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In this Article

• What is selegiline transdermal (Emsam)?
• What are the possible side effects of selegiline transdermal (Emsam)?
• What is the most important information I should know about selegiline transdermal (Emsam)?
• What should I discuss with my health care provider before using selegiline transdermal (Emsam)?
• How should I use selegiline transdermal (Emsam)?
• What happens if I miss a dose (Emsam)?
• What happens if I overdose (Emsam)?
• What should I avoid while using selegiline transdermal (Emsam)?
• What other drugs will affect selegiline transdermal (Emsam)?
• Where can I get more information?

What should I discuss with my health care provider before using selegiline transdermal (Emsam)?

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to selegiline, if you have an adrenal gland tumor (also called pheochromocytoma), or if you plan to have any type of surgery. Do not use selegiline if you have taken any of the following drugs within the past 14 days:

• buspirone (BuSpar);
• carbamazepine (Tegretol) or oxcarbazepine (Trileptal);
• cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril);
• dextromethorphan (cough medicine);
• meperidine (Demerol), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), propoxyphene (Darvon, Darvocet), or tramadol (Ultram, Ultracet);
• mirtazapine (Remeron);
• diet pills, ADHD medications, or cold medicines that contain dextromethorphan, ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, or phenylephrine;
• St. John's wort;
• antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), amoxapine (Asendin), bupropion (Wellbutrin, Zyban), citalopram (Celexa), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Sinequan), duloxetine (Cymbalta), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), paroxetine (Paxil), protriptyline (Vivactil), sertraline (Zoloft), venlafaxine (Effexor), or trimipramine (Surmontil); or
• other MAO inhibitors such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine (Parnate), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), or oral selegiline (Eldepryl).

After you stop using selegiline, you must wait at least 14 days before taking any of the medications listed above. You must wait at least 5 weeks after stopping fluoxetine (Prozac) before you can start using selegiline transdermal.

Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

• heart disease, high or low blood pressure;
• seizures or epilepsy; or
• a personal or family history of bipolar disorder (manic depression) or suicide attempt.

You may have thoughts about suicide when you first start using an antidepressant, especially if you are younger than 24 years old. Tell your doctor if you have worsening symptoms of 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.

FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

It is not known whether selegiline passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I use selegiline transdermal (Emsam)?

Use this medication exactly as directed on the label, or as it has been prescribed by your doctor. Do not use more of the skin patches or use them for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

For patients using 9-mg or 12-mg patches: While you are using selegiline and for 14 days after you stop, you must not eat foods high in tyramine (listed in the "What should I avoid?" section of this leaflet. Eating these foods while you are using selegiline 9-mg or 12-mg skin patches can raise your blood pressure to dangerous levels.

Foods that you MAY eat include:

• fresh meat, poultry, or fish (including lunch meat, hot dogs, breakfast sausage, and cooked sliced ham);
• any vegetables except broad bean pods (fava beans);
• processed cheese, mozzarella, ricotta, cottage cheese;
• pizza made with cheeses low in tyramine;
• soy milk, yogurt; or
• Brewer's or baker's yeast.

This medication comes with patient instructions for safe and effective use. Follow these directions carefully. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

Before applying a skin patch, wash the skin with soap and water and dry completely. The patch can be worn on a dry, smooth, and hairless area of your back, upper arm, chest, or thigh. Do not apply the patch to a skin wound or irritated skin, or wear it under tight clothing. Never cut a skin patch into smaller pieces.

Remove the patch after 24 hours, taking care not to touch the sticky side with your fingers. Fold the patch in half so that it sticks together. Throw the used patch away where children and pets cannot reach it.

Wash your hands with soap and water after applying a patch, and after removing one.

Use only one patch at a time. While you are wearing the patch, do not expose it to sunlight or other sources of heat such as a heating pad, electric blanket, hot tub, or sauna.

Do not stop using selegiline suddenly or you may have harmful side effects. It may take several weeks of using selegiline before your symptoms improve. For best results, keep using the medication as directed.

Store the skin patches at room temperature away from heat and moisture. Keep each patch in the foil pouch until you are ready to apply one.