Trimipramine

Conditions Treated

Trimipramine is used to treat depression. Trimipramine is in a class of medications called tricyclic antidepressants. It works by increasing the amount of certain natural substances in the brain that are needed to maintain mental balance.

Possible Side Effects

What Side Effects Can This Cause?

Trimipramine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• stomach pain
• drowsiness
• weakness or tiredness
• excitement or anxiety
• confusion
• dizziness
• headache
• nightmares
• dry mouth
• changes in appetite or weight
• constipation
• difficulty urinating
• frequent urination
• blurred vision
• changes in sex drive or ability
• excessive sweating
• ringing in the ears
• pain, burning, or tingling in the hands or feet

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:

• jaw, neck, and back muscle spasms
• slow or difficult speech
• shuffling walk
• uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body
• fever and sore throat
• difficulty breathing or swallowing
• rash
• yellowing of the skin or eyes
• seizures
• seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist (hallucinating)
• chest pain
• pounding or irregular heartbeat

Trimipramine may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].

Usage Instructions

How Should This Medication Be Used

Trimipramine comes as a capsule to take by mouth. It is usually taken one to three times a day. Take trimipramine at around the same time(s) every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take trimipramine exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. Your doctor will start you on a low dose of trimipramine and gradually increase your dose. It may take up to 4 weeks before you feel the benefit of trimipramine. Continue to take trimipramine even if you feel well. Do not stop taking trimipramine without talking to your doctor.

What Dietary Instructions Should I Follow

Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet.

Are There Any Special Instructions

Before taking trimipramine, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to trimipramine, clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), imipramine (Tofranil), or any other medications. tell your doctor if you are taking monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, including isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil) selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar) and tranylcypromine (Parnate) or if you have taken an MAO inhibitor during the past 14 days. Your doctor will probably tell you not to take trimipramine. tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: cimetidine (Tagamet); decongestants; guanethidine (Ismelin); ipratropium (Atrovent); medications for irritable bowel disease, motion sickness, Parkinson's disease, ulcers, or urinary problems; medications for irregular heartbeats such as quinidine (Quinidex), flecainide (Tambocor), and propafenone (Rythmol); other antidepressants; and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft). Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have stopped taking fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem) in the past 5 weeks. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. tell your doctor if you have recently had a heart attack. Your doctor will probably tell you not to take trimipramine. tell your doctor if you have or have ever had glaucoma (an eye condition), enlargement of the prostate (a male reproductive gland), difficulty urinating, thyroid disease, seizures, or heart, kidney, or liver disease. if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking trimipramine. you should know that trimipramine may make you drowsy. Do not drive a car or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you. remember that alcohol can add to the drowsiness caused by this medication. plan to avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to sunlight and to wear protective clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Trimipramine may make your skin sensitive to sunlight.