Connect
Discussion
Comment receiving replies
Replies to "A tricyclic from the last century. Replaced by ssri s. Anticholinergic effects are more than dry..."
Depression & Anxiety | Last Active: Jul 27, 2025 | Replies (14)
Comment receiving replies
A tricyclic from the last century. Replaced by ssri s. Anticholinergic effects are more than dry mouth. I was on dys and imipramine (tricyc s) Zombified, feeling weak and sick. Instead of looking at the meds, they told me I was "Refractory to treatment." Musta' been my fault. Then the SSRI s came along. Sertraline works for me now. Goodbye to tricyclics ... until the SSRI s don't work.
The Klonopins and benzos were not intended for more than two weeks use. I knew a guy taking valium long term. He maxed out, couldn't take anymore or anything else.
They worked for anxiety, so why stop taking them? Because you build up a resistance and keep needing higher dosages. Sounds like addiction.
Replies to "A tricyclic from the last century. Replaced by ssri s. Anticholinergic effects are more than dry..."
Connect
@shmerdloff When you mention addiction are you referring to benzodiazepine medication which does have the potential for addiction? I'd like to share what I have learned and experienced through my journey with depression/anxiety and medications.
The older medications - tricyclics such as desipramine (Trade name is Norpramine) are not addictive. I think the confusion is that some people experience withdrawal effects from stopping antidepressants but this is not the same as addiction. One does not crave, build up resistance and need higher doses with antidepressant medication. This is also the case for the newer antidepressants (SSRI, SNRI) such as Prozac, Zoloft and Cymbalta. Once a person reaches the therapeutic dose by working in collaboration with their physician the person often reports that their symptoms diminish. That was and is my experience. It is the case that for some people their prescribed medication does not work well for them over time - my doctor used to refer to this as "pooping out". But this is not addiction. I am talking from experience with taking desipramine and with SSRI and SNRI medication. This is also documented in the research and medical literature.
Here are some useful definitions and websites. I included websites that have valid and reliable information from Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic, and the Canadian national agency for addiction and mental health.
Mayo Clinic: Tricyclic Antidepressants:
-- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/antidepressants/art-20046983
Mayo Clinic: Drug Addiction
-- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/drug-addiction/symptoms-causes/syc-20365112
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Canada:
--https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-illness-and-addiction-index/antidepressant-medications
I hope this helps to explain what antidepressant medication does and does not do. I have found that the best thing to do is to find a physician who will work closely with you. I was fortunate to have that kind of health care relationship with my physician.