Common use

This medication is a tricyclic antidepressant and is used to treat depression. Its active component is amoxapine. It restores the balance of neurotransmitters in the brain.



Dosage and directions

Take Asendin exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Your doctor may change your dose to make sure you get the best results from this medication.

It may take up to 3 weeks of using this medicine before your symptoms improve. For best results, keep using the medication as prescribed.



Precautions

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to amoxapine, or if you have recently had a heart attack. Do not use amoxapine if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days.

You may have thoughts about suicide when you first start taking an antidepressant, especially if you are younger than 24 years old. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits for at least the first 12 weeks of treatment.

Call your doctor at once if you have any new or worsening symptoms such as: mood or behavior changes, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), more depressed, or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.



Contraindications

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to amoxapine, or if you have recently had a heart attack. Do not use amoxapine if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you take amoxapine before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body.

Before taking amoxapine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have: heart disease; a history of heart attack, stroke, or seizures; kidney disease; schizophrenia or other mental illness; diabetes (amoxapine may raise or lower blood sugar); glaucoma; or problems with urination.

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use amoxapine, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

You may have thoughts about suicide when you first start taking an antidepressant, especially if you are younger than 24 years old. Tell your doctor if you have worsening symptoms of depression or suicidal thoughts during the first several weeks of treatment, or whenever your dose is changed.

Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits for at least the first 12 weeks of treatment



Possible side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any new or worsening symptoms such as: mood or behavior changes, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), more depressed, or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:fast, pounding, or uneven heart rate; chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling; sudden numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body; sudden headache, confusion, problems with vision, speech, or balance; feeling light-headed, fainting; restless muscle movements in your eyes, tongue, jaw, or neck; tremors or uncontrollable shaking; or fever with confusion, muscle stiffness, sweating, and fast or uneven heartbeats.

Less serious side effects may be more likely to occur, such as: nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, constipation, diarrhea;

dry mouth, unpleasant taste; increased appetite, weight changes; weakness, lack of coordination; numbness or tingly feeling; feeling dizzy, drowsy, or tired; nightmares; blurred vision, headache; low fever; mild skin rash; breast swelling (in men or women); or decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm.



Drug interaction

Before taking amoxapine, tell your doctor if you have used an "SSRI" antidepressant in the past 5 weeks, such as citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), or sertraline (Zoloft).



Before taking amoxapine, tell your doctor if you are currently using any of the following drugs: cimetidine (Tagamet); or

heart rhythm medications such as flecainide (Tambocor), propafenone (Rhythmol), or quinidine (Cardioquin, Quinidex, Quinaglute).

If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use amoxapine, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.

There are many other medicines that can interact with amoxapine. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor. Keep a list with you of all the medicines you use and show this list to any doctor or other healthcare provider who treats you.



Missed dose

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.



Overdose

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. An overdose of amoxapine can be fatal. Symptoms of an amoxapine overdose may include uneven heartbeats, increase or decrease in urination, drowsiness, agitation, confusion, hallucinations, seizure (convulsions), or coma.



Storage

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.



Disclaimer

We provide only general information about medications which does not cover all directions, possible drug integrations, or precautions. Information at the site cannot be used for self-treatment and self-diagnosis. Any specific instructions for a particular patient should be agreed with your health care adviser or doctor in charge of the case. We disclaim reliability of this information and mistakes it could contain. We are not responsible for any direct, indirect, special or other indirect damage as a result of any use of the information on this site and also for consequences of self-treatment.

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