Amitriptyline Information:
IMPORTANT
NOTE: The following information is intended
to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and
judgment of your physician, pharmacist or other healthcare
professional. It should not be construed to indicate
that use of the drug is safe, appropriate, or effective
for you. Consult your healthcare professional before
using this drug.
COMMON
BRAND NAME(S): Elavil
USES:
This medicine is a tricyclic antidepressant used to
treat depression. It may also be used to treat chronic
pain and other conditions as determined by your doctor.
HOW
TO USE: Take amitriptyline tablets by mouth. Follow the directions on the prescription label. Swallow the tablets with a drink of water. You can take the tablets with or without food. Take your doses at regular intervals. Do not take your medicine more often than directed. Do not stop taking except on your prescriber's advice.
Contact your pediatrician or health care professional regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.
Adolescents, 12 to 18 years old, and elderly patients over 65 years old may have a stronger reaction to this medicine and need smaller doses.
PRECAUTIONS:
Visit your prescriber or health care professional for regular checks on your progress. It can take several days before you feel the full effect of amitriptyline.
If you have been taking amitriptyline regularly for some time, do not suddenly stop taking it. You must gradually reduce the dose or you may get severe side effects. Ask your prescriber or health care professional for advice. Even after you stop taking amitriptyline it can still affect your body for several days.
You may get drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs mental alertness until you know how amitriptyline affects you. Do not stand or sit up quickly, especially if you are an older patient. This reduces the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Alcohol may increase dizziness and drowsiness. Avoid alcoholic drinks.
Do not treat yourself for coughs, colds or allergies without asking your prescriber or health care professional for advice. Some ingredients can increase possible side effects.
Your mouth may get dry. Chewing sugarless gum or sucking hard candy, and drinking plenty of water will help.
Amitripyline may cause dry eyes and blurred vision. If you wear contact lenses you may feel some discomfort. Lubricating drops may help. See your ophthalmologist if the problem does not go away or is severe.
Amitriptyline may make your skin more sensitive to the sun. Keep out of the sun, or wear protective clothing outdoors and use a sunscreen. Do not use sun lamps or sun tanning beds or booths.
If you are diabetic, check your blood sugar more often than usual, especially during the first few weeks of treatment with amitriptyline. Amitriptyline can affect blood glucose (sugar) levels. Call your prescriber or health care professional for advice if you notice a change in the results of blood or urine glucose tests.
If you are going to have surgery or will need an x-ray procedure that uses contrast agents, tell your prescriber or health care professional that you are taking this medicine.
SIDE
EFFECTS: Side effects that you should report
to your prescriber or health care professional as soon
as possible: abnormal production of milk in females;
blurred vision or eye pain; breast enlargement in both
males and females; confusion, hallucinations (seeing
or hearing things that are not really there); difficulty
breathing; fainting spells; fever with increased sweating;
irregular or fast, pounding heartbeat, palpitations;
muscle stiffness, or spasms; pain or difficulty passing
urine, loss of bladder control; seizures (convulsions);
sexual difficulties (decreased sexual ability or desire,
difficulty ejaculating); stomach pain; swelling of the
testicles; tingling, pain, or numbness in the feet or
hands; unusual weakness or tiredness; yellowing of the
eyes or skin. Side effects that usually do not require
medical attention (report to your prescriber or health
care professional if they continue or are bothersome):
anxiety; constipation, or diarrhea; drowsiness or dizziness;
dry mouth; increased sensitivity of the skin to sun
or ultraviolet light; loss of appetite; nausea, vomiting;
skin rash or itching; weight gain or loss.
DRUG
INTERACTIONS: Amitriptyline can interact with
many other medicines. Some interactions can be very
important. Make sure your prescriber or health care
professional knows about all other medicines you are
taking. Many important interactions are listed below:
Do not take
amitriptyline with any of the following medications:
astemizole (Hismanal®); cisapride (Propulsid®);
probucol; terfenadine (Seldane®); thioridazine (Mellaril®);
medicines called MAO inhibitors-phenelzine (Nardil®),
tranylcypromine (Parnate®), isocarboxazid (Marplan®),
selegiline (Eldepryl®); other medicines for mental
depression (may be duplicate therapies or cause additive
side effects).
Amitriptyline
may also interact with any of the following medications:
alcohol; antacids; atropine and related drugs like hyoscyamine,
scopolamine, tolterodine and others; barbiturate medicines
for inducing sleep or treating seizures (convulsions),
such as phenobarbital; blood thinners, such as warfarin;
bromocriptine; bupropion; cimetidine; clonidine; cocaine;
delavirdine; diphenoxylate; disulfiram; donepezil; drugs
for treating HIV infection; female hormones, including
contraceptive or birth control pills and estrogen; galantamine;
herbs and dietary supplements like ephedra (Ma huang),
kava kava, SAM-e, St. John's wort, valerian, or others
; imatinib, STI-571; kaolin; pectin; labetalol; levodopa
and other medicines for movement problems like Parkinson's
disease; lithium; medicines for anxiety or sleeping
problems; medicines for colds, flu and breathing difficulties,
like pseudoephedrine; medicines for hay fever or allergies
(antihistamines); medicines for weight loss or appetite
control; medicines used to regulate abnormal heartbeat
or to treat other heart conditions (examples: amiodarone,
bepridil, disopyramide, dofetilide, encainide, flecainide,
ibutilide, mibefradil, procainamide, propafenone, quinidine,
and others); metoclopramide; muscle relaxants, like
cyclobenzaprine; other medicines for mental or mood
problems and psychotic disturbances; prescription pain
medications like morphine, codeine, tramadol and others;
procarbazine; seizure (convulsion) or epilepsy medicine
such as carbamazepine or phenytoin; stimulants like
dexmethylphenidate or methylphenidate; some antibiotics
(examples: erythromycin, gatifloxacin, levofloxacin,
linezolid, moxifloxacin, sotalol, sparfloxacin) ; tacrine;
thyroid hormones such as levothyroxine.
Tell your
prescriber or health care professional about all other
medicines you are taking, including non-prescription
medicines, nutritional supplements, or herbal products.
Also tell your prescriber or health care professional
if you are a frequent user of drinks with caffeine or
alcohol, if you smoke, or if you use illegal drugs.
These may affect the way your medicine works. Check
with your health care professional before stopping or
starting any of your medicines.
NOTES:
Prescriber needs to know if you have any of these conditions:
an alcohol problem; asthma, difficulty breathing; blood
disorders or disease; diabetes; difficulty passing urine,
prostate trouble; glaucoma; having intramuscular injections;
heart disease or previous heart attack; liver disease;
over active thyroid; Parkinson's disease; schizophrenia;
seizures (convulsions); stomach disease; an unusual
or allergic reaction to amitriptyline, other medicines,
foods, dyes, or preservatives; pregnant or trying to
get pregnant; breast-feeding.
MISSED
DOSE: If you miss a dose normally taken at
bedtime to avoid daytime drowsiness, it may be better
to miss that dose. If you take more than one dose a
day and miss a dose, take it as soon as you can. If
it is almost time for your next dose, take only that
dose. Follow your prescriber's advice on missed doses.
Do not take double or extra doses.
STORAGE:
Keep Amitriptyline out of the reach of children. Store
at room temperature between 15 and 30 degrees C (59
and 86 degrees F). Throw away any unused medicine after
the expiration date.
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