Amitriptyline

Elavil®; Endep®; Limbitrol® (combination with chlordiazepoxide) Logo

Brand name(s): Elavil®; Endep®; Limbitrol® (combination with chlordiazepoxide)

What special precautions should I follow?

Before taking amitriptyline,

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to amitriptyline or any other medications.
• do not take amitriptyline if you are taking monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, including phenelzine (Nardil) and tranylcypromine (Parnate), or have stopped taking them within the past 2 weeks; or if you are taking cisapride (Propulsid).
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking. Be sure to mention any of the following: antihistamines; cimetidine (Tagamet); diet pills; disulfiram (Antabuse); ethchlorvynol (Placidyl); guanethidine (Ismelin); ipratropium (Atrovent); quinidine (Quinidex); medications for irregular heartbeats such as flecainide (Tambocor) and propafenone (Rythmol); medications for anxiety, asthma, colds, irritable bowel disease, mental illness, nausea, Parkinson's disease, seizures, ulcers, or urinary problems; other antidepressants; phenobarbital (Bellatal, Solfoton); sedatives; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as citalopram (Celexa), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft); sleeping pills; thyroid medications; and tranquilizers. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
• tell your doctor if you have or have ever had, or anyone in your family has or has ever had, depression, bipolar disorder (mood that changes from depressed to abnormally excited), or mania (frenzied, abnormally excited mood), or if you have , or anyone in your family has, thought about or attempted suicide. Also tell your doctor if you drink large amounts of alcohol; if you have recently had a heart attack; and if you have or have ever had glaucoma; an enlarged prostate; difficulty urinating; seizures; an overactive thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism); diabetes; or liver, kidney, or heart disease.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking amitriptyline, call your doctor immediately.
• if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking amitriptyline.
• you should know that amitriptyline 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.
• you should know that your mental health may change in unexpected ways, especially at the beginning of your treatment and any time that your dose is increased or decreased. These changes may occur at any time if you have depression or another mental illness, whether or not you are taking amitriptyline or any other medication. You, your family, or your caregiver should call your doctor right away if you experience any of the following symptoms: new or worsening depression; thinking about harming or killing yourself or planning or trying to do so; extreme worry; agitation; panic attacks; difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep; aggressive behavior; irritability; acting without thinking; severe restlessness; and frenzied abnormal excitement. Be sure that your family or caregiver knows which symptoms may be serious so they can call the doctor when you are unable to seek treatment on your own.

Last Revised: 01/01/2005

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