Drug Uses
Elavil is prescribed for treatment of depression. Endogenous kind of depression is more likely to be alleviated than are other depressive states.
How Taken
Elavil is produced in tablets for oral use. The usual dose is one up to four times a day and it can be combined with food or taken separately. You should take Elavil the way your doctor has prescribed it. You should not take more or less than the prescribed doses. If you already feel well, do not hurry to discontinue treatment. Consult your physician first, especially if you have been taking large doses for a long time. Your physician may instruct you to lower your doses before stopping completely. Elavil needs to be taken for a few weeks before it has shown its full efficiency.
Warnings/Precautions
Before starting any treatment with Elavil, you need to inform your physician if you have any of the following health problems: glaucoma, high blood pressure or heart disease, liver disease; kidney disease; asthma; diabetes, thyroid disease; stomach or intestinal problems; had a heart attack in the last 6 weeks; an enlarged prostate or difficulty urinating. In such cases, there is a chance that you might not be able to take Elavil or you may need to be given a special dose schedule and be monitored during therapy. There is a chance Elavil to be harmful to an unborn baby. In case of pregnancy or if you can get pregnant during treatment period, do not take Elavil without first talking to your doctor. Elavil is known to go into breast milk and may affect a nursing baby. Consult your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Patients over 60 years of age are more prone to experience side effects such as unsteadiness, drowsiness, dizziness, feeling uncoordinated and low blood pressure. In such cases you may be prescribed a lower dose.
Missed Dose
If you skip a dose, take it as soon as you notice. If it is close to the next dose, ignore the missed dose and follow your usual dose schedule. You should not take two doses at a time in order to make up for the missed one.
Possible Side Effects
If you notice any of the following side effects, contact your doctor immediately. It may not be safe for you to continue taking Elavil. Older people are more likely to experience side effects, such as dry mouth, sedation, confusion, blurred vision, rapid heartbeat, constipation, and there is a high risk of sustaining a fall. Other side effects can be: Abnormal movements, anxiety, black tongue, blurred vision, breast development in males, breast enlargement, coma, confusion, constipation, delusions, diarrhea, difficult or frequent urination, difficulty in speech, dilation of pupils, disorientation, disturbed concentration, dizziness on getting up, dizziness or light-headedness, drowsiness, dry mouth, excessive or spontaneous flow of milk, excitement, fatigue, fluid retention, hair loss, hallucinations, headache, heart attack, hepatitis, high blood pressure, high fever, high or low blood sugar, hives, impotence, inability to sleep, increased or decreased sex drive, increased perspiration, increased pressure within the eye, inflammation of the mouth, intestinal obstruction, irregular heartbeat, lack or loss of coordination, loss of appetite, low blood pressure, nausea, nightmares, numbness, rapid and/or fast, fluttery heartbeat, rash, red or purple spots on skin, restlessness, ringing in the ears, seizures, sensitivity to light, stomach upset, strange taste, stroke, swelling due to fluid retention in the face and tongue, swelling of testicles, swollen glands, tingling and pins and needles in the arms and legs, tremors, vomiting, weakness, weight gain or loss, yellowed eyes and skin. There are also possible side effects in case you stop suddenly Elavil treatment: Headache, nausea, vague feeling of bodily discomfort. Side effects caused by significant reduction may include: Dream and sleep disturbances, irritability, and restlessness.
Storage
Keep Elavil in a well protected and closed container. You should not expose it to high temperatures above 30°C (86°F). Elavil tablets 10 mg have to be kept away from light and stored in a light-resistant container.
Overdose
Possible overdose symptoms are: severe hypotension, cardiac dysrhythmias, convulsions, and CNS depression, including coma. If there are changes in the electrocardiogram, particularly in QRS axis or width, this significantly indicates tricyclic antidepressant toxicity. Other possible overdose signs are: vomiting, impaired myocardial contractility, disturbed concentration, confusion, transient visual hallucinations, and dilated pupils, agitation, hyperactive reflexes, disorders of ocular motility, stupor, muscle rigidity, drowsiness, hypothermia, and hyperpyrexia. Overdose can also have a fatal end.
More Information
Be careful while driving, working with machines, or performing other dangerous activities. Elavil can lead to drowsiness or dizziness. If you experience such conditions, avoid the listed activities. You can feel dizzy when you rising from a sitting or lying position. You should rise slowly in order to prevent dizziness and a possible fall. Be careful if you consume alcohol. It may increase the feeling of drowsiness and dizziness while you are taking Elavil. You should not quit suddenly your Elavil therapy. It may lead to nausea, malaise and headache.
Disclaimer
The information above is only for your awareness and it is not comprehensive. It doesn’t cover all the existing information on the topic. It is has a generalizing purpose and it should not be used for any other reasons. The listed information is not purposed for each specific patient. We are not responsible for the truthfulness and punctuality of the included information and for any consequences due to the use of the containing data. There can be expressed no rights, on the basis of this data
Allergies
