About imipramine

Imipramine belongs to a group of medicines called tricyclic antidepressants. It is generally prescribed for the treatment of depression in adults. It is also used to treat night-time bedwetting in children, which is a completely unrelated condition to depressão.

The exact cause of depression is not known. It can develop for no apparent reason, or it may be triggered by a life event such as a relationship problem, bereavement, or illness. People with depression have a consistently low mood and other symptoms severe enough to interfere with normal day-to-day activities. Medicines like imipramine can help to ease the symptoms caused by depression, such as sleep disturbance and a loss of appetite. Imipramine is thought to work by interfering with certain brain chemicals (called neurotransmitters) which may be involved in causing the symptoms of depression.

Night-time bedwetting is common in children, particularly in young children. It often responds to reassurance and advice about drinking and toileting. For an older child, treatment with a medicine like imipramine is sometimes also needed. Imipramine will be prescribed by a doctor specialising in the care of children with this problem. It is not suitable for children under 6 years of age.

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine can only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you (or if appropriate, your child) start taking imipramine it is important that your doctor knows:

• Se você está grávida ou amamentando.

• Se você tiver algum problema com o funcionamento do seu fígado, ou se tiver algum problema com o funcionamento dos seus rins.

• If you have any of the following conditions: epilepsy, diabetes, increased pressure in your eye (glaucoma), an overactive thyroid gland, or a heart condition.

• Se você teve problemas com constipação.

• Se você tiver alguma dificuldade para urinar, ou se já teve problemas de próstata.

• Se você já teve um problema de saúde mental (em particular, transtorno bipolar ou psicose).

• If you have either of the following rare conditions: a tumour on your adrenal gland, called phaeochromocytoma, or an inherited blood disorder called porphyria.

• Se você estiver tomando qualquer outro medicamento. Isso inclui qualquer medicamento que esteja disponível para compra sem receita médica, bem como medicamentos fitoterápicos e complementares. É especialmente importante que você informe ao seu médico se recentemente tomou um medicamento para depressão, conhecido como inibidor da monoamina oxidase (IMAO).

• Se você já teve uma reação alérgica a um medicamento.

• Before you start the treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. It will give you more information about imipramine and will provide you with a full list of the side-effects which you could experience from taking it.

• It is usual to take imipramine once a day, at bedtime. Some doctors, however, may recommend smaller doses taken two or three times a day, for depression. Your doctor will tell you which is right for you and your dose will also be on the label of the pack to remind you.

• You can take imipramine either with or without food.

• Tente manter suas consultas regulares com seu médico. Isso é para que seu médico possa verificar seu progresso.

• If you buy any medicines 'over the counter', check with a pharmacist that they are suitable to take with imipramine. This is because a number of medicines can increase the risk of side-effects from imipramine, including some strong painkillers, flu remedies and antihistamines which can be bought from pharmacies.

• If you have diabetes you may need to check your blood sugar (glucose) more frequently. This is because imipramine may affect the levels of sugar in your blood. Your doctor will advise you about this.

• If you are due to have any medical treatment, tell the person carrying out the treatment that you are taking imipramine, as it can interfere with some anaesthetics.

• A few people who take imipramine find that their skin becomes more sensitive to sunlight than usual. Try to avoid strong sunlight until you know how your skin reacts, or use a sun cream with a high sun protection factor. Do not use sunbeds.

• If you suspect that someone (especially if it is a child) might have taken imipramine by accident, go to the accident and emergency department of your local hospital straightaway. This is very important because imipramine can cause serious problems when it is taken accidentally or in overdose. Take the container with you to show what has been taken, even if the pack is now empty.

If it's for depression

• Take imipramine exactly as your doctor tells you to. It can cause drowsiness so your doctor may advise you to take a small dose to begin with, and then that you gradually increase it as your body becomes used to the medicine.

• When you start taking imipramine for depression, you may feel that it is not working for you straightaway. It can take a week or two for the effect to build up and 4-6 weeks before you feel the full benefit. It is important that you do not stop taking it thinking it is not helping. Also, while you feel depressed, you may have distressing thoughts, and think about harming yourself or ending your life. If this happens, it is very important that you tell your doctor about it straightaway.

• There are several types of antidepressants - each type works in a slightly different way and can have different side-effects. If you find that imipramine does not suit you then let your doctor know, as another antidepressant may be found that does.

• Your doctor will recommend that you do not drink alcohol while you are on imipramine. This is because it increases the risk of side-effects, such as feeling sleepy.

• Se você esquecer de tomar uma dose, tome-a assim que se lembrar (a menos que esteja quase na hora da próxima dose, nesse caso, pule a dose esquecida e tome a próxima dose normalmente). Não tome duas doses juntas para compensar uma dose esquecida.

• Your doctor may ask you to carry on taking imipramine even after you feel better. This is to help stop your depression from returning. It is normal for a course of treatment to last for around six months after your symptoms have eased.

• Continue to take imipramine unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Stopping treatment suddenly can sometimes cause problems and your doctor may want you to reduce your dose gradually over a number of weeks when this becomes necessary.

If it's for bedwetting

• Check the label on the pack carefully to make sure you are giving the correct dose. The dose will depend upon your child's age. The medicine should be taken at bedtime.

• If you forget a dose, leave out the missed dose but make sure that you remember to give the next dose when it is due. Never give two doses together to make up for a forgotten dose.

• A course of treatment with imipramine is likely to last for no longer than three months. Towards the end of the course, your child's doctor will gradually reduce the dose so that the treatment isn't stopped abruptly. After this, the doctor will review your child's progress, and then continue the treatment only if it is necessary.

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with imipramine. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Se você sentir quaisquer outros sintomas que acha que podem ser devido ao medicamento, fale com seu médico ou farmacêutico para mais conselhos.

• Mantenha todos os medicamentos fora do alcance e da vista das crianças.

• Armazene em local fresco e seco, longe de calor e luz diretos.