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What is the most important information I should know about maprotiline?

You may have thoughts about suicide when you first start taking an antidepressant, especially if you are younger than 24 years old. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits for at least the first 12 weeks of treatment.

Call your doctor at once if you have any new or worsening symptoms such as: mood or behavior changes, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), more depressed, or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself. Do not use maprotiline if you have a seizure disorder, or if you have used an MAO inhibitor within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you take maprotiline before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body.

Before taking maprotiline, tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney disease, seizures, heart disease, a thyroid disorder, if you receive electroshock therapy, or if you have a history of heart attack, stroke, drug abuse, or suicidal thoughts.

It may take up to 3 weeks of using this medicine before your symptoms improve. For best results, keep using the medication as directed. Talk with your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 3 weeks of treatment. Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase some of the side effects of maprotiline. Maprotiline can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

What is maprotiline?

Maprotiline is an antidepressant. Maprotiline affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause depression.

Maprotiline is used to treat major depressive disorder, depressive neurosis, and manic-depression illness.

Maprotiline may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking maprotiline?

You should not take this medication if you are allergic to maprotiline, or if you have a seizure disorder.

You may have thoughts about suicide while taking an antidepressant, especially if you are younger than 24 years old. Tell your doctor if you have worsening depression or suicidal thoughts during the first several weeks of treatment, or whenever your dose is changed.

Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms. Your doctor will need to check you at regular visits for at least the first 12 weeks of treatment.

Do not use maprotiline if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you take maprotiline before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body.

Before taking maprotiline, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

• liver or kidney disease;

• if you are receiving electroshock therapy;

• seizures or epilepsy;

• a thyroid disorder;

• heart disease, heart rhythm disorder;

• a history of heart attack or stroke; or

• a history of drug abuse or suicidal thoughts.

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use maprotiline, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Maprotiline can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Older adults may be more sensitive to the side effects of this medication.

The orally disintegrating tablet form may contain phenylalanine. Talk to your doctor before using this form of maprotiline if you have phenylketonuria (PKU).