Amoxapine

Amoxapine is used to treat depression. Amoxapine is in a class of medications called tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs). It works by increasing the amounts of certain natural substances in the brain that are needed to maintain mental balance.

Amoxapine comes as a tablet to take by mouth. It is usually taken one or more times a day. If you take amoxapine once a day, you should take it at bedtime. Try to take amoxapine at around the same time(s) every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take amoxapine exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor. It may take several weeks or longer for you to feel the full effect of amoxapine. Continue to take amoxapine even if you feel well. Do not stop taking amoxapine without talking to your doctor. Your doctor probably will want to decrease your dose gradually.

<p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p>Amoxapine may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of the following symptoms are severe or do not go away:

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nausea</li>
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drowsiness</li>
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weakness or tiredness</li>
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nightmares</li>
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dry mouth</li>
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skin more sensitive to sunlight than usual</li>
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changes in appetite or weight</li>
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constipation</li>
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difficulty urinating</li>
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frequent urination</li>
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blurred vision</li>
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excessive sweating</li></ul></p> <p></p> <p>Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms or those listed in the IMPORTANT WARNING section, call your doctor immediately:

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muscle stiffness</li>
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confusion</li>
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fast or irregular heartbeat</li>
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slow or difficult speech</li>
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shuffling walk</li>
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uncontrollable shaking or moving of a part of the body</li>
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fever</li>
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rash</li></ul>If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor may send a report to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online [at <a href='http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch'>http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch</a>] or by phone [1-800-332-1088].Amoxapine may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while you are taking this medication.</p>

Before taking amoxapine, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to amoxapine, doxepin (Sinequan), any other medications, or any of the inactive ingredients in amoxapine tablets. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for a list of the inactive ingredients. tell your doctor if you are taking a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), and tranylcypromine (Parnate), or if you have stopped taking an MAO inhibitor within the past 14 days. Your doctor will probably tell you not to take amoxapine. If you stop taking amoxapine, you should wait at least 14 days before you start to take an MAO inhibitor. tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as warfarin (Coumadin); antihistamines; cimetidine (Tagamet); flecainide (Tambocor); levodopa (Sinemet, Larodopa); lithium (Eskalith, Lithobid); medications for high blood pressure, seizures, Parkinson's disease, asthma, colds, or allergies; methylphenidate (Ritalin); muscle relaxants; propafenone (Rhythmol); quinidine; sedatives; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), 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 more carefully for side effects. tell your doctor if you are being treated with electroshock therapy (procedure in which small electric shocks are administered to the brain to treat certain mental illnesses) and if you have or have ever had a heart attack, glaucoma (an eye disease), an enlarged prostate (a male reproductive organ), difficulty urinating, seizures, an overactive thyroid gland, or liver, kidney, or heart disease. if you are having surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking amoxapine. you should know that this medication 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.

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911. Symptoms of overdose may include:

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seizures</li>
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coma (loss of consciousness for a period of time)</li></ul>