What is Elavil?
Elavil is a tricyclic antidepressant that has sedative effects. Amitriptyline can affect certain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that transmit messages between brain cells and help regulate mood.Elavil is a prescription medication for treating depression symptoms. depression.Elavil can be prescribed for other purposes that are not covered in this guide.
Warnings
Elavil is not a good choice if you've recently suffered a cardiac attack.Do not take Elavil if you've used an MAO inhibitor in the last 14 days, like linezolid, isocarboxazid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, or tranylcypromine.
It is possible to start considering suicide as you start taking antidepressants, such as amtriptyline. This is especially true if you are younger than 24. Your doctor must examine you on a regular basis for the first twelve weeks after starting treatment.
Inform your doctor about any new or worsening symptoms, for example, changes in your behaviour or mood, panic attacks, anxiety, and trouble sleeping. Also, when you are feeling uncontrollably angry, angry, or aggressive, anxious, hyperactive (mentally and physically), depressed, or contemplating suicide or harming yourself.
Before you Take this Drug
Elavil should not be used if you are allergic to amitriptyline.
- If you've suffered an attack to your heart.
Don't use Elavil when you've taken an MAO inhibitor within the past 14 days. A potentially dangerous interaction between drugs could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, Methylene Blue injection, rasagiline, phenelzine, and tranylcypromine, among others.
Discuss with your physician if you were taking any "SSRI" antidepressant in the last five weeks, for example, citalopram, escitalopram, fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine, sertraline, paroxetine (Zoloft), trazodone, or vilazodone.
To ensure that Elavil is suitable for you, inform your doctor if you have ever experienced:
- Bipolar disorder (manic depression) or schizophrenia;
- Mental illness or psychosis
- Liver disease;
- Heart disease;
- A heart attack, stroke, or seizures;
- Diabetes (amitriptyline could increase or decrease blood sugar);
- Glaucoma;
- Issues with urination.
Many young people are prone to thoughts of suicide when they first start taking antidepressants. Your doctor should be able to check your progress regularly. Family members or other carers should be on the lookout for changes in your symptoms or mood.
Consult your physician if you are breastfeeding or pregnant.Elavil is not authorised to be used by anyone younger than 12 years old.
How to Take Elavil?
Follow the exact dosage of Elavil prescribed by your physician. Follow all instructions on the label of your prescription and study all instructions or medication guides. The doctor might alter your dosage.
It may take as long as four weeks before symptoms improve. Use the medication exactly as prescribed, and notify your physician if symptoms don't improve.
If you require surgery, tell your doctor that you are currently taking Elavil. You might have to stop your treatment for a brief period of time.
Don't stop taking Elavil at once; otherwise, you might experience unwelcome withdrawal signs. Discuss with your physician how you can completely stop taking Elavil.
Keep the bottle at room temperature, away from heat and moisture. Close the bottle when not being used.
Details on Dosage
Usual Adult Dose for Depression:
OUTPATIENTS:
Initial dose: 75 mg daily orally, divided into doses; it could be increased until 150 mg or more per day (if required).
Maintenance dose is 40 to 100 mg taken orally daily.
Maximum dose: 150 mg/day
Alternate treatment for outpatients 50–100 mg administered orally as an individual dose at bedtime; this can be multiplied by 25 mg or even 50 mg if needed before bedtime, for a total of 150 mg daily.
INPATIENTS:
Initial dose: 100 mg taken orally per day.
Maintenance dose 40 to 100 mg taken orally in one dose before sleep
Maximum dose: 300 mg/day
Comments:
Dose increments should be administered in the evening or just before bed because of the sedative effects.
The full therapeutic effect could take at least 30 days to fully develop.
Maintenance doses should be decreased to the minimum dose that can maintain relief from symptoms after a satisfactory improvement has been achieved.
The maintenance therapy should continue for 3 months or more to reduce the risk of relapse.
Treatment: relieves symptoms of depression
Usual Geriatric Dose for Depression:
10 mg taken orally three times throughout the day. 20 mg orally every night at the time of sleeping
Comments:
The full therapeutic effect could take at least 30 days to fully develop.
People with an advanced age need to be observed closely, and amounts of serum measured to be medically appropriate.
Adjustments to dosages should be made in accordance with your clinical response.
Use: Relief of the symptoms of depression
Usual Paediatric Dose for Depression:
12 years old or over: 10 mg taken orally three times per day and 20 mg taken orally each time at night.
Comments:
The full therapeutic effect can take up to 30 days to be fully developed.
Dose adjustments must be made in accordance with the clinical response.
Treatment: relieves symptoms of depression
What Happens If I Miss a Dose?
Do not take the medicine for as long as you are able, but do not take your missed dose if you are nearing the time to take the next dose. Don't take two doses at a time.
What Happens If I Overdose?
Get medical attention immediately or contact the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. A high dose of amitriptyline can cause death.
Some signs of overdose include an irregular heartbeat, the feeling that you're passing out, seizures, coma, or even coma.
What Should be Avoided?
Do not consume alcohol. Dangerous side effects or death may occur if alcohol is mixed with amitriptyline.
Avoid driving and other hazardous activities until you are aware of the effects of Elavil on your body. The way you react could be affected.
Avoid exposure to the sun and tanning beds. Amitriptyline may cause sunburn more quickly. Protect yourself with protective clothes and sunscreen (SPF 30 or more) while you're outdoors.
Side effects of Elavil
Contact a medical professional immediately. If you are experiencing symptoms warning of an allergic reaction to Elavil, itching, breathing problems, and swelling of your lips, face, or tongue.
Inform your doctor about any new or worsening symptoms, for example, changes in behaviour or mood, anxiety, panic attacks, or trouble sleeping, or if you experience anger, irritability, or impulsiveness, are active, restless (mentally and physically), are more depressed, or are thinking about suicide or harming yourself.
Contact your doctor immediately. If you suffer from:
- Symptoms that a blood clot has formed: sudden numbness, weakness, difficulties with speech or vision, swelling, or redness of the arm or leg;
- Strange thoughts or behaviours;
- A feeling of lightheadedness, as if you're passing out;
- Chest pain or pressure, that is spreading to your shoulder or jaw, nausea, sweating;
- Heartbeats that beat or flutter within your chest
- Confusion, hallucinations;
- A seizure (convulsions);
- Uncomfortable or difficult to urinate;
- Extremely constipation;
- Bleeding, or bruising that is unusually easy, unusual bleeding
- Chills, fever, sore throat, sores on the mouth
Common side effects of Elavil include:
- Constipation, diarrhoea;
- Nausea, vomiting, upset stomach;
- Mouth pain, unusual taste, black tongue;
- Change in weight or appetite;
- The frequency of the urination process is much lower than the norm.
- Itching or rash
- Breast swelling (in women and men)
- Diminished sex drive, insanity, or difficulty having an orgasm.
This is not a comprehensive list of all the side effects. Other side effects could be present. Contact your physician to seek medical advice on the effects. You can report adverse reactions to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Interaction with Other Drugs
If you take this medicine in conjunction with other medications that cause sleepiness, it can make this effect worse. Consult your physician before using Elavil in conjunction with a sleeping drug, opioid pain medication, muscle relaxers, or medicine to treat depression, anxiety, or seizures.
It is sometimes not safe to take certain medicines simultaneously. Certain medications can alter the blood levels and the other drugs that you take, which can create side effects or render the drugs less effective.
Inform your doctor about all other medications, including:
- Other medications for depression
- Medication to treat anxiety, depression, mood disorders, depression, or mental illness
- Cold or allergy medications (Benadryl and many others);
- Medicines for treating patients suffering from Parkinson's disease;
- Medication to treat stomach issues, motion sickness, and IBS;
- Medication to treat an overactive bladder. treatment for overactive bladder
- Bronchodilator for asthma medication
This list isn't comprehensive. Other medications may be incompatible with amitriptyline, such as medications that are prescribed and available over the counter, vitamins, and herbal products. There are many possible interactions between drugs, which are included here.
