What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking clomipramine (Anafranil)?
Answer:
- Patients must not take clomipramine if they have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the last 14 days.
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Before taking clomipramine, patients should tell their doctor if they have
- liver disease,
- kidney disease,
- asthma,
- thyroid disease,
- diabetes,
- stomach or intestinal problems,
- high blood pressure or heart disease,
- had a heart attack in the last 6 weeks,
- an enlarged prostate or difficulty urinating,
- glaucoma, or
- seizures.
- Clomipramine is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether clomipramine will harm an unborn baby. Patients should not take this medication without first talking to their doctor about pregnancy.
- Clomipramine passes into breast milk and may affect a nursing baby. Patients should not take this medication without first talking to their doctor if they are breast-feeding a baby.