Tofranil

GENERIC NAME(S): Imipramine Hcl

Uses

Imipramine, sold under the brand name Tofranil among others. This drug is used to treat depression. It is also used with other treatments for the treatment of bed wetting (enuresis) in children in the night. Using this drug for the treatment of depression can improve your mood, sleep, hunger and energy levels and may help to restore your interest in daily life. Tofranil can help control your child’s wet bed at night.

Tofranil comes under a class of drugs called tricyclic antidepressants. It works by restoring the balance of some natural substances (neurotransmitters like neurotransmitters) in the brain. To wet the bed, this medicine can work on blocking the effect of a certain natural substance (acetylcholine) on the bladder.

How To Use Tofranil

Read the medication guide available from your pharmacist. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Take Tofranil or Imipramine according to the mouth or with no food, usually 1-4 times daily or as directed by your doctor. If you have drowsiness in the day, then your doctor may direct you to take a full dose once you sleep. Dosage is based on your medical condition and medical reaction. In children, dose may also be based on body weight. To reduce your risk of side effects, your doctor may start you at low doses and gradually increase your dose.

When children are used to wet the bed, imitation should be taken an hour before sleeping. If your child usually wakes up early in the night, then the medicine can be given in different doses (e.g, one dose in the afternoon and a dose at bedtime).

Follow your doctor’s instructions carefully. Do not take more or less medication or take more than prescribed. There will be no improvement in your situation and the risk of side effects will increase. Use this drug regularly so that it can get the most benefit. To help you remember, use each day at the same time.

Tofranil does not work right now. If you are taking this medication for depression, it may take up to 3 weeks for you to experience full benefits.

It is important to continue taking this medicine even if you feel OK. Do not stop taking this medicine without consultation with your doctor. Some conditions may get worse when the drug is stopped suddenly. Your dose may need to be gradually decreased.

When the child is used for extended period for wetting the bed, then this medication can not work too and may require different doses. If this medicine stops working well then talk to the doctor.

Inform your doctor if your condition persists or worsens.

Side Effects

Dry mouth, blurred vision, headache, drowsiness, dizziness, constipation, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, stomach cramps, weight gain / loss, and more sweating may occur. If any of these effects persists or worsens immediately, inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

Remember that your doctor has prescribed this drug because he or she has decided that the benefit is higher than the risk of side effects. Many people using this drug do not have serious side effects.

Tell your doctor immediately if any of these are unlikely but serious side effects: changes in mental / mood (e.g, confusion, depression, memory problems), increased / painful breast, abnormal breast milk production, irregular / painful menstrual cycle, Muscle stiffness, restlessness, wrinkle in the ears, sexual problems (e.g., decreased sexual ability, changes in desire), shakiness (tremors), numbness/tingling of the hands/feet, pain/redness/swelling of arms or legs, trouble urinating.

Tell your doctor immediately if any of these rare but very serious side effects are: easy injury / bleeding, symptoms of infection (e.g, fever, constant sore throat), severe stomach / stomach ache, deep urine, eyes and skin Yellowish

Tofranil can increase serotonin and rarely cause a very serious condition, which is called serotonin syndrome / toxicity. The risk increases if you are taking other medicines that increase the serotonin, so tell your doctor or pharmacist about all the medicines that you take (see the drug interaction section). Get medical help immediately when some of the following symptoms develop: Fast heartbeats, hallucinations, loss of coordination, severe dizziness, severe nausea / vomiting / diarrhea, muscle shaking, unexplained fever, abnormal movement or restlessness

If you have a very serious side effect, get medical help, including: chest pain, slow / fast / irregular heartbeat, unconsciousness, seizure, slim speech, weakness on one side of the body, eye pain / Swelling / redness, wide mannequin, vision changes (see rainbow around night lights).

There is no possibility of a very serious allergic reaction to this drug, but if this happens, seek immediate medical attention. Symptoms of a severe allergic reaction include: rash, itching / swelling (especially the face / tongue / throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you do not list other effects above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

In America – Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You can notify the FDA of side effects on 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.

In Canada – Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You can report the health effects of Canada on 1-866-234-2345.

Precautions

Before taking Tofranil or Imipramine, tell your doctor or pharmacist whether you are allergic to it; Or other tricyclic antidepressants (such as desipramine, amitriptyline); Or if you have any other allergens. This product can have passive elements, which can cause allergic or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.

If you have a certain medical condition then this drug should not be used. Before using this drug, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: a recent heart attack.

Before using this drug, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially: the problem of breathing (such as asthma, chronic bronchitis), personal or family history of glaucoma (angular type), diabetes, Eating disorders (e.g, bulimia), heart problems (e.g., arrhythmia, coronary artery disease), liver problems, kidney problems, other mental / mood conditions Individual or family history of (e.g, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia), seizures, hyperthyroidism, difficulty in urination (e.g., due to increased prostate), in any case, your risk of seizures can increase (e.g. , Alcohol / sedative dependence, use of electroconvulsive therapy, brain injury / stroke disease), certain types of tumors (e.g., pheochromocytoma, neuroblastoma).

Tofranil may cause a condition that affects the heart rhythm (QT prolongation). QT prolongation can rarely cause serious (rarely fatal) fast/irregular heartbeat and other symptoms (such as severe dizziness, fainting) that need medical attention right away.

The risk of QT prolongation may be increased if you have certain medical conditions or are taking other drugs that may cause QT prolongation. Before using Tofranil, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the drugs you take and if you have any of the following conditions: certain heart problems (heart failure, slow heartbeat, QT prolongation in the EKG), family history of certain heart problems (QT prolongation in the EKG, sudden cardiac death).

Low levels of potassium or magnesium in the blood may also increase your risk of QT prolongation. This risk may increase if you use certain drugs (such as diuretics/”water pills”) or if you have conditions such as severe sweating, diarrhea, or vomiting. Talk to your doctor about using Tofranil safely.

Before surgery, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking this medicine.

This medication can make you feel dizzy or depressed or blurred your vision. Alcohol or marijuana can make you more dizzy or deaf. Unless you can safely do it, do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that requires caution or clear vision. Limit alcoholic beverages. If you are using marijuana, talk to your doctor.

To diminish the dizziness and  lightheadedness, rise slowly, while rising from the position of sitting or lying.

Tofranil can make you more sensitive to the sun. Keep your time limited in the sun. Avoid Tanning Booths and Sunlamps. Use sunscreen on the outside and wear protective clothing. Tell your doctor immediately if you have sunburned or have blisters / redness on the skin.

If you have diabetes, then this medicine can make it difficult to control your blood glucose. Regularly check your blood glucose as directed and share the result with your doctor. Tell your doctor immediately if you have symptoms like thirst / increase in urine. Your doctor may need to adjust your diabetes medication, exercise program or diet.

Older adults may be more susceptible to the side effects of this drug, especially dizziness (standing for long), drowsiness, constipation, difficulty in urinating, changes in mental / mood (e.g delusion, movement) and heart Effects such as QT prolongation (see above) Dizziness, drowsiness, and confusion can increase the risk of falling.

It is advisable to exercise caution when using this drug in children. (See also the warning section.)

This drug should be used only when explicitly required during pregnancy. Babies who give birth to mothers taking similar medicines during pregnancy may have problems in urinating, long sleep, twitching and seizures. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.

Since untreated mental / mood problems (such as depression, anxiety, panic disorder) can be a serious condition, do not stop taking this medicine until it is directed by your doctor. If you are planning a pregnancy, become pregnant, or think that you may be pregnant, discuss the benefits and risks of using your medicine immediately during your pregnancy.

This medicine passes in breast milk and may have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Interactions

Drug interactions can change how your medicines work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescriptions / non-prescription medicines and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop or change any drug supplements without the approval of your doctor.

Some of the products that interact with this drug include: anticholinergics (e.g., atropine, belladonna alkaloids, scopolamine, drugs for Parkinson’s disease such as benztropine)), Some medicines for hypertension (e.g., e.g., clonidine, guanadrel, guanethidine), digoxin, disopyramide, thyroid  supplements, valproic acid.

Taking MAO inhibitors with this medication may cause a serious (possibly fatal) drug interaction. Avoid taking MAO inhibitors (isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue, moclobemide, phenelzine, procarbazine, rasagiline, safinamide, selegiline, tranylcypromine) during treatment with this medication. Most MAO inhibitors should also not be taken for two weeks before and after treatment with this medication. Ask your doctor when to start or stop taking this medication.

The risk of serotonin syndrome/toxicity increases if you are also taking other drugs that increase serotonin. Examples include street drugs such as MDMA/”ecstasy,” St. John’s wort, certain antidepressants (including SSRIs such as fluoxetine/paroxetine, SNRIs such as duloxetine/venlafaxine), among others. The risk of serotonin syndrome/toxicity may be more likely when you start or increase the dose of these drugs.

Other medications can affect the removal of Tofranil from your body, which may affect how Tofranil works. Examples include barbiturates (such as phenobarbital), cimetidine, cisapride, haloperidol, certain drugs for heart rhythm (such as flecainide, propafenone), halofantrine, certain HIV protease inhibitors (such as fosamprenavir), phenothiazines (such as thioridazine), pimozide, certain anti-seizure drugs (such as phenytoin), terbinafine, trazodone, among others.

Many drugs besides Tofranil may affect the heart rhythm (QT prolongation), including amiodarone, dofetilide, pimozide, procainamide, quinidine, sotalol, macrolide antibiotics (such as erythromycin), sparfloxacin, among others. Therefore, before using Tofranil, report all medications you are currently using to your doctor or pharmacist.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking other products that cause drowsiness including alcohol, marijuana, antihistamines (such as cetirizine, diphenhydramine), drugs for sleep or anxiety (such as alprazolam, diazepam, zolpidem), muscle relaxants (such as carisoprodol, cyclobenzaprine), and narcotic pain relievers (such as codeine, hydrocodone).

Check the label on all your drugs (e.g, cough-and-cold products) because they may include drowsiness or decongestants that can increase your heart rate or blood pressure. Ask about the safe use of those products from your pharmacist.

By drinking cigarettes, this blood level of the drug is reduced. Tell your doctor whether you smoke or if you have recently stopped smoking.

Tofranil is very similar to the desipramine. Do not take drugs containing desipramine while using Tofranil.

Over Dose

If someone is treated and has serious symptoms like having trouble going out or breathing, call 911. Otherwise, call the Poison Control Center immediately. US residents can call their local venom control center at 1-800-222-1222. Canadians can call a provincial poison control center. Symptoms of overdose may include: severe dizziness, fast / irregular heartbeat, unconsciousness, hallucinations, trips.

Notes

Do not share this medication with others.

Laboratory and / or medical tests (e.g, blood count, EKG, kidney function) can be done regularly to monitor your progress or examine side-effects. Consult your doctor for more details. Keep all medical appointments.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose, then as soon as you remember, take it. If it is near the next dose time, then leave the thesis supplement and start your normal dose program again. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Storage

Store the American product in a tightly closed container at room temperature between 68-77 ° F (20-25 ° C) away from light and moisture.

Store Canadian products in a tightly closed container at room temperature between 35.6-86 degree Fahrenheit (2-30 ° C) away from light and moisture.

Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Until instructed not to do so, do not flush the medicines in the toilet and do not drain in the drain. When this period expires or does not need it, then properly release this product. Consult your drug dealer or local waste disposal company to get more information about safely terminating your product.

Disclaimer: DrLinex has made every effort to ensure that all information is factually accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date. However, this article should not be used as a licensed health care professional’s choice of knowledge and expertise. You should always consult your doctor or other health care professional before taking any medication. The information given here is subject to change and it has not been used to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions or adverse effects. The lack of warning or other information for any drug does not indicate that the combination of medicine or medication is safe, effective or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.