Nardil (Phenelzine) Patient Information: How Should I Take the Drug at RxList

Pill Identifier Search

May 27, 2012

Nardil

Narcolepsy »

What is narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy is a chronic disease of the central nervous system. Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is the main symptom and is present in 100% of patients with narcolepsy. Other primary symptoms of narcolepsy include:

loss of muscle tone (cataplexy),
distorted perceptions (hypnagogic hallucinations), and
inability to move or talk (sleep paralysis).

Additional symptoms include disturbed nocturnal sleep and automatic behavior (patients carry out certain actions without conscious awareness). All of the symptoms of narcolepsy may be present in various combinations and degrees of severity.

Narcolepsy usually begins in teenagers or young adults and affects both sexes equally. The first symptom to appear is excessive daytime sleepiness, which may remain unrecognized for a long time in that it develops gradually over time. The other symptoms can follow excessive daytime sleepiness by months...

Read the Narcolepsy article »

« Previous
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
Next »

Nardil User Reviews >>

Nardil

Understanding Depression Slideshow

Take the Depression Quiz

Benefits of Treating Depression

font size

Nardil Patient Information including How Should I Take

What should I discuss with my doctor before taking phenelzine (Nardil)?

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

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

pheochromocytoma (tumor of the adrenal gland);
congestive heart failure;
a history of liver problems; or
if you need any type of surgery with anesthesia.

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

diet pills, caffeine, stimulants, ADHD medication, asthma medication, over-the-counter cough and cold or allergy medicines;
tryptophan (also called L-tryptophan);
levodopa (Larodopa, Parcopa, Sinemet), methyldopa (Aldomet);
meperidine (Demerol, Mepergan);
furazolidone (Furoxone);
procarbazine (Matulane);
buspirone (BuSpar);
bupropion (Wellbutrin, Zyban);
dexfenfluramine (Redux);
guanethidine (Ismelin);
alcohol or medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold medicine, pain medication, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety); or
antidepressants such as citalopram (Celexa), duloxetine (Cymbalta), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), sertraline (Zoloft), or venlafaxine (Effexor).

Before taking phenelzine, tell your doctor if you have:

high blood pressure, heart disease;
diabetes;
schizophrenia;
epilepsy or other seizure disorder; or
if you have taken another antidepressant within the past 5 weeks.

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.

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 phenelzine 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 take phenelzine (Nardil)?

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 instructions 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.

It may take several 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 4 weeks of treatment.

Store phenelzine at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Related Drug Centers