Posted by ed_uk2010 on August 4, 2010, at 15:40:15
In reply to Re: Sorry - another anafranil/clomipramine q. In UK, posted by kizzie2 on August 4, 2010, at 3:50:06
>I just think they dont do them in the UK unless you are on something like lithium...
You are correct. Clomipramine blood levels are almost never performed in the UK. There are are several reasons for this, for example:
1. The therapeutic range for clomipramine (in terms of blood level) is not well established. This is further complicated by the fact that clomipramine has numerous active metabolites.
2. The dosage of antidepressants is generally adjusted according to efficacy and adverse effects, not according to the blood level.
3. Most hospital labs do not offer this test, because there is little demand for it.
4. Specialist blood tests are expensive (and so they are generally avoided unless there is a clear justification for performing them). Because the alleged therapeutic range for clomipramine is not based on good evidence, the justification for performing this test is not clear.
Basically, if you current dose of clomipramine is not sufficiently effective, you should consider an increase (assuming that side effects permit).
poster:ed_uk2010
thread:956845
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100731/msgs/957200.html