Marplan (Isocarboxazid) Patient Information: How Should I Take the Drug at RxList

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May 27, 2012

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Antidepressants »

What are antidepressants and how do they work?

Antidepressants are a class of drugs that reduce symptoms of depressive disorders by correcting chemical imbalances of neurotransmitters in the brain. Chemical imbalances may be responsible for changes in mood and behavior.

Neurotransmitters are vital, as they are the communication link between nerve cells in the brain. Neurotransmitters reside within vesicles found in nerve cells, which are released by one nerve and taken up by other nerves. Neurotransmitters not taken up by other nerves are taken up by the same nerves that released them. This process is called "reuptake." The prevalent neurotransmitters in the brain specific to depression are serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine (also called noradrenaline).

In general, antidepressants work by inhibiting the reuptake of specific neurotransmitters, hence increasing their levels around the nerves within the brain, such...

Read the Antidepressants article »

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Marplan Patient Information including How Should I Take

What should I discuss with my doctor before taking isocarboxazid (Marplan)?

Do not use this medication if you have used another MAOI such as 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 isocarboxazid before another MAOI has cleared from your body.

Do not take this medication if you are allergic to isocarboxazid, or if you have:

pheochromocytoma (tumor of the adrenal gland);
a history of stroke or blood clots;
liver disease;
kidney disease;
heart disease;
high blood pressure; or
a history of severe or frequent headaches.

There are many other medicines that can cause serious or life-threatening medical problems if you take them together with isocarboxazid. The following drugs should not be used while you are taking isocarboxazid:

diet pills, caffeine, stimulants, ADHD medication, asthma medication, over-the-counter cough and cold or allergy medicines;
blood pressure medication;
diuretics (water pills);
bupropion (Wellbutrin, Zyban);
buspirone (BuSpar); or
carbamazepine (Carbatrol, Tegretol);
furazolidone (Furoxone);
meperidine (Demerol, Mepergan);
pargyline (Eutonyl);
procarbazine (Matulane);
alcohol or medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold medicine, pain medication, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety).
antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Etrafon), amoxapine (Ascendin), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Adepin, Sinequan), imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), or trimipramine (Surmontil); or
antidepressants such as citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), or sertraline (Zoloft).

Before taking isocarboxazid, tell your doctor if you have:

high blood pressure, heart disease;
diabetes;
liver or kidney disease;
a thyroid disorder;
schizophrenia;
epilepsy or other seizure disorder;
if you have taken another antidepressant within the past 5 weeks; or
if you are also taking tryptophan (also called L-tryptophan), guanethidine (Ismelin), levodopa (Larodopa, Parcopa, Sinemet), or methyldopa (Aldomet).

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

You may have thoughts about suicide when you first start taking 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 isocarboxazid 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.

Do not give isocarboxazid to anyone younger than 16 years old without the advice of a doctor.

How should I take isocarboxazid (Marplan)?

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from this medication.

Take each dose with a full glass of water.

To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your blood pressure will need to be tested on a regular basis. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

Take this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. It may take up to 6 weeks or longer before you notice improvement in your symptoms.

Store isocarboxazid at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

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