Brand Names: Elavil
Generic Name: Amitriptyline
Elavil is a revolutionary treatment that belongs to the class of tricyclic antibiotics potent to significantly decrease symptoms of depression. Amitriptyline, an active ingredient of the drug, influences the work of the brain chemicals and manages all the imbalances in patients with depression.
Thus, Elavil is commonly used to improve depression symptoms. The treatment can be administered for other purposes, though only after doctor’s recommendations.
Elavil produces a drastic impact on the whole body. Follow the prescription and other safety concerns to benefit from the action and get significant condition enhancement. Take Elavil for the full duration of the therapy, since it may take over 4 weeks for the improvement to be noticeable.
If you stop taking Elavil suddenly, it may cause dangerous withdrawal reactions and side effects, so talk to your doctor if you want to cease its use.
Take the missed dose as soon as possible, but skip it if the next one is too soon to be used. Never increase or double the next dose, as it can lead to Elavil overuse and undesirable reactions.
Do not start the medication course without doctor’s consultations. Elavil is not advised for patients who are sensitive to Amitriptyline or have recently experienced a heart attack. Besides, inform your medical professional about all the other health disorders you have, especially:
Other antidepressants, heart rhythm drugs, Cimetidine and several other pharmaceuticals will interact with Elavil causing dangerous side effects.
In order to take Elavil safely and with minimal risks, one should follow the adjusted dose and prescribed length of the therapy. Irrespective of the difference that may occur in medication doses in diverse cases, average Elavil doses are the following:
To improve the symptoms of depression in adults: 75 mg Elavil a day used in divided doses.
Additionally, 40 mg – 100 mg Elavil can be administered once a day before going to bed for the necessary effect. The maximal allowed dose is 150 mg a day;
To treat depressive disorders in children: the drug is available only for children over 12 years old. The recommended dose reaches 10 mg Elavil used three times a day;
Geriatric dose for depression treatment: 10 mg Elavil taken three times a day will provide the necessary effects and eliminate all the possible risks.
Call your doctor the first possible moment in case Elavil intake has led to occurrence of any serious health problems or complications, including the following: