What should I tell my care team before I take this medication?
They need to know if you have any of these conditions:
- Bipolar disorder
- Frequently drink alcohol
- Glaucoma
- Heart or blood vessel conditions
- History of heart attack or stroke
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
- Schizophrenia
- Seizures
- Suicidal thoughts, plans, or attempt by you or a family member
- Thyroid disease
- Trouble passing urine
- An unusual or allergic reaction to imipramine, other medications, foods, dyes, or preservatives
- Pregnant or trying to get pregnant
- Breastfeeding
What may interact with this medication?
Do not take this medication with any of the following:
- Amoxapine
- Arsenic trioxide
- Certain medications used to regulate abnormal heartbeat or to treat other heart conditions
- Cisapride
- Cocaine
- Grepafloxacin
- Halofantrine
- Levomethadyl
- Linezolid
- MAOIs like Carbex, Eldepryl, Marplan, Nardil, and Parnate
- Methylene blue (injected into a vein)
- Other medications for mental health
- Phenothiazines, such as perphenazine, thioridazine, chlorpromazine
- Pimozide
- Procarbazine
- Sparfloxacin
- St. John's Wort
This medication may also interact with the following:
- Atropine and related medications, such as hyoscyamine, scopolamine, tolterodine
- Barbiturate medications for inducing sleep or treating seizures, such as phenobarbital
- Cimetidine
- Clonidine
- Local anesthetics
- Medications for high blood pressure
- Prescription pain medications
- Seizure or epilepsy medication, such as carbamazepine or phenytoin
- Stimulants, such as dexmethylphenidate or methylphenidate
- Thyroid hormones
- Ziprasidone
This list may not describe all possible interactions. Give your health care provider a list of all the medicines, herbs, non-prescription drugs, or dietary supplements you use. Also tell them if you smoke, drink alcohol, or use illegal drugs. Some items may interact with your medicine.
What should I watch for while using this medication?
Visit your care team for regular checks on your progress. It may be some time before you see the benefit from this medication.
This medication may cause thoughts of suicide or depression. This includes sudden changes in mood, behaviors, or thoughts. These changes can happen at any time but are more common in the beginning of treatment or after a change in dose. Call your care team right away if you experience these thoughts or worsening depression.
This medication may affect your coordination, reaction time, or judgment. Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how this medication affects you. Sit up or stand slowly to reduce the risk of dizzy or fainting spells. Drinking alcohol with this medication can increase the risk of these side effects.
Your mouth may get dry. Chewing sugarless gum or sucking hard candy and drinking plenty of water may help. Contact your care team if the problem does not go away or is severe.
This medication may cause dry eyes and blurred vision. If you wear contact lenses, you may feel some discomfort. Lubricating eye drops may help. See your care team if the problem does not go away or is severe.
This medication will cause constipation. If you do not have a bowel movement for 3 days, call your care team.
This medication can make you more sensitive to the sun. Keep out of the sun. If you cannot avoid being in the sun, wear protective clothing and sunscreen. Do not use sun lamps, tanning beds, or tanning booths.
What are the most serious risks of this medication?
This medication may increase thoughts of suicide. This may be more common in children, teenagers, and young adults. The risk may increase after first starting the medication and after dose changes. Talk to your care team right away if you have changes in mood and behavior or thoughts of self-harm or suicide.