Dosulepin

Description

Dosulepin is a Tricyclic antidepressant used to treat depression and associated symptoms like lack of interest, mood changes, and despair. It is also used to treat sleep disorders.

Side effects

Major & minor side effects for Dosulepin

  • Drowsiness
  • Shaking and trembling of arms and feet
  • Change in heart rate
  • Increase/decrease in libido
  • Constipation
  • Nausea or Vomiting
  • Loss of vision or blurred vision
  • Dry mouth
  • Excessive sweating
  • Slurred speech
  • Difficulty with passing urine
  • Burning, numbness, tingling in the arms and feet
  • Mental Confusion
  • Intestinal obstruction

Uses of Dosulepin

What is it prescribed for?

  • Depression
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Concerns

Commonly asked questions

  • Onset of action
    The antidepressant effect of this medicine is cumulative and can be observed within 3-4 weeks of administration. However, the sleep-inducing effect can be observed within an hour.
  • Duration of effect
    The effect of this medicine can last for more than 6 weeks. However, it is subject to vary on an individual basis.
  • Safe with alcohol?
    Avoid the consumption of alcohol while taking this medicine due to an increase in the risk of drowsiness, confusion, impaired judgment etc. It is advised that you do not perform tasks that require a high level of mental alertness like driving a vehicle or operating machinery after taking this medicine and alcohol together. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience excessive drowsiness.
  • Is it habit forming?
    No habit forming tendencies were reported.
  • Usage in pregnancy?
    This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless absolutely necessary. Your doctor may prescribe a suitable alternative that is relatively safer to use.
  • Usage while breast-feeding?
    This medicine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women unless absolutely necessary. Your doctor may prescribe a suitable alternative that is safer to use. If this medicine is prescribed, close monitoring of the infant for any undesired effects is necessary.

Allergy

This medicine is not recommended for use if you have a known allergy to Dosulepin or any other ingredient present with it.

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI)

This medicine is not recommended for use while you are taking any medicine belonging to the Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) drug class due to an increase in the risk of seizures, fever, hallucinations, and rarely death. Some of the most commonly used medicines in this class are Selegiline, Isocarboxazid, Phenelzine etc. The time gap between the consumption of these medicines should be a minimum of 14 days.

Heart Attack

This medicine is not recommended for use if you are recovering from a heart attack suffered in the recent times.

Manic phase of bipolar disorder

This medicine is not recommended for use while a patient is experiencing manic episodes of Bipolar disorder.

Liver disease

This medicine is not recommended for use in patients having an impairment of the normal liver function.
Warnings for special population

Pregnancy

This medicine is not recommended for use in pregnant women unless absolutely necessary. Your doctor may prescribe a suitable alternative that is relatively safer to use.

Breast-feeding

This medicine is not recommended for use in breastfeeding women unless absolutely necessary. Your doctor may prescribe a suitable alternative that is safer to use. If this medicine is prescribed, close monitoring of the infant for any undesired effects is necessary.
General warnings

Sedation

Use of this medicine can cause moderate to severe sedation and impairment of physical abilities. You should avoid work that requires a high level of mental alertness while using this medicine.

Fall in blood pressure

Use of this medicine may cause a fall in the blood pressure, and hence, caution is advised. It may also cause dizziness and fainting if you get up from a sitting position suddenly.

Liver disease

This medicine should be used with caution in patients having a liver disease or an impairment of normal liver function due to the potential for severe adverse effects in such patients.

Bipolar disorder

This medicine should be used with extreme caution in patients suffering from bipolar disorder. Symptoms of mania and psychoses can worsen upon using this medicine. Consult your doctor and report the incidence of bipolar disease associated mania before receiving this medicine.

Prostate gland disorder

This medicine should be used with caution in patients with a disorder of the prostate gland. The symptoms of the disease might worsen upon using this medicine.

Heart rhythm disorder

This medicine should be used with caution in patients suffering from conduction disorders of the heart. Contact your doctor immediately if the symptoms of your heart condition worsen after taking this medicine.

Suicidal thoughts

Use of this medicine is reported to provoke suicidal thoughts and increased suicidal tendencies, especially in young patients. Report any such incidence to the doctor on priority so that counseling and monitoring of progress can be performed at regular intervals.

Withdrawal symptoms

Use of this medicine should not be discontinued abruptly. On abrupt stopping of treatment, you may experience withdrawal symptoms, especially if you have been using a high dose for a long duration. Do not stop the use of this medicine without consulting your doctor.

Other medicines

Report the use of all other medicines including herbs and supplements to the doctor. This medicine has the potential to interact with many other medicines and may cause harmful side effects.

Pediatric use

This medicine is not recommended for use in children as the safety and efficacy are not established.

Use in the elderly

This medicine should be used with caution in the elderly and bedridden patients. Appropriate dose adjustments should be done to rule out the risk of adverse effects.

Kidney disease

This medicine should be used with caution in patients having an impairment of the normal kidney function.

Surgery

Use of this medicine is not recommended if you are planning to undergo a surgery in the near future. Consult your doctor in this regard so that this medicine can be discontinued properly.

Missed Dose

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost the time for the next scheduled dose, then the missed dose should be skipped. Do not double the dose to make up for the missed one.

Overdose

Contact the doctor immediately if an overdose is suspected. Symptoms of overdose may include a change in pulse rates, severe drowsiness, confusion, vomiting, hallucinations, convulsions, and fainting. Immediate medical intervention may be required if the overdose symptoms are severe.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol

Description

Use of alcohol while taking this medicine can cause severe drowsiness and may impair movement and ability to concentrate.

Instructions

Avoid the consumption of alcohol while taking this medicine due to an increase in the risk of drowsiness, confusion, impaired judgment etc. It is advised that you do not perform tasks that require a high level of mental alertness like driving a vehicle or operating machinery after taking this medicine and alcohol together. Contact your doctor immediately if you experience excessive drowsiness.
Interaction with Medicine

Cisapride

Flavoxate

Hydrochlorothiazide

Selegiline

Chlorpromazine

Phenobarbital

Diazepam

Guanethidine

Ephedrine

Disease interactions

Heart Disease

This medicine should be used with caution in patients suffering from heart disease like heart failure, stroke, heart block etc. Symptoms like a fall in blood pressure, rapid change in pulse, dizziness, and other associated complications should be reported to the doctor on priority. It is advised that you do not take this medicine if you have recently suffered a heart attack.

Glaucoma

This medicine should be used with extreme caution in patients who are suffering from glaucoma or who are suspected of having this condition. Use of this medicine may worsen the symptoms of angle closure glaucoma.

Bipolar disorder

This medicine should be used with extreme caution in patients suffering from bipolar disorder. Use of this medicine is not recommended if the patient is experiencing manic episodes.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Information not available.
Take Dosulepin exactly as instructed by the doctor. Ensure that the right quantity of medicine is consumed for the prescribed duration only. Initial use may worsen the symptoms of depression and it may take up to 20-30 days for any improvement to happen. Usage of this medicine should not be stopped abruptly since this may cause severe withdrawal symptoms.
Miscelleneous

Can be taken with or without food, as advised by your doctor

To be taken as instructed by doctor

Causes sleepiness

How it works
This medicine works by altering the levels of certain chemicals called neurotransmitters in the brain.
Legal Status

Approved

Approved

Unknown

Approved

Classification

Category

Tricyclic antidepressants

Schedule

Schedule H

Dosulepin - DrugBank [Internet]. Drugbank.ca. 2017 [cited 14 July 2017]. Available from:

https://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB09167

Dosulepin: Indication, Dosage, Side Effect, Precaution | CIMS India [Internet]. Mims.com. 2017 [cited 14 July 2017]. Available from:

http://www.mims.com/india/drug/info/dosulepin/?type=full&mtype=generic#Indications

Dothiepin | C19H21NS - PubChem [Internet]. Pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2017 [cited 14 July 2017]. Available from:

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/5282426#section=Top

Dothiepin hydrochloride: treatment efficacy and safety. - PubMed - NCBI [Internet]. Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. 2017 [cited 14 July 2017]. Available from:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3531188

[Internet]. Drugs.webmd.boots.com. 2017 [cited 17 July 2017]. Available from:

http://drugs.webmd.boots.com/drugs/drug-164-talwin+nx+oral.aspx?drugid=164&drugname=talwin+nx+oral

TGA eBS - Product and Consumer Medicine Information Licence [Internet]. Ebs.tga.gov.au. 2017 [cited 17 July 2017]. Available from:

https://www.ebs.tga.gov.au/ebs/picmi/picmirepository.nsf/pdf?OpenAgent&id=CP-2010-PI-04551-3&d=2017071716114622483

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Information on this page was last updated on 20 Jul 2017

Disclaimer

We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.