AMITRIPTYLINE DRUG INFO
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.
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.
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.
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 out of the reach of children in a container
that small children cannot open.
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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