people over the past few months but everyone i ask tells me that dosulepin isnt being withdrawn and i have no trouble obtaining the 75 mg capsules from chemist.

I live in scotland so i dont know if that is why.  I cant understand also why there is no information on the internet about it being withdrawn surely there would be some sort of documents about this.

I am going to go into my chemist yet again tomorrow and ask if they are aware of anything but they always tell me that there is no problem with the supply of it.

Anyway i am really sorry that you have had to reduce it and i hope you have no problems but as long as i can get a hold of it i am going to keep taking it until told otherwise

take care lisa

Hi Lisa, thanks for your reply.  I've made an appointment for the GP I see most regularly in a couple of weeks.  I think if there is going to be a problem getting it they should be making patients aware, not us having to ask.  I'm alternating now between 4 x 25mg one night 5 x 25mg the next, can't say I've noticed any difference either way.  Going to try just taking 4 a night next week.

As a ps last week when I took my prescription to Boots, they only had one packet in stock!  Had to go back for the rest the next day.  My husband has to get his next week so he will ask the pharmacist if there is a problem.  Our Boots regularly has short supplies of everything though!

Take care. H

I may have well written this reply. I'm 35 now and been on Dosulpen since I was 22. I was first given Saroxat and I wanted to die. Only way I can describe it is that I felt I could have chewed house bricks.

I have heard similar regarding the use of Dosulpen. I tried a couple of other drugs but none worked. Ended up going back to Dosulpen. Works well for me. Do occasionally get random heart beats but never passed out or felt like passing out. I would rather a dodgy heart than the shear anguish of my untreated condition.

Tony

Hi to all on dosulepin

brilliant medication BUT DID CAUSE MY HEART TO BECOME WEAK. And with atrial fibrillation

they then took me off But the after affects the anxiety etc I've still got

I believe it has a long term mental health effect and leaves you in a mess

6months after a huge instant withdrawal I took my first overdose and now later am still suffering huge deep holes

I was on it for many years I felt good it regulated my sleep etc but I'm paying for it now

Antony get those flutters checked today

i have had the same problem, since my thirties have taken prothiaden then after a break down seroxat withdrew from them after 5 years, tried sestraline and went back on dosulpine(prothiaden) been on them 6 years until g.p flagged up some health risks as i am 64 she put me on citapram and side effects are horrendous came off them and started to have panic and anxiety attacks back up to see my g.p and he said g.p.,s are requesting their patients to try the newer anti depressant, however as you said tony i would rather take a risk taking them than live like this.  the upshot is he has put me back on dosulpine and now functioning normal, g.p. does not know if they will be taken off the market. as a added note the leaflet that comes with dosulpine is a third of the size of the ones that come with citalpram. why does the n.h.s not listen to patients and wish the could access this site then they would be aware of what patients feel.  i am happy but managing 25mg daily.

 

I have had terrible troubles trying ssris etc and washoping to ask for dosulepin as it has worked for my friend well and many on this site.  I am afraid psych will say its not used now and try to palm me off with something else.  How do i get round that?

Hi Antony,

Could you please say me how long it took Dosulepin to work?

Thanks for your help

It finally started to jelp me around 3 weeks after taking it.

It took. exactly 3 weeks to take away all my anxieties, depression and panics. I have been taking dothiepin for 19 years and take jjust 75mg a day now and wouldn't cope without it.

Hi Tony,

Why did you take Dosulpen? Did it take a  long time to work?

Hi Catherine,

Why did you take Prothiaden?

There doesn't seem to be an issue with supply in Australia.??