Elavil

Elavil is used for:

Treating depression. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Elavil is a tricyclic antidepressant. How tricyclic antidepressants improve depression symptoms is not fully understood. They are thought to increase the activity of certain chemicals in the brain (norepinephrine, serotonin), which help improve mood.

Do NOT use Elavil if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Elavil
• you are currently taking or have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) (eg, phenelzine, selegiline) within the last 14 days
• you are taking antihistamines (eg, diphenhydramine), cisapride, droperidol, a ketolide (eg, telithromycin) , a macrolide (eg, erythromycin), mibefradil, or pimozide
• you are recovering from a heart attack

Contact your doctor or health care provider right away if any of these apply to you.

Before using Elavil :

Some medical conditions may interact with Elavil . Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:

• if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
• if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
• if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
• if you have a history of mental illness (eg, bipolar disorder, mania, manic-depression), or have considered or attempted suicide
• if you have alcoholism or regularly consume 3 or more alcoholic beverages per day
• if you have glaucoma, an irregular heartbeat, heart disease, chest pain, liver disease, prostate problems, thyroid disease, or are unable to urinate (urinary retention)
• if you have a history of seizures, epilepsy, or porphyria

Some MEDICINES MAY INTERACT with Elavil . Tell your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:

• MAOIs (eg, phenelzine, selegiline) because they can cause serious, sometimes life-threatening, reactions. Do NOT take MAO inhibitors with, or within 2 weeks of taking, Elavil
• Anticholinergics (eg, scopolamine), bupropion, cimetidine, fluconazole, phenothiazines (eg, chlorpromazine), SSRIs (eg, fluoxetine), terbinafine, or valproic acid because side effects such as blurred vision, difficult urination, drowsiness or sedation, dry mouth, or lightheadedness may occur
• Antihistamines (eg, diphenhydramine), cisapride, droperidol, ketolides (eg, telithromycin), macrolides (eg, erythromycin), mibefradil, pimozide, or streptogramins (eg, quinupristin/dalfopristin) because serious side effects on the heart (eg, racing heartbeat, dizziness, fainting, life-threatening abnormal heartbeat leading to unconsciousness, and lack of heartbeat, may be increased by Elavil
• Carbamazepine, thyroid medicines (eg, levothyroxine), or stimulants (eg, albuterol, pseudoephedrine) because their side effects may be increased by Elavil
• Warfarin because side effects su ch as serious bleeding may be increased by Elavil
• Clonidine, guanethidine, or guanfacine because the effectiveness of these medicines may be decreased

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Elavil may interact with other medicines that you take. Check with your health care provider before you start, stop, or change the dose of any medicine.