Tricyclic Antidepressants to Relieve Pain

Tricyclic antidepressants -Torelievepain 4 005 458 damaged nerve(e.g.sensationofburningorshock,sharppains). of thistreatmentistorelievepaincaused,amongotherthings,bya Your doctorhasprescribedatricyclicantidepressantforyou.Thepurpose To relievepain Tricyclic antidepressants

regularly andtorespecttheprescribeddoses. better. Itisimportanttotakeyourmedication accumulates inthebodyandyoufeelbetter following thestartoftreatment.Thedrug The paingraduallydecreasesintheweeks doctor’s instructions. may needtotakeitmoreoften.Followyour medication istakenonceaday,atbedtime.You to thedoctor’srecommendations.Generally, low. Theycanbeincreasedgradually,according that youcanswallow.Thefirstdosesareoften Tricyclic antidepressantsareavailableintablets How isthismedicationtaken? depression, thedoseishigher. can relievethistypeofpain.Incases (Norpramin) andnortriptyline(Aventyl) such asamitriptyline(Elavil),desipramine In smallamounts,tricyclicantidepressants

your doctor about it first. it about doctor your

nausea, vomiting, etc.). Talk with with Talk etc.). vomiting, nausea,

symptoms (anxiety, dizziness, dizziness, (anxiety, symptoms

could experience withdrawal withdrawal experience could

as you you as next, the to day one from Never stop taking your medication medication your taking stop Never 1 health careprofessional. notice othereffects,talktoa time. Iftheypersistorifyou Most side effectsdisappearover as yourbodygetsusedtothemedication. The fatigueofthefirstfewdaysdecreases – – – – – constipation Tricyclic antidepressantscancause: What arethesideeffects? taken aloneorincombinationwithotherdrugs. months oryears.Tricyclicantidepressantsare persistent pain.Thetreatmentcangoonfor Tricyclic antidepressantsareusedtorelieve How longwillthistreatmentgoon? difficulty urinating drowsiness (wantingtosleep) increased appetiteandweightgain dry mouth Health Literacy Center

665 - November 2018 Tell your doctor if you have any of the Can I take tricyclic antidepressants following health problems: during pregnancy or when – vision problems (glaucoma) breastfeeding? – palpitations (rapid heartbeat) Your doctor may suggest that you – difficulty urinating stop treatment if you are pregnant or – recent heart attack breastfeeding your baby. The effect of – epilepsy tricyclic antidepressants on pregnancy and breastfeeding is not well known. Tricyclic antidepressants can aggravate these problems. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant, tell your doctor. Could I become addicted to tricyclic antidepressants? What happens if I take other medications or natural products ? No. There is no psychological dependence associated with this drug. Some medications or natural products can change the effect of tricyclic Can I drink alcohol during the antidepressants. They can treatment? intensify or diminish the Alcohol can intensify the effects of effect. It’s always best to talk medications. Avoid or limit your alcohol intake to your doctor or pharmacist when taking tricyclic antidepressants. before taking other products. He or she will make sure to avoid interactions, either Can I drive and do manual labour by changing the time you during the treatment? take your medications or by offering you another Tricyclic antidepressants can cause drowsiness. product. You may have difficulty driving a car or using certain tools. What should I do if I forget to take Before driving again or operating dangerous tools, make sure you’re functional and fully a dose? awake. Take it as soon as possible. However, if it’s almost time for the next dose, wait until the Do I need to follow any special diet usual timeNe doublez pas la dose. during the treatment? Don’t double the dose. To reduce the risk of constipation, unless there is any contraindication, eat high-fibre foods such Where should I store my as bran cereal, fruits and vegetables. Also, be medication? sure to drink 6 to 8 glasses of liquids per day. Store it in a safe place, away from children. Medications are sensitive to heat and humidity. Don’t store them in the kitchen or bathroom.

Tricyclic antidepressants - To relieve pain 2 Health Literacy Center What should I do in case of an USEFUL RESOURCES emergency or overdose? Québec Association of Chronic Pain: If there is an overdose, these medications > douleurchronique.org are very dangerous to health. Don’t hesitate: go to the emergency room. For immediate Canadian Pain Society: assistance, call 9-1-1 > canadianpainsociety.ca

Remember Société Française d’Étude et de Traitement de la Douleur: You can manage your pain! > sfetd-douleur.org How? By doing: International Association for the Study – light activities of Pain: – progressive exercises > iasp-pain.org – relaxation Other health sheets published by the techniques CHUM are available. Ask for those that – your favourite might fit your situation. hobbies and pastimes You can also find them Eat well to maintain a healthy weight. on our web site Sleep enough to feel rested. Take your chumontreal.qc.ca/fiches-sante medications as prescribed.

Questions For your health and that of your loved ones, never take someone else’s medication and never share yours.

Who should I contact for help or to ask questions? If you have questions about the medication, ask your pharmacist or nurse. Otherwise, ask your doctor at your next appointment.

The content of this document in no way replaces the recommen­ ­dations and diagnoses made, or the treatment suggested by your health professional.

To find out more about the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal chumontreal.qc.ca

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