imipramine - Interstitial Cystitis Network Support Forum

123456 · 10-22-2009, 03:57 AM

How long does it take imipramine to work on your bladder? Does it also help with frequency. I started last Saturday and am kind of up and down with symptoms. Please let me know your experience!

nottoc4 · 10-22-2009, 06:11 AM

I have been taking Imprimine since March of this year. It is the main reason I have been without pain for almost 6 months.It took about a month to really begin to help and get over the sleepiness and the other side affects.I love the way it helps me.

123456 · 10-22-2009, 06:58 AM

You just made me feel so much better. Someone else said that I should feel the effects right away. What dosage are you on? I take 10mg, 3x a day. In the meantime Oxybutin (Gelnique) seems to be helping (a little). I can go 2-4 hours with out peeing most of the time, but I always have that urge and pressure. ALWAYS!

123456 · 10-26-2009, 04:21 AM

Update on the imipramine. I shifted the dose to 20mg in the morning and 20mg in the afternoon. Seems to be working just fine. I notified my uro today, so hopefully he won't be too mad. There's just no exact science to what dose will help who and how often. I always recommend speaking to your physician first and I would have but I tried the change over the weekend. I am feeling MUCH better. MUCH MUCH MUCH. Also, this med does not make me sleepy or delirious at all. Just makes me real calm (which is good b/c I'm high strung). Praying for you all!

nottoc4 · 10-26-2009, 07:21 AM

I take 10 mg 3 x a day of Imprimine. It really made me sleepy and very forgetful at first. My sense of balance is off a bit too but that might be more age related.I'm 67 and often older people need less of a drug for the same effect as a younger
person would have.
So glad it is helping you.

runningshoe · 10-26-2009, 08:16 AM

Are either of you gaining weight so far? I have gained on doxepin.

nottoc4 · 10-26-2009, 09:34 AM

Yes.I am up about 4 to 5 pounds but must admit I have been eating like a pig since I can eat more types a food again.

123456 · 10-26-2009, 09:41 AM

Not yet. I am way to skinny right now b/c over the last month I couldn't eat/sleep...etc. I've been having to force the food down. I can't wait to get fatter! I'm starting to enjoy cream cheese A LOT! Seriously though, I'd rather gain a few than be in pain.

nottoc4 · 10-26-2009, 10:42 AM

I'm with you on that one Michelle. Hubbie doesn't care as long as I feel good and can be a partner with him again. I am not too much over BMI,one or two pounds. I just feel better at 5 pounds less than I am.

lttlewun · 10-26-2009, 12:16 PM

Nottoc4 ~

So you have been pain free for 6 months all because of this medication? That is fabulous! What were your symptoms before you were on this medication?

I want to try this medication too! I could stand to gain some weight. I'm very small. I am 5'2" and weight 100 lbs. I have never been able be gain weight and have always wanted to!

123456 · 10-26-2009, 02:31 PM

So here's a funny story for the day... I had last peed around 1:30 PM and I still didn't have the urge to go when I left work at 5 PM. Picked up my daughter and got home around 5 PM and started worrying about retention. So, I force out some pee about 5:30. Okay, here's the best part. I decided I'm going to drink a bunch of water at dinner to see if I'm retaining. Well, 2 hours later...guess who can't stop peeing? That's what you get for reading half these posts that tell you about side effects. Lesson learned.

At least my system is flushed out.

10:01 PM - Good news! My bladder is settling down. Much quicker than without imipramine. See? There is a good side. Whew! That was tough.

nottoc4 · 10-27-2009, 03:08 AM

I started with getting up several times at night to pee and mentioned it to my Primary Care Dr. He gave me Ditropan which worked for about a month.Then I got a really bad UTI and once it was over with the Ditropan didn't help anymore. He referred me to an Urologist who ran a few tests and decided to give me Detrol LA.It didn't work and I had another UTI and then he gave me Enables. Same story,no relief,put me on Enablex and within 2 weeks I couldn' pee at all. Off that one ,more UTI's,Urologist blaming everything on how old I was,lack of estrogen, yada yada and put me on Vesicare. Same thing.During this time I had no bladder pain but a pinching pain in Urethra and feeling sore inside. I finally referred my self to a UroGyn and he was able to diagnose me.

123456 · 10-27-2009, 04:46 AM

I can't believe you're 67. You have an excellent outlook on life that I should also maintain! From your posts I just thought you were around my age, 34. How funny how we assume things like that!

Today, I am definitely tired and spacey from the meds. I'm glad these side effects subside eventually. However, I must say the pain level has stayed down most of the time and of course the frequency is getting better. It just stinks that all these meds take time to have a "steady stream". Good grief. Up, down, up, down.

I also tried Oxybutnin. I actually thought it was working until I stopped and realized I felt the same. The med just made it harder to pee. You know, like you have to really sit and think about it before anything happens. I also stopped Zoloft b/c my primary just thought I had anxiety. You know she actually apologized to me for not diagnosing me correctly. She's a new doc and she said, "After you, I actually think I pre-diagnosed my first IC patient and sent them to the uro." Very cool in my book.

lttlewun · 10-27-2009, 06:17 AM

Michelle ~

I can SO relate to your story about worrying about retention. I can go 4-6 hours sometimes with out peeing and I start to freak out and start downing all kinds of water. LOL.

But, my symptoms have never been frequency/urgency, but I have read about retention on the boards and then I start freaking out. I need to get a grip.