Drug name
Amitriptyline
Drug Description
Intake Instruction
Please use Amitriptyline as prescribed by your health care provider.
Note that Amitriptyline has an extra patient information sheet named a Medication Guide. Please make sure to read it thoroughly and reread it every time you have Amitriptyline refilled.
Amitriptyline can be taken both with meals and on an empty stomach.
Make sure to escape eating or drinking grapefruit juice at the period of treatment with Amitriptyline.
Amitriptyline can take up to 30 days to monitor symptoms of depression. Keep on using Amitriptyline even if you show improvement. Missing any doses is not recommended.
Drug Category and Mechanism
Amitriptyline represents a tricyclic antidepressant. How tricyclic antidepressants function on depression symptoms improvement is not yet explored. They are considered to make the activity level of certain chemicals in the brain (norepinephrine, serotonin) higher, which assist in improving the mood.
Missed Dose
Should you miss a dose of this medicine please take it asap. If you find you have missed the previous dosage when it is almost time for your next dose, you should better skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Taking double or extra doses at once is not recommended. If more than one dose is missed, please contact your attending medical doctor or health care provider.
Storage
The best conditions to keep the medicine at are to store them room temperature 68 and 77 degrees F (20 and 25 degrees C). Brief storage at temperatures between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C) is allowed. The container where the medicine is stored should be tightly closed. It should be also strictly protected from moisture, heat and light.
Please make sure to keep Amitriptyline out of the reach of children and pets.
Safety Precautions
Taking Amitriptyline is not recommended in case:
you have allergies to medicines, its components,
you are currently taking/ have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) (e.g., phenelzine, selegiline) within the recent 14 days;
you are taking antihistamines (e.g., diphenhydramine), cisapride, droperidol, a ketolide (e.g., telithromycin) , a macrolide (e.g., erythromycin), mibefradil, or pimozide;
you have a history of heart attack.
Please inform your health care provider if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of these are applicable to you.
Please note that some medical conditions may step into interaction with Amitriptyline . Please inform your physician if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of these are applicable to you.
pregnant or planning to become
breast-feeding mothers
you take any category of prescription or nonprescription medicine, as well as herbal preparation and dietary supplement;
you have allergies to medicines, its components, foods, or other essences;
you have a history of mental disease (eg, bipolar disorder, mania, manic-depression), thoughts and attempts of suicide
you have alcoholism or in full use up 3 or more alcoholic beverages per day
you have glaucoma, an extreme heartbeat, heart problems, thorax pain, liver disease, prostate troubles, thyroid illness, urinary retention
you have a history of convulsions, grand mal, or porphyria
There are some MEDICINES which may step into INTERACTION with Amitriptyline . Please inform your physician if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the below provided:
MAOIs (eg, phenelzine, selegiline) as they can be the reason for severe, sometimes life-threatening, reactions. Never take MAO inhibitors with, or within 2 weeks you pass treatment with, Amitriptyline
Anticholinergics (eg, scopolamine), bupropion, fluconazole, phenothiazines (eg, chlorpromazine), SSRIs (eg, fluoxetine), or valproic acid as side effects such as changes in vision, hard urination, giddiness or sedation, dry mouth, or lightheadedness may happen
Antihistamines (eg, diphenhydramine), droperidol, ketolides (eg, telithromycin), macrolides (eg, erythromycin), pimozide, or streptogramins (eg, quinupristin/dalfopristin) as sever side effects on the heart (eg, racing heartbeat, giddiness, life-threatening extremal heartbeat which can cause to insensibility, and lack of heartbeat, stimulants (eg, albuterol, pseudoephedrine) as their side effects may be scaled-up by Amitriptyline
Warfarin as side effects such as severe bleeding may be scaled-up by Amitriptyline
Clonidine, guanethidine, or guanfacine as the effectiveness of the mentioned medicines may be lowered
Probable Side Effects
Please discuss with your health care provider if any of the mentioned most COMMON side effects afterglow or become or causing bother:
Changes in vision; problems in sexual desire or ability; obstipation; verbiage; giddiness; dormancy; dry mouth; headache; appetite loss; emesis; weariness; sleeping problems; weakness.
Please inform your health care provider if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the below – provided are applicable to you:
severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; hard breathing; tenseness in the thorax; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); thorax pain; confusion; dark urine; hallucination; hard speaking or swallowing; fainting; extreme or uncommon heartbeat; an abnormally high body temperature, chills, or sore throat; hallucinations; new or worsening shaking, state of uneasiness, panic attacks, pugnacity, impulsiveness, petulance, hostility, excessive feeling of well-being, impatience, or inability to sit still; stupor or tingling in an arm or leg; one-sided instability; convulsions; severe or continuos giddiness or headache; severe or continuos trouble sleeping; slurred speech; suicidal thoughts or attempts; shaking; problems with urinating; unmonitored muscle movements (e.g., of face, tongue, arms, legs); uncommon bleeding or bruising; uncommon or severe mental or mood changes; vision changes; yellowing of the skin or eyes.
More Information
Please contact your health care provider for more clarifications on the issue.
An important note: This medicine is for you only. Sharing this medicine with others is not recommended.