Imipramine is used for:

Treating depression. It is also used in some children to help reduce bedwetting. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Imipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant. It works by increasing the activity of certain chemicals in the brain that help elevate mood.

Do NOT use Imipramine if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Imipramine or to similar medicines
• you have taken furazolidone or a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor (eg, phenelzine) within the last 14 days, or if you are taking astemizole, dofetilide, droperidol, terfenadine, or cisapride
• you are recovering from a recent heart attack

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

Before using Imipramine :

Some medical conditions may interact with Imipramine. 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 drink alcohol-containing beverages daily or you have a history of alcohol abuse
• if you take thyroid medicine or you have a history of overactive thyroid, glaucoma, heart problems, kidney or liver problems, diabetes, seizures, the blood disease porphyria, or difficulty urinating
• if you have a history of suicidal thoughts or behavior, bipolar disorder, or any other mental disorders; you are undergoing electroshock therapy; or you are scheduled to have any surgery

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

• Azole antifungals (eg, fluconazole), cimetidine, duloxetine, flecainide, methylphenidate, mibefradil, phenothiazines (eg, chlorpromazine), propafenone, quinidine, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) (eg, fluoxetine), or terbinafine because the side effects of Imipramine may be increased
• Arsenic, astemizole,cisapride, dofetilide, droperidol, furazolidone, MAO inhibitors (eg, phenelzine), pimozide, quinolone antibiotics (eg, ciprofloxacin), streptogramins (eg, dalfopristin), terfenadine, tramadol, or ziprasidone because the risk of high blood pressure, serious heart problems (eg, irregular heartbeat), or seizures may be increased
• Barbiturates (eg, phenobarbital) or phenytoin because the effectiveness of Imipramine may be decreased
• Anticholinergics (eg, benztropine), carbamazepine, or sympathomimetics (eg, phenylephrine) because side effects may be increased by Imipramine
• Clonidine, guanethidine, or guanfacine because effectiveness may be decreased by Imipramine

This may not be a complete list of all interactions that may occur. Ask your health care provider if Imipramine 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.

How to use Imipramine :

Use Imipramine as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.

• Imipramine comes with an additional patient information sheet called a Medication Guide. Read it carefully and reread it each time you get Imipramine refilled.
• Imipramine may be taken with or without food.
• Taking Imipramine at bedtime may help reduce side effects (eg, daytime drowsiness). Discuss this possibility with your doctor.
• It may take 1 to 3 weeks before you notice the effect of Imipramine. Continue to use Imipramine even if you feel well. Do not miss any doses.
• If you miss a dose of Imipramine , take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once. If you take 1 dose daily at bedtime, do not take the missed dose the next morning.

Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Imipramine.

Important safety information:

• Imipramine may cause drowsiness, dizziness, or blurred vision. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how you react to this medicine. Using Imipramine alone, with certain other medicines, or with alcohol may lessen your ability to drive or perform other potentially dangerous tasks.
• Avoid drinking alcohol or taking other medications that cause drowsiness (eg, sedatives, tranquilizers) while taking Imipramine. Imipramine will add to the effects of alcohol and other depressants. Ask your pharmacist if you have questions about which medicines are depressants.
• Alcohol, hot weather, exercise, and fever can increase dizziness. To prevent dizziness or fainting, sit up or stand slowly, especially in the morning. Also, sit or lie down at the first sign of dizziness, lightheadedness, or weakness.
• Do not become overheated in hot weather or during exercise or other activities; heatstroke may occur.
• Antidepressants can increase suicidal thoughts and behaviors in some children and teenagers. This risk may be higher in individuals with bipolar illness (also called manic-depressive illness), a family history of bipolar illness, or a history of attempting suicide. Pay close attention to changes in moods or actions, especially if changes occur suddenly. Contact your health care provider right away if any of the following effects occur or worsen: depression, anxiety, restlessness or irritability, panic attacks, thoughts or attempts of suicide, or other unusual changes in behavior or mood.
• Imipramine may cause increased sensitivity to the sun. Avoid exposure to the sun, sunlamps, or tanning booths until you know how you react to Imipramine. Use a sunscreen or protective clothing if you must be outside for a prolonged period.
• Before you have any medical or dental treatments, emergency care, or surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using Imipramine.
• LAB TESTS, including blood counts, may be performed to monitor your progress or to check for side effects. Be sure to keep all doctor and lab appointments.
• Use Imipramine with caution in the ELDERLY (especially those with cardiac disease) because they may be more sensitive to its effects.
• Use Imipramine with extreme caution in CHILDREN younger than 6 years of age. Safety and effectiveness in this age group have not been established.
• PREGNANCY and BREAST-FEEDING: It is unknown if Imipramine can cause harm to the fetus. If you become pregnant while taking Imipramine , discuss with your doctor the benefits and risks of using Imipramine during pregnancy. It is unknown if Imipramine is excreted in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking Imipramine.

If you suddenly stop taking Imipramine , you may experience WITHDRAWAL symptoms, including headache, nausea, and tiredness.

Possible side effects of Imipramine :

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome:

Dizziness; drowsiness; dry mouth; excitement; headache; impotence; nausea; nightmares; pupil dilation; sensitivity to sunlight; sweating; tiredness; upset stomach; vomiting; weakness; weight loss or gain.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); blurred vision or other vision changes; changes in sex drive; chest pain; confusion; constipation; fainting; fever; frequent or difficult urination; hallucinations; impulsive behavior or other unusual changes in behavior; fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat; jaw, neck, or muscle spasms; mental or mood changes (eg, increased anxiety, mood swings, agitation, irritability, nervousness, restlessness); panic attacks; ringing in the ears; seizures; severe dizziness or drowsiness; sore throat; stomach pain; suicidal thinking or behavior; swelling of the testicles; tremor; trouble sleeping; trouble walking or keeping your balance; twitching of the face or tongue; uncontrolled movements of arms and legs or stiffness; unusual bleeding or bruising; worsening of depression; yellowing of the skin or eyes.

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.

Other Useful Information:

Radiation: 1. Rays of energy. Gamma rays and X-rays are two of the types of energy waves often used in medicine. 2. The use of energy waves to diagnose or treat disease.

Replantation: 1. Literally, the act of planting again. 2. In surgery, the restoration of any part of the body to its original site. Also known as reimplantation.

The Chinese surgeon Zhong Wei Chen (1929-2004) was the "father of replantation." Dr. Chen was the first to reattach a severed hand with success which he did in 1963. Dr. Chen also developed many microsurgical procedures including techniques for preserving severed extremities, reattaching amputated fingers and thumbs, reconstructing muscles and repairing nerves and blood vessels.

Rheumatism: Rheumatism is an older term, used to describe any of a number of painful conditions of muscles, tendons, joints, and bones.

Rheumatism conditions have been classified as either localized, regional, or generalized. Localized rheumatism conditions include bursitis and tendinitis. Regional rheumatism conditions include chest wall pain, temporomandibular joint pain, and myofascial pain syndromes. Generalized rheumatism conditions include fibromyalgia.

Another category of rheumatism is psychogenic rheumatism. With this term it is understood that the patient is reporting inconsistent pains of muscles and joints that do not correspond to true anatomy and physiology. The patient is felt to have underlying psychological causes for the symptoms.

Rheumatology: A subspecialty of internal medicine that involves the non-surgical evaluation and treatment of the rheumatic diseases and conditions. Rheumatic diseases and conditions are characterized by symptoms involving the musculoskeletal system. Many of the rheumatic diseases and conditions feature immune system abnormalities. Therefore, rheumatology also involves the study of the immune system. Classical rheumatology training includes 4 years of medical school, 1 year of internship in internal medicine, 2 years of internal medicine residency, and 2 years of rheumatology fellowship. There is a subspecialty board for rheumatology certification. The American College of Rheumatology is the official organization acting on behalf of the field of rheumatology in the United States.

T cell: A type of white blood cell that is of key importance to the immune system and is at the core of adaptive immunity, the system that tailors the body's immune response to specific pathogens. The T cells are like soldiers who search out and destroy the targeted invaders.

Immature T cells (termed T-stem cells) migrate to the thymus gland in the neck, where they mature and differentiate into various types of mature T cells and become active in the immune system in response to a hormone called thymosin and other factors. T-cells that are potentially activated against the body's own tissues are normally killed or changed ("down-regulated") during this maturational process.

There are several different types of mature T cells. Not all of their functions are known. T cells can produce substances called cytokines such as the interleukins which further stimulate the immune response. T-cell activation is measured as a way to assess the health of patients with HIV/AIDS and less frequently in other disorders.

T cell are also known as T lymphocytes. The "T" stands for "thymus" -- the organ in which these cells mature. As opposed to B cells which mature in the bone marrow.

Teleology: The study of the ultimate purpose of the design of something in nature.

For example, "what is the true purpose of the nose?" is a teleological question and, to say that all evolutionary changes occur for a definite purpose is a teleological explanation of evolution.

"Teleology" comes from ancient Greek roots but it (and teleological) did not enter English until the 18th century. It is a compound of the Greek "tele-, telos," meaning "end or purpose" + the ending "logos" meaning "the science or study of" = the study of the ends or purposes.

Testosterone: A "male hormone" -- a sex hormone produced by the testes that encourages the development of male sexual characteristics, stimulates the activity of the male secondary sex characteristics, and prevents changes in them following castration. Chemically, testosterone is 17-beta-hydroxy-4-androstene-3-one.

Testosterone is the most potent of the naturally occurring androgens. The androgens cause the development of male sex characteristics, such as a deep voice and a beard; they also strengthen muscle tone and bone mass.

High levels of testosterone appear to promote good health in men, for example, lowering the risks of high blood pressure and heart attack. High testosterone levels also correlate with risky behavior, however, including increased aggressiveness and smoking, which may cancel out these health benefits.

Testosterone may be given to treat medical conditions, including female (but not male) breast cancer, hypogonadism (low gonadal function) in the male, cryptorchism (nondescent of the testis into the scrotum), and menorrhagia (irregular periods).