Desipramine (By mouth)
des-IP-ra-meen
Treats depression. This medicine is a tricyclic antidepressant.
Drug classes
Antidepressant, CNS Stimulant (About this – PubMed Health)
Uses
Uses of This Medicine
Desipramine is used to treat depression. It works by increasing the activity of a chemical called norepinephrine in the brain. This medicine is a tricyclic antidepressant.
This medicine is available only with your doctor’s prescription.
Other uses (PubMed Health)
How To Use
Tablet
Take your medicine as directed. Your dose may need to be changed several times to find what works best for you.
This medicine should come with a Medication Guide. Ask your pharmacist for a copy if you do not have one.
Missed dose: Take a dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then and take a regular dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.
Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.
Drugs and Foods to Avoid
Ask your doctor or pharmacist before using any other medicine, including over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.
Do not use this medicine if you have used an MAO inhibitor (MAOI) within the past 14 days.
Some medicines can affect how desipramine works. Tell your doctor if you are also using St John’s wort, buspirone, cimetidine, fentanyl, guanethidine, lithium, tramadol, tryptophan, thyroid medicine, medicine for heart rhythm problems, medicine for nerves or sleeping, or a phenothiazine medicine.
Tell your doctor if you are also using other medicine to treat depression, such as amitriptyline, fluoxetine, paroxetine, or sertraline. You must wait at least 5 weeks after you stop using fluoxetine before you can start using desipramine.
When Not To Use
This medicine is not right for everyone. Do not use it if you had an allergic reaction to desipramine or a recent heart attack.
Warnings
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have kidney disease, diabetes, heart or blood vessel disease, heart rhythm problems, thyroid problems, trouble urinating, schizophrenia, or a history of seizures or glaucoma. Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol.
For some children, teenagers, and young adults, this medicine may increase mental or emotional problems. This may lead to thoughts of suicide and violence. Talk with your doctor right away if you have any thoughts or behavior changes that concern you. Tell your doctor if you or anyone in your family has a history of bipolar disorder or suicide attempts.
This medicine may cause a serious reaction called serotonin syndrome, which can be life-threatening.
This medicine may make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how this medicine affects you.
Tell any doctor or dentist who treats you that you are using this medicine. You may need to stop using this medicine several days before you have surgery or medical tests.
Do not stop using this medicine suddenly. Your doctor will need to slowly decrease your dose before you stop it completely.
Your doctor will do lab tests at regular visits to check on the effects of this medicine. Keep all appointments.
Keep all medicine out of the reach of children. Never share your medicine with anyone.
Possible side effects
Summary More details
Call your doctor right away if you notice any of these side effects:
Allergic reaction: Itching or hives, swelling in your face or hands, swelling or tingling in your mouth or throat, chest tightness, trouble breathing
Agitation, irritability, sudden increase in energy, trouble sleeping
Anxiety, restlessness, fast heartbeat, fever, sweating, muscle spasms or twitching, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, seeing or hearing things that are not there
Fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat
Fever, cough, chills, sore throat
Thoughts of hurting yourself or others, worsening depression, unusual behavior
If you notice these less serious side effects, talk with your doctor:
Tiredness
If you notice other side effects that you think are caused by this medicine, tell your doctor.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
More side effects of this drug
Brand names include
Norpramin
There may be other brand names for this medicine.
